Any positive stories after sleep apnoea diagnosis?

[Ggsoph]

After a good year of my nagging my OH finally went to Dr's last night re his extreme tiredness. GP thinks it's severe sleep apnoea (we knew it was as he frequently stops breathing in the night). Checked his nose and GP found polyp and narrowed nasal passage (he's broken his nose at least 5 times playing blummin rugby) so referred to ENT rather than sleep clinic.

It's hit OH like a ton of bricks - he's really upset about diagnosis. I thought he'd be pleased that this problem can be solved but think the chat with GP made him realise how much this has taken over his life.

So do any of you have some positive stories i can tell him about life after treatment? He's 29 and physically fit - all the info on the web seems aimed at older, overweight men and he can't relate.

Thanks in advance!

I get it .... picture on my profile .... also side effect of old broken nose.
Get the nose tidied up (amazing bruises after the op)
then take advice about sleeping positions : not on his back.
Also, does he drink - alcohol makes it much worse
so if poss, try to not drink four or five nights a week

silly thing : you may need to sleep in separate rooms for a couple of months to let yourselves learn new sleeping habits

My DS has it due to deviated septum and huge adenoids/tonsils - he's 6, so hardly an old man and he's underweight, not overweight. He's awaiting an operation too. I'm relieved that something can be done - but I was upset to think of how much DS has had to put up with before he was diagnosed. DS is being very brave and positive about it all.

The op made a mahoosive difference : my septum was in many pieces and my nostrils are still wonky (I make a different note depending on which one I breathe through) but I rarely wake myself us snoring in the night now

My dh has this.
On his test night he stopped breathing 187 times. He has the mask which, while was a bugger to get used to, ten years on has been a life and marriage saver.

Oh, and dh had a perfect height to weight ratio when he was diagnosed at 41.

Thanks everyone. Good to hear some positive stories about treatment. Just found out the waiting list is 3 months for ENT, so no quick fix!

He'll have a general anaesthetic for the op, so make use of he three months to get his blood pressure as low as you can, keep a food/sleep diary to see when its worse and make sure he cuts right down on the booze
that way the op will go more smoothly and you'll know what will work best after.
ENT surgeons are sarky but great (they see a lot of snot and ear wax)

Hi I'm 42 and dh said I've been stopping breathing for long periods at night (longest 57 secs). I'm tired all the time! Dh says I've been like this at LEAST 8 years and I'm female! Have FINALLY been refereed to sleep clinic. Awaiting appt. all I want to do is feel normal and have energy to play with kids during day and weekends. Just glad a GP took me seriously finally. Others said lose weight!!!

tazmo
my sympathies - I smashed my nose when I was 33 an had nearly three years of madness before getting it mended and I snored like a train before (and after)
unfortunately, weight is a major contributing factor to constricting airways and maintaining cardiovascular pressure.
for any op or medical intervention to work, you need to be as fit as you can be beforehand

Hi Tazmo, I know OH keeps saying how he wants to be normal. Getting his diagnosis has made him see how bad things have been. We are getting married next year and would like to start a family but there is no way we can at the moment as he couldn't cope. Can't imagine how you must feel keeping up with kids so you have tons of sympathy from me! I guess the good news is its a totally treatable condition and so many people have had their lives turned changed once they are diagnosed.

Talkinpeace - thanks for the advice. I think a food diary is a great idea. Alcohol definitely makes it worse but he is intolerant to a few foods so will see how this affects his symptoms too.

Yes weight doesn't help but I had this with normal weight (ie 10 st at 5 ft 5.5 in) and years later when 13 st. Actively trying to make it better but even when preggers was cutting out breathing so seems to be physiology rather than anything else (ie no alcohol for over a year while pg and bf). Luckily dh let's me lie in at weekends but gets frustrated when I say still tired!! Hoping that I will get answers and energy!!! But u learn to live with it I think. Forgotten what normal is. T

do you do yoga or pilates ?
both will help with circulation and cardio system ...

Oh my I'm really worried now my ds has this and the dr said it was nothing to worry about even when he swallows his tongue. All I got told was to put him on his side when I go to sleep and that's that.

do not panic
how old is he ?
sleeping on side or front makes a huge difference ....
overweight adults are more likely to sleep on their backs ...

So can you actually stop breathing and die?

My Dad has been wearing a CPAP mask for sleep apnoea for a few years now. He's had several refittings of the mask to get one that suits him perfectly. They've been very happy at the clinic to make very minor adjustments to get it absolutely perfect. Apparently a lot if people give up on it very quickly.
Dad is in his 60s and could do with losing a bit of weight too, but he's gone from someone who was always tired and falling asleep watching tv in the day/at dinner parties with friends etc, to someone with loads of energy. He's a new man.

Natasha - it can take a few different machines and adjustments of masks/settings to get the perfect fit. Make sure your DH persists with it. Dad had problems with a mask rubbing his nose so much it got sore and the skin broke down and another one that dried out his lips, but he's got one now that's perfect. It really has been a life changer for him. (also, I think he would've had to stop driving if he wasn't treated, because of the risk of falling asleep at the wheel)

DragonsAreReal I've never heard of stopping breathing and dying from sleep apnoea, don't know where you've got that from? You haven't said how old your DS is? How did the doctor diagnose it? Was it a GP or consultant? No need to panic, honestly. My DS has always had it, and he's just waiting for his operation now as it's become clearer that he's not going to grow out of it and it's causing him some problems. But it's not a 'rush to the hospital' type thing, just 'probably best to get this sorted out so it doesn't cause him more problems' type thing.

No it's nothing that's been diagnosed. Last time ds was ill his breathing and not breathing was awful so I recorded it to have the dr listen to it. I explained its like this most of the time but not so loud as ds had tonsillitis and a cold at the time. I was worried because he kept swallowing his tongue and I know with epileptic fits swallowing your tongue and choking on it is the most dangerous thing but the dr said blablabla he won't die in his sleep and turn him on his side. I explained its like that the majority of the time but he wasn't concerned.