SLEEP APNEA? IMPORTANT

[kastia]

For the past few nights I've been having trouble breathing.

Just as I'm drifting off into sleep, my breathing gets heavier and I take breaths at longer intervals until all of a sudden I'm wide awake and gasp for breath.

I looked it up and my symtoms are strikingly similiar to that of a disease called sleep apnea.

What's bothering me about this

Comments

[deerheadlights]

Well it's fairly uncommon in young women, so I don't know. All I can say is go to your doctor and try to sleep on your side? Then, if it is sleep apnea, your tongue, whatever tissue is blocking your airways will hopefully stop.

PS Is the type in your journal white on purpose? I knoe I was reading through and was pretty confused by all the long blank entries until I figure it out xD

[planetary_kiwi]

My mother has a friend in her mid 50s with sleep apnea. She has high blood pressure and was diagnosed with the problem at age 53. I am sure what you are going through right now is indeed, stress related.

I am a hypochondriac myself at some times, BUT it is highly unlikely for a 16-year-old like yourself to have this so young. Try sleeping on you side at night rather than flat on your back or stomach - this decreases your chances of having breathing episodes. Propping yourself slightly upright with pillows helps too.

Hope to hear you are well soon!

[disembodied_cat]

Sometimes if we think something is wrong with ourselves - we make it so, - so maybe stress combined with a fear of being sick is adding to this. Plus - when you look up the symptoms it just confirms your fears even if what you think is wrong is not - in fact, wrong. X) (Did that even make sense lol ..)
But anyways - go to a doctor right away and tell your parents! You're better off knowing for sure than just speculating about it.

[kastia]

Nono, you make sense!
I've told my parents and we're setting up a doctors appointment tomorrow. :)

[sazuke16]

I think mom's last boyfriend had the same thing. I remember whenever he slept here he had a breathing machine here with him. Though he was in his forties to fifties and overweight and around sawdust a lot so that might have been it. Get well soon though can't have you ill on us!

[myluckyseven]

Weirdly, I know a bit about sleep apnea! By the second sentence, I totally knew what this was about.

Anyways! If you think you have it, ask your doctor to set you up with a sleep exam. I'm not sure about treatment... Wiki tells me machines are used most often for obstructive sleep apnea, but there's also medications and surgery.

Unfortunately, I know there's a girl who went to my elementary school who had it, so I can't say anything comforting on whether or not you have a serious problem. :(

Either way, I'd get the doctor to direct you to a sleep clinic. (I've actually had a test at one of those, although for a brain scan thing not apnea)

[kastia]

No, thankfully I know it's not obstructive. I think it would be a lot worse if it was.

Thanks for your concern :)