How old are you?

AmoRanas · Post by **AmoRanas** » Sat Apr 07, 2007 9:58 pm

I'm 34 and fat. With that said, now that I have been diagnosed with apnea, I know for a fact that I had it at 23 and I wasn't fat then. Over the years of it getting worse, I've gained weight as I've slowed down due to the constant fatigue, headaches, memory loss, depression and anxiety, etc.

If it weren't for the fact that my PCP nagged me to go see a gastric bypass surgeon, I would have never had a sleep study. I didn't even think it was necessary and was a wee bit ticked that I had to go. Surprise, Surprise here I am getting my cpap next week and I can't begin to say how excited and happy I am.

To think that I may actually wake up refreshed, have a day without headaches, be able to read a book and remember what I read after 10 years of hell. Being told that I need to quit my job because it's too stressful, to have more discipline in exercising, increasing the amount and number of medications to make it through the day has been of no help and the emotional toll it has taken on me has at times been too much to handle.

Be thankful that you are receiving treatment now. If I had known or the numerous doctors I have been to had known what the true cause of my illness was, the last 10 years would have been much, much better.

Be thankful.

tater pie · Post by **tater pie** » Sat Apr 07, 2007 10:35 pm

I'm 56 and was diagnosed at 54. I'm sure I had it many years before I was diagnosed though. I'm also fat but I think I had it in my late 20's when I was average weight.

I found out about it through my sister whose husband had it.

ddpelp · Post by **ddpelp** » Sat Apr 07, 2007 10:43 pm

57 just diagnosed about 3 weeks ago have had machine 2 weeks... Sleeping better I knew I had it from the info I read on the internet and elsewhere I would wake at night gasping for air and actually kinda afraid to lay back down not now much much better.. My guess I have had it a while about snoring and now my grand kids tease me about snoring when they stay the night ...

got to add this. I joined a Yahoo group then found this forum.. The Yahoo group is good. but no where near the info and history that this forum has and I bet many of you are in both groups as well.. This forum amazes me

gulfpearl · Post by **gulfpearl** » Sat Apr 07, 2007 11:17 pm

Like everyone else has stated you are lucky to be diagnosed in your twenties rather than later in life whenOSA has taken it's toll on your body. I was diagnosed when I was 48. I'm sure I have had OSA most of my life. When I was 28 & pregnant with my second child The nurses told me I would have breathing problems while sleeping. I never even heard of sleep apnea at that time.Fast forward twenty years I was suffering from headaches ,extreme daytime fatigue, hypertension, & just recently diabetes. I had a sleep study after my hubby informed me of my loud snoring & breathing pauses during sleep. I was officially diagnosed when I was 49.

CollegeGirl · Post by **CollegeGirl** » Sat Apr 07, 2007 11:53 pm

I'm 28. I was diagnosed at 26. We ARE lucky to be diagnosed this young - think of all the decades of heart and brain damage we're getting to prevent. We're both fortunate. I think I've had apnea since I was born. My mom describes me snoring as a baby. Welcome to the boards.

Tor · Post by **Tor** » Sun Apr 08, 2007 2:17 am

I am 43 and have used APAP for 2 months. Was diagnosed 3 years ago.

blarg · Post by **blarg** » Sun Apr 08, 2007 2:21 am

Ioannispolo wrote:Im 29 , not a smoker and im not fat, why do I have apnea so young?

I'm 23, not a smoker and not fat. Woe is me. Hey, at least you're not alone.

Be glad you found out so you can fix it.

blakey72 · Post by **blakey72** » Sun Apr 08, 2007 3:59 am

I'm 34 and was diagnosed about 3 months ago. I think I've had this condition for a few years now like others have said. I also have narcolepsy, RLS, bipolar disorder and depression. I'm on a number of drugs (about 8 I think) including dexamphetamine to keep the narcolepsy under control. The negative aspect of this though is I can't really tell if the CPAP is doing its job because I'm so awake from the phets. Anyway that's my story

Blakey.

kteague · Post by **kteague** » Sun Apr 08, 2007 5:57 am

I was told I snored as far back as the early 80's, was told by docs I had OSA symptoms in early 90's, while still young and fit. Three sleep studies over several years failed to pick it up due to Periodic Limb Movement Disorder kept me from sleeping enough to even hardly snore. Was diagnosed in late 2005 at age 54.

To Blakey72 - If your narcolepsy was diagnosed prior to the sleep apnea, your need for meds may need to be reassessed. My neuro doc sent me to Cleveland Clinic with symptoms of several sleep disorders, including what seemed classic for sleep attacks, sleep paralysis, hallucinations when waking up, and cataplexy. My nap study showed I fell quickly to deep sleep in every nap, but limb movements woke me before reaching REM, as in the overnight study. The more I fought sleep, the worse my symptoms. Cleveland Clinic said they wouldn't put a diagnosis of Narcolepsy on it unless I was getting 6 hours of good sleep on a fairly regular basis. Unable to function, I quit work and began allowing myself to sleep every almost time I got sleepy. After about 10 weeks of almost hibernation, my cognitive abilities began to improve as did the symptoms above. The more I've used my cpap, the better they've gotten. Granted, some of the symptoms are still present, but if I had been prescribed a certain level of meds a year ago, they would be far too much for my symptoms at this point. Just keep an eye open for opportunities under your doctor's care to reduce meds for all your disorders, as you may get the needed effect from much less when your brain is not so disordered from sleep and oxygen deprivation. Unless your narcolepsy symtoms are still blatantly apparent, it may even be a good idea to get another nap study after you get your cpap treatment optimized.

Kathy

Kathy

NightHawkeye · Post by **NightHawkeye** » Sun Apr 08, 2007 6:16 am

Welcome to first time posters, AmoRanas and blakey72. Also, a warm welcome to relatively new members mth712, HeatherN, and ddpelp. Thanks to all of you for contributing your stories. Hope you enjoy the forum.

As for me, I just wish I'd been diagnosed with apnea forty years ago. I'll be 55 tomorrow. Like many here, I've snored since I was young, and had problems while sleeping since before I was twenty. Finally got a diagnosis for apnea in late 2005, and been xPAP'ing ever since.

Regards,
Bill

bdp522 · Post by **bdp522** » Sun Apr 08, 2007 6:33 am

Happy Birthday Bill!

I was diagnosed at 50. I have always snored and had sleep issues. After years of testing for lupus, diabeties, fibromylasia, and the like, my husband and son watched me sleep and found that I would stop breathing for almost 2 minutes at a time. I wish I had been lucky enough to have been diagnosed at a younger age!

Brenda

bman44 · Post by **bman44** » Sun Apr 08, 2007 6:58 am

As others have said, consider yourself lucky to have been diagnosed early. I was diagnosed with sleep apnea at 45, after a heart attack and open heart surgery. I would guess I went undiagnosed for at least 15 years.

Sleepy-eyes · Post by **Sleepy-eyes** » Sun Apr 08, 2007 7:34 am

I'll be 62 this June. I was diagnosed last summer. I'm not overweight. (5'11"/185lbs.) Three days a week you will find me in the gym with free-weights and aerobic training. But I've snored for years. Didn't have any idea I "had" anything!

While researching a way to help my girlfriend stop snoring, I was enlightened about OSA. I got her to go to the doctor and request a sleep study. Shortly after she got her machine, she/we realized I was displaying similar symptoms...............so here I am. Not overweight but still "on da quipment!"

bast · Post by **bast** » Sun Apr 08, 2007 8:42 am

chiming in on this one,

i'm 42, and like many others, have had symptoms of osa for years - taught myself to sleep anywhere but on my back since i would wake up snorting/snoring. really, i think the osa got worse a few years ago when i moved, had more allergies (think inflammation), and started having migraines. in those 6 years i had started to feel OLD. unlike anything i ever felt before. so now i am hoping that xpap will bring back at least some of those bouncy youthful feelings -

if i had known at 29, it's a hard call, but i probably would have treated it. it's hard thinking about the ways my life may have been harder for having had this condition and not had treatment, so i'm just looking ahead hopefully.

take good care of yourself, and let others help when they can.
have a great life, do interesting things, and be well!

ciao~

ZZZzzz · Post by **ZZZzzz** » Sun Apr 08, 2007 9:04 am

44
(Who knows for how long?)
Maybe the doctor's right: "This is a genetic disorder."

-Bev

How old are you?

43

Re: How old are you?

Age of diagnosis and symptoms

diagnosed at 42

Mask

Additional Comments: Encore Pro 1.8