Sleep apnoea

[philipwatling]

In December 1994 I was hit by a car (see http://ow.ly/DKc3l) and all the muscles in my pharynx became weaker causing them to collapse when I am asleep giving me sleep apnoea (I think about 19 times a minute!). Of course my brain won't let me die, as it keeps waking me up, but I am unaware of this - and for my usual six hours I sleep like a baby! I am not overweight and do not drink or smoke; my heart is strong, I am unlikely to get hypertension and am highly unlikely to be depressed. My wife got very concerned though, but denies it is because I snore and wake the neighbours... In fact once asleep she cannot hear me at all!

She worries, I get referred and now use a CPAP machine. As I said snoring is apparently not an issue, but I don't snore using the machine and do sleep well - for about four hours! Then I am wide awake, very thirsty, often have a headache; I am raring to go and cannot fall back asleep meaning I am usually very tired during the day. I feel it safe to say that I sleep worse using the CPAP machine than I do not using it. Any advice?

[Dr Neil Stanley]

Some people find it difficult to get on with CPAP for a variety of reasons. Sleep apnoea can cause a number of other health risks e.g. increased blood pressure and an increased risk of stroke so it is important that you find a way of dealing with your apnoea. Therefore I would suggest you talk through the problem with your GP, it may be that the CPAP is actually contributing to your feeling thirsty newer CPAPs may get around this.