Merlin’s weekly podcast with Dan Benjamin. We talk about creativity, independence, and making things you love.
Sleep apnea and attention deficit
Jamie Phelps | Feb 18 2006
I have been having trouble with attention deficit symptoms that have progressively worsened over the past 2-3 years. I was talking with a friend who said that he used to have similar problems and that he was finally diagnosed with sleep apnea. Once he started using a CPAP machine, his apnea was much better, his wife would not have to sleep on the couch, and his cognitive functioning was markedly improved. The research on sleep apnea that I have been reading indicates that sleep apnea can cause attention deficit troubles. I am pretty sure I'm a good candidate for sleep apnea, as I reflect two of the three common risk factors: overweight, middle-aged, male. I'm 25, so I'll let you guess which two I fit. I'm 5'10 1/2" and weigh in at around 230. The most basic treatment for sleep apnea is to lose weight. After that, tests and such have to be run that would be a strain on my student budget. I have health insurance, but $300 for a test that I wasn't planning for is a little steep. So, all that being said, anyone here have experience with sleep apnea? Did you experience attention deficit troubles as a result? How much did correcting your sleep apnea help your attention deficit symptoms? What treatments helped you? Did simply losing weight help or do you use a CPAP? I don't think I am a candidate for SA surgery, but if anyone has any experience with that, I would like to hear about that as well. I have contemplated taking medication for the attention deficit symptoms, but I would much rather fix the problem than treat the symptoms. Thanks in advance. 32 Comments
POSTED IN:
 Sleep Apnea (Long Post Alert!!!)Submitted by deldyn on March 28, 2006 - 9:10pm.
I signed up for this board to post on this subject. I am speaking as a former sleep apnea sufferer. If you think you have sleep apnea find a good doctor, get the sleep studies done and figure it out. I had severe sleep apnea, my breathing was stopping on average once a minute. I hated the idea of the cpap machine, but after managing to keep it on for maybe 15 or 20 minutes a night for the first week I saw what a tremendous difference it made. After a while I was sleeping with it on for the majority of the night and it totally changed my life. The quality of life improved dramatically. I used to wake up in the morning feeling like I got hit by a bus, after the cpap I would wake up refreshed, and invigorated. Ultimately I had the surgery done because of chronic tonsilitis, so it made sense to go ahead and have the rest of the procedure done and it has made life so much more pleasant. Sleep is much more restful than it had been in over 10 years, and I can actually wake up in the morning and function. I was only 26 when I had the surgery, yes I am fat, and I smoke. Losing the weight is something I need to do, and obviously quitting smoking is equally important, but I would do the surgery again today if faced with the same situation. Hell as much as I hated that damn CPAP machine I really did feel a difference, and if my insurance company had not approved the surgery I would still be using the CPAP. The sleep studies are rough... get a picture though because you will look like a borg. Give you something to laugh at a few years down the road. Honestly I needed to do something. I had too much at risk to not step up and get the sleep issues resolved, and to this day I thank God that I didn't punk out and run from the problem. Sleep apnea is a debilitating problem for many, myself included [was]. I would feel like I was in a fog until at least the second cup of coffee. I was exhausted, wasn't GTD at work or in my personal life... since the apnea has gone away, I have been a totally different animal. Obviously I have some issues with organization that I need to work out, hence why I am here in the first place, but at least now I have the energy to tackle the issues. Seriously, go to your doctor, and if you have insurance there is no reason not to get at least 1 sleep study done to see what exactly is going on. Sorry for the length of this post. » POSTED IN:
|
|
| EXPLORE 43Folders | THE GOOD STUFF |
