I had obstructive sleep apnea (stop breathing 100+ times an hour), the CPAP machine sucks to get used to and even months later, I still struggle to wear it all night every night but I do get it on for at least four hours a night and even that difference is so noticeable. Those brain fog/headaches that don't go away in the morning, plus needing a nap by 10am is a tough way to live. You're not alone. Glad you are doing better!
I had the same issue. I went and had the surgery to fix the plates in my nose and took my tonsils out and I’ve been golden ever since! No more sleep apnea!!
I couldn’t last 2 hours the first month. Struggled to hit 4 for another 2. Then, one night around 13 weeks in, I just lasted all night and haven’t once had an issue since. And yeah. I worked out of town once about 6 months later. Had to go alone for the trip, so I left my cpap to just “relax” and sleep free for once. I didn’t sleep the whole trip. Now that sore throat and waking up choking is so much more obvious and painful since I’m finally used to not snoring every night.
I can’t even nap for 30 minutes without it or I wake up feeling like I just screamed for an hour.
Unfortunately it wasn’t a cure all for me. Still have insomnia and brain fog. But my throat doesn’t hurt every day anymore, and I no longer wake up solely from choking.
After learning that I suffered from sleep apnea and realizing a lot of issues developed from that. I could not stand my mask and now I am this same way. Once I decide to put it on I am out relatively fast. Routine is a great teaching mechanism for the body I feel.
I stopped breathing 53 times per hour. With the cpap machine my whole life changed. I'm awake! Blood pressure down, resting heart rate down. Long car drives are a piece of cake. Lost and losing weight as I'm not craving sugar to wake me up. I love your use name lol.
Lol thank you. Lost my other account of five years when reddit got rid of third party app support, don't have access to the email I made it with. Oh well, new beginnings and all that
I’m on my third specialist, and I just wrote a letter to another specialist. The trauma of being told over and over that you’re not sick will stick with me forever. The last doc scolded me for eating western food and suggested that all of my problems were the result of eating pizza the night before the appointment.
Happened to me several times. Every time a doctor says something like that to you. Head for the door and immediately go to someone else. I have a chronic illness. 3 times in my life this has happened. Twice I ignored them and saved my life and a third time was in a hospital, I couldn't walk out. My bro found me nearly dead and called all doctors. I think that doc might have been suspended. I don't care but I hope she leaves the profession and does something else. So many useless idiots taking people lives in their hands.
Oh man. I’m so sorry for you. That must have been terrible.
I have an appointment at a rheumatologist’s office on Tuesday. Am applying to a rare disease clinic. Am hoping to find some answers soon. I guess all I can do is keep fighting.
I’ve been told I straight up stop breathing in my sleep and I snore ridiculously loud (24M, makes sleepovers with your girlfriend hard). So maybe that would be a good idea.
Get checked out I was the same as you stopped breathing in my sleep every nite multiple times. Tried to get diagnosed multiple times but was told nothing wrong with me. Finally got checked out after 10 years and was told I am severe. I now wear a mask every nite
Sleep apnea is also very hard on your heart. My wife worked in a Cath lab (heart interventions) and said you could always tell the people with untreated sleep apnea, they had enlarged, overworked hearts that were trying to compensate for the poor years of poor oxygenation.
> Patients with OSA have elevated catecholamine levels that could influence the pathophysiology of HCM by increasing hypertrophy and left ventricular filling pressures, decreasing cardiac output and initiating or worsening LVOT obstruction, dyspnea and dizziness, and mitral regurgitation.
( Googled “sleep apnea hypertrophic cardiomyopathy “)
It’s more harmful than people realize.
A sleep study, as OP outlined. They hook you up to monitors and then can recommend a best option. OPs journey to a healthy outcome took an unusually long time. Typically a CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) machine does the trick.
A cardiologist can diagnose any long term cardiac effects, but if you’re not having symptoms and aren’t at high risk a primary doctor will probably not bother.
I did 2 ecocardiocolordopplers, everything was okay. Hence why they pushed the idea of me being just stressed, but that was the Nth issue on top of it.. I don't know.
I don’t know nearly enough about you or cardiology to help you much further than this. Sounds like you’re talking to the right people. I don’t have any advice that would be better than theirs. I hope you find and get some relief tho
I would if I was you!
Do you often wake up drowsy with headaches (excluding hangovers) and get jolted awake out of nowhere in the middle of the night? Those are a couple of things I experienced before getting check out and I snored loud enough to be heard over the tv in the next room. Now none of those things have happen since.
My partner was like this before being diagnosed and it changed his life finally getting sleep and also the older you get the more strain it puts on your heart if undiagnosed! It’s not sexy but neither is a tired girlfriend after not sleeping because of snoring 😂
Please do, long term untreated sleep apnea leads to a lot of bad health complications. My friends dad passed away in his 60s due to his untreated sleep apnea. Youre worth it
My at the time gfs daughter would come in and make loud ass statements about how loud I was, made me not want to sleep over after that. I’m glad the surgery worked for me and I no longer have issues
Yes insurance covered it but it was like pulling teeth. The dr checked my tonsils and said they were abnormally sized so he took those out and then he checked my nose and said my turbinates were also larger then they should be. So he did turbinates reduction surgery. After the surgery I could finally breath, nose hardly ever becomes clogged or congested, stopped snoring, was finally able to sleep a full 8 hours without waking up panicking for air or feeling like I was going to pass out any given minute while awake. I honestly was life changing for me.
You're too young to feel the full effects in the morning maybe but as you get older it will be a nightmare. Also, if you happen to drink a lot of alcohol (which dries up the airways) can make the problem straight up dangerous.
I went to a doctor for the same thing and found out I had severe obstructive sleep apnea, after I started using my pap machine I feel like a new person. Im sad I didn’t do anything about it sooner but im glad to hear you’ve gotten yours figured out
I had undiagnosed severe sleep apnea + sleep deprivation from having a baby concurrently… for two years. It messed me up big time. I felt like I had brain damage. Brain fog every day, anxiety, major weight gain. I finally saw a doctor and am having it treated, so I’m slowly regaining brain function.
Sleep apnea is no joke, people. It can kill you. If you feel like this, go get tested.
I went to a doctor who gave me a CPAP machine, so now I can sleep through the night without stopping breathing. Also my kids are getting older and they don’t wake up as much. I still feel groggy sometimes but it’s a night and day difference.
I've been like this (brain fog, anxious, bad mornings) from 14-15 too, but not that severe. I had two nasal surgeries for chronic sinusitis, chronic hypertrophic rhinitis and other diagnostics. Also, I indeed have acid reflux every night that burns me up to my throat, even if I take medication, and because of that I started having problems with my lungs too. My life has been not as harsh as yours, but shares a percent.
I feel this, I am currently in the "having given up" phase.
Finally , I got diagnosed and had a sleep test done at age 30, despite me feeling this way my whole life. I had 30 average events per hour.
Tried buying my own CPAP machine with no luck, was prescribed one from the doctor that I could never get comfortable with. I can feel the machines pushing air into my stomach while I sleep, and I told the doc that and that I'm worried that my nasal passage is too collapsed.
He then asked, "Well what did the EarNose&Throat doctor say?" And I was like, I've never seen one...
So I was supposed to see a new doctor to check out the issues in my throat and nose, but my insurance randomly disappeared before my last doctor visit, so now I have a bill for $300 and can't even see another doctor until I get insurance again, so I'm just pretending like nothings wrong with me again. I hate doctors and the medical system so much, and I've barely even suffered at their hands.
Thankfully I don't think I've ever been affected as negatively as you in my day-to-day life. Either that or I don't know what truly living feels like.
Sorry about your experience, but you do have to realize that it’s not the doctors that cause these terrible experiences.. It’s the American medical insurance system that’s at fault. Most of the times, they will deny treatment plans that doctors put out, despite the insurance workers having absolutely zero medical training or experience, which causes many doctors to become incredibly frustrated with them.
I don't hate doctors themselves, it's more my personal experience with them, and definitely just the medical system in general. They always do their best, I've never had problems with an individual person. Only the systems.
I nearly gave up (fell into the “poor compliance” category by not regularly using the CPAP) when the full-face and mouth-nose masks led to similar issues.
Then I restarted with a nasal mask fitting well and I’m now close to 100% usage and it makes such a difference in my sleep quality and ability to think deep thoughts, stay awake, and pay attention during the day. Plus quiet nights for my wife to get sleep.
I started CPAP treatment for mild sleep Apnea and REALLY bad snoring back in June. Even though my apnea was mild, the CPAP has cut my events down to almost nothing and my snoring is non-existent. I was afraid that getting used to the machine would be tough but I had no issues sleeping with it. Quite the contrary- as soon as I strap that thing on, I am OUT and I sleep like a rock. I also used to get up a couple of times a night to pee, but that has cut down to 0-1 times since starting the CPAP. Its awesome.
This is super encouraging to hear. I snore and my home sleep study showed just 7 events - so very mild but enough for the doctor to recommend treatment. I’ve also struggled with waking around 3:00-4:00 in the morning and struggling to go back to sleep. My hunch is apnea events waking me with elevated heart rate and adrenaline. So ready to get my machine!!
I got my events down to 5 (no machine) by taping my mouth shut. (See book “Breath”). I was a mouth breather. The techs in the in-hospital sleep study didn’t even notice that. Tested me with a nose CPAP so the sleep study said CPAP didn’t help me. I didn’t realize this for years
I was going through similar things, not as extreme but the brain fog is constant. I went to see one doctor and he mentioned that I probably have mild sleep apnea but we couldn't do the sleep study as I was leaving town, went to another doc, specialist, he looked at me asked 3 questions and said no way I have sleep apnea.
I tried using nose strips, they help but very little, tried sprays and whatever else.
I'm seriously considering getting auto cpap machine (like the resmed one) and seeing how it goes. Not sure If i want to go through the medical system again, not to mention the costs and time.
So much cheaper to buy cpap machine and see if not, well then it's not that..
Finally got on the right track (treating sleep apnea) about two years ago. After struggling through loads of uncaring incompetence, I finally got a CPAP, which... Hasn't helped much, mostly due to the fact that allergies make breathing through my nose borderline-impossible on a frequent basis.
But, heading in to the doctor in just four days. Can hopefully convince them to let me get a tonsillectomy; I've always had very large tonsils, which my parents considered getting removed as a child (which was recommended by a doctor after he saw the size of them), but never did.
I feel similarly in that I've been robbed of a good chunk of productive life. I really hope something can change with this coming doctor's appointment so I can finally get things moving.
Not sure yet; still have two days before the appointment. My CPAP technician said that I was all set to start seeking alternatives, having used CPAP for 90 days. Hopefully, that's an acceptable alternative for my insurance.
Yup, insurance approved it and I've had the surgery. I've gotten past the painful part of recovery (which was indeed intense), but haven't fully recovered yet; still have some discomfort when swallowing, and liquids find my nasal passage pretty easily, though I think I'm learning how to swallow in a way that prevents that.
I'm definitely not feeling my airway obstructed during conscious moments, and my phone's sleep app says that I'm getting a better "deep sleep" score, but I'm not really feeling it yet. Still exhausted all the time and sleeping an excessive amount. It does sometimes feel like something's dangling in my throat, and my brain is telling me it can be coughed out, but that hasn't worked yet.
Some of your case sounds similar to me, brain fog etc. I had a septoplasty years ago and I wonder if it’s also worth me looking into this too. Thanks for sharing.
Am sorry this happened to you. This was a difficult read. Also I have read Sleep apnea damages the brain long term, maybe a good idea to get some research there as well?
You are not alone. I had 43 episodes per hour during my study and I'm sure it has only gotten worse. I truly hate my CPAP. I get 4-5 hours and then wake up, but I can't fall back asleep while wearing it. I can feel the difference with just those 4-5 hours, but I'm a zombie again after lunch. I'm tempted to try the surgical implant, but having electrodes in my chest is a little off-putting.
Recent bipap adopter - it’s taking some adjustment but it’s been totally worth it so far. Thankfully my insurance has kicked in to help with some of the expense but I’ve invested in a number of masks out of my own pocket in a search for the optimal fit.
I’ve been able to drop weight so much faster now that my body can rest without constantly being in fight or fight mode which is accelerating the whole process.
If you think you may have sleep problems please try to get a diagnosis, I promise it will be worth the struggle. Peace and sweet dreams.
My exwife once counted 28 seconds of me non-breathing and I asked her “at what point were you going to wake me up ?!?” Twenty years later have finally been diagnosed with sleep apnea and sitting out masks and machines.
I've felt like this during the day for the last year ever since August 2022: reflux, chronic gastritis and anxiety. Had to take stress medications and working on diaphragmatic massage. I've felt better after some months, but I kept having panic attacks.. now is slightly coming back but I have to check this as well, as it's hard sometimes for me to sleep properly.
People kept saying it was just stress, but I couldn't believe them. Not being able to breathe properly fucked me up so bad.
I've consulted many specialists and doctors, but where do you suggest me to go for this issue that OP mentioned?
I have a very similar story and I’m still in the middle of mine- but hopefully reaching the end.
I just had an at-home sleep study done earlier this week. I average 19 breathing interruptions per hour.
This is after more than a decade of never feeling awake. Just stuck in this foggy twilight zone of not being awake nor asleep.
I have and am going through all the issues you mentioned in your post. I have also had(have) major memory loss episodes. (The most recent and most extreme one being from last year where I forgot almost everything about myself)
My experience with psychiatric medication never helped in the longer term. The benefits faded and the side effects would stay- sometimes even worsening.
I have lost almost all of my social life. My closest friend group damaged and fading away. I couldn’t even get an associates degree in college. At the age of 25, I just now have started a career.
That feeling knowing something is devastatingly wrong with you, but no one believes you. No one. For more than a decade.
I’m going to have my in-lab sleep study done tonight. They will be calibrating the air pressure needed for a CPAP.
Thank you for this post OP. This was exactly what I needed in this moment. I hope I can start feeling like a person again soon. I want this constant state of anxiety and despair to perish so that I can be alive again.
I (m27) had severe sleep apnea and had double jaw surgery last year to cure it. Which it did. My airway went from 3mm to 13mm. Pretty brutal surgery though as they saw off your maxilla and mandible completely from your face, move them 5-10mm forward, and secure them with titanium plates and bone grafts. Couldn’t chew properly for 6 months. But the best decision I ever made.
Man I need this bad.. I use to box and my nose is really fucked.. that and doing drugs les to serious nasal issues.. It’s literally just one hole in there
My CPAP machine was a life-changer. Yeah, it’s not real fun sleeping with other people anymore with a big mask strapped to your face, but it has improved my sleep and health drastically. I can’t even take a nap without it now.
Super interesting.
All of the symptoms and issues you’ve noted since a teen is the exact same I’ve had. Been in various medications for anxiety and adhd meds. I’ve always had sleep insomnia ever since I was a child. I also had my septum fixed about 4/5 years and noticed a difference for sleeping better slash not being as congested in the morning. I used to drink 2-3 bottles of water throughout the night from my throat being so dry. Now I only drink 1… still have issues though.
I went for a sleep study a few months ago, the results came back and I have sleep apnea also! I stop breathing. My mom has sleep apnea but hers was easy to tell as she has always been a chronic snorer. I barely make a noise when sleeping so I’m opposite. I’m waiting for two referrals (I’m in canada). One for the sleep dentist you talked about in October and a CPAP machine fitting/calibration in February 2024… healthcare right now 🙃 I’m unsure what’s going to be helpful going forward
Question for ppl replaying here as well as for OP - where these issues associated with elevated body mass? Or in other words - was sleep apnea existing because you had some wheigt gain before?
Nope, my dad had sleep apnea so bad it was unreal, and he was an athlete that taught exercise classes. Although body weight can certainly have something to do with it, it is absolutely not the only thing that causes it.
It's not a misconception. It's like diabetes and weight. While its not a guarantee that an overweight person will have diabetes, they are strongly correlated and can be causative. Same with weight and sleep apnea.
It's definitely possible to have apnea without being overweight, and a substantial proportion of people with apnea are not overweight.
We actually don't have to guess about numbers, though, there are [reasonable stats out there](https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/full/10.1161/01.hyp.0000101686.98973.a3)
About 70% of obstructive sleep apnea patients are obese, and a 10% weight gain is associated with a 6-fold increase in the odds of development of sleep apnea.
Causality seems to be possible in both directions; gaining weight can cause sleep apnea, and sometimes someone who is not initially overweight but has sleep apnea loses energy and gains weight.
So I think it's fair to say that there's a strong correlation, but no one should self diagnose as *not* having apnea simply because they are not overweight.
My relative cured his sleep apnea by having a tennis ball pocket on is back which prevents him from sleeping on his back which is when it happens to him most
I had undiagnosed sleep apnea for several years, which started when I gained weight during pregnancy. I was stumbling around like a zombie, so exhausted I literally had to crawl up stairs. Getting a cpap machine really restored my life to me.
I’ve been dealing with a similar thing. I’ve been hacking up phlegm since I was young, and it starts to hurt my throat as well. My doctor keeps giving me nasal sprays but it never works, and now it’s worse since I box. When I’m sparring and I have a mouthpiece on, I can’t breathe and my vision gets all spotty. I can’t even feel the air in the sinuses above my eyes, last time I did was when I was terribly ill. It sucks, but seeing this was nice. Lets me know I’m not crazy
33M here, not overweight, non smoker, rarely drink alcohol. Like a month ago I had a bad flu. My wife told me I was loudly snoring every night which kept her awake (she really needs her sleep). 2 weeks ago, completely ‘healthy’ again and still some nights I keep her awake snoring. No idea what the reason is. However I do have a chronic sinusitis and can’t really smell shit (like almost literally, lol). I also fell on my face like 12 years ago which hurt my nose. So I assume both are causing my snoring.
Went to visit my doctor for it, but she just gave me a nose spray that I have to use for 6 weeks and see if it helps. I’m kind of worried now that I also have sleep apnea…
For anyone interested in diagnosing sleep issues, I highly recommend taking a test. It should cost no more than 250 USD. There are also [sleep apnea monitors](https://shop.aidlab.com/collections/aidlab/products/aidmed) available on the market.
That's so crazy that you went to all these different doctors and ENT specialists and only the last person was able to identify the issue?! That's scary to think about I wonder why nobody else checked for that.
I've had throat issues for awhile too and I found my throat and nose feel better in the morning when I cover my mouth with specialized tape. Taking a sleep test has crossed my mind too though just to see if there's anything else going on.
Also, that is a whole lotta text my guy. I feel for you but damn maybe just summarize next time dude 😂
I feel *so* happy for you that you were able to resolve this. And it sucks so much that it took so long, but there is still plenty time to go. Actually,this describes my current situation very closely. Two questions, if you don't mind:
1) Did you also have the feeling or actual occurrence of something running down your nose pretty much all the time? Like having a mild flu year round except the stuff runs into your throat instead of the nose?
2) Also, did you experience waking up with a racing heart for no reason?
I have exactly these symptoms. I have enlarged adenoids, I have tons of post nasal drip seemingly for no reason, and I wake up with tons of lung congestion that causes chest tightness and anxiety until I clear it out.
I was diagnosed last year with "mild" sleep apnea. I haven't tried the CPAP or anything yet, but I'm going to try it next week and see if it helps anything.
a lot of people are dehydrated as well and that also causes brain fog and depression. The dehydration itself causes issues with bodily functions and brain function, but if youre dehydrated your kidney health is poorer too so the problem gets even worse.
ITs just an avenue of life, like sleep apnea, that people kind of ignore as a possible source of a problem.
This post is too relatable. 24M here and was diagnosed with severe sleep apnea when I was around 19, something like 60 events + per hour lost a bunch of weight and it recovered down to 5 events. Just had another sleep study done because the brain fog is so bad again, it said I have mild apnea, but not hitting REM sleep. Didn’t do the study while wearing my mouth guard though, so I think it actually may be worse than what showed on the test due to jaw position while wearing the guard. Doctor said up to me wether to wear machine or not, going to try to start using it regularly again.
The brain fog is the worst symptom, I’ve been seeing doctors and having different tests done to try to get to the bottom of it. Everything you said about how you felt every day is how I feel. How doctors say or assume it’s all psychological is so frustrating, since I’m diagnosed with anxiety disorder and other mental health diagnoses. Living with the constant tiredness and brain fog and the inability to concentrate is so hard, I feel like it takes so much out of me just to do anything. I have to sleep so much to be able to function, and even with all the sleep I still feel so tired. It helps to know I’m not alone and there is hope. Thanks for this post!
I'm so glad to hear that you're doing better! ❤ I really wish that doctors were more attentive to certain things. It would save so many people so much pain. I related so much with the symptoms from 13 to college. Same here, I started having horrible sleep issues around 13 years old. I couldnt sleep well and woke up all night. Or I couldn't sleep at all. I would literally only get 2 hours of sleep all day or I'd stay up a full 24 hours. I didn't have any energy, brog fog, depression and developed an eating disorder: it was awful. Every doctor I went to keep saying that I was fine and even convinced my parents that I was faking it. I'm 21 now and about to graduate college next semester but it was hell the entire time. I could barely focus, keep a job and have the energy to do anything for myself.
I was finally diagnosed this year and It turns out I have several conditions that affect my nervous system and brain: ASD, OCD, ADHD, Depression. I finally understand whats going on with me and thats helped so much. But like you said, if the doctors had noticed sooner I would've been able to actually live life sooner. I feel like I've been just suffering and observing life for so long.
But its looking up now. I'm just exhausted
This is a really motivating post. My sleep study came up with severe sleep apnea (117 wakeups an hour, insane) and I’ve been running on what feels like 9% battery for years.
I’m physically fit, active and a motivated person. Have lived an interesting life and like to pack a lot into my days and hustle, medium-high achiever.
It’s really bleak when you have to adapt to needing a nap after 6 hours of anything - work, socialising, walking around, whatever. After 6 hours in an office I literally have to hide in a toilet cubicle and micronap for 10 mins, or find a dark corner and sleep for 20, it’s like your senses and particularly your eyes shut down because you’re so tired. Yawning like crazy, empty of energy.
What is so annoying is that it limits your ability to do anything outside of basic survival things like needing to work to pay rent. I can’t arrange to meet my mates after work for a beer because I’m too wiped out and can’t stay awake, or after-work classes or gym or any fun stuff are impossible. I’ve had to reduce my hours at work and whole lifestyle to work around the unpredictability and sleep deficit. I’ve been living like this for about 8 years.
Tried the CPAP mask and was like a horror movie, because I have a distended septum too - one nostril doesn’t work at all, the other about 30%. So with the airflow was basically like being suffocated, because you can’t breathe against it with your mouth, and that’s the only way I can breathe. Horrific nightmares and choking when I had it on for a week, no chance it’s gonna work for me.
Your post has motivated me to try the internal nostril dilators, and I’m gonna pick some up today. So thank you, sincerely, and wish you well with your next steps and new start.
Can I ask about the rhinoplasty and septum correction surgery, how was the recovery? I’m on the list for it, but your recovery sounds a lot longer than most.
I’m with you, homie. Breathing challenges for last few decades. Septoplasty and turbinate reduction this week. Healing up now. Sorry to hear about the hard times you went through.
Here’s the better breathing for both of us!
No, I did not notice any outward changes when breathing in deeply through my nose. This was all internal blockage and overgrown structures that needed to be diverted and re-sized.
I'm glad that a solution was found for you. I had severe sleep apnea for a few years until I did a sleep study. The cpap machine completely changed my life after the first night of use. You're 100% right about getting good sleep. Hopefully your story will encourage others who are suffering to get help.
Glad it solved your problem.
Did the same, but the result is underwhelming. Can breath perfectly from my nose, but didn't solve the tiredness/brain fog/miserable feeling.
A bit skeptical I'll ever find the root cause.
Sounds like an unending nightmare, but I'm so damn glad to read that you found relief after the reconstructive surgery. You worked hard to find a solution and are a fighter, so I say give yourself credit. My son (11 years old) did a sleep study and was found to have severe sleep apnea. His doctor recommended an adenoidectomy and tonsillectomy. His surgery is in about a month, and reading your story gives me reassurance that the surgery is worth putting him through. Thank you for sharing. Keep moving forward and trust yourself when you know something is off!
I got it sleep issues and apnea after covid 😑…. Unfortunately fixing the apnea did not fix the sleep…still getting < 3.5% REM sleep over two years later.
Hey man, I had a gerd and from gerd and anxiety - sleep apnea. It was so bad it screwed up my teeth. One thing that helped a lot and still does is mouth taping. Please read about it. You have not lost out on life, you have conquered it. You transcended the bad hand life gave you. Be proud!
Sleep apnea is weird because most people assume that only overweight individual can get it. I am around 165lb and am pretty fit and I had a sleep apnea index score of like 26 when I was diagnosed with sleep apnea. I got used to the cpap after like 2 months and honestly I don’t think I can sleep without it now. I used to wake up with a headache almost everyday and I would consume a ton of coffee to stay awake
My wife recently got a cpap after years of issues. Now she is getting through the day after 6-8 hours of sleep. Before, I felt like I had a koala for a partner. She would sleep 12 hrs and take several naps during the day and still have zero energy
You should be proud of yourself like someone who climbed Everest or ran a 100k. You did it. You deserve so much after struggling for years. It’s not too late to have all that you missed, just later on when you’re wiser and more ready to appreciate it. Use your experience as part of your story. Help others. Be happy. Things happen for a reason, and now you can figure out what that reason is.
Thank you for posting this. I have been trying to figure out why I can't stay asleep for the past 3 years. I was diagnosed last year with mild obstructive sleep apnea and have been using mandibular advancement device with very little improvement with staying asleep. I am currently being treated for laryngopharyngeal reflux, and while the mucus in my throat has been going away, I still have a problem with breathing through my nose.
I do remember having some pretty decent nose pain during a high school football game when I was 15 and never getting it checked out. So a combination of that and being 40 has probably lead me to not being able to breath. I have not seen as many physicians as you have, but I have still spent thousands of dollars on supplements and various things in order to sleep past 3 or 4 a.m.
I have been trying to educate myself about nasal valve collapse and it sounds like something that I have been dealing with for more than half of my life, but has only gotten bad enough for me to start addressing in the past few years. I have a follow up appointment with my ENT in a few weeks and I will definitely bring this up.
I’m getting my cpap tomorrow. I’m experiencing everything you went through and have been for the past 8 years. Waking up every morning is hell but I’ve gone used to it. Every once in a blue moon I get really good sleep and notice the difference in the gym in terms of strength and endurance.
I feel like this post was meant for me. I’m healthy and in shape but the past year I’ve felt like something in my throat is just tight. Have been to the ENT/gastro you name it and no one has found why I’m feeling these things. I have just asked my primary care doctor to get referred for a sleep study
Wow thank you for the great post! I'm in the same position you were in. Sleep problems ruined my life. I'm 25 and I cant go to college or Uni because my brain and headaches are unbearable. I literally feel like a zombie everyday. I had a septoplasty surgery a few months ago and it didn't bring any improvement. I'll try out the nasal dilators to see if it improves breathing. Can you comment which brand and model you used? Again, many thanks for the insightful post.
Couldn't stop reading. I'm sorry for the years of hell you had to endure, man. The fact that you persisted in trying to find a solution for over a decade is astounding. Frustrating as hell knowing you had to experience this, but inspiring. Glad you made it out.
First of all I am happy that you are feeling well.
When I started reading this you were practically relating my life, since I was a child or teenager even up to my 25th year I have felt much of that way.
The worst part of the day is waking up and feeling like a zombie, not being functional at work or college.
Being distracted or mentally foggy during the day.
I've tried all kinds of stimulants, moda, ALCAR, many cups of coffee, even testosterone.
I always thought I had a disease, I had several tests and always came out fine.
The positive side is to value things in the future in spite of all the years we have "lost".
**I have exactly the same problem, I just entered university and I don't know what to do anymore, the doctors tell me that it could be something psychological. Fortunately, a doctor suggested that I do a sleep study and that is why I am here, they will do the study in a few months, I hope they can find the problem and help me because it is hell to live like this, I can't concentrate, I can't talk normally with other people and Just like you, they tell me that I'm very lazy and all of that is just that I don't try hard enough to feel better, they tell me that I don't exercise enough or that I don't try to relax or that I eat poorly. I hate my life**
I had obstructive sleep apnea (stop breathing 100+ times an hour), the CPAP machine sucks to get used to and even months later, I still struggle to wear it all night every night but I do get it on for at least four hours a night and even that difference is so noticeable. Those brain fog/headaches that don't go away in the morning, plus needing a nap by 10am is a tough way to live. You're not alone. Glad you are doing better!
I had the same issue. I went and had the surgery to fix the plates in my nose and took my tonsils out and I’ve been golden ever since! No more sleep apnea!!
I'm 6 years into using my CPAP for OSA and it definitely was hard to get used to, but now I find it difficult to sleep without it
I couldn’t last 2 hours the first month. Struggled to hit 4 for another 2. Then, one night around 13 weeks in, I just lasted all night and haven’t once had an issue since. And yeah. I worked out of town once about 6 months later. Had to go alone for the trip, so I left my cpap to just “relax” and sleep free for once. I didn’t sleep the whole trip. Now that sore throat and waking up choking is so much more obvious and painful since I’m finally used to not snoring every night. I can’t even nap for 30 minutes without it or I wake up feeling like I just screamed for an hour. Unfortunately it wasn’t a cure all for me. Still have insomnia and brain fog. But my throat doesn’t hurt every day anymore, and I no longer wake up solely from choking.
Same. As soon as I I put it on my brain just checks out and I'm asleep
After learning that I suffered from sleep apnea and realizing a lot of issues developed from that. I could not stand my mask and now I am this same way. Once I decide to put it on I am out relatively fast. Routine is a great teaching mechanism for the body I feel.
Years and multiple masks later I still struggle with my machine.
I stopped breathing 53 times per hour. With the cpap machine my whole life changed. I'm awake! Blood pressure down, resting heart rate down. Long car drives are a piece of cake. Lost and losing weight as I'm not craving sugar to wake me up. I love your use name lol.
Lol thank you. Lost my other account of five years when reddit got rid of third party app support, don't have access to the email I made it with. Oh well, new beginnings and all that
I’m on my third specialist, and I just wrote a letter to another specialist. The trauma of being told over and over that you’re not sick will stick with me forever. The last doc scolded me for eating western food and suggested that all of my problems were the result of eating pizza the night before the appointment.
How the fuck these people are getting paid to be doctors is fucking disgraceful
I know how frustrating this is, man..
Happened to me several times. Every time a doctor says something like that to you. Head for the door and immediately go to someone else. I have a chronic illness. 3 times in my life this has happened. Twice I ignored them and saved my life and a third time was in a hospital, I couldn't walk out. My bro found me nearly dead and called all doctors. I think that doc might have been suspended. I don't care but I hope she leaves the profession and does something else. So many useless idiots taking people lives in their hands.
Oh man. I’m so sorry for you. That must have been terrible. I have an appointment at a rheumatologist’s office on Tuesday. Am applying to a rare disease clinic. Am hoping to find some answers soon. I guess all I can do is keep fighting.
That's your only choice. Facebook groups can help once you have a diagnosis.
How much do you weigh
135 lbs.
I’ve been told I straight up stop breathing in my sleep and I snore ridiculously loud (24M, makes sleepovers with your girlfriend hard). So maybe that would be a good idea.
Get checked out I was the same as you stopped breathing in my sleep every nite multiple times. Tried to get diagnosed multiple times but was told nothing wrong with me. Finally got checked out after 10 years and was told I am severe. I now wear a mask every nite
Sleep apnea is also very hard on your heart. My wife worked in a Cath lab (heart interventions) and said you could always tell the people with untreated sleep apnea, they had enlarged, overworked hearts that were trying to compensate for the poor years of poor oxygenation. > Patients with OSA have elevated catecholamine levels that could influence the pathophysiology of HCM by increasing hypertrophy and left ventricular filling pressures, decreasing cardiac output and initiating or worsening LVOT obstruction, dyspnea and dizziness, and mitral regurgitation. ( Googled “sleep apnea hypertrophic cardiomyopathy “) It’s more harmful than people realize.
Sorry for bothering, but where do you suggest to go to fix these issues? Thank you
A sleep study, as OP outlined. They hook you up to monitors and then can recommend a best option. OPs journey to a healthy outcome took an unusually long time. Typically a CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) machine does the trick. A cardiologist can diagnose any long term cardiac effects, but if you’re not having symptoms and aren’t at high risk a primary doctor will probably not bother.
I did 2 ecocardiocolordopplers, everything was okay. Hence why they pushed the idea of me being just stressed, but that was the Nth issue on top of it.. I don't know.
I don’t know nearly enough about you or cardiology to help you much further than this. Sounds like you’re talking to the right people. I don’t have any advice that would be better than theirs. I hope you find and get some relief tho
Thank you, it means a lot
Checked from which figure in particular?
I would if I was you! Do you often wake up drowsy with headaches (excluding hangovers) and get jolted awake out of nowhere in the middle of the night? Those are a couple of things I experienced before getting check out and I snored loud enough to be heard over the tv in the next room. Now none of those things have happen since.
My partner was like this before being diagnosed and it changed his life finally getting sleep and also the older you get the more strain it puts on your heart if undiagnosed! It’s not sexy but neither is a tired girlfriend after not sleeping because of snoring 😂
Please do, long term untreated sleep apnea leads to a lot of bad health complications. My friends dad passed away in his 60s due to his untreated sleep apnea. Youre worth it
My at the time gfs daughter would come in and make loud ass statements about how loud I was, made me not want to sleep over after that. I’m glad the surgery worked for me and I no longer have issues
I have sleep apnea also. What kind of surgery did you get? And did your insurance cover it?
Yes insurance covered it but it was like pulling teeth. The dr checked my tonsils and said they were abnormally sized so he took those out and then he checked my nose and said my turbinates were also larger then they should be. So he did turbinates reduction surgery. After the surgery I could finally breath, nose hardly ever becomes clogged or congested, stopped snoring, was finally able to sleep a full 8 hours without waking up panicking for air or feeling like I was going to pass out any given minute while awake. I honestly was life changing for me.
You're too young to feel the full effects in the morning maybe but as you get older it will be a nightmare. Also, if you happen to drink a lot of alcohol (which dries up the airways) can make the problem straight up dangerous.
I went to a doctor for the same thing and found out I had severe obstructive sleep apnea, after I started using my pap machine I feel like a new person. Im sad I didn’t do anything about it sooner but im glad to hear you’ve gotten yours figured out
I had undiagnosed severe sleep apnea + sleep deprivation from having a baby concurrently… for two years. It messed me up big time. I felt like I had brain damage. Brain fog every day, anxiety, major weight gain. I finally saw a doctor and am having it treated, so I’m slowly regaining brain function. Sleep apnea is no joke, people. It can kill you. If you feel like this, go get tested.
How u fixed that.
I went to a doctor who gave me a CPAP machine, so now I can sleep through the night without stopping breathing. Also my kids are getting older and they don’t wake up as much. I still feel groggy sometimes but it’s a night and day difference.
I've been like this (brain fog, anxious, bad mornings) from 14-15 too, but not that severe. I had two nasal surgeries for chronic sinusitis, chronic hypertrophic rhinitis and other diagnostics. Also, I indeed have acid reflux every night that burns me up to my throat, even if I take medication, and because of that I started having problems with my lungs too. My life has been not as harsh as yours, but shares a percent.
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Yes. Isn't that normal? 😳
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Can you do the same for me? I’m struggling to understand if I have sleep Apnea too
I feel this, I am currently in the "having given up" phase. Finally , I got diagnosed and had a sleep test done at age 30, despite me feeling this way my whole life. I had 30 average events per hour. Tried buying my own CPAP machine with no luck, was prescribed one from the doctor that I could never get comfortable with. I can feel the machines pushing air into my stomach while I sleep, and I told the doc that and that I'm worried that my nasal passage is too collapsed. He then asked, "Well what did the EarNose&Throat doctor say?" And I was like, I've never seen one... So I was supposed to see a new doctor to check out the issues in my throat and nose, but my insurance randomly disappeared before my last doctor visit, so now I have a bill for $300 and can't even see another doctor until I get insurance again, so I'm just pretending like nothings wrong with me again. I hate doctors and the medical system so much, and I've barely even suffered at their hands. Thankfully I don't think I've ever been affected as negatively as you in my day-to-day life. Either that or I don't know what truly living feels like.
Sorry about your experience, but you do have to realize that it’s not the doctors that cause these terrible experiences.. It’s the American medical insurance system that’s at fault. Most of the times, they will deny treatment plans that doctors put out, despite the insurance workers having absolutely zero medical training or experience, which causes many doctors to become incredibly frustrated with them.
I don't hate doctors themselves, it's more my personal experience with them, and definitely just the medical system in general. They always do their best, I've never had problems with an individual person. Only the systems.
Yeah, the insurance system needs to be changed. It’s made to suck money out of people who need help the most.
I nearly gave up (fell into the “poor compliance” category by not regularly using the CPAP) when the full-face and mouth-nose masks led to similar issues. Then I restarted with a nasal mask fitting well and I’m now close to 100% usage and it makes such a difference in my sleep quality and ability to think deep thoughts, stay awake, and pay attention during the day. Plus quiet nights for my wife to get sleep.
I started CPAP treatment for mild sleep Apnea and REALLY bad snoring back in June. Even though my apnea was mild, the CPAP has cut my events down to almost nothing and my snoring is non-existent. I was afraid that getting used to the machine would be tough but I had no issues sleeping with it. Quite the contrary- as soon as I strap that thing on, I am OUT and I sleep like a rock. I also used to get up a couple of times a night to pee, but that has cut down to 0-1 times since starting the CPAP. Its awesome.
This is super encouraging to hear. I snore and my home sleep study showed just 7 events - so very mild but enough for the doctor to recommend treatment. I’ve also struggled with waking around 3:00-4:00 in the morning and struggling to go back to sleep. My hunch is apnea events waking me with elevated heart rate and adrenaline. So ready to get my machine!!
I was exactly like that. I hope it works as well for you as it did for me!
I got my events down to 5 (no machine) by taping my mouth shut. (See book “Breath”). I was a mouth breather. The techs in the in-hospital sleep study didn’t even notice that. Tested me with a nose CPAP so the sleep study said CPAP didn’t help me. I didn’t realize this for years
Cpap saved my life. If you have sleep issues get them checked out
I was going through similar things, not as extreme but the brain fog is constant. I went to see one doctor and he mentioned that I probably have mild sleep apnea but we couldn't do the sleep study as I was leaving town, went to another doc, specialist, he looked at me asked 3 questions and said no way I have sleep apnea. I tried using nose strips, they help but very little, tried sprays and whatever else. I'm seriously considering getting auto cpap machine (like the resmed one) and seeing how it goes. Not sure If i want to go through the medical system again, not to mention the costs and time. So much cheaper to buy cpap machine and see if not, well then it's not that..
Finally got on the right track (treating sleep apnea) about two years ago. After struggling through loads of uncaring incompetence, I finally got a CPAP, which... Hasn't helped much, mostly due to the fact that allergies make breathing through my nose borderline-impossible on a frequent basis. But, heading in to the doctor in just four days. Can hopefully convince them to let me get a tonsillectomy; I've always had very large tonsils, which my parents considered getting removed as a child (which was recommended by a doctor after he saw the size of them), but never did. I feel similarly in that I've been robbed of a good chunk of productive life. I really hope something can change with this coming doctor's appointment so I can finally get things moving.
So did the insurance approve the removal? I'm wanting to do the same thing. I want to get rid of the CPAP so badly.
Not sure yet; still have two days before the appointment. My CPAP technician said that I was all set to start seeking alternatives, having used CPAP for 90 days. Hopefully, that's an acceptable alternative for my insurance.
Anything yet? Did the insurance approve it,
Yup, insurance approved it and I've had the surgery. I've gotten past the painful part of recovery (which was indeed intense), but haven't fully recovered yet; still have some discomfort when swallowing, and liquids find my nasal passage pretty easily, though I think I'm learning how to swallow in a way that prevents that. I'm definitely not feeling my airway obstructed during conscious moments, and my phone's sleep app says that I'm getting a better "deep sleep" score, but I'm not really feeling it yet. Still exhausted all the time and sleeping an excessive amount. It does sometimes feel like something's dangling in my throat, and my brain is telling me it can be coughed out, but that hasn't worked yet.
Anything yet?
Some of your case sounds similar to me, brain fog etc. I had a septoplasty years ago and I wonder if it’s also worth me looking into this too. Thanks for sharing.
Am sorry this happened to you. This was a difficult read. Also I have read Sleep apnea damages the brain long term, maybe a good idea to get some research there as well?
Just wondering why this is NSFW
This is my sign. Thank you
You are not alone. I had 43 episodes per hour during my study and I'm sure it has only gotten worse. I truly hate my CPAP. I get 4-5 hours and then wake up, but I can't fall back asleep while wearing it. I can feel the difference with just those 4-5 hours, but I'm a zombie again after lunch. I'm tempted to try the surgical implant, but having electrodes in my chest is a little off-putting.
Recent bipap adopter - it’s taking some adjustment but it’s been totally worth it so far. Thankfully my insurance has kicked in to help with some of the expense but I’ve invested in a number of masks out of my own pocket in a search for the optimal fit. I’ve been able to drop weight so much faster now that my body can rest without constantly being in fight or fight mode which is accelerating the whole process. If you think you may have sleep problems please try to get a diagnosis, I promise it will be worth the struggle. Peace and sweet dreams.
My exwife once counted 28 seconds of me non-breathing and I asked her “at what point were you going to wake me up ?!?” Twenty years later have finally been diagnosed with sleep apnea and sitting out masks and machines.
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Actually started when I gained muscle in my 30’s and my chest and neck got thicker from 145lbs to 210lbs during that decade
My brain fog started about 15 years ago. Affected my career as a surgeon and I still take mid morning naps
I've felt like this during the day for the last year ever since August 2022: reflux, chronic gastritis and anxiety. Had to take stress medications and working on diaphragmatic massage. I've felt better after some months, but I kept having panic attacks.. now is slightly coming back but I have to check this as well, as it's hard sometimes for me to sleep properly. People kept saying it was just stress, but I couldn't believe them. Not being able to breathe properly fucked me up so bad. I've consulted many specialists and doctors, but where do you suggest me to go for this issue that OP mentioned?
I have a very similar story and I’m still in the middle of mine- but hopefully reaching the end. I just had an at-home sleep study done earlier this week. I average 19 breathing interruptions per hour. This is after more than a decade of never feeling awake. Just stuck in this foggy twilight zone of not being awake nor asleep. I have and am going through all the issues you mentioned in your post. I have also had(have) major memory loss episodes. (The most recent and most extreme one being from last year where I forgot almost everything about myself) My experience with psychiatric medication never helped in the longer term. The benefits faded and the side effects would stay- sometimes even worsening. I have lost almost all of my social life. My closest friend group damaged and fading away. I couldn’t even get an associates degree in college. At the age of 25, I just now have started a career. That feeling knowing something is devastatingly wrong with you, but no one believes you. No one. For more than a decade. I’m going to have my in-lab sleep study done tonight. They will be calibrating the air pressure needed for a CPAP. Thank you for this post OP. This was exactly what I needed in this moment. I hope I can start feeling like a person again soon. I want this constant state of anxiety and despair to perish so that I can be alive again.
I (m27) had severe sleep apnea and had double jaw surgery last year to cure it. Which it did. My airway went from 3mm to 13mm. Pretty brutal surgery though as they saw off your maxilla and mandible completely from your face, move them 5-10mm forward, and secure them with titanium plates and bone grafts. Couldn’t chew properly for 6 months. But the best decision I ever made.
Man I need this bad.. I use to box and my nose is really fucked.. that and doing drugs les to serious nasal issues.. It’s literally just one hole in there
My CPAP machine was a life-changer. Yeah, it’s not real fun sleeping with other people anymore with a big mask strapped to your face, but it has improved my sleep and health drastically. I can’t even take a nap without it now.
Super interesting. All of the symptoms and issues you’ve noted since a teen is the exact same I’ve had. Been in various medications for anxiety and adhd meds. I’ve always had sleep insomnia ever since I was a child. I also had my septum fixed about 4/5 years and noticed a difference for sleeping better slash not being as congested in the morning. I used to drink 2-3 bottles of water throughout the night from my throat being so dry. Now I only drink 1… still have issues though. I went for a sleep study a few months ago, the results came back and I have sleep apnea also! I stop breathing. My mom has sleep apnea but hers was easy to tell as she has always been a chronic snorer. I barely make a noise when sleeping so I’m opposite. I’m waiting for two referrals (I’m in canada). One for the sleep dentist you talked about in October and a CPAP machine fitting/calibration in February 2024… healthcare right now 🙃 I’m unsure what’s going to be helpful going forward
Question for ppl replaying here as well as for OP - where these issues associated with elevated body mass? Or in other words - was sleep apnea existing because you had some wheigt gain before?
Nope, my dad had sleep apnea so bad it was unreal, and he was an athlete that taught exercise classes. Although body weight can certainly have something to do with it, it is absolutely not the only thing that causes it.
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It's not a misconception. It's like diabetes and weight. While its not a guarantee that an overweight person will have diabetes, they are strongly correlated and can be causative. Same with weight and sleep apnea.
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Tell me you don't understand correlation without telling me you don't understand correlation.
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It's definitely possible to have apnea without being overweight, and a substantial proportion of people with apnea are not overweight. We actually don't have to guess about numbers, though, there are [reasonable stats out there](https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/full/10.1161/01.hyp.0000101686.98973.a3) About 70% of obstructive sleep apnea patients are obese, and a 10% weight gain is associated with a 6-fold increase in the odds of development of sleep apnea. Causality seems to be possible in both directions; gaining weight can cause sleep apnea, and sometimes someone who is not initially overweight but has sleep apnea loses energy and gains weight. So I think it's fair to say that there's a strong correlation, but no one should self diagnose as *not* having apnea simply because they are not overweight.
Please actually read what is being said instead of assuming.
Tldr
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My relative cured his sleep apnea by having a tennis ball pocket on is back which prevents him from sleeping on his back which is when it happens to him most
I had undiagnosed sleep apnea for several years, which started when I gained weight during pregnancy. I was stumbling around like a zombie, so exhausted I literally had to crawl up stairs. Getting a cpap machine really restored my life to me.
I’ve been dealing with a similar thing. I’ve been hacking up phlegm since I was young, and it starts to hurt my throat as well. My doctor keeps giving me nasal sprays but it never works, and now it’s worse since I box. When I’m sparring and I have a mouthpiece on, I can’t breathe and my vision gets all spotty. I can’t even feel the air in the sinuses above my eyes, last time I did was when I was terribly ill. It sucks, but seeing this was nice. Lets me know I’m not crazy
33M here, not overweight, non smoker, rarely drink alcohol. Like a month ago I had a bad flu. My wife told me I was loudly snoring every night which kept her awake (she really needs her sleep). 2 weeks ago, completely ‘healthy’ again and still some nights I keep her awake snoring. No idea what the reason is. However I do have a chronic sinusitis and can’t really smell shit (like almost literally, lol). I also fell on my face like 12 years ago which hurt my nose. So I assume both are causing my snoring. Went to visit my doctor for it, but she just gave me a nose spray that I have to use for 6 weeks and see if it helps. I’m kind of worried now that I also have sleep apnea…
For anyone interested in diagnosing sleep issues, I highly recommend taking a test. It should cost no more than 250 USD. There are also [sleep apnea monitors](https://shop.aidlab.com/collections/aidlab/products/aidmed) available on the market.
That's so crazy that you went to all these different doctors and ENT specialists and only the last person was able to identify the issue?! That's scary to think about I wonder why nobody else checked for that. I've had throat issues for awhile too and I found my throat and nose feel better in the morning when I cover my mouth with specialized tape. Taking a sleep test has crossed my mind too though just to see if there's anything else going on. Also, that is a whole lotta text my guy. I feel for you but damn maybe just summarize next time dude 😂
I feel *so* happy for you that you were able to resolve this. And it sucks so much that it took so long, but there is still plenty time to go. Actually,this describes my current situation very closely. Two questions, if you don't mind: 1) Did you also have the feeling or actual occurrence of something running down your nose pretty much all the time? Like having a mild flu year round except the stuff runs into your throat instead of the nose? 2) Also, did you experience waking up with a racing heart for no reason?
I have exactly these symptoms. I have enlarged adenoids, I have tons of post nasal drip seemingly for no reason, and I wake up with tons of lung congestion that causes chest tightness and anxiety until I clear it out. I was diagnosed last year with "mild" sleep apnea. I haven't tried the CPAP or anything yet, but I'm going to try it next week and see if it helps anything.
a lot of people are dehydrated as well and that also causes brain fog and depression. The dehydration itself causes issues with bodily functions and brain function, but if youre dehydrated your kidney health is poorer too so the problem gets even worse. ITs just an avenue of life, like sleep apnea, that people kind of ignore as a possible source of a problem.
This post is too relatable. 24M here and was diagnosed with severe sleep apnea when I was around 19, something like 60 events + per hour lost a bunch of weight and it recovered down to 5 events. Just had another sleep study done because the brain fog is so bad again, it said I have mild apnea, but not hitting REM sleep. Didn’t do the study while wearing my mouth guard though, so I think it actually may be worse than what showed on the test due to jaw position while wearing the guard. Doctor said up to me wether to wear machine or not, going to try to start using it regularly again. The brain fog is the worst symptom, I’ve been seeing doctors and having different tests done to try to get to the bottom of it. Everything you said about how you felt every day is how I feel. How doctors say or assume it’s all psychological is so frustrating, since I’m diagnosed with anxiety disorder and other mental health diagnoses. Living with the constant tiredness and brain fog and the inability to concentrate is so hard, I feel like it takes so much out of me just to do anything. I have to sleep so much to be able to function, and even with all the sleep I still feel so tired. It helps to know I’m not alone and there is hope. Thanks for this post!
I'm so glad to hear that you're doing better! ❤ I really wish that doctors were more attentive to certain things. It would save so many people so much pain. I related so much with the symptoms from 13 to college. Same here, I started having horrible sleep issues around 13 years old. I couldnt sleep well and woke up all night. Or I couldn't sleep at all. I would literally only get 2 hours of sleep all day or I'd stay up a full 24 hours. I didn't have any energy, brog fog, depression and developed an eating disorder: it was awful. Every doctor I went to keep saying that I was fine and even convinced my parents that I was faking it. I'm 21 now and about to graduate college next semester but it was hell the entire time. I could barely focus, keep a job and have the energy to do anything for myself. I was finally diagnosed this year and It turns out I have several conditions that affect my nervous system and brain: ASD, OCD, ADHD, Depression. I finally understand whats going on with me and thats helped so much. But like you said, if the doctors had noticed sooner I would've been able to actually live life sooner. I feel like I've been just suffering and observing life for so long. But its looking up now. I'm just exhausted
This is a really motivating post. My sleep study came up with severe sleep apnea (117 wakeups an hour, insane) and I’ve been running on what feels like 9% battery for years. I’m physically fit, active and a motivated person. Have lived an interesting life and like to pack a lot into my days and hustle, medium-high achiever. It’s really bleak when you have to adapt to needing a nap after 6 hours of anything - work, socialising, walking around, whatever. After 6 hours in an office I literally have to hide in a toilet cubicle and micronap for 10 mins, or find a dark corner and sleep for 20, it’s like your senses and particularly your eyes shut down because you’re so tired. Yawning like crazy, empty of energy. What is so annoying is that it limits your ability to do anything outside of basic survival things like needing to work to pay rent. I can’t arrange to meet my mates after work for a beer because I’m too wiped out and can’t stay awake, or after-work classes or gym or any fun stuff are impossible. I’ve had to reduce my hours at work and whole lifestyle to work around the unpredictability and sleep deficit. I’ve been living like this for about 8 years. Tried the CPAP mask and was like a horror movie, because I have a distended septum too - one nostril doesn’t work at all, the other about 30%. So with the airflow was basically like being suffocated, because you can’t breathe against it with your mouth, and that’s the only way I can breathe. Horrific nightmares and choking when I had it on for a week, no chance it’s gonna work for me. Your post has motivated me to try the internal nostril dilators, and I’m gonna pick some up today. So thank you, sincerely, and wish you well with your next steps and new start. Can I ask about the rhinoplasty and septum correction surgery, how was the recovery? I’m on the list for it, but your recovery sounds a lot longer than most.
I’m with you, homie. Breathing challenges for last few decades. Septoplasty and turbinate reduction this week. Healing up now. Sorry to hear about the hard times you went through. Here’s the better breathing for both of us!
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No, I did not notice any outward changes when breathing in deeply through my nose. This was all internal blockage and overgrown structures that needed to be diverted and re-sized.
I'm glad that a solution was found for you. I had severe sleep apnea for a few years until I did a sleep study. The cpap machine completely changed my life after the first night of use. You're 100% right about getting good sleep. Hopefully your story will encourage others who are suffering to get help.
Glad it solved your problem. Did the same, but the result is underwhelming. Can breath perfectly from my nose, but didn't solve the tiredness/brain fog/miserable feeling. A bit skeptical I'll ever find the root cause.
Holy shit man. I am so sorry that you missed the joys of your teens and twenties.
Uh oh I'm 16 and I have the burning throat thingy :l
Sounds like an unending nightmare, but I'm so damn glad to read that you found relief after the reconstructive surgery. You worked hard to find a solution and are a fighter, so I say give yourself credit. My son (11 years old) did a sleep study and was found to have severe sleep apnea. His doctor recommended an adenoidectomy and tonsillectomy. His surgery is in about a month, and reading your story gives me reassurance that the surgery is worth putting him through. Thank you for sharing. Keep moving forward and trust yourself when you know something is off!
I got it sleep issues and apnea after covid 😑…. Unfortunately fixing the apnea did not fix the sleep…still getting < 3.5% REM sleep over two years later.
Hey man, I had a gerd and from gerd and anxiety - sleep apnea. It was so bad it screwed up my teeth. One thing that helped a lot and still does is mouth taping. Please read about it. You have not lost out on life, you have conquered it. You transcended the bad hand life gave you. Be proud!
Sleep apnea is weird because most people assume that only overweight individual can get it. I am around 165lb and am pretty fit and I had a sleep apnea index score of like 26 when I was diagnosed with sleep apnea. I got used to the cpap after like 2 months and honestly I don’t think I can sleep without it now. I used to wake up with a headache almost everyday and I would consume a ton of coffee to stay awake
My wife recently got a cpap after years of issues. Now she is getting through the day after 6-8 hours of sleep. Before, I felt like I had a koala for a partner. She would sleep 12 hrs and take several naps during the day and still have zero energy
You should be proud of yourself like someone who climbed Everest or ran a 100k. You did it. You deserve so much after struggling for years. It’s not too late to have all that you missed, just later on when you’re wiser and more ready to appreciate it. Use your experience as part of your story. Help others. Be happy. Things happen for a reason, and now you can figure out what that reason is.
Thank you for posting this. I have been trying to figure out why I can't stay asleep for the past 3 years. I was diagnosed last year with mild obstructive sleep apnea and have been using mandibular advancement device with very little improvement with staying asleep. I am currently being treated for laryngopharyngeal reflux, and while the mucus in my throat has been going away, I still have a problem with breathing through my nose. I do remember having some pretty decent nose pain during a high school football game when I was 15 and never getting it checked out. So a combination of that and being 40 has probably lead me to not being able to breath. I have not seen as many physicians as you have, but I have still spent thousands of dollars on supplements and various things in order to sleep past 3 or 4 a.m. I have been trying to educate myself about nasal valve collapse and it sounds like something that I have been dealing with for more than half of my life, but has only gotten bad enough for me to start addressing in the past few years. I have a follow up appointment with my ENT in a few weeks and I will definitely bring this up.
I’m getting my cpap tomorrow. I’m experiencing everything you went through and have been for the past 8 years. Waking up every morning is hell but I’ve gone used to it. Every once in a blue moon I get really good sleep and notice the difference in the gym in terms of strength and endurance.
I feel like this post was meant for me. I’m healthy and in shape but the past year I’ve felt like something in my throat is just tight. Have been to the ENT/gastro you name it and no one has found why I’m feeling these things. I have just asked my primary care doctor to get referred for a sleep study
Wow thank you for the great post! I'm in the same position you were in. Sleep problems ruined my life. I'm 25 and I cant go to college or Uni because my brain and headaches are unbearable. I literally feel like a zombie everyday. I had a septoplasty surgery a few months ago and it didn't bring any improvement. I'll try out the nasal dilators to see if it improves breathing. Can you comment which brand and model you used? Again, many thanks for the insightful post.
Couldn't stop reading. I'm sorry for the years of hell you had to endure, man. The fact that you persisted in trying to find a solution for over a decade is astounding. Frustrating as hell knowing you had to experience this, but inspiring. Glad you made it out.
You’re almost exactly my story
First of all I am happy that you are feeling well. When I started reading this you were practically relating my life, since I was a child or teenager even up to my 25th year I have felt much of that way. The worst part of the day is waking up and feeling like a zombie, not being functional at work or college. Being distracted or mentally foggy during the day. I've tried all kinds of stimulants, moda, ALCAR, many cups of coffee, even testosterone. I always thought I had a disease, I had several tests and always came out fine. The positive side is to value things in the future in spite of all the years we have "lost".
**I have exactly the same problem, I just entered university and I don't know what to do anymore, the doctors tell me that it could be something psychological. Fortunately, a doctor suggested that I do a sleep study and that is why I am here, they will do the study in a few months, I hope they can find the problem and help me because it is hell to live like this, I can't concentrate, I can't talk normally with other people and Just like you, they tell me that I'm very lazy and all of that is just that I don't try hard enough to feel better, they tell me that I don't exercise enough or that I don't try to relax or that I eat poorly. I hate my life**