Re: Partial Sleep Apnea?

Posted By Dave on March 27, 1999 at 18:21:46:

In Reply to: Partial Sleep Apnea? posted by Cathy on March 27, 1999 at 15:52:57:






: I have recently had a sleep study and a nap study.  Since I have not had a consult with the doctor
: yet I am curious as to something that the Tech said.  She stated that I had sleep apnea but I didn't.
: She said that at times during the night I did and others I didn't.  She classified it as moderate and
: recommended that I stay for the nap study.  It's was not bad enough to require being put on CPAP during
: the night.  My question is:  What is the probable course of treatment for
: someone who is having sleep apnea at times?  My children say that I awake them snoring at times and
: at other times that I do not snore at all.  Why would this happen?  I have a seizure disorder or it could be
: epilepsy and am also hypothyroid.  Could this all be linked with the sleep apnea?  I do know that they did
: bloodwork checking for thyroid problems before the sleep study.  Why?  Thank you.




Dear Cathy:
Sorry to hear about your health problems.  I am not sure what the technician meant when she commented that your had sleep apnea and your didn't.  However, sleep apnea is likely not the result of your thyroid or epilepsy.  When they did the sleep test they likely hooked some EEG leads to your head and monitored you EEG.  If there was a correlation to your breathing and EEG the physician will be able to tell you, but my guess would be very unlikely (we do not see many patients with seizure-related sleep apnea, especially if their seizures are controlled with medication).  There are different methods to control sleep apnea.  The usual first course of things is to try and see if you have other entities that may exacerbate the sleep problem.  The sleep study is part of the work-up.  If you are over weight, have anatomical variations (small pharynx, floppy palate, small retrognathic chin, etc.), sleep disorders (other than apnea) etc.  A question that likely has been addressed is your daytime sleepiness and whether you feel like your loosing your balance when you become emotional.  The options are a mouth device to help you keep your airway open, various sleeping positions, CPAP at night, surgery to correct the airway.  Your physician will likely start with the least invasive intervention and then progress.
I hope that your problem is easily solved.
Sincerely,
CCF Neuro[P] MD




Thank you for your valuable information.  I would like to expound further.  I am overweight and was told by the sleep specialiast
that the opening in the back of my throat is the size of a dime.  Do you thnk the Tech meant that I have sleep apnea when I lay in certain
positions?  I have heard of that.  I am glad to hear that my seizures and sleep apnea and thyroid problem are not connected.  I was told before I
even had the sleep study, by my neuroligist that I may be sent to a surgeon and have my tonsils and adenoids (adenoids) removed.  He also said that they
may clean out a whole lost of stuff back there.  What else is back there?  I thought that was all there was back there.  If I do have this done
will it affect my ability to speak or to swallow?  Yes I have been having a few problems with my balance also.  Thanks again.  Cathy