Been told I have sleep apnea. Anxiety about having to use a CPAP machine.

[99isthebest]

Hi everyone,

I Wanted to reach out and ask if anyone out there suffering health anxiety has ever experienced being diagnosed with sleep apnea as I am struggling to come to grips with my diagnosis.

All of these started because I was constantly feeling tired but not so tired as I was falling asleep during work or driving etc. But tired enough that it was noticeable and even my friends and family commented. Your always tired. Of course being a health anxiety sufferer I came up with an abundance of reason why I could be feeling this way. Cancer, hiv etc. you name it I’ve thought it.

Then I stayed at a friends place before his wedding as I was a groomsman. We were in the same bed as there was a few of us staying that night. He was adamant he noticed me stop breathing in my sleep and seemed alarmed by it. Of course this got me thinking and my grandfather suffers from this condition. So I took the test.

Results from the sleep dr put me in the moderate category I am about 24 per hour on the rdi index. And he said any oxygen drops under 90% are cause for intervention. Mine dropped to 88% at the lowest and for 10% of the total sleep time.

I feel super depressed about my cpap trial. Having to wear something to bed just irks me so much. I’m the type of person where a clicking fan, to much light or not the right temperature is enough to irritate me falling asleep let alone staying asleep. I realise I’m not the only one but I feel let down by my body. Being only 30 and skinny something just doesn’t feel right when I’m sitting in a waiting room with people all over the age of 50.

I’m also super worried that the sleep dr ask for extra blood tests my gp has never tested for. Which makes me wonder if he thinks whatever I have is more then just sleep apnea. Does anyone know if blood tests are normal for this?

Of course this leaves me with this dilemma of if I don’t want use the machine I hear all this terrible stuff about it shortening your life etc. what day will I drop dead.

[BeADodo]

I got diagnosed with severe sleep apnoea on my back and moderate oh my side when I was 24 so I know the feeling heh. At the time I told myself I’d rather die in my sleep than wear one. I didn’t end up getting one but I tried my mums one, which I couldn’t deal with.

I’ve since had surgery to fix my deviated septum, reduce my enlarged turbinates, remove my tonsils and adenoids (for tonsillitis reasons), and went back for a test. Now I only have low-moderate apnoea on my back and none when sleeping on my side. 🥳 they said if I lost more weight  that it would likely go away entirely.

im still not the best sleeper (insomnia) but at least when I’m asleep it’s better quality!