How many members have both Epilepsy and Sleep Apnea?

[forward2007]

I have been officially diagnosed with partial complex seizures since I was 5 years old. But I am 90% sure I also have Sleep Apnea. On many occasions I have woken up breathing very fast with my heart racing. I went to my regular Dr. and was given one of those take home devices that measured my heart rate for 24 hours. Of course nothing happened that time! Nothing was ever done since then. This was about a year and a half ago. I know Sleep Apnea can only make Epilepsy worse with the way it lowers the quality of one's sleep. I am curious about what any other members did to get diagnosed with Sleep Apnea. I read several of the threads and saw someone spent $5000 on tests.

[brain]

I know some people have both and
some don't.

I do not have Sleep Apnea, and I've
been checked numerous times for this,
but I do have Epilepsy.

[BIGMAN131307]

As far as I know I don't have Sleep Apnea. I was never diagnosis with it. But there is a slight possibility that I may have it. If I read correctly, I may suffer from Obstructive Sleep Apnea. The only time I have problems breathing while sleeping, is when I lie flat on my back. I noticed this problem a few days ago by accident. Since I was little I've always slept with head and shoulders elevated. I never experienced any problems breathing. Perhaps that masked the Sleep Apnea in my case.

[RobinN]

I don't want to sound like a walking advertisement... but neurofeedback I know can help with sleep disorders. When Rebecca first started her therapy, that is one area that they wanted us to keep careful notes on. At the beginning Rebecca found it difficult to fall asleep, but Sue Othmer worked with her weekly to make sure the sleep was the best it could be.

[Birdbomb]

Me!

I had a sleep study done 2002 after I was diagnosed with epilepsy in 2001. Then I had VNS implanted in Sept 2002. Due to complications of a knee replacemnet in 2004 another sleep study was done and I was diagnosed with life threatening, Severe Obstructive Sleep Apnea. I must sleep with a CPAP and oxygen. Sometimes if the humidity is high, I may have to have oxygen in the day too.

If you suspect SA, please talk to your doctor. There is good evidence that epilepsy and SA go together and if you get the SA under treatment, you can improve you E symptoms as well.

[forward2007]

Me!

I had a sleep study done 2002 after I was diagnosed with epilepsy in 2001. Then I had VNS implanted in Sept 2002. Due to complications of a knee replacemnet in 2004 another sleep study was done and I was diagnosed with life threatening, Severe Obstructive Sleep Apnea. I must sleep with a CPAP and oxygen. Sometimes if the humidity is high, I may have to have oxygen in the day too.

If you suspect SA, please talk to your doctor. There is good evidence that epilepsy and SA go together and if you get the SA under treatment, you can improve you E symptoms as well.

Is Sleep Apnea something you talk to your Neurologist about or your regular Dr.?

[matthurlbut1]

Hi- I have both Sleep Apnea and Partial Complex Seizures- lucky me huh. I just had another sleep study done because I had a VNS implanted and have done research and found that people with SA who have VNS implants have to be monitored real close because it slows their breathing down at night. I have an awesome team of docs. Head of neurologist at the University of Iowa and excellent Sleep Center that work hand in hand. My seizures are not very well controlled right now. It sucks. I am 47 and it inhibits my work. Feel free to email me.

Matt

[Birdbomb]

forward2007

My first Sleep study was done by my neurologist. The next one by the pulmonologist. It's monitored by my primary.

[skillefer]

I haven't been diagnosed with sleep apnea, but I suspect that I have it. My dad had sleep apnea, my brother has been diagnosed with sleep apnea, and my hubby says I snore like a sawmill and occisionally stop breathing when I sleep. But that usually only occurs when I'm laying on my back, and I try to make certain that I sleep on my side.

[Birdbomb]

Those symptoms are pointing in that direction. If I lay on my back, I stop breathing too.

I've had neighbors comment on my snoring LOL

[speber]

I have BOTH sleep apnea and epliepsy...but neither (luckily) interfere too much with my life.

I've had the big E since I was 8...and have seen many different forms of it over the years, but have settled into 'Hollywood Style' t/c big-daddy mother's every 6 months or so. Believe it or not...I fixing to celebrate 1yr seizure-free in July!---(fingers-crossed)

Now the Sleep Apnea...

I was diagnosed with this a couple of years ago when I started to become 'overly-tired' to the point where I HAD to take naps...and seizure frequency was picking up. My neurologist at the time suggested I see a sleep specialist (who as luck would have it was my VERY FIRST neurologist EVER now specializing in this field!).
Long story short...I had a couple of overnight sleep studies where they determined I was waking up from deep sleep more than 7 times a minute due to completely stopping breathing!
This is due to physiology I can't explain...but somehow the airway becomes shutoff and you SNORE...then you STOP BREATHING UNTIL YOU WAKE UP ENOUGH TO RIGHT YOURSELF!

Anyway, I'm on a CPAP machine...NO supplemental OXYGEN required...and am sleeping better than I have in a long time! If you suspect a sleep disorder you should get it checked out IMHO.

Peace
Speber

[hawke86]

I have both epilepsy and sleep apnea. Sometimes it can suck.

[skillefer]

Those symptoms are pointing in that direction. If I lay on my back, I stop breathing too.

I've had neighbors comment on my snoring LOL

When we lived in an apartment, our neighbor next door, as well as the one downstairs would pound on their walls trying to wake me up so that I'd quit snoring....

Of course...my cat used to wake me up with her snoring too.....