How many members have both Epilepsy and Sleep Apnea?

[stilldancing_98]

Alex's sinuses are the same way. He was on albuterol and the machine. He is off now. But the spray is helpful at night. He has flonase to. If he has a cold it's horrible. But if it is allergies you are in luck. After we get that testing done we can go from there.

[wife and mother]

I don't think I have sleep apnea. I have had 4 tonic clonic seizures in my sleep, though.

[dfwtexas]

I saw my neurologist today. Once again, he mentioned he thinks I have sleep apnea. He wants to do sleep study, but my insurance is not great and is getting worse on 3/1....so not really wanting to do it. Plus my dad has sleep apnea and said all they can do is put you on Cpap.If that is true, no use in getting the sleep study done, there is NO way I would ever use that thing. My dad said he never thought it helped and he stopped using it too.
He told me that most studies show 1/3 of people with E also have sleep apnea.

[speber]

I saw the epileptologist today about a scare the other night where I thought I had a petit mal seizure...but he thinks it sounded more like stress-induced/sleep-deprivation symptoms like those I might start seeing if the sleep apnea came back into the picture along with the other high stress in my life.

So anyways, I'm back on the CPAP for a bit to see if it helps....hating every minute of it since I'm always 'stopped up' lately due to dust allergies..........we need some friggin RAIN!

Peace,
Speber

[Ruth]

Hi Speber

Do you live in CA. We need rain here too. I, also have sleepless nights. Sometimes, I just cannot sleep.

[sleepingsam]

I was diagnosed with sleep apnea at the same timee in 12/2004.
I am on Lamictal and Auto-PAP which has worked very well. I am presently 46 months seizure free.
One of my former neurologist's told me that research indicate one third of serizure disorder community have sleep apnea.
If you want to read my story contact me and I will provde you with the link
So I think what I am doing is working and I am not alone

[RanMan]

Sleepingsam,
I was diagnosed with Epilepsy in 1979.
I was diagnosed with chronic sleep apnea in 2007 so as you can see, I'm not one of those one third of the E community. My sleep apnea is mostly from weight gain.
I was told that the added weight on your airway causes a blockage of oxygen to the lungs.
When I was first diagnosed with E, my weight was 129 lbs, in 2007 I was 196 lbs.
In my case the E came first, nothing to do with the SA.
Randy

[tedwins]

I have sleep apnea and complex partial seizure disorder. Sleep apnea was diagnosed first after very costly sleep studies. I had extremely high blood pressure for at least a year. Now that I use a cpap the blood pressure has been at great levels. Sleep apnea causes high blood pressure because of the loss of oxygen to the brain. I'm only 15 lbs overweight so that really isn't the problem, I just have a small airway even though I'm not a small guy. This year I was diagnosed with complex partial seizure disorder and wonder if that triggered the seizures. I've found that loss of oxygen to the brain can be a cause. I also had a head injury when I was young and the scar or leesion from it came up on the MRI which the neurologist said could have played a part.

[forward2007]

It's been about a year that I haven't been able to breathe at night through my nose when I am trying to sleep. I think this has caused me to have sleep apnea. My Dr. told me I have a slightly deviated septum. I am going to have a procedure done called a Turbinate Reduction in which they use radio waves to remove cartilage from the nose which opens up the airways and will allow me to breath better through my nose again. The actual surgery can take as little as ten minutes to do and then I will need a week to recover to go back to work.

[CathyAnn31]

About 8 yrs ago I was diagnosed with having moderate sleep apnea. I wasn't compliant with my CPAP so they took it back.

I am a stomach sleeper so it was hard/uncomfy.

Then when I began having a lot more fatigue I had another sleep study done 3 yrs later. I was given another CPAP, which I used faithfully for 6 months. It didn't make a single difference in my energy level. But I used the thing every. single. night. Since it made no difference, I stuck the thing in the top of my closet and forgot about it.

A year and a half ago, I joined a gym and began working out. Since then I have lost about 55 pounds. My hubby has said that most nights I don't snore, and the apnea episodes are few and far between. I will still snore during illness or extreme tiredness, and he has witnessed a few apnea spells.

I wonder by reading these posts if there is some corrolation between epilepsy and sleep apnea.

[Ruth]

Hi CathyAnn,

When you first come into CWE, you will see a lot of words relating to epilepsy. Look for sleep apnea, I am sure it is there. Just press on it and you will find the threads on it. I have seen threads on it a few times. I have a bad memory and I do not have sleep apnea. I do believe there is a correlation between the two.

What does CPAP stand for?

[CathyAnn31]

CPAP= Continuous Positive Airway Pressure

Atleast I think thats right.....

Its the machine they give to us apnea folks.

[Ruth]

Hi CathyAnn
Thank you for the information.

[forward2007]

About 8 yrs ago I was diagnosed with having moderate sleep apnea. I wasn't compliant with my CPAP so they took it back.

I am a stomach sleeper so it was hard/uncomfy.

Then when I began having a lot more fatigue I had another sleep study done 3 yrs later. I was given another CPAP, which I used faithfully for 6 months. It didn't make a single difference in my energy level. But I used the thing every. single. night. Since it made no difference, I stuck the thing in the top of my closet and forgot about it.

A year and a half ago, I joined a gym and began working out. Since then I have lost about 55 pounds. My hubby has said that most nights I don't snore, and the apnea episodes are few and far between. I will still snore during illness or extreme tiredness, and he has witnessed a few apnea spells.

I wonder by reading these posts if there is some corrolation between epilepsy and sleep apnea.

I am losing weight to see if it makes a difference. I am at 190 and started at 200. I plan on getting down to 180. I am curious if it will make a difference. That's good that it helped you CathyAnn31.

[stilldancing_98]

And my brother has both. But he feels a lot less tired since he had surgery. I think he is still having myoclics though. My ex has both. He was very thin when I met him. He has a very thick neck now from the marines and he is on C-pap.

[RanMan]

There is definately a connection between Ep and Sleep Apnea.
While sleeping, There is a restriction in the air way causing you to snore and/or "fight" for air and as a result, there is a lack of oxygen to the brain possibly triggering a seizure or causing you to wake up "post ictal" or unrested.

After my sleep disorders test the Dr. showed me the EEG from one night, I would stop breathing up to 50 times/hour and had 3 seizures and that I was waking up "post ictal" (moody and spaced out)
I have recently purchased a CPAP machine which provides constant air pressure and have noticed a vast improvement.
No more snoring (the whole family sleeps better now), more energy when I wake up, better REM sleep, improved memory (less short term memory loss), and most of all ~ NO MORE NIGHT SEIZURES.
Now maybe my Neurologist can reduce my meds.
I'm surprised that finally after 28 years I finally get an answer.
Randy

[forward2007]

There is definately a connection between Ep and Sleep Apnea.
While sleeping, There is a restriction in the air way causing you to snore and/or "fight" for air and as a result, there is a lack of oxygen to the brain possibly triggering a seizure or causing you to wake up "post ictal" or unrested.

After my sleep disorders test the Dr. showed me the EEG from one night, I would stop breathing up to 50 times/hour and had 3 seizures and that I was waking up "post ictal" (moody and spaced out)
I have recently purchased a CPAP machine which provides constant air pressure and have noticed a vast improvement.
No more snoring (the whole family sleeps better now), more energy when I wake up, better REM sleep, improved memory (less short term memory loss), and most of all ~ NO MORE NIGHT SEIZURES.
Now maybe my Neurologist can reduce my meds.
I'm surprised that finally after 28 years I finally get an answer.
Randy

I don't question that if Sleep Apnea is treated it will STOP the night seizures. Like you said, it's all about lack of oxygen.

[nibiru2012]

Hi.

I have sleep apnea (non compliant yet), but i also jump in my sleep all night.

Because this doesn´t seem to be a common sleep apnea symptom, my sleep doctor wants me to take an eeg with sleep deprivation, to rule out possible epilepsy seizures during my sleep, since there seems to be a family history (both my parents had a brother with epilepsy).

I know i don´t have it, or any symptoms of epilepsy while i´m awake, just those jumps in my sleep.

My question is, is that test the one you take to rule out epilepsy, ore are there any more specialized ones? I´m really new to epilepsy and my doctor isn´t a neurologist, he´s a sleep doctor.

How exactly are the sleep seizures caused by epilepsy? I don´t twitch, they´re not long and my eyes don´t open. They´re just jumps every several seconds.

I´ve lost the appointment for taking that test because it´s with sleep deprivation. I try to stay up all night but cannot make it. I also haven´t given it much importance cause i feel i don´t have epilepsy, but my sleep doctor says the next step with him is to rule out sleep epilepsy.

Should i take the test? Could my jumps be related to epilepsy?

Thanks for any help,

john.

[Ruth]

I´ve lost the appointment for taking that test because it´s with sleep deprivation. I try to stay up all night but cannot make it. I also haven´t given it much importance cause i feel i don´t have epilepsy, but my sleep doctor says the next step with him is to rule out sleep epilepsy.

Should i take the test?

Hi John, Yes, you have to take the test. Otherwise, you will never have any answers. You need a V EEG test. Have someone stay up with you all night. Walk around the house.

You need to rule out epilepsy, as well. You could start having seizures during the day. Think positive about the test!!

Your Friend,
Ruth

[nibiru2012]

Thanks.

Well, I guess I´m just scared. I had 2 uncles, both dead, who had bad epilepsy. None of my family members now have it. I´ve been struggling with sleep apnea, severe sleep deprivation and its psychological consequences for so long now I don´t think I could stand another diagnosis now.

On the other hand it could be a way out of my symptoms, if I have epilepsy and its treatment will make me sleep better... It´s like one of those times when you almost wish you were sick so you finally know what you have, right?

I called yesterday to schedule the appointment and I´ll take the test this monday. I don´t know what to do to stay up all night, I´m kind of alone on this. My psychiatrists say I shouldn´t take more tests, that it´s all in my head!!!

Let´s see what happens, I´ll let you know and thank you for your support.

John.