There were quite a few replies that people are getting up one or more times a night to pee in the "Do You Sleep With Water By Your Side?" thread. I didn't want to derail the thread so I decided to start a new one.

Prior to being diagnosed a decade ago with combined sleep apnea (both obstructive and central sleep apnea), I used to get up 2 or 3 times per night to pee. I was surprised when my sleep doc asked me how many times a night I get up to pee and then went on to state that if you have sleep apnea the brain is trying to come up with a reason why you woke up it and in its foggy state often misdiagnosis the bladder. Since getting the BiPAP (CPAP with different inhale and exhale pressures), I only get up a handful of times per year to pee (usually because my subconcious is bugging me and I wake up at 0 dark thirty so I might as well drain the lizard since I'm not going back to sleep).

If you get up to pee one or more times a night to sleep, do you have any of these symptoms:

Loud snoring, which is usually more prominent in obstructive sleep apnea

Episodes of breathing cessation during sleep witnessed by another person

Abrupt awakenings accompanied by shortness of breath, which more likely indicates central sleep apnea

Awakening with a dry mouth or sore throat

Morning headache

Difficulty staying asleep (insomnia)

Excessive daytime sleepiness (hypersomnia)

Attention problems

Irritability

Mayoclinic.com's website says to Consult a medical professional if you experience, or if your partner notices, the following:

Snoring loud enough to disturb the sleep of others or yourself

Shortness of breath, gasping for air or choking that awakens you from sleep

Intermittent pauses in your breathing during sleep

Excessive daytime drowsiness, which may cause you to fall asleep while you're working, watching television or even driving

Obviously, there are other reasons for getting up to pee at night such as enlarged prostate or ordinary aging (As we get older, our bodies produce less of an anti-diuretic hormone that enables us to retain fluid. With decreased concentrations of this hormone, we produce more urine at night. Another reason for nocturia among the elderly is that the bladder tends to lose holding capacity as we age. Finally, older people are more likely to suffer from medical problems that may have an effect on the bladder.) The reason why I'm posting is that sleep apnea left untreated can have severe consequences up to an including death.

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Ego is the anesthesia that deadens the pain of stupidity

DISCLAIMER: These are the author's own personal views and do not represent the views of the author's employer.

I have all the symptoms with the exception of lack of breath when I awake. I keep saying I'm going to a sleep clinic, but never seem to make the appointment.
One of our members DowntownRV sells the equipment and I bet has a lot to say on the subject.

quote:

Originally posted by rtquig:
I have all the symptoms with the exception of lack of breath when I awake. I keep saying I'm going to a sleep clinic, but never seem to make the appointment.

Doctor offices are currently open in every time zone in the US so no time like the present.

I know a guy whose wife died from severe sleep apnea. She was 36.

Since I have gone on my CPAP I now usually don't get up at all to go to the bathroom, maybe twice a week I'll need the bathroom. I sleep so much better.

I believe many who unexpectedly die in their sleep, and the autopsy shows no reason, are dying from apnea.

Go get tested. It greatly improved my quality of life.

My wife mentioned years ago that I displayed all of the symptoms listed by Mayo, except daytime drowsiness. After I lost ~50 lbs., those behaviors went away.

Now that I am on supplemental O2 24/7, no problem.

I would wake up between 3-4 AM nearly every night. It is an excellent time to worry for an hour or so, uninterrupted, and since you are awake anyway, you might as well get up and take a leak.

I had all of those symptoms my last 12 years in the service and last year. I was always exhausted and never felt rested. After I fell asleep driving and had an accident I finally got a sleep study.

The study found I averaged 98 events an hour and just over 30 were central, the rest were obstructive. Got a CPAP, and after some getting used to it I have much more energy and far less symptoms. My CPAP is running at 18, and does adjust some to my breathing. With the CPAP my events per hour is 2 and I don't sleep well without it.

I am wearing a Fitbit and it agrees. Fitbit says I am getting the right ratio of light and REM sleep, but average less than 10 minutes (so low it won't even give a percentage) a night of deep sleep, most nights getting none. So that explains maybe why I am occasionally still tired after sleeping.

I recently started getting up to pee once a night, but I just started working out after a few years off and upped my water intake to about 100 ounces of water a day plus another 20 during the night. I am hoping losing weight will help me, but I had these symptoms while I was active duty and not overweight, so I doubt I'll ever get completely off the CPAP.

I had many of those symptoms and was diagnosed in the late 1990's. The scariest issue is that sleep apnea is a harbinger of congestive heat failure. To any or all that have any of those symptoms, please get checked out and if necessary use a BPAP/CPAP.

The problem isn't having to get up and pee, it's having to pee and not getting up...

quote:

I keep saying I'm going to a sleep clinic, but never seem to make the appointment.

If you were bleeding, you'd seek help right away, right? This can be just as critical. Don't wait.

quote:

Originally posted by zoom6zoom:
If you were bleeding, you'd seek help right away, right? This can be just as critical. Don't wait.

This.. Had I know the difference it would make I wouldn't have just shrugged it off when I was told no sleep study on sea duty and paid out of pocket. It's been that much of a difference for me.

Tatortodd, excellent post, thank you!
I have mentioned in previous posts that many (by no means all) of obese patients who go on CPAP lose weight ("like it just melted away") when they could not lose weight otherwise. It has to do with your body producing insulin to wake you up when you're not getting enough oxygen.
And thank you all for your testimonials.
We used to think this was an uncommon condition, but it's very common, especially with the epidemic of obesity that has overtaken us.

My CPap machine changed my life as well.

I used to wake up exhausted, so tired that I couldn't tell if I were sleepy or fine. Total body pain, every joint, muscle, just everything always hurt.

Snored like a hellhound- friends used to call me an airliner.

Got tested, 181 episodes per hour.

Basically I would, on average, breathe for ten seconds then stop for ten seconds (every snore...).

I took to my machine like 12321 does to fine 228s- have been averaging 2.2 episodes per hour for the 7 years since and feel a million times better.

Please get checked if you have any symptoms.

Irritability. I have extreme irritability. Sadly, I don't think sleep apnea is the cause, but life in general.

RMD

quote:

Originally posted by rtquig:
I have all the symptoms with the exception of lack of breath when I awake. I keep saying I'm going to a sleep clinic, but never seem to make the appointment.
One of our members DowntownV sells the equipment and I bet has a lot to say on the subject.

I know CPAP and have my own feelings about "Sleep Labs" (They are a bunch of BS 90% of the time) They inflate their settings to uncomfortable elevated levels because they take the easy way out. And you don't sleep in their beds the same way you sleep in your own bed. If you really need a sleep study look into "Home Sleep " studies
I can help you with questions, equipment and supplies. But it really is a case by case situation. I can't write a one size fits all story.
I will answer anyone that emails me, however.
DTV

I just took a home apnea test last month. Results are low to moderate apnea, I have an appointment with my Cardiologist in two weeks to see how he wants to proceed.

I agree with the sleep lab and the skewed test results. I took one a few years back. Designed to fail. Oh, and I had a very high rate of apnea and I needed to contact the doctor immediately (on a Saturday).

As I was leaving town for two weeks for work I said I would contact him when I returned. Sleep tech was not happy.

Best thing, while I was out of town two letters arrived, one from the doctor with doom and gloom,come and see me in my new office, the other from the hospital stating the doctor was no longer affiliated with them. Wonder why the hospital was ending their relationship?

quote:

Wonder why the hospital was ending their relationship?

I will bet it is about money and control. The doctor may have ended the relationship, not the hospital. Health insurance, government and hospitals run the show these days. Do what is best for yourself. If the doctor worked for the hospital as an employee the hospital often holds the medical records hostage so they don't lose patients. Health care has become like any other business.

It is important to see a sleep specialist who is generally trained as a neurologist or pulmonologist. Talking to your cardiologist is probably a good idea.

Lots of children are treated for sleep apnea so are thin guys in their 20's. Point, happens to all shapes, sizes and ages.

Don't forget about the bladder. It's another ticking time bomb that can hide a lot of things.

quote:

Originally posted by ZSMICHAEL:

quote:

Wonder why the hospital was ending their relationship?

I will bet it is about money and control. The doctor may have ended the relationship, not the hospital. Health insurance, government and hospitals run the show these days. Do what is best for yourself. If the doctor worked for the hospital as an employee the hospital often holds the medical records hostage so they don't lose patients. Health care has become like any other business.

It is important to see a sleep specialist who is generally trained as a neurologist or pulmonologist. Talking to your cardiologist is probably a good idea.

Follow the dollars. His in house test said I was severe in 2013. Subsequent home test low to moderate 2017. So what has changed? Test conditions are the main variable I saw.

Another strange thing, when I contacted the Patient Advocate at the hospital regarding the charges for the test they were very agreeable to my protest of why was the test conducted within less than a week of the doctor's relationship ending at the hospital. If they knew of this why would they not have postponed the test, scheduled it with another caregiver and or notified me of the situation at hand. Something went on, I have my own theory and I don't think it is for the benefit of the patient either.

Fellas, let's get the thread back on track of helping members determine if they should see a doctor about a life threatening condition.