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Avatar universal

How should I approach my doctor?

I'm a 26yr old female (which I've noticed from my readings, isn't "likely" candidate for sleep apnea)... My doctor is sort of old school (close to retiring, not up to date with current findings on all medical issues)

I have severe allergies that cause me to sneeze all day long (morning's are the worst)  I have asthma which mainly flairs up at night.  I HAVE to sleep with my inhaler next to my bed b/c I'm usually waking up to an attack.  I'm always tired throughout the day.  For the longest time I thought I was just really lazy.  I can't get out of bed in the mornings, I'm late for work a lot, my eyes are always heavy, sometimes I absolutely have to nap.

I usually go to bed around midnight, some days I wake at 7am for work (hitting snooze for up to 45 mins), other days I can sleep until 10 or 10:30.  On days where I sleep for 12 hrs or so, I'm still tired all day long!

I realized that I can sleep for long periods of time and never feel rested. Some nights I sleep undisturbed all night, other nights I awake about 3 times per night, sometimes with asthma, sometimes just to roll over and fall back asleep. I've had periods where I use an inhaler in as little as 7 days b/c of my frequent nocturnal attacks.  Only recently did I read about asthma and apnea going hand in hand, this is what caught my attention.

I don't know how to approach my doctor about it since he will likely tell me I'm not a 50 yr old man so don't worry about it. I'm also low on B12 so I have to get shots every month, but haven't found they helped the way I had hoped they would with my daily fatigue.

I am about 40lbs overweight.  Even when I was 0-10lbs overweight, I still had these problems.

I need advice bad! I've started a sleep journal, but I fear forcing some sort of testing and finding nothing wrong.  Can a stuffy nose and asthma Mirror sleep apnea?? cause it?? result from it?? Please help!!

Thank you so much!
2 Responses
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Avatar universal
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Silverspring,

Thanks for sharing. You're right in that you can be young, thin, female, and not snore and have significant obstructive sleep apnea. Even if you don't officially have obstructive sleep apnea, it sounds like you may have sleep-breathing problems, which can aggravate your asthma due to chronic inflammation in your lungs. Please keep us posted on your study results.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I spoke to my physician...Before saying too much at all, he brought up apnea...once I mentioned my nocturnal asthma attacks.  I'm being set up with a specialist to be tested...I'm thrilled and terrified all at the same time! This could answer questions I've asked my whole life...(or so it seems lol) or it could kick me in the face with yet another "nope, that's fine too" answer (meaning what? I'm just lazy?????) ugh! going nuts.
Helpful - 0

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