James R. Skinner – Sleep Apnea Symptoms (June 2006)

History of the problem:

• Slow worsening of ability to feel rested after sleeping over last number of years
• About 18 months ago it got to the point where it became very severe
• 12 months I had to quite my job since I could no longer function properly

Current Symptoms:

• Waking up with bad headaches almost daily now
• Extreme day time mental exhaustion & lethargy
• Feel like I am partially falling a sleep a lot of the time
• Sometimes have a dry mouth in the morning
• Sometimes feel like I am choking during the night
• Waking up sweating during the night
• Feel like I have jet-lag much of the time
• Feeling unrefreshed in the morning.  Sometimes worse then when I went to bed
• Extreme “brain fog”
• Poor mental and emotional functioning
• Clumsy due to exhaustion
• Feeling of being partially awakened some times during the night
• Most days now I feel like I am waking around in a daze
• Memory problems, difficulty learning new things or doing complex tasks
• More often than normal occurrences of numbness in my limbs
• Sedatives such as antihistamines, benzodiapines, alcohol, and etc worsen the overall sleep quality
• I often feel dizzy since I am so tired.
• Twice recently friends tell me that I look like I am about to pass out.
• Sleeping on my side rather than stomach sometimes makes it less severe
• Shortened attention span, difficulty concentrating
• Extreme irritability after bad nights sleep
• Waking up with a start, sort of gasping
• Sore tongue after a unrestful nights sleep
• Weight gain ( 10 lbs since last fall )
• Sexual dysfunction
• Difficulty breathing at night
• Occasional feelings of pounding heart beat or irregular heart beat after waking up
• When a nap is accomplished (not common) it can completely turn things around
• Most days I feel it would be to dangerous for me to operate a motor vehicle now