In this episode, we discuss who else is podcasting about sleep apnea.  Specifically, what patients are also trying to raise the awareness of sleep apnea.

Are you one of those people who really love podcasts and can't get enough information about sleep apnea (I'm one of those people)?  There are some patients who have great podcasts and we are becoming a community of patients who are working to raise awareness and hopefully helping people take action.

I am someone who learns by listening to something more so than reading things.  So, podcasts are a perfect format for me.  I can slow them down and also play them again and again.  

Since developing this drive to learn all that I can about sleep apnea, I turned to podcasts to find quality information.  What I found was podcasts by sleep physicians as well as dentist who are board certified in dental sleep.  Well that was not satisfying for me and I wanted more of a patient focus.

I found three podcasts that have been fantastic sources of information as well as inspiration.  They are Emma Cooksey's Sleep Apnea Stories, The American Sleep Apnea Associations Awake podcast, and Dr. Steven Park's Breath Better, Sleep Better, Live Better podcast.  

It may be curious that I am talking about other podcasts, but I believe the more information for people to listen to raise awareness the better.  Our focus at Sleep Apnea Pathfinders has a distinct approach that sets it apart from these other fantastic podcasts.

Our first season was structured around discussing the Social, Physical, and Emotional impact of sleep apnea.  This season we are interviewing patients and discussing related medical issues they experienced in addition to their sleep apnea.   We also will dive deeper into issues around diagnosis and treatment.  After all, there are millions of people diagnosed who could not find a treatment that worked for them.  This is a staggering number on top of those who are also undiagnosed as yet.  There are lots of myths out there which cause sleep apnea to be viewed as an overweight mans issue.  

We as patients should feel empowered to advocate for ourselves and ask more questions.  I hope to bring information which can help illuminate more issues which are actionable and useful to patients and their famililies.

I wanted to take a step back and thank all of the listeners of Sleep Apnea Pathfinders.  This seasons episodes have been heard in 7 different countries and 37 cities in the U.S.  It reminds me that sleep apnea is a worldwide issue and many of us are searching for information which is empowering and actionable.  

In this episode, I talk about some of the important issues I covered in the first few episodes.  One issue is the usage of 2 different scoring rules by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine for oxygen desaturation when scoring hypopneas.  Those are partial closures of our throats.  When 4% is used, it is less likely hypopneas will be counted in the Apnea Hypopnea Index.  For some people, it may mean that they will technically be diagnosed with primary snoring and not sleep apnea.  This is especially problematic for women, who research is indicating that hypopneas are more prevalent in women.   I plan to do a more in-depth episode on this issue as it also generally undercounts sleep breathing events for both men and women.

The other episode I'd like to highlight is the episode on Atrial Fibrillation and sleep apnea.  My guest was Melanie True Hills, who is the CEO of STOPAFIB.org.  She shared her sleep apnea and AFIB story and educated us on her mission to help people identify and manage AFIB.  She shared that those who experience a procedure called cardio ablation and cardioversion whose treatment is unsuccessful are likely to have sleep apnea.  

We will delve into cardiovascular conditions more.  The host of conditions which comprise cardiovascular disease have a high rate of occurrence with sleep apnea.  While you may not have any of these conditions, it is important to discuss these issues in hopes that it reaches someone who is experiences these issues.  Ideally, the younger someone who meets the signs and symptoms is diagnosed the better for their long-term health.  

I discuss my interview with John, a sleep apnea patient who has a BMI of 24 which is normal for his height and weight.  He is a thin person and despite signs and symptoms of sleep apnea, it was unlikely his doctor would refer him for a sleep study.  This interview points out that sleep apnea is not about weight for all individuals.  Many people with normal BMI have sleep apnea and they too may believe the myth that its only for overweight people.

We plan to continue to interview various individuals with sleep apnea as well as their partners. 

Are you one of those who only think sleep apnea is something that only people who are overweight can develop?  Well, sleep apnea can be found in people with all body types.  

I interview John Dortch, a thin person with sleep apnea.  His body mass index  is 24, which is normal weight for his height, according the a BMI calculator from the National Heart, Blood, and Lung Institute of the National Institute of Health.

John is someone whose physician would not think he fit the typical profile of someone who could have sleep apnea.  In this episode, we talk about his path he's traveled to get diagnosed and how he adapted quickly to CPAP.  

John had classic symptoms of sleep apnea-snoring, gasping for breath at night, needing to nap daily, and wanting to go back to sleep after a night of 7 hours .  His wife complained of his snoring for years.  There are millions of people who snore out there, and sometimes it leads to a sleep divorce.  This is where a bed partner goes to sleep in another room.  Well, John talks about his wife doing jus that one night when his snoring got too loud.

In this episode, he also discusses experiencing cluster headaches which occur suddenly and the pain is over one eye and can be debilitating.  After being evaluated by a physician in the office, he was admitted to the hospital due to the concern that it could be a brain tumor.  It would later be diagnosed as cluster headaches.  In trying to soothe his cluster headaches, John found himself taking deep breaths.  This alleviated some of the pain, and he would later conclude after being diagnosed with sleep apnea that lack of oxygen was a major contributing factor causing his cluster headaches.

Another thing John had adapted to over the years was going to the bathroom up to 2 times a night.  He attributed it to aging and much to his surprise, once starting cpap he was sleeping through the night more .  

John was not open to an in lab study and he felt (like many people) that it would be too uncomfortable.  When he heard about how easy a home sleep study would be, he was more open to the idea of a sleep study.  

We discuss his adjustment to cpap being easy and how for some people its not that easy.  Since starting cpap, John has been cluster headache free, he doesn't need naps during the day, and his bathroom trips are all but eliminated.  His sleep doctor explained that he was never able to sleep at night and his body was not able to suppress the function of needing to go the bathroom.

John shared that in thinking back to his father, he snored and had a host of medical issues.   He speculated that his father potentially had sleep apnea and it was untreated.  

This interview with John about his sleep apnea showed that those stereotypes that this sleep disorder is only for someone who is overweight is false. 

If you or someone you know is thin, but they snore and you've witnessed them gasping for air at night, please suggest they see a sleep physician.