Diagnosing and Treating Sleep Apnea: “My Life Is Totally Changed”

David Chance will be the first to tell you that his snoring was a nightmare for the unlucky fellow firefighters forced to share sleeping quarters with him. But the racket he made was only part of it. All through the night, Chance would suddenly stop breathing and then start again with loud gasping sounds.

“Early in my career, one of the captains had a fishing pole, and when I’d stop breathing he’d reach over and tap me with it to get me to start breathing again,” says Chance, now Chief of the Fire Prevention and Inspection Bureau in Laurel.

Because the quality of Chance’s sleep was so poor, he never felt rested, no matter how much he slept. “It was hard to function the way that I needed to because I was continuously tired,” he says.

Solving the Mystery

All that changed when Chance was diagnosed with sleep apnea several years ago at the South Central Sleep Center. People with this disorder stop breathing repeatedly during the night, usually for 10 seconds or longer. These episodes can occur up to hundreds of times a night. The most common form of sleep apnea is obstructive sleep apnea, in which the throat briefly collapses and blocks airflow to the lungs.

At the South Central Sleep Center, Chance was fitted with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) technology that keeps his airway from closing. The results of the treatment have been remarkable. During the day, Chance feels energetic and alert.

“I feel like my life is totally changed,” he says, “because I feel wonderful every morning.”

Health Hazard

People with sleep apnea wake up every day feeling like they’ve never gone to bed. They have trouble focusing on their work, and they often fall asleep on the job. “Sleep apnea puts people at higher risk for accidents,” says John Wallace, MD, who specializes in pulmonary medicine and is the Clinical Director of the Sleep Center. “It also increases their risk for heart disease, hypertension, and stroke.”

“The risk factors for sleep apnea include a family history of the disorder, obesity, and a large neck size,” Wallace says.

Prior to having a sleep study, patients are evaluated by a sleep specialist. A patient’s medical history is taken, a physical exam is given, and an evaluation is conducted to determine whether poor sleep habits or other sleep disorders are interfering with a good night’s rest. If necessary, an overnight sleep recording is performed on the patient at the Sleep Center. This painless test shows how a patient breathes during sleep.

“Some sleep apnea patients may need surgery,” Wallace says, “but the most common treatment is CPAP.”

“If you suspect you have this problem, you should see your doctor about having it evaluated,” Wallace adds. “Treatment can dramatically improve your quality of life.”