My husband died from sleep apnea

by Kris

My husband died from OSA in July 2011 - he had just turned 51 and left behind 3 boys.

He didn't always wear his CPAP machine much to my dismay. He was extremely over weight and snored so bad. I couldn't wake him one morning, it was the most awful thing we have ever experienced and I don't want anyone else to go thru what our family is going thru.

If you have a CPAP machine please wear it no matter how uncomfortable you may think it is. Please for the sake of your family and your life!!!




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Aug 20, 2011
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Condolences
by: Remy

Kris, I am sorry to hear about the loss of your husband.

It's devastating to lose someone you love. Please accept my condolences.

And I want to thank you for reminding us that sleep apnea is not a joke; time is crucial to have an effective treatment without complications.
Aug 20, 2011
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starstarstarstarstar 		final apnea
by: George

I often hear people say: "so and so died in his/her sleep, no one even knew they were sick" ...first thing that comes to my mind is they had their final apnea.
Aug 20, 2011
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starstarstarstarstar 		new for me
by: Greydon

I never heard of this condition before until two people from work have it. One died having a heart attack in his sleep.
Aug 20, 2011
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starstarstar 		certainly is new for me
by: Sue

I've snored for many, many years and probably had this for a long time but I've never heard of sleep apnea before. My mother died young - 69 she snored like a monster so she probably had SA too. But, she was also a life-long smoker.

I can't imagine the stress she put on her body. I do get upset over this now and then, but I always say, when you think you have a problem, "someone else has it worse, so stop being a cry baby".
Aug 20, 2011
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starstarstarstarstar 		Deadly joke
by: Roby

This is very sad and I know of 3 people with untreated OSA that passed away. Two in their sleep and one due to a car accident, he fell asleep driving.

The two that died in their sleep, the cause of death was heart attacks, no one ever mentioned SA that I'm aware of.

The one in the car accident I knew well and I was on him to get it checked out, but he knew better.

Unfortunately, it is a not-so-silent killer and people still make jokes about people who snore all the time.
Aug 20, 2011
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starstarstarstarstar 		the breathing machine saved my life!
by: Ruth

The wife of a local attorney refused to sleep with her husband if he wore "that thing" on his face and he died at age 42. What a waste! I've been on BiPAP for 17 years after having been told I wouldn't have survived another six months without intervention.
Aug 20, 2011
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starstarstarstarstar 		Thank You
by: Kath Hope

Kris, thank you for posting this as a warning to others, even at a time when you are suffering through your own grief, which I am so sorry for! This sums up why people like myself and Remy spend a lot of time encouraging people to either get diagnosed or keep wearing the CPAP.
I hope your words, and the comments of others, speak to people and they heed the warnings.
Take care!
Aug 20, 2011
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starstarstarstarstar 		heart breaking
by: Anonymous

What a terribel experience. I "diagnosed" my own husbands sleep apnea and spoke to his doctor about it, who took it from there. I am pleased to say he does weatr his mask and has worked hard to reduce his weight and is both looking and feeling a lot better.
I have warned my daughter in law to look out for the symptoms in my son when he is older and I won't be around to advise
Sep 13, 2011
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starstarstar 		Your Choice
by: Bob D

So sorry to hear about your loss. I do thank you for your message, I have sleep apnea and Its sad but needed to hear this. Thank you for your courage and may God be with you
Aug 09, 2012
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starstarstarstarstar 		Should I go back to wearing the. Machine
by: Michelle. Siderio

I was diagnosed with severe sleep apnea after I fell asleep at the wheel on my way to work. Now I am not wearing it because I am retired, I have not worn the contraption for 5 months. Just lately I'll fall asleep and my husband says I'm snoring and I bite my tongue and it bleeds. Should I go Back to wearing it.
Sep 10, 2014
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starstarstarstarstar 		Severe Sleep Apnea - won't wear CPAP
by: Lesley B

Loosing your husband is devastating but having to raise childen alone is worse than imaginable. I think of this every day! My husband has severe sleep apnea. He has had a CPAP machine now for about 13 years & refuses to wear it on a regular basis. Myself & my 12 year old son have begged him to wear his mask shedding many tears & he still won't. I ask him every night to please put the mask on but he won't. I know he could die!!! I don't know what else I can do, I'm at my wit's end and ready to give up. It seems he just doesn't care. I am extremely worried.
Apr 08, 2015
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		My dad just died from sleep apnea
by: Nina

M dad died last week from sleep apnea. He was 68 yrs old. He hated his cpap and travelled for work a lot.

He rarely wore it even though we asked him to.

On the one hand, he passed in his sleep from his heart stopping. On the other hand, we will never see or hear from him again.

Sleep apnea is very serious and dangerous.
May 26, 2015
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		Severe Sleep Apnea
by: Anonymous

My boyfriend has severe sleep apnea and has had a sleep study done probably about 5 or 6 years ago now.

It was so bad an he quit breathing that the doctors came right in and had to give him oxygen. He is only 37 now and it is way worse then before. He sleeps pretty much his life away , never does hardly anything with our family, he is so irritable and mean now.

I tried today to tell him how concerned I am and that I am worried about losing him. He eats and eats like he is starving because he is bored and never hardly leaves the house. Sometimes I wonder how he gets up for work.

Tonight he ate dinner and then went back for seconds and then wanted candy. Life has been kinda crazy for us with some really bad things that have happened medically that we haven't been able to focus on taking care of eating habits!
I asked him today not to have candy and he was so angry and yelled at me.

We are so distant and far apart from each other it's like we are just roommates now!

Either way loving me or not I love him and do not know what to do and I am scared to wake up to him being gone. All he says is we all have to go sometime, as if he has just given up on life and doesn't care!

I am so very very sorry for your loss and me asking for help but just thought you might know some different ways to get through to him or even help for myself.

God bless you and your family

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