
Sleep Apnea Support Group
Sleep apnea is a common sleep disorder characterized by brief interruptions of breathing during sleep. People with sleep apnea partially awaken as they struggle to breathe, but in the morning they may not be aware of sleep disturbances.

deleted_user
Aside from the daily fatigue, memory loss and loss of cognitive skills have been dogging me the most. I have been using the cpap for about a month. It is helping with the sleepiness but not with the memory loss. Has anyone had this problem and how long did it take to get over it. I have been put on a "performance warning" at my job and will be let go if this doesn't clear up very soon.
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OP, I took provigil (alertec in Canada) for about 8 or 9 months for my problem. To summarize quickly here, I was terminated at work and the best example of the type of memory problem I was having is the following story. I ran into a co-worker, who I had worked with for a year, 2 months after my termination. It wasn't just that I couldn't recall his name, about an hour later I began to think "is it Blaine?", I didn't get that immediate click when that name came to mind. 3 days later when I woke up I finally knew his name was Blaine. I began taking the provigil shortly after that and noticed memory improvement withing days. Eventually I got to a point where some obscure old actor would appear on screen and I could remember the name (Russ Tamblyn for example).
I no longer take provigil, but on a short term basis it got me out of that very severe memory/concentration problem phase. I am not recommending it, just telling you how it worked for me.
The big question in my mind is...are the memories still there? Will I possibly recover them at some point in the future if I'm well-rested or taking some medication that helps with memory? Or are they lost?
Theres big chunks of my life that have become very hazy for me, and I hate it.
One quick thought need2sleep - I lost a long term job (13 years) shortly after my diagnosis with sleep apnea, because of things like falling asleep at my desk. Now, I know that there were other things that factored into it, but it was 80% related to apnea and other disabilities I have. When they terminated me, I was so tired, and so discouraged, I just didn't want to fight anymore. Do not make the mistake I did.
Firing you under these circumstances, when your "poor performace" is directly tied to a disability for which you are seeking treatment, before giving that treatment adequate time to correct the problem is wrong and illegal. Do you have a union?
If not, consider an attorney. Unless you hate your job. Be aware of the difficulty of finding employment in the current job market, and know your rights.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18714782?ordinalpos=1&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_DiscoveryPanel.Pubmed_Discovery_RA&linkpos=2&log$=relatedarticles&logdbfrom=pubmed
I also had problems at work before treatment. I had difficulty keeping up with my workload and I actually fell asleep at my desk while writing casenotes. I began to look unkepmt because I felt too tired to care and I also fell asleep while driving, which became a vocational issue because I was sometimes asked to drive clients in the course of my work. I am very lucky to have had a supervisor who was also a friend and mentor and she understood that that changes in my work performance were related to a medical condition. I would not have been able to keep my job without her help, even though I have been working at the same agency for 19 years. I agree with Longwinded and I think you should fight for your job if you feel it is worth keeping. Workers should not be penalized for illnesses.
About 1 month after I began treatment, I was promoted to a job where more analytical thinking is needed. I feel up to it, and I'm told that I'm doing well. Hang in there. It takes time, but it is possible to recover for the mental effects of the sleep apnea.
They think I have hypopnea and my expectations are that this has to help some of my "conditions". I recently started on Medifast to lose 40 pounds too.
Just wondering how many of you w apnea are obese or have weight issues and which came first, the chicken or the egg.
I'm looking to find people who have had good experiences and those who have solutions to overcoming the challenges that apnea brings us.
Thanks for listening and I hope to meet many of you on this support group site!
kmt1957@verizon.net
I faked my way thru it pretty well so I didn't get into too much trouble at work thank goodness. I actually admited it to them rather than them noticing. One Supervisor did ask nicely if I was hungover once. They were sympathetic and gave me time off when needed.
I'm doing much better now but I'm not sure my brain ever totally recovered. Hopefully the CPAP helps or like James said, you might need oxygen with it. Good Luck!