Sleep Apnea

Barb5454
Barb5454 Member Posts: 125
in Anal Cancer #1

I am 2 years post treatment and I just found out I have sleep apnea and chronic fatigue syndrome. I see a specialist in 2 months to discuss treatment. I was told this had to do with the chemo.

Has anyone else been diagnosed with this?

Comments

  • lp1964
    lp1964 Member Posts: 1,239 Member
    #2
    Dear Friend,

    I was diagnosed with rectal cancer 2 years ago, radiation, chemo and surgery. I suspected thst I had sleep apnea for years, but finally was diagnosed with a severe case of it in January. I am a dentist and I made myself a sleep apnea mouth piece wich brought me partial results. I have been trying to get used to my new CPAP machine for a week now, but it is lot harder than I thought. 

    As far as I know sleep apnea is not caused by chemo. Most cases are from the anatomy of your throat and a small percentage of the cases have something to do with your brain. After the sleep test mild and moderate cases can be treated with a mouth piece by your dentist, severe cases require CPAP machine. They should be all covered by your medical insurance except HMO.

    I hope this helps and wish you all the best,

    Laz

  • Barb5454
    Barb5454 Member Posts: 125
    #3
    lp1964 said:

    Dear Friend,

    I was diagnosed with rectal cancer 2 years ago, radiation, chemo and surgery. I suspected thst I had sleep apnea for years, but finally was diagnosed with a severe case of it in January. I am a dentist and I made myself a sleep apnea mouth piece wich brought me partial results. I have been trying to get used to my new CPAP machine for a week now, but it is lot harder than I thought. 

    As far as I know sleep apnea is not caused by chemo. Most cases are from the anatomy of your throat and a small percentage of the cases have something to do with your brain. After the sleep test mild and moderate cases can be treated with a mouth piece by your dentist, severe cases require CPAP machine. They should be all covered by your medical insurance except HMO.

    I hope this helps and wish you all the best,

    Laz

    The Sleep Specialist

    Told me that it was from the chemo. I stop breathing 12 times at night for 20 seconds each time.

    I'll be getting a CPAP soon

  • shamayim
    shamayim Member Posts: 22 Member
    #4
    Barb5454 said:

    The Sleep Specialist

    Told me that it was from the chemo. I stop breathing 12 times at night for 20 seconds each time.

    I'll be getting a CPAP soon

    sleep apnea

    Barb,

     

    I agree with Laz that chemo most likely isnt the cause of your sleep apnea because it usually is from the structure in the mouth and throat and is often apparent to the individual, but there is a high percentage of people who dont know they have it, so you may have already had it.   That being said my mother had cervical cancer 30 years ago and developed throat problems severe enough to have to see a ENT and had her throat dialated.  Maybe it was as a result of the chemo, but I dont know-we didnt talk much about it, except that she had problems with swallowing.   I had severe throat issues with the first round of chemo(5 FU & mitomyacin) and remembered my Mom's throat problems...I was concerned the same thing would happen to me, but it didnt, thank heavens.  I tolerated the second round of chemo better in my throat but worse in the genital/anal areas.   Perhaps the structure of your throat has changed from the chemo damage and has somehow caused the obstruction and the apnea.  As far as I know my Mom didn't have sleep apnea problems, but I would say the connection between the two is possible, but perhaps more unique to you as an individual.  Either way the CPAP machine will help you get more rest and protect your heart from damage.   

     

    Shamayim

  • Barb5454
    Barb5454 Member Posts: 125
    #5
    shamayim said:

    sleep apnea

    Barb,

     

    I agree with Laz that chemo most likely isnt the cause of your sleep apnea because it usually is from the structure in the mouth and throat and is often apparent to the individual, but there is a high percentage of people who dont know they have it, so you may have already had it.   That being said my mother had cervical cancer 30 years ago and developed throat problems severe enough to have to see a ENT and had her throat dialated.  Maybe it was as a result of the chemo, but I dont know-we didnt talk much about it, except that she had problems with swallowing.   I had severe throat issues with the first round of chemo(5 FU & mitomyacin) and remembered my Mom's throat problems...I was concerned the same thing would happen to me, but it didnt, thank heavens.  I tolerated the second round of chemo better in my throat but worse in the genital/anal areas.   Perhaps the structure of your throat has changed from the chemo damage and has somehow caused the obstruction and the apnea.  As far as I know my Mom didn't have sleep apnea problems, but I would say the connection between the two is possible, but perhaps more unique to you as an individual.  Either way the CPAP machine will help you get more rest and protect your heart from damage.   

     

    Shamayim

    One more time

    My pulmonary specialist, oncologist, ENT, internal medicine and yes my dentist all told me I have sleep apnea because of the chemo. It's called Central Sleep Apnea http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/central-sleep-apnea/basics/definition/con-20030485. My brain doesn't give the right signals so I stop breathing. I have professionals 5 doctors saying this is what I have and it IS because of the chemo. I am not over weight or obese, so that was ruled out as well. This type of sleep apnea only gets worse this age.

    I was looking for support not for people to tell me I am wrong in my diagnosis.

    And I will be getting a CPAP. My case is considered mild.

  • pializ
    pializ Member Posts: 508 Member
    #6
    Barb5454 said:

    One more time

    My pulmonary specialist, oncologist, ENT, internal medicine and yes my dentist all told me I have sleep apnea because of the chemo. It's called Central Sleep Apnea http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/central-sleep-apnea/basics/definition/con-20030485. My brain doesn't give the right signals so I stop breathing. I have professionals 5 doctors saying this is what I have and it IS because of the chemo. I am not over weight or obese, so that was ruled out as well. This type of sleep apnea only gets worse this age.

    I was looking for support not for people to tell me I am wrong in my diagnosis.

    And I will be getting a CPAP. My case is considered mild.

    Barb

    I am sorry that you have sleep apnoea. The side effects from our treatment seem to be quite individual. Hopefully some day they will be able to treat cancer in a much more refined way and so cause much less collateral damage.

    Best wishes

    Liz

  • Barb5454
    Barb5454 Member Posts: 125
    #7
    pializ said:

    Barb

    I am sorry that you have sleep apnoea. The side effects from our treatment seem to be quite individual. Hopefully some day they will be able to treat cancer in a much more refined way and so cause much less collateral damage.

    Best wishes

    Liz

    Pializ

    Thank you so much!

  • Lorikat
    Lorikat Member Posts: 681 Member
    #8
    Barb5454 said:

    One more time

    My pulmonary specialist, oncologist, ENT, internal medicine and yes my dentist all told me I have sleep apnea because of the chemo. It's called Central Sleep Apnea http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/central-sleep-apnea/basics/definition/con-20030485. My brain doesn't give the right signals so I stop breathing. I have professionals 5 doctors saying this is what I have and it IS because of the chemo. I am not over weight or obese, so that was ruled out as well. This type of sleep apnea only gets worse this age.

    I was looking for support not for people to tell me I am wrong in my diagnosis.

    And I will be getting a CPAP. My case is considered mild.

    Barb5454..

    I also have strange post tx side effects.  My feet BURN and HURT and the podiatrist says chemo induced neuropathy...  I still have brain fog.....  And FATIGUE, FATIGUE, FATIGUE.  My feet keep me from long walks and much exercise...  Everyone is different.  We all here jump in trying to come up with ways to try and make things better, not to criticize..  Just sometimes with too much zeal.

     

    i leave tomorrow for MDA.  Six month ck up...  Yikes...

  • shamayim
    shamayim Member Posts: 22 Member
    #9
    my apologies

    I was trying to be helpful and it turns out I was just the opposite. It wasnt intentional.  Cancer is so difficult to deal with and I'm new at this.  I have ADD also, so saying the wrong thing while trying to say the right thing or being helpful doesnt always come out the way I wish it would.  The last thing I would ever want to do is to hurt anyone, or be unsupportive in any way.  

  • Barb5454
    Barb5454 Member Posts: 125
    #10
    Lorikat said:

    Barb5454..

    I also have strange post tx side effects.  My feet BURN and HURT and the podiatrist says chemo induced neuropathy...  I still have brain fog.....  And FATIGUE, FATIGUE, FATIGUE.  My feet keep me from long walks and much exercise...  Everyone is different.  We all here jump in trying to come up with ways to try and make things better, not to criticize..  Just sometimes with too much zeal.

     

    i leave tomorrow for MDA.  Six month ck up...  Yikes...

    Lorikat

    Good Luck on your six month check up. what is MDA? I'm sure everything will be just fine.

    Thank you for your support!

  • Barb5454
    Barb5454 Member Posts: 125
    #11
    shamayim said:

    my apologies

    I was trying to be helpful and it turns out I was just the opposite. It wasnt intentional.  Cancer is so difficult to deal with and I'm new at this.  I have ADD also, so saying the wrong thing while trying to say the right thing or being helpful doesnt always come out the way I wish it would.  The last thing I would ever want to do is to hurt anyone, or be unsupportive in any way.  

    Shamayim

    It's ok. I guess I can be overly sensitive. I don't mean to be. Thank you for your support and I also support all of you as well.

  • Barb5454
    Barb5454 Member Posts: 125
    #12
    Barb5454 said:

    Lorikat

    Good Luck on your six month check up. what is MDA? I'm sure everything will be just fine.

    Thank you for your support!

    Lorikat

    I'm also sorry to hear about your feet. That has to be horribly painful. I know that the treatments we all had kept us alive but it upsets me that the chemo can cause other disorders. At least we all have each other

  • eihtak
    eihtak Member Posts: 1,473 Member
    #13
    Barb......

    Hi,

    I have not been bothered with this side effect thank God (as I love my good nights sleep) but, a friend of mine in another support group has been struggling with this same issue as you.  She has finally started treatment with a sleep specialist and hoping for help as lack of sleep and sleep apnea can lead to other serious problems and interfer with healing. This is an exerpt from an article I found.....

     

     

    Estimates of the percentage of cancer patients affected by sleep disorders range from 30% to 88%. Sleep apnea is more common among cancer patients than in the general population, and cancer patients are twice as likely as people without cancer to experience insomnia.

    Despite the pervasiveness of sleep disorders in cancer patients, not much research is available on the relationship between cancer and sleep. MD Anderson researchers are leading the development of this field with the world’s first sleep center dedicated to cancer patients. At the sleep center, Dr. Balachandran and his colleagues are exploring the relationship between cancer and sleep, particularly whether conditions such as insomnia and sleep apnea are contributing factors to cancer development, symptoms of disease, or side effects of treatment. The researchers also are developing sleep disorder treatments tailored to cancer patients.

     

    http://www2.mdanderson.org/depts/oncolog/articles/13/2-feb/2-13-2.html

    I do hope you are able to get this resolved and get back to feeling well again!

    katheryn

     

     

  • Barb5454
    Barb5454 Member Posts: 125
    #14
    eihtak said:

    Barb......

    Hi,

    I have not been bothered with this side effect thank God (as I love my good nights sleep) but, a friend of mine in another support group has been struggling with this same issue as you.  She has finally started treatment with a sleep specialist and hoping for help as lack of sleep and sleep apnea can lead to other serious problems and interfer with healing. This is an exerpt from an article I found.....

     

     

    Estimates of the percentage of cancer patients affected by sleep disorders range from 30% to 88%. Sleep apnea is more common among cancer patients than in the general population, and cancer patients are twice as likely as people without cancer to experience insomnia.

    Despite the pervasiveness of sleep disorders in cancer patients, not much research is available on the relationship between cancer and sleep. MD Anderson researchers are leading the development of this field with the world’s first sleep center dedicated to cancer patients. At the sleep center, Dr. Balachandran and his colleagues are exploring the relationship between cancer and sleep, particularly whether conditions such as insomnia and sleep apnea are contributing factors to cancer development, symptoms of disease, or side effects of treatment. The researchers also are developing sleep disorder treatments tailored to cancer patients.

     

    http://www2.mdanderson.org/depts/oncolog/articles/13/2-feb/2-13-2.html

    I do hope you are able to get this resolved and get back to feeling well again!

    katheryn

     

     

    eihtak

    Thank you soooo much! I had a titration study last night meaning I was fitted for a cpap mask. I slept like a rock!!!!! Now I have to wait for the dr to order the machine and sleep is in my future.

    Thank you again :)

  • sephie
    sephie Member Posts: 650 Member
    #15
    Barb5454 said:

    Lorikat

    Good Luck on your six month check up. what is MDA? I'm sure everything will be just fine.

    Thank you for your support!

    mda

    hey, barb....MDA is short for md anderson hospital in houston....sephie

  • Barb5454
    Barb5454 Member Posts: 125
    #16
    sephie said:

    mda

    hey, barb....MDA is short for md anderson hospital in houston....sephie

    sephie

    Thanks!! :)

  • Barb5454
    Barb5454 Member Posts: 125
    #17
    Lorikat said:

    Barb5454..

    I also have strange post tx side effects.  My feet BURN and HURT and the podiatrist says chemo induced neuropathy...  I still have brain fog.....  And FATIGUE, FATIGUE, FATIGUE.  My feet keep me from long walks and much exercise...  Everyone is different.  We all here jump in trying to come up with ways to try and make things better, not to criticize..  Just sometimes with too much zeal.

     

    i leave tomorrow for MDA.  Six month ck up...  Yikes...

    Lorikat

    How did your 6 month ck up go?

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