I have been diagnosed as having Sleep Apnea and I am presently using the CPAP machine. It is such a relief to finally put a name to what is wrong with me.

I attended my doctor for nearly two years complaining that I was tired. I also gained weight, going from roughly 9 1/2 stone to 17 1/2 stone in two years with no major change in eating pattern. I was prescribed Ternorman (this is for high blood pressure) for the rest of my life. I started to blame the tablets for my lack of energy, my weight gain and, worst of all, I was not able to walk.

My doctor sent me for every test you can think of but still found nothing. Last December I went into a hospital to have a repair job done on my heart. It was by sheer luck, (as they say...in the right place at the right time) that my apnea was discovered. One of the interns found me asleep, then stood over me for awhile, and then tried to wake me. He began asking questions about my sleep pattern. It turns out they had a sleep doctor in the hospital, and they arranged for a monitor to be attached to me. It was soon determined that I had sleep apnea, and that I needed the CPAP.

I have been using the CPAP since the beginning of February. I have to say in the last two weeks I have more energy, am starting to do things around the house, and even my temperament has improved. My sex life with my husband has also improved. (Talk about your partner having patience; he deserves a Medal for what he had to put up with).

—Marie, Age 48, London, UK

Hi Marie—

Your tale, unfortunately, is awfully familiar. Sleep apnea usually is undiagnosed; it also very often is mis-diagnosed as depression or heart disease. Sleep apnea robs your energy, steals your motivation, and drains your sex life. It also causes heart complications—as you know—and is a leading contributor to high blood pressure.

For those readers who don’t know yet about this deadly “phantom of the night”—which affects 4% of men and 2% of women—it’s time to learn. Because someone you know —a friend, neighbor or relative—needs your help! Learn to identify the signs of sleep apnea. The life you save may be your own!

Congratulations on taking the bull by the horns once you were properly diagnosed, Marie. That CPAP machine makes a world of difference, doesn’t it? Hats off, also, to that smart intern who spotted your difficulty breathing during sleep.

(Loud snoring is the tell-tale sign!)