Lupus and Sleep Apnea

[Louisa65]

Hi

I was diagnosed with SLE a year ago, pneumonia, pleural effusion, chest infections, coughing etc. My GP has now sent me to a sleep clinic for many years I have snored severely, thinks I am a highly positive case for sleep apnea.

Anyone else have both? Are they connected in anyway?

Kind Regards

Louisa

[lupus-support1 Administrator]

Welcome to LUpus Patients Understanding & Support (LUPUS) at HealthUnlocked.

As far as I am aware, they are not connected. SLE is an autoimmune disease. Sleep apnea has different causes.

Causes of obstructive sleep apnoea

Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) is caused by the muscles and soft tissue in the back of your throat collapsing inwards during sleep.

These muscles support your tongue, tonsils and soft palate (the tissue at the back of the throat used in speech, swallowing and breathing).

Some loss of stability in these muscles and tissues is normal while you sleep, but in most people this doesn't cause any breathing problems.

In cases of OSA, the relaxation of these muscles and soft tissues causes the airway in your throat to narrow or become totally blocked.

This interrupts the oxygen supply to your body, which triggers your brain to pull you out of deep sleep so your airway reopens and you can breathe normally.

Increased risk

There are a number of things that can increase your risk of developing OSA, including:

being overweight – excessive body fat increases the bulk of soft tissue in the neck, which can place a strain on the throat muscles; excess stomach fat can also lead to breathing difficulties, which can make OSA worse

being male – it is not known why OSA is more common in men than in women, but it may be related to different patterns of body fat distribution

being 40 years of age or more – although OSA can occur at any age, it is more common in people who are over 40

having a large neck – men with a collar size greater than around 43cm (17 inches) have an increased risk of developing OSA

taking medicines with a sedative effect – such as sleeping tablets or tranquillisers

having an unusual inner neck structure – such as a narrow airway, large tonsils, adenoids or tongue, or a small lower jaw

alcohol – drinking alcohol, particularly before going to sleep, can make snoring and sleep apnoea worse

smoking – you are more likely to develop sleep apnoea if you smoke

the menopause (in women) – the changes in hormone levels during the menopause may cause the throat muscles to relax more than usual

having a family history of OSA – there may be genes inherited from your parents that can make you more susceptible to OSA

nasal congestion – OSA occurs more often in people with nasal congestion, such as a deviated septum (where the tissue in the nose that divides the two nostrils is bent to one side) or nasal polyps, which may be a result of the airways being narrowed

nhs.uk/conditions/sleep-apn...

We also have another website called the LuPUS Message Board where you can also post questions and talk to other people. Registration is FREE and we offer free information and free online psychological support. We specialise in psychological support with our own counsellor/psychotherapist available.

By becoming a Member, you will have access to the private forums and because they are private, only Members have access and even bots and search engines are forbidden.

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Finally, please go to: lupus-support.org/LuPUSMB and Sign Up.

I look forward to talking with you more!

Sometimes we need to talk to people who understand and who are not family or friends.

With good wishes!

Ros

Disclaimer: No attempt is made to diagnose or to make any medical judgement. You are advised to seek the advice from your own physician. LUpus Patients Understanding & Support (LUPUS) is not a substitute for your own doctor.

[suedarby57]

I have lupus it took 18 years to dignosed it i Also have sleep Apnea have had that for the last 10 years now they think i might have copd

[lupus-support1 Administrator in reply to suedarby57]

Your story is unfortunately all too common. This is partly because lupus is poorly taught to medical students. Professor Graham RV Hughes told me a long time ago that unless a doctor is actively looking for lupus, it is unlikely it will be diagnosed.

With good wishes,

Ros