Susan Barber Lindquist
715-838-3012
Dr. Bill Klish, sleep apnea patient
EAU CLAIRE, Wis. — Dr. Bill Klish was sleepy during the day. He felt drowsy while driving and once fell asleep at the wheel, rear-ending an 18-wheeler on a Texas freeway. After Klish developed acid reflux, gained weight and saw his blood pressure get out of control, he realized he needed help.
At that time, Klish was a pediatric gastroenterologist at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas, but also spent time at his home in Eau Claire. While in Eau Claire, Klish scheduled an appointment with Dr. Timothy Young, a Luther Midelfort neurologist who is board certified in neurology and sleep medicine.
Dr. Timothy Young, sleep medicine specialist
Young confirmed that Klish should undergo a sleep study at Luther Midelfort’s Sleep Disorders Center. “Our Sleep Disorders Center is an accredited sleep center, and that’s an important distinction from a sleep lab,” Young says. “A sleep lab just does the tests. We provide evaluation, diagnosis and follow-up regarding all sleep disorders. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine has strict criteria for accredited sleep centers.”
National Sleep Awareness Week is from March 7 to 13. (Daylight saving time begins at 2 a.m. Sunday, March 14, when we advance our clocks one hour. )
Tina Cross is one of the registered polysomnography technicians who performs sleep studies at the Sleep Disorders Center. During Klish’s sleep study, Cross monitored his breathing, heart rate, oxygen level, brain wave activity and leg movements. She observed that Klish’s oxygen level was low. In addition, he often stopped breathing.
After two hours of observation, Tina gave Klish a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) mask, a small mask worn over the nose, or over the nose and mouth for mouth breathers. After the CPAP mask was applied, Klish’s oxygen level remained steady, and he was still the rest of the night.
“After she put the CPAP mask on, I ended up having a good night’s sleep,” Klish says.
Klish followed up with Young who diagnosed obstructive sleep apnea, which is the most common sleep disorder. Young started Klish on a CPAP machine at home.
“CPAP eliminates all apnea episodes, as well as all snoring, by opening up the airway with a modest amount of air pressure,” Young explains. “The goal is to improve patients’ quality of life, as they sleep better and have less daytime sleepiness. Secondary medical effects include reducing their risk for heart attack and stroke.”
However, CPAP is not the only treatment for sleep apnea. Weight loss is often recommended.
“When patients feel better on the CPAP, they eat better and exercise more; therefore, they’re able to lose weight, so I think of CPAP as a bridge for some patients to reach their weight-loss goal,” Young says.
Klish says that his sleep study evaluation was a life-altering event. “Even as a physician who knows a lot about sleep apnea, I didn’t recognize it in myself for nearly two years until the symptoms had accumulated,” Klish says.
Klish tolerates his CPAP very well. He noticed a marked difference in
his daytime alertness after just two nights on CPAP.
“I feel so much better,” Klish says. “My reflux disappeared, and my hypertension has significantly improved. I’ve gotten much more ambitious during the day. Before, I just wanted to lie around and sleep all the time, and now I’m out in the yard working. I wouldn’t trade that CPAP mask for anything right now.”
Klish and his wife, Marian, are enjoying their retirement in the Third Ward neighborhood where they were both raised. He is involved in the community and serves on the board of directors for the UW-Eau Claire Foundation and the Chippewa Valley Symphony.
“Dr. Young impressed me incredibly — he’s very good at what he does,” Klish says.
Are you tired of being tired?
Do you or someone you care about experience the following symptoms?
• Snoring
• Choking, gasping or holding breath during sleep
• Morning headaches
• Depression
• Difficulty concentrating
• Learning and memory difficulty
• Irritability
• Sexual dysfunction
• Falling asleep inappropriately
• Frequent nighttime urination
• Low energy level
• Heartburn or acid reflux
If you answered “yes” to any of the above, you should discuss these symptoms with your physician or a sleep specialist. Or, contact the Luther Midelfort Sleep Disorders Center at 715-838-3420, ext. 4.
Sleep Apnea Risks
Consequences of untreated sleep apnea include:
• Disturbed sleep
• Excessive sleepiness during the day
• Job impairment
• Motor vehicle accidents
• High blood pressure
• Heart attack
• Cardiac arrhythmia
• Congestive heart failure
• Depression
• Stroke
• Sexual dysfunction
• Premature death
###
In partnership with Mayo Clinic, Luther Midelfort offers a full range of quality medical services, including cardiac and orthopedic surgery, cancer and trauma care programs. Through a network of community-based healthcare providers in west-central Wisconsin, Luther Midelfort provides access to experts close to home.
