OSA discovered during hospital visit
 

Hi - I had surgery last year to have a large thyroid nodule removed. The nodule thankfully was benign, and the time in the recovery room was average.
I was brought back up to my room and felt just fine and only required tylenol for a mild sore throat. I was looking forward to being discharged the next morning. But, that night I was having trouble falling asleep (very uncomfortable hospital bed!) and so asked for pain medication. When the nurse said that Percocet had been ordered for pain, I decided to try taking that, since I had (have) heard that it really calms you down, etc. ----a very bad idea, I now realize. Earlier I had taken more tylenol and also a mild tranquilizer, but I still felt wide awake.
The next morning I awoke in ICU and was intubated! It was a horrible experience. What I later found out was that I had undiagnosed sleep apnea, and I'm wondering if that caused me to stop breathing long enough for the hospital staff to think I had had a stroke or something like that? (they took a ct scan of my brain and a chest xray was also ordered)
My question is: could the undiagnosed sleep apnea have caused me to stop breathing long enough to require intubation? I certainly wish I had never asked for the extra meds to help me sleep!!!!!
Fortunately, all turned out well; but it surely was a very scary experience!
Has anyone else discovered that they have sleep apnea while in the hospital for surgery? Thanks:) Mabent