21/03/2025
“Doktor, Saya Selalu Mengantuk… Saya Ada Sleep Apnoea ke?”
Jam di dinding menunjukkan 4:30 petang. Klinik hampir tutup. Aku baru sahaja menyimpan stetoskop ke dalam laci apabila pintu diketuk perlahan.
Tok! Tok! Tok!
“Doktor, boleh saya jumpa sekejap?”
Seorang lelaki dalam lingkungan 40-an berdiri di hadapan pintu, wajahnya lesu, mata sedikit merah. Aku mengenalinya—Encik Faris, seorang eksekutif di syarikat besar yang pernah datang ke klinik beberapa bulan lalu kerana masalah batuk malam.
Aku memandangnya dengan risau. “Encik Faris, apa masalahnya?”
Dia menarik nafas panjang sebelum duduk. “Doktor… saya rasa ada sesuatu yang tak kena dengan saya. Saya selalu mengantuk, terutamanya di awal pagi, walaupun saya tidur lebih dari 8 jam. Di tempat kerja pun susah nak fokus… dan saya cepat marah tanpa sebab.”
Aku mendengar dengan penuh perhatian.
“Yang paling saya risau, saya selalu tertidur masa meeting, doktor. Malu betul bila bos tegur depan semua orang. Paling teruk, dah 2-3 kali saya hampir accident sebab tiba-tiba ‘terlelap’ beberapa saat semasa memandu. Saya takut, doktor… Saya ada sleep apnoea ke?”
Darahku berderau. Microsleep ketika memandu boleh membawa maut.
Aku mencondongkan badan ke depan. “Encik Faris, sebelum saya jawab soalan tu, saya nak tanya beberapa perkara. Ada sesiapa pernah beritahu yang encik berdengkur waktu tidur?”
Dia mengangguk perlahan. “Isteri saya… dia kata saya berdengkur kuat setiap malam. Kadang-kadang dia terjaga sebab saya tiba-tiba senyap lama, lepas tu tersedak macam tengah lemas.”
Aku sudah mendapat jawapannya.
“Encik Faris, semua tanda-tanda ini menunjukkan kemungkinan besar encik mengalami Obstructive Sleep Apnoea (OSA). OSA berlaku bila saluran pernafasan tersumbat semasa tidur, menyebabkan otak kekurangan oksigen dan tidur terganggu berulang kali tanpa kita sedar.”
Wajahnya berubah. “Jadi… ini bukan sekadar penat biasa?”
Aku menggeleng. “Bukan, encik. Ini boleh jadi serius. OSA meningkatkan risiko tekanan darah tinggi, sakit jantung, strok… dan paling membimbangkan, kemalangan akibat microsleep. Jika encik terus memandu dalam keadaan begini, satu saat boleh meragut nyawa.”
Dia menelan liur, jelas terkejut. “Jadi… apa saya perlu buat, doktor?”
Aku tersenyum sedikit, cuba menenangkan kebimbangannya. “Langkah pertama, kita perlu buat sleep study untuk mengesahkan tahap sleep apnoea encik. Jika disahkan, kita boleh mulakan rawatan seperti CPAP, alat yang membantu memastikan saluran pernafasan terbuka semasa tidur.”
Dia mengangguk, kelihatan lebih yakin. “Baik, doktor. Saya akan buat apa saja untuk selamatkan diri saya… dan keluarga saya.”
Aku mengangguk tanda mengerti. Aku tahu, aku bukan sekadar doktor hari ini. Aku adalah penyelamat nyawanya.
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Tanda-Tanda Sleep Apnoea yang Perlu Anda Ambil Serius
⚠ Dengkur kuat setiap malam
⚠ Tersedak atau terjaga dengan rasa sesak nafas ketika tidur
⚠ Mengantuk melampau di siang hari walaupun cukup tidur
⚠ Sukar fokus dan mudah marah
⚠ Kerap terlelap tanpa sedar (microsleep), terutamanya ketika memandu
Jika anda atau orang tersayang mengalami gejala ini, jangan tunggu! Dapatkan pemeriksaan segera. Sleep apnoea boleh membawa maut jika tidak dirawat.
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Pengajaran:
✔️ Jangan anggap mengantuk berlebihan sebagai perkara biasa – Ia mungkin petanda sleep apnoea yang boleh meragut nyawa.
✔️ Microsleep bukan sekadar letih – Ia boleh menyebabkan kemalangan jalan raya yang mengorbankan nyawa anda dan orang lain.
✔️ Rawatan ada dan berkesan – Jika anda berdengkur kuat dan selalu letih walaupun cukup tidur, dapatkan pemeriksaan sleep study segera.
Jangan biarkan sleep apnoea meragut nyawa anda. Ambil tindakan hari ini.
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“Doctor, I’m Always Sleepy… Do I Have Sleep Apnoea?”
The clock on the wall showed 4:30 PM. The clinic was about to close. I had just put my stethoscope away when there was a soft knock on the door.
Knock! Knock! Knock!
“Doctor, can I see you for a moment?”
A man in his 40s stood at the door, his face tired, eyes slightly red. I recognized him—Mr. Faris, an executive at a large company who had visited my clinic a few months ago for a nighttime cough.
I looked at him with concern. “Mr. Faris, what’s the problem?”
He took a deep breath before sitting down. “Doctor… I feel like something is wrong with me. I’m always sleepy, especially in the morning, even after sleeping more than 8 hours. At work, I find it hard to focus… and I get irritated easily for no reason.”
I listened attentively.
“The worst part is, I keep dozing off during meetings. It’s embarrassing when my boss calls me out in front of everyone. And the scariest thing? I’ve nearly gotten into accidents two or three times because I suddenly ‘blacked out’ for a few seconds while driving. I’m scared, doctor… Do I have sleep apnoea?”
My heart skipped a beat. Microsleep while driving can be fatal.
I leaned forward. “Mr. Faris, before I answer that, let me ask you a few things. Has anyone ever told you that you snore while sleeping?”
He nodded slowly. “My wife… she says I snore loudly every night. Sometimes, she wakes up because I suddenly go quiet for a long time, then I start gasping like I’m choking.”
I already knew the answer.
“Mr. Faris, all these symptoms strongly suggest that you may have Obstructive Sleep Apnoea (OSA). OSA happens when your airway gets blocked while sleeping, reducing oxygen to the brain and disrupting your sleep repeatedly without you realizing it.”
His face changed. “So… this isn’t just normal exhaustion?”
I shook my head. “No, it’s not. This can be serious. OSA increases the risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, stroke… and most concerning, microsleep-related accidents. If you keep driving like this, even one second of blacking out could cost your life.”
He swallowed hard, clearly shocked. “So… what should I do, doctor?”
I gave him a reassuring smile, trying to ease his worry. “The first step is to do a sleep study to confirm your sleep apnoea severity. If diagnosed, we can start treatment with CPAP, a device that keeps your airway open while you sleep.”
He nodded, looking more determined. “Alright, doctor. I’ll do whatever it takes to save myself… and my family.”
I nodded in understanding. I knew that today, I wasn’t just a doctor—I was a lifesaver.
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Warning Signs of Sleep Apnoea You Shouldn’t Ignore
⚠ Loud snoring every night
⚠ Gasping or choking for air while sleeping
⚠ Excessive daytime sleepiness despite sleeping enough hours
⚠ Difficulty concentrating and frequent mood swings
⚠ Suddenly dozing off (microsleep), especially while driving
If you or a loved one experience these symptoms, don’t wait! Get tested immediately. Sleep apnoea can be deadly if left untreated.
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Key Takeaways:
✔️ Excessive sleepiness is NOT normal – It could be a sign of sleep apnoea, which can be life-threatening.
✔️ Microsleep isn’t just tiredness – It can cause fatal road accidents, endangering your life and others.
✔️ Effective treatment is available – If you snore loudly and feel tired despite sleeping, get a sleep study done as soon as possible.
Don’t let sleep apnoea take your life. Take action today.
