sleep apnea… not for the weak (NBR)

[babybunsmum]

hey all!  been a few weeks since i’ve popped in and apparently i have lots to catch up on.  i’ve been busy gettin things in gear here.  i have a brand new shiny financial budget that is working amazingly well… i just found out i passed 2 more building code qualifying exams… and the best news… i’ve lost 18lbs!!!!  wooohooo! 

acutally that’s not even the best news.  the best news is that i’ve discovered i have sleep apnea.  not something you’d think some one would be happy about but geeeeez it’s such a huge relief!  i mentioned that i was suspicious of this at my last check-up (dad had it plus i was told aside from snoring, i do stop breathing too) and my doc referred me to a sleep clinic for a study.  what an experience.  so weird.  turns out i stop breathing 40 times per hour on average!!!  with almost as many brain interruptions meaning that i can never get into a good REM sleep.  there was much more data but those are the numbers i remember.  they diagnosed me as having severe sleep apnea. 

so i was prescribed a cpap machine and it’s been a week since i started using it.  i cannot even describe how awesome i feel right now.  it’s crazy.  i had no idea how unrested i truly was.  no idea.  much less how seriously it was affecting my quality of life.  i actually have motivation to do chores after work on week nights.  i’ve had a few super-amazing workouts in the last week – i feel like i have extra lung capacity.  i actually do not feel grumpy at work (the politics are still stupid but i don’t care).  i think food even tastes better… at least it’s filling me up more because i haven’t wanted to snack at night like a fiend.  and this is all after just one week! 

i can’t wait to goto this blood pressure clinic next week and see if my blood pressure has come down a bit.  i’ve been struggling to try to loose weight to avoid going on bp meds.  i think this may just be the answer.  so basically my cpap machine is my new comfort blanket for all of life’s woes.  cept for getting me a man.  haha.  between “the mask” and my tooth guard i am not a pretty picture at night. 

hope you all have been well!

cheers

=)

[Sarita]

Congrats, congrats, congrats….you have been busy and accomplished alot!

That is interesting about the sleep apnea and I’m glad you are on your way to feeling better. How long will you have to use the cpap machine or is that continuous forever?

[babybunsmum]

thanks sarita =) it is possible that with weight loss i may not need it. but it’s not a guarantee. my genetic make-up / body shape may just cause apnea enough to need a cpap forever and ever. since dad had apnea i’m not going to count on one day being cured. i don’t even care… as long as it helps me stay healthy i’m good!

apparently some people who are not over-weight and who do not snore can still have apnea. actually, my friends son had to have surgery (to adenoids and uvula) as a toddler to correct his apnea. poor little dude. if it gets really bad it can cause crazy health issues… heart attack / seisure / psychological disorders…

[Lintini]

That is so awesome!!!! I am so happy for you!

[LoveChaCha]

Congrats babybunsmum!

My dad has sleep apnea as well. My dad has a really good machine. He snored a lot when I was small and he woould never feel rested. I have an aunt that denies it its super sad because if untreated it can do more harm .. I’m glad you are doing well more pinky pix?

[KatnipCrzy]

My husband has sleep apnea also and uses his CPAP every night he is at home and takes it with him when we travel.  He is a paramedic and works 24 hour shifts so he does not take it to work.  I seriously can’t sleep in the same room with him if he does not use it- he snores so much.  He forgot it when we went out of town for the night- I had to keep waking him up all night to “roll over” to snore away from me.  The only thing I don’t like about it is if it blows air on me- so he sleeps with a pillow over his head a lot of I have a pillow between us.

My doctor recommended I go in for a sleep study- but I just can’t do it!!!  I won’t be able to sleep with people in the other room, it is a strange place and being hooked up to electrodes.  And once I tried my husbands CPAP to my face (he has a nose breathing mask) and it felt like it was choking me- the force of the air. 

My husband sleeps so much better.  Congrats on a solution that makes a difference for your waking hours!!!

[babybunsmum]

thanks =)

katnip it was so weird trying to sleep with all those electrodes all over!  and having a camera and micr on me all night… maybe this is an over-share… but that was a first

the mask took a couple nights to get used to.  i found it hard in the first  few minutes because i felt claustrophobic.  but by the first morning i didn’t even notice the air pressure.  i thought it had stopped.  meanwhile it’s strong enough to inflate a tire. haha.  i find now that if i exhale strongly when i first put it on then i’m good to go.  it actually feels all cozy to me now like a lullabye.  i’m even gonna get a battery so i can take it camping.

[jerseygirl]

That’s great what a difference it’s making! I think poor sleep even has a connection to weight gain. Weight loss might be a happy side effect.
Be good if the cpap machines were less cumbersome. But it’s worth it if it’s making you feel so good.

There’s a breathing technique you can learn that is supposed to help with apnoea and asthma but it’s name is alluding me. My Mum went to a training day on it once. She has asthma and I suspect she has apnoea but she doesn’t even think she snores. lol

[jerseygirl]

Today, I saw a course advertised of that technique I couldn’t remember. The Buteyko Method.

[ScooterandAnnette]

Just seeing this thread now for some reason – I’m going to have to make sure Scooter reads it. He was recently diagnosed with sleep apnea, with similar numbers to BBM. I think his was 37. His CPAP machine is on order with the province and he should get it in a few weeks. I know he said the sleep clinic night was exhausting and it was very weird trying to sleep with all the wires etc. He’s just hoping that he doesn’t manage to get the CPAP mask off in his sleep.

– Annette

[Monkeybun]

duct tape!

lol

[LoveChaCha]

Bunnies can have sleep apnea?

[jerseygirl]

Posted By LoveChaCha on 04/10/2011 01:54 PM
Bunnies can have sleep apnea?

Scooter is Annettes partner.    Easy mistake though as I think there are a few rabbits with the same name about.

Now I’m curious if bunnies could have it though! lol  Dozing off in front of the TV, napping through out the day….

 

[Elrohwen]

Grrr, I was almost done typing and somehow the page went back and I lost it all!

I’m so glad you’ve found a solution! Poor sleep can impact so many things and it sounds like you’re on your way to losing more weight and getting your BP down naturally.

DH sort of has apnea – he has “apnea moments” at night that can keep me up telling him to roll over and be quiet. Haha. He did do a sleep test and came in well in the normal range, which was good, but I wonder if it puts him at higher risk as he gets older and probably gains a little weight (he’s skinny as a rail now, but metabolisms change).

Jersey, I also looked up the breathing technique you listed and it’s fascinating! I have mild asthma that makes running or uphill hiking difficult and not fun. For years I’ve known that I need to breath through my nose and keep my breathing rate very steady, and it looks like I was on to something. I’ll have to read more on the technique to see if I can improve upon it even more.

[jerseygirl]

Yeah, it seemed this therapy was everywhere here in Aus a couple years ago. Lots of health people were promoting it. I remember a class flyer that said you could reduce asthma meds up to 70%. I haven’t really read much on it all recently but there seems to be pelnty of info around.

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