posted by ![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
devohoneybee at 07:58pm on 29/01/2012
devohoneybee at 07:58pm on 29/01/2012Recap:
- study one established that I have moderate sleep apnea.
- study 2: trying out cpap. Blech. Gave me a migraine, though "sleep architecture was improved." Had to take 2 doses of Fiorecet to get through the night.
- study 3 at new, better sleep lab: tried bi-level pap therapy, or "bipap." Felt panicky with intrusive sensations of having a mask on my face, also got a headache, but felt like with some coaching and practice, i might be able to deal. advised to start using a neti pot regularly.
- study 4, last night: trouble-shooting session for problems "adapting" to machine. Problem: if the mask was loose enough to be comfortable, it leaked once the pressure got up to where it was supposed to be. If it was tight enough not to leak, however, the tight pressure on my neck and face from the straps triggered a headache. The tech had me try a different stye mask, but THAT triggered asthma (so many technical variables! they didn't have the warmed tube available, and cold air gives me asthma, so to warm the air up, they had to up the humidity, which ALSO gave me asthma).
Result: I got more and more tense all night, with PAIN in the back of my neck and shoulders, and BAD DREAMS, including of what it was like to try to sleep after 9/11 in New York.
And, in the midst of typing this, my sleep doc called to discuss the results of last night's study, and said I had "leg jerks" (which did not appear in the previous 3 studies) and it's possible THOSE are what is waking me up and making me extra aware of the air pressure, mask pressure, and so on. He also said that last night's study showed a "central apnea" event, which qualifies me for a more advanced machine that he wants me to try. (Central apnea is about the brain not signaling the body to breathe properly, distinct from obstructive apnea which is about snoring and such.)
In short, ARGGGGGGGGGGGGGH.
The current plan: I'm going ahead with getting a dental device (to move the lower jaw forward and open the breath way). This will take about a month to receive. I'm also going to see an ENT this Friday about my deviated septum, and see if surgery is recommended. I'm going to get the new device, which is the most advanced, for times I feel brave enough to try pap therapy again. It's possible that with the warm tube and/or the deviated septum handled, I can then use the more comfortable mask for the pap therapy, and get enough oxygen in me at night to get the health benefits I'm needing for that. Without intervention, my pulse ox is in the 80's instead of the 90's where it should be, leading to all manner of things like low energy, hypertension, and difficulty losing weight.
Which, on a final note of actual GOOD news -- I have lost 5 pounds in the last 6 or so weeks, by sticking a lot more rigorously to a healthy, protein and vegetable focused diet with no refined sugars or flour products and no high gycemic carbs. It's just possible that with significant weight loss, like, at least 30 more pounds, the obstructive part of this might go away.
Um. wish me luck?
- study one established that I have moderate sleep apnea.
- study 2: trying out cpap. Blech. Gave me a migraine, though "sleep architecture was improved." Had to take 2 doses of Fiorecet to get through the night.
- study 3 at new, better sleep lab: tried bi-level pap therapy, or "bipap." Felt panicky with intrusive sensations of having a mask on my face, also got a headache, but felt like with some coaching and practice, i might be able to deal. advised to start using a neti pot regularly.
- study 4, last night: trouble-shooting session for problems "adapting" to machine. Problem: if the mask was loose enough to be comfortable, it leaked once the pressure got up to where it was supposed to be. If it was tight enough not to leak, however, the tight pressure on my neck and face from the straps triggered a headache. The tech had me try a different stye mask, but THAT triggered asthma (so many technical variables! they didn't have the warmed tube available, and cold air gives me asthma, so to warm the air up, they had to up the humidity, which ALSO gave me asthma).
Result: I got more and more tense all night, with PAIN in the back of my neck and shoulders, and BAD DREAMS, including of what it was like to try to sleep after 9/11 in New York.
And, in the midst of typing this, my sleep doc called to discuss the results of last night's study, and said I had "leg jerks" (which did not appear in the previous 3 studies) and it's possible THOSE are what is waking me up and making me extra aware of the air pressure, mask pressure, and so on. He also said that last night's study showed a "central apnea" event, which qualifies me for a more advanced machine that he wants me to try. (Central apnea is about the brain not signaling the body to breathe properly, distinct from obstructive apnea which is about snoring and such.)
In short, ARGGGGGGGGGGGGGH.
The current plan: I'm going ahead with getting a dental device (to move the lower jaw forward and open the breath way). This will take about a month to receive. I'm also going to see an ENT this Friday about my deviated septum, and see if surgery is recommended. I'm going to get the new device, which is the most advanced, for times I feel brave enough to try pap therapy again. It's possible that with the warm tube and/or the deviated septum handled, I can then use the more comfortable mask for the pap therapy, and get enough oxygen in me at night to get the health benefits I'm needing for that. Without intervention, my pulse ox is in the 80's instead of the 90's where it should be, leading to all manner of things like low energy, hypertension, and difficulty losing weight.
Which, on a final note of actual GOOD news -- I have lost 5 pounds in the last 6 or so weeks, by sticking a lot more rigorously to a healthy, protein and vegetable focused diet with no refined sugars or flour products and no high gycemic carbs. It's just possible that with significant weight loss, like, at least 30 more pounds, the obstructive part of this might go away.
Um. wish me luck?
There are 6 comments on this entry. (Reply.)