Uther's Journal

I finally talked my doctor into refering me to someone about sleep apnea.  I met with the pulmonologist and he was great.  He have me a lot of information.  He scheduled me for a sleep study and that was sure fun.

The two technicians were the nicest ladies.  I couldn't believe all the wires that were connected to me.  I wondered how they expect people to sleep with all of them as well as the microphone and camera monitoring everything.  Of course I never sleep well but thankfully I hadn't slept at all for a few days before the study.  I fell right to sleep after they hooked me up.

After an hour and a half or so one of the techs came in and woke me up.  She said, "You poor thing, you were just struggling!  We're going to put you on a CPAP machine."

They tried the machine with just a nose piece but I kept opening my mouth and breaking the seal.  That was weird because when the seal was broken it sucked the air right out of me.  Then they put me on a machine with a full face mask.  I always thought that the people that complained about wearing the face mask were sissies.  I figured I could get used to the mask but the forced air would bother me.  I was sure wrong.  The air pressure is actually kind of nice and there is a water resevoir so the air isn't too dry.  The face mask though, felt like an octopus sucking my face off!  It had to be tight to keep a seal and it hurt for quite awhile after I took it off.  I don't know if I'll ever get used to it but I'll use it anyway if it works.

After a couple of hours asleep with the facemask they came in and woke me up.  I couldn't believe how much better I felt after just a short amount of time with the machine.  I didn't have a headache, no foggy feeling, my blood pressure wasn't sky high and I actually felt kind of refreshed.  It surprised me.

When I got unhooked from everything and undressed they showed me the graph from when I first went to sleep without a CPAP.  What a horror show!  I would take a few breaths then fight like hell to get another one.  It would last for half a minute.  Then I'd take a couple more breaths and start all over again.  My blood oxygen level dropped by 30% and my heart rate and blood pressure increased.  It was truly frightening and I had to sit down.  Then they showed me the graph from when I slept with the mask on.  It was perfect. 

I've been struggling with sleep for several years.  I've got quite a few health problems because of it but it's amazing I'm still alive.  I can't wait to get my own CPAP machine but I have to wait 5 weeks to see the Pulmonologist again.  Then he can set me up wit one.  I really wish I could start on one now!