Sleep Apnea and CPAP Machine

So while we play the waiting game for approval to use my super to fund my surgery I thought it would be good to post an update on my sleep apnea diagnosis and my experience with the CPAP machine not to be confused with the CRAP machine as I kept reading it as for too long.

So first off let me just say deciding to stalk my old doctor was the best thing I have ever done! Without him I have no doubt I would not be here on this journey right now, I would 100% still be in the dark, still be exhaused and still be frustrated with my weight, health and pretty much everything.

I know without him I never would have gone to a Doctor and said I have these symptoms what is wrong with me? Why? Because I didn't realise they were symptoms, i had unconsciously rationalized all my symptoms into being caused by this, that or the other. Tired? I blamed my low iron. Headaches first thing? Must be time to get my neck fixed. Threatening dreams? Time to get up and pee woman! And the list goes on, so you see without a doctor who cared and asked if i had these things I may have never known.

Thanks to him I got to be hooked up like a robot so they could monitor my sleep for a night, and I think I looked pretty great if I do say so myself, when the robots take over I'd fit in perfectly wearing this.

A few weeks later and my results were in, i had moderate sleep apnea, which basically for me meant I stopped breathing on average 17 times an hour for 23 seconds a time unless I was on my back at which point I stopped breathing 26 times an hour. No biggy right?

Well I booked in a trail with a CPAP machine once I got these results so I could try out the different masks and machines to make sure if I went ahead and purchased one it would be one I could actually use comfortably and that would help. 30 awkward minutes in a room with the chemist just sitting there breathing into alien masks unable to chat to pass time and I walked out with my Machine and my chosen mask.

I was excited to finish work that night and get to try it out, I was sick of being tired constantly and I was keen to try something that would improve that. I got home at about 9:30pm set my machine up, jumped into bed and after reading for a bit I turned my machine on and was heading to dreamland by 10:30pm.

Now as you can probably tell from the picture it's a bit of a weird setup to sleep with, however once i got myself set up with my pillows far enough away from the bedhead for my tubing to stick out the headboard i was pretty right. I did wake up around 6 times the first night just from turning in my sleep and having my head weighed down by the cord. However in the morning... OMG.

I felt like I'd downed 4 coffee's and an energy drink I was positively buzzing!!! By the time I finished my 8 and a half hour shift I was still wired and way more awake than when I would wake up in the mornings on a day without the CPAP. Even my chemist asked if I was being sarcastic when I told him I was fantastic when he checked in, it would seem not everyone takes to the weird machine as easily as I did. I think what helped me was the fact I was so desperate for something to help me I was willing to try anything and sleeping with a machine seemed a very small price to pay for me to keep breathing through the night and not get stabbed, blown up, set on fire or drowned in my sleep.

My second night was even better I only woke up 3 times from the tubing pulling on my head and actually had to fight to stay asleep until my alarm went off at 4am. Why is this better you may ask?? Simply because my mind and body were telling me to get up, your recharged and full of energy let's do this thing!!

Even people at work were shocked with how energetic and happy I've been the last two days. I try to be a happy bubbly person on a daily basis but with sleep I was on a whole other level and I didn't even have to try. This sleep thing is amazing!! I don't remember the last time I felt this good and I am excited even more now to get the sleeve done and really amp this energy up another notch by shedding the kgs as well.

So there you have it CPAP machines for the win, now to sleep peacefully and await for my super application to be approved.

xx Sarah