When it has gotten to the point where everyone has banned me from sleeping anywhere within a 3 mile radius, because of my snoring, it appears I should get this checked out! Now don't get me wrong.... it is, on some level, kind of glamorous sleeping in a king sized bed with the pups, but it does make family vacations and sharing rooms at horse shows a bit difficult. Not for me mind you!!
So, like a good wife/mother, I got set up for an in home sleep study!
Come on, let's be honest... there's something sexy about being strapped up to machines meant to test you for Sleep Apnea! You're welcome....
Approximately 10 days later my doctor's office calls and says, "Call this number to set up an appointment, you have Sleep Apnea." Ok....
Today was my appointment!! (insert mean face)
Dr: "Were you told you have Sleep Apnea?"
Me: "Yes"
Dr: "Were you told the results of the test?"
Me: "no"
Dr: "You are what we call "SEVERE"
Ok, so at this moment I'm thinking to myself "Yes, I'm pretty dramatic but severe? Come on Doc...."
Dr: "Everyone has interrupted sleep of some form each night. Normal is 5 or less times per hour. Yours was 37.5 times per hour and at times you quit breathing for up to 10 seconds."
Wow, can we just take a minute and realize how impressive that it?!! Yikes!
But I feel fine!!! So I'm not your classic Sleep Apnea person, but let's be honest, we already knew that! All the symptoms of Sleep Apnea.... nope, don't have. When he examined my throat, basically, in layman's lingo, the hole at the back of my throat that helps me breath is small and constricted..... Oh, and for most of the night I was getting 91% oxygen which is great but at some points, it dropped to 83%... not so great....
So what's next?!! I get to go for a sleep study at the clinic in one of their fancy rooms and be hooked up to lots of things, oh, and they will even be video taping me.... creepy.
Most likely I'll get a new friend called CPAP. I think we will be great friends! When I told Eric all this, he immediately wanted to order a machine! He was freaked out that I wasn't going in for a month for my sleep study! So I'm thinking about milking this for as long as I can! "Hey Eric, remember when you were mad at me the other day? I stop breathing for up to 10 seconds at a time! Many times a night!! So be nice to me!!!!"
I also told Lizzie that she should be extra nice to me, or just nice to me because of my Sleep Apnea... I was really dramatic about the 37.5 times per hour, etc! She just looked at me.... I think she actually smirked... damn kids....
On a serious note, if I have to have something wrong with me, I welcome Sleep Apnea. I'm thankful as I know it could always be worse. I'm blessed. I will embrace my Sleep Apnea and be thankful that it can be taken care of.
Stay tuned when we welcome CPAP to the family!
Your positive response to being diagnosed with sleep apnea is very encouraging. I was stunned to read that the doctor said that sometimes you actually stopped breathing for 10 seconds at a time! I know people who have had positive experiences with C-PAP machines and hear it is a commonly reliable form of treatment for sleep apnea. Best of luck!
ReplyDeleteCynthia Bowers @ Bay Area TMJ & Sleep Center