I still don't want to believe the diagnosis I was given yesterday!
I went to Fairview Hosp., one of them that has a sleep disorder clinic, to undergo a sleep study. I was slightly anxious as I didn't know what to expect. My ex-husband had one done back in about 81, and he had severe sleep apnea, and I was positive that couldn't happen to me! I was absolutely sure that no way was I going to end up like him, and need a tracheostomy to help keep my breathing passages open.
Monday evening I checked into the hospital, and since I was early I had to wait until exactly 8:30 p.m. when the security guard came downstairs to fetch me. He took me upstairs and bid me a good evening while all I could do was think was that this was a waste of time and money, having this study done. I did manage to thank him thank God.
The doctor that specializes in lung and sleep disorders didn't think it a waste of either time nor money, he informed me just how much having even mild apnea can impact one's heart, and he said that my heart is already compromised, so I needed the test.
OK. So I snored all night long , and also my breathing stopped. I need to go back and have another test, using the "CPAP", some kind of device designed to help keep my airway open during sleep. Normally they would have woke me up and put the device on me in the night after viewing my sleeping behavior. However I took from 9:30 p.m. until midnight to finally get to sleep, and then I didn't get into deep REM sleep until morning so it was too late to start using the machine.
They asked me questtions in the night a couple of times like "do you think you've been asleep yet"? and I hadn't thought I was asleep and I truly had been. During the next day, Tuesday, they had me stay and I had to take naps off and on. I felt really tired and sleepy, yet felt that I wasn't napping however I had.
The way they wire a person up for the test is incredible! They have a rectangular shaped box, much like a tv remote, with many wires. One was for a microphone to hear me if I snored, one for two little sensors that sit taped on my upper lip that can detect if my mouth or nose is being used to breathe, one sensor on each leg to see if I"m thrashing around, two for an EKG that is an abbreviated kind of EKG, one on my finger to see what my oxygen level is, and many were PASTED to my head of course for brain waves.
I thought it would be impossible to sleep with all that on me, however it wasn't uncomfortable at all and I was glad to crash early. The hard part was getting to sleep, period. So many thoughts were running through my mind, and the odd thing was, even though I knew they were watching my every move, I wasn't unnerved by it. What was bothering me was that I thought I didn't belong there, that I wasn't "like my ex".
Not so.
So I'm thankful to Dr. Mulrooney and also the staff at the Fairview sleep disorder clinic, they've all a fantastic job of finding out that I indeed have sleep apnea and can protect my heart and health by being diagnosed and getting the CPAP machine. Most people that are diagnosed and use this machine end having more engery, lose weight, and also many women that have been mis-diagnosed with depression find they're no longer tired, irritable, and don't need the anti-depressant. I have to wonder now whether I truly need the anti-depressant I've been on.....
It'd be great to have one less medication to take!
"