Wednesday, August 4, 2010

More Sleep Than I've Had in Years

So, Monday night was my sleep study.  The technician informed me that, in the event that I had severe sleep apnea, she could diagnose and begin treating me right away.  However, if I woke less than 40 times per hour, there would have to be additional testing.  After having the wax adhesive rubbed in about a dozen places on my head and electrodes attached to the spots, tubes stuck into my nose, and a few other bells and whistles, I was asked to "get comfortable" and to push the button when I was ready to try to sleep.  I assessed the Sleep Number bed and determined that our bed at home must be about a 30, or roughly the equivalent of sleeping on a pile of clothes.  Not matted clothes, but a nice fluffy, fresh-from-the-dryer pile of clothes.  So not much support.  I dialed the bed to about 50 and buzzed the technician.   She came in and hooked my electrodes into the dongle, commented on how quickly I had decided to get to sleep, and wished me a good night.  At about 11PM, I buzzed for a bathroom break and she told me that she needed 20 more minutes of "sleep time" before she could officially begin CPAP treatment, because I won the apnea jackpot!  I woke up 117 per hour or about once every 30 seconds.  Imagine, normal-sleep-people, going through each and every night's sleep waking up every 30 seconds because your brain is screaming for oxygen.  I've been doing this for YEARS now.

After the twenty minutes of data were collected, I had the nose-only CPAP mask clamped on my face and was told that I had to keep my mouth shut by swallowing (to create a seal between my tongue and the roof of my mouth).  I felt very uncomfortable immediately, but tried to endure it, since, after all, this device will not only "change my life", but it's going to save it.  It felt like much longer, but it was probably only 10 minutes before I buzzed the technician again.  She swapped out the nose-only gear for a full face mask.  You know when it's really windy outside and you face the wind and it's nearly impossible to breath because of the force of the wind?  That's what the CPAP face mask seems like, except clamped over your mouth and nose.  To say I was freaked out would probably be an understatement, but "save my life" and all that.  After awhile, my chest hurt from the extra air pressure, and I wasn't any less freaked out, but did doze off every few minutes.   Until the proper pressure is reached, you REALLY become aware of the apnea, so every 30 seconds or so, I was aware of waking up.  Finally, sometime around 3:30AM the right level of high pressure was reached and I had an REM rebound.  In other words, my brain said, "Oh, thank God!"  and I slept AND dreamt for TWO HOURS STRAIGHT.

Now I await my very own CPAP machine.  I will exchange one torture for another and hopefully be healthier (and clearer minded) for it.  We shall see.

XOXO-
Brian