I thought I'd answer the questions I was asked about my declaration of having sleep apnea.
"Maybe you are still just a little sick." Maybe so. That would accentuate the sleepy problem. However, even when I haven't been sick, I am always sleepy. I can wake up after hours and hours of sleep and still want to go back to bed.
"Have you been tested?" No. Vision insurance is the only insurance I have and I don't think they can determine that by looking at my eyes----even if they ARE bloodshot. LOL!
Hubby (who has medical insurance) was tested and it would have been a couple of THOUSAND dollars without insurance. His BiPap (like a cpap) machine cost so much that even WITH insurance, we are making monthly payments on our part.
I did go with him when they explained his diagnosis. Obesity plays a huge role in sleep apnea. The lady (I don't remember her title...but she teaches about sleep apnea all day every day) said that most obese people have some sleep apnea and that getting to a healthy weigh cures a lot of people's sleep apnea. (I am not saying obesity is the only cause of apnea......she just stressed it to us)
Anyway..................I'm not going to have it for long! I am going to treat my body right and go to bed instead of staying up all hours of the night, so that I can get more than the normal 8 hours and still not be snoozing at noon.
I need to feed my body healthy, fresh foods......cut back on the processed stuff and focus on foods that will give me energy and healing and nutrition. This will not be easy. I am a processed food junkie! Maybe I could start by having a certain amount of fruits and veggies daily.
I will get my exercise in. They say (and I know that it is true) that you get more energy if you exercise. And you sleep better, too.
I will try to reduce the stress in my life, prioritize, work on being a better time manager and manager of my home. I will take the time to slow down and enjoy my day and my family.
At church last night.......it was a weird topic to preach about............but it was about the connection between our spirit (or our attitude or our mind), our soul, and our body. He was talking about how it is almost impossible for our bodies to get well if we have stuff going on emotionally or mentally. (have you ever worried yourself SICK? I have) It goes the other way around. It is hard to think positive thoughts when your body is sick. They work together. Getting body, mind, and soul to work together and be healthy is a goal I plan to work on starting right now.
I'm looking forward to feeling better. I am headed in the right direction. You are too! yay! Let's go!
I have Sleep Apnea. It is what pushed me over the edge to saying "Enough is Enough!" and I have been able to lose 40+ lbs thus far.
ReplyDeleteI was able to take the test in my on home and then brought the test equipment back to them and I was given the diagnosis. I was only breathing about 6 secs. per minute! The testing was covered by my insurance and the machine was covered except for a $120 copay.
I felt exactly like you. I would "sleep" through the night but then wake up and not feel rested.
Having the CPAP machine has made a WORLD of difference for me. It allowed me to get a good night sleep and wow I actually had energy. I could think clearer and it gave me the clarity to start my weight loss journey.
Now don't get me wrong... I hate having to sleep with the machine. I hate the marks it leaves on my face... but I am so thankful that I have it to help while I need it and once the weight is lost then I can kick it to the curb.
Sorry for such a lengthy comment but I feel pretty strongly about it as I have known people who have actually died due to Sleep Apnea. It is nothing to mess around with.
Have you ever tried using your husband's machine (of course when he wasn't using it?) You could try it -- stay up late and sleep late so he isn't using it -- and see how that makes you feel. I've heard that people feel better the very first time they use the machine. And if it helps, you could save up for one. Too bad they are so darned expensive. $$$ It's always about money. sigh...
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