Quote:
Originally Posted by bonedoc33 Everyone pretty much beat me to the punch on this one. Most patients on CPAP that I have experience with prefer the nose mask with a humidifier. You just have to get used to the noise and having the mask on your face. For most people, getting used to the machine beats the alternative.
Not to sound like a broken record, as I am sure you have been asked this a hundred times, but have you tried losing weight? While it most likely won't get rid of your apnea, it will help to decrease the severity. |
I have a new doctor as my blood pressure has been running 165/110 and my old doctor couldn't get it down. For the last few years I've been taking more freaking pills a day that you can imagine -- and in addition to costing me $500 a months that my $4500 a month insurance work cover -- and I feel worse instead of better. Working on my car in the pits on a hot day make me near faint.
I know I need to lose weight but the problem is I've worn out my body. 15 years ago I weighed 170 lbs, wore a 56 coat and a 31 waist pant. I'd buy athletic cut suits and have to take the paints for a complete tear down to make fit. I've the same person -- just been captured by a body that has started giving up. I've had 7 surgeries in 5 years and 12 in the last ten years.
I went from playing softball five nights a week (4-6 games a night), lifting weights at lunch every day, and basketball 3 days a week in the morning from 5AM-7:30AM. But after three shoulder surgeries and being told I need a joint replacement, three knee surgeries, and told I need a joint replacement, and a horrible case of arthritis has made virtually all cardio and weight exercising painful. I can't swim because of the right shoulder, I can't tread mill because of the back and feet, I can't cycle because of the knees.
On Wednesday I had a Korr Metabolic test -- and my results were:
Measured REE = 8.08 kJoule/day
Predicted REE = 10.90 kJoule/Day
Estimated TEE = 10.50 kJoule/day
VO2 = 279 ml
FeO2 = 15.72 % expired oxygen
Minute Volume = 6.69 ml
Tidal Volume = 607 ml
Respiratory Rate: 11.3 Breaths / Min
Which means my metabolism is Slow (-26) compared to a typical person of similar, sex, age, height, and weight. The absolute bottom of the graph. I have the metabolism of a sloth right now and will gain weight if I take in more than 2000 calories a day. I eat a bowl of cereal in the morning, a sandwich for lunch, and have 1 meat and two vegetables for dinner. No fast food, no drinking, no snacking - yet can't lose weight.
My doctor says that the out of control Sleep Apnea is the main cause of the metabolism and blood pressure problems -- and the Apnea needs to be fixed first -- and the other problems will be easier for her to treat, as much of it corrects when I stop being dead from 6 minutes a night of REM sleep.
I've been fighting my doctors for years -- and going to give this one a chance. The bottom of my legs are turning purple and are swollen -- and I'm now a believer that my not treating the Apnea has been killing me.
I have to try to find the most comfortable CPAP and get the discipline to use the damn thing before I do anything else. It looks like I need to insist on a nose unit and heated distilled water.