Being tested for sleep apnea is not just busy work or just one of the hoops you jump through in preparation for weight loss surgery.  It's serious business.

It's not just one of those things you have to do...it has a purpose.

Speaking friend to friend...If you have been diagnosed with sleep apnea and have been given a prescription for a CPAP machine to sleep, there are facts you should know.

If you were diagnosed with sleep apnea and are not wearing your CPAP machine for any reason, except for a re-test that medically proves you are cured...it's time to wake up.

I am sincerely not trying to be rude...

it's just the fact...it's life or death, and I'm passionate about life and weight loss surgery success. 

There are things you should know...first:

There are Different Types of Sleep Apnea 

Do you have OSA or CSA or both? There are basically two types of sleep apnea. The most common type is 'obstructive sleep apnea' (OSA), and the less common type is 'central sleep apnea' (CSA). The third not so common type is 'mixed sleep apnea' which is basically a combination of OSA and CSA.

OSA or obstructive sleep apnea is caused by the relaxation and collapsing of the soft tissue at the back of the throat which blocks the passage of air into the lungs.

CSA is a brain related condition and is caused when the brain sends irregular signals to the muscles that control breathing. It has nothing to do with weight loss.

Research has now found that repeated surges and drops in blood pressure and low oxygen levels eventually impair the body's ability to regulate blood flow to the brain.

Researchers also warn that sleep apnea may occur over a long period of time before they becomes aware of it and seeks medical treatment. 

I Didn't Know...

I was diagnosed with sleep apnea two years before I ever considered weight loss surgery. I had no idea I had it. I attended a conference once where several friends shared a room for the night. One of the ladies told me the next morning that I stopped breathing during the night.  Since she and I were sleep across the room from each other I dismissed it as, well, she probably just couldn't hear me. Then I asked my husband to listen to me breathe when I was asleep.  He didn't think I stopped breathing, so I dismissed it again.  Then I invited six girls to the beach for the weekend...no one could sleep with me...or in the house...my husband was right about one thing, I did snore, loudly...I was in denial.  That was until several years later when I couldn't make up the bed without feeling like I had run a marathon. 

I finally submitted to calling for an appointment to get checked out and sure enough I was diagnosed with sleep apnea.

It was only after getting a CPAP machine that I realized how bad I really did feel. I had blamed a lot of it on just being overweight. Chances are I had it before I became severly overweight, maybe it even added to the problem. Sleep deprivation affects your metabolism and your energy level, ability to concentrate as well as other health issues such as heart attack and high blood pressure. 

After losing weight I could not handle the pressure of my CPAP and thought I was "cured". So I took myself off my machine and was sleeping pretty well...so I thought!  After a period of time, I realized I was waking up tired and with headaches. So I was re-tested with a CPAP machine which you can do at home.  You do not have to be re-tested at a sleep clinic. You just bring the machine home and sleep with it for about a week and return it for the results. You should know within a few days. 

The machine adjusted and measured the pressure I needed to determine that I still had sleep apnea. I didn't realize how many times my sleep was being disturbed until I now try to sleep without it. The machine I have now, adjusted the pressure I need.  Even though I do not have sleep apnea as severly as I did before I do still have it and I do still need a CPAP machine to sleep, but only if I want to breathe...just kidding...

but really, it's no joking matter, it's serious... 

Here are my points:

1. I know by experience with the machine and without it that it does affect my quality of sleep, the way I feel during the day and also affects my weight.

2. If you have been told you have sleep apnea don't just take yourself off the CPAP machine. It is a prescribed device that affects your health just like taking a prescription medication, which you wouldn't take yourself off without a doctor recommendation. Please get retested.  It's easy.

3. If you have sleep apnea, sleep with your CPAP machine. I know what a pain it is...it did take me a while to get accustomed to it.  It's the mask that you have to fit correctly, and it does take trial and error to find one that works. You might have to make a change in your sleep position or find a pillow that works better for you and the mask, but it is worth the effort. Sometimes I feel like throwing it across the room, but I decided up front that I was going to master it and now I will not sleep without it, I can't sleep without it. 

4. The CPAP machine has changed so much in the last few years. I now have a auto-titration machine, which automatically adjusts to the pressure I need. The machine senses when I am going to have an episode.  I just recently took my machine in to the therapist. They can check the information card on your machine to see if your mask is fitting properly and to see how many episodes you are having and how much pressure your machine is suppling.  Amazing! 

5. Keep trying until you find the mask that you can tolerate. It's the mask that is the trick. I have tried lots of different sizes and kinds. Also oils from your skin can cause the seal of the mask to break down over several months of use, so your insurance company will pay for the mask to be updated. There are humidifiers, filters and even alarm clocks and music on these machines now.  So go try out the latest versions and get all the bells and whistles. 

6. My plea...please don't assume that just because you have lost weight or that your pressure has become to strong or because it's uncomfortable to sleep with you don't need it. You might not have known you had it before you were tested. You might find that you have been cured, but get re-tested, you'll be so glad you did.

7. Weight loss does sometimes lesson the obstruction not only in your throat but on your diaphragm, so your episodes could have improved. If your pressure is too strong, you can get it adjusted. If it is more than 2 (numbers) of pressure, you must get your doctor's prescription to have it adjusted, or ask for a machine that automatically adjusts your pressure. 

I share these facts and experiences because I didn't know the dangers of sleep apnea before I had it. I didn't know before I was tested, that I did have it, although I suspected it. I didn't know how many times I was awakened in the night gasping for breathe until I tried to sleep one night without my CPAP machine, several months later. I thought I was "cured" after losing 165 pounds, but I was wrong. It's time to wake up...many people go off their CPAP machine without a re-test...don't be one of them...or there is a chance you might not wake up at all. 

yes, we can...

For more information and posts on sleep apnea, see sleep apnea under the category posts at the left.