Hi anyone!
In 2022 I was diagnosed with severe obstructive sleep apnea. It had been a problem for years but overtook my health during the pandemic.
By the time I received a BIPAP machine in September, 2023, I could barely make it through a day. So much weight was regained, causing me to spiral downwards and have worse sleeps.
I barely wanted to live because it was like sleep deprivation torture by the CIA.
But things changed. I got a machine and my health immediate took a big step for the better, even though there's a long road to go.
Fortunately I ended up doing a sleep study in the hospital and got the proper machine for free, here in Saskatchewan. Prior to that, an at home study was done, paid for by the healthcare system, but at a private clinic. They didn't do well and didn't diagnose the severity of my apnea. In the mean time, they continue to try and sell me the wrong machine that is inappropriate for me.
It could take me up to a year to fully recover but I've made great strides in almost two months. I no longer fall asleep on the treadmill! I feel sooo much more human again.
With the apnea I had weird cravings and false hunger signals that I had never before experienced. I knew they were false but I gave in.
I'm trying to drink water to offset it because that works for me. Having said that, most of those false hunger feelings are gone now after nearly two months of treatment.
By the way, I was getting up to urinate as much as every 45 minutes at at night. Sometimes it would be an hour and a half if I was lucky. That's all gone now!
It was the sleep apnea, according to my doctor. I now get up only once, and that's only out of habit.
I was so excited to sleep a continuous five hours on the first night, I couldn't go back to sleep because I was so blown away and excited!
A note about Ozempic.
A stress test at the hospital had my cardiologist suggesting and prescribing Ozempic for weight loss. (I did well on the stress test and have no known heart issues other than high bp.)
I'm not diabetic or prediabetic so I couldn't get coverage for the $260.00/month Ozempic cost. I ended up stopping it after less than three months.
I did loose a bit of weight.
I did realize I would have to be on it for life for it work and not gain back.
I did learn some things about thoughtful eating. My mind told me to eat and my body said no I'm full. Basically my obese mind ran into a body that was suddenly digesting slowly.
I was lucky to not have side effects. It does mess with your body, but somehow I think it's less scary than gastric bypass surgery.
My exercising is picking up and my eating is something I continue working on.
Thanks for reading!
James at age 57.
