Tuesday, September 27, 2011

sleep study, apnea, bi-pap

Got put on a Bi-PAP machine after a sleep study last night for Obstructive Sleep Apnea. Basically, due to fatness I stop breathing once a minute. They also have to crank the thing up to an obnoxious level -24/19 if anyone is medically inclined. Basically, for those not, it means I have a tremendous air pressure being blown at me while I breathe with a mask on.

And I mean intense airflow. I was fine sleeping with it last night as they adjusted it up as I slept, but when getting my own machine today the lady put it on me at my level while I was awake and I almost scratched the thing off my face; I couldn't breathe and felt like someone was trying to drown me, it was so intense.

Thankfully the machine has a slow-increase function that she set for 45 minutes for me. Now it starts at a reasonable pressure and works its way up to the full level while I'm falling asleep.

I tested this out today during a nap and it worked awesome. I didn't notice the increasing and passed the heck out hard well before it got to the top intensity for me.

So yeah, BI-PAP, sleep apnea, mask wearing. Not pleased I need it, but love having it due to its lovely effects!