Struggle to Breathe Part Two

Day 194

Last night I drove over an hour to Bay City for the second part of a sleep study. The first night, about

two weeks ago, confirmed I have sleep apnea. Last night was a study to find if a CPAP machine would be beneficial to me.

I was connected to wires all over my head and chest and one finger. The wires all led led to a box on the stand next to the bed. It measured and tracked my brainwaves. I resembled something from a science fiction movie and hoped the nurses wouldn't be able to see my dreams.

A breathing device much like a nasal cannula was placed under my nose to supply me with a constant positive air flow to keep my nasal passages open while I slept. Thus preventing me from snoring or snorting, and to prevent a pause in my breathing. All three of which put a strain on the heart.

I am what is called a "mouth breather". That is, I breathe through my mouth when I sleep, as opposed to breathing through my nose, which is the natural way to breathe while sleeping.

I breathe through my mouth because my sinuses are often blocked. Possibly due to allergies.

To use a CPAP system, I have to breathe through my nose, with my mouth closed. Otherwise the air just blows up my nose and out through my mouth. I have been practicing breathing through my nose and it seems to go well.

The first couple of hours of the study I slept normally. Breathing through my nose was slightly restrictive as I had to work a little to take in and expel the air.

But after the first few hours, I was awake and found it becoming more and more difficult to breath. Sleep became elusive. Panic started to set in.

I asked the operator to turn the flow on the machine up a little, as I was having a hard time breathing. I was told to try to relax and it would flow better. I tried, but it's hard to relax when you feel like you are not getting enough air. Like you are slowly suffocating.

I asked for a bathroom break to catch my breath and noticed one side of my nose was plugged. This could have been the problem.  I went back to bed and everything seemed to be OK. For awhile.

A couple of hours later, I could feel the shortness of breath coming on again. The study had gone on long enough and I was able to terminate. The wires were removed and I wiped the conductive gel from my face and scalp. I could have washed up there but I preferred to shower at home.

Another hour long drive and I was back in my own bed. Sleeping like the dead for five hours.

I don't know if I was breathing through my nose or my mouth. I just know that I was breathing. And that's a good thing.

Until tomorrow,

Ken