Good sleep comes at a Good cost

[Pete's Draggun]

As slow as a glacier, I've been suffering from pathetic sleep since way before Misty's cancer diagnosis.

For a better part of 2020 wearing my birthday FitBit watch, sleep was like a job, except I wasn't able to get 8hrs in. More like a 1.5 hour nap here, dose for 2 hours there, or lay down for 2.75 hours anywhere.

FitBit was keeping track of my shit sleep.
Everyday I'd score Poor, Poor, Fair, Poor, Poor, Poor, Fair, Yada Yada yada.......

My New Year's resolution for 2021 was to do something about it and the journey for good sleep commenced.

1st sleep study consultation January 5th 2021.

[Pete's Draggun]

At the consultation with the sleep Dr., I was given a sleep monitor to take home for the night.

The monitor hooked up a breathing tube to my nostrils and a index finger clamp.

Easy enough....

Done-zoe

[Youfreeme]

SpaceMan how are you supposed to sleep like that?

[SpaceMan]

i got a few hours in by not sleeping much the night before...i forgot to mention that at my hospital they just give you a time to come with no regard to your regular sleep schedule.....anyways it didnt matter much i never heard from that doctor again or from the hospital for that matter....socialized healthcare is fucking awesome ?

[Pete's Draggun]

SpaceMan

My insurance wouldn't cover the expensive head hook up overnight stay in the bed.
Insurance said to do the at home cheaper route first.

I do the overnight head hook up after the surgical procedure. Probably like late October after healing from surgery

[Pete's Draggun]

January 18th The evaluation came back.

The results came back so bad the doctor said something must have happened with the equipment.

Either the finger clamp lost connection or The nostril air line moved.

Doctor: Let's do another test.

Pete: Another test?

[Pete's Draggun]

This time around, I used some surgical tape on the index finger clamp and also taped the nostril tube to my nose, behind my ears, on my neck and on my chest.

I was set for none of this stuff to come off or loose.

[Din Djarin]

Damn, lots of stuff on ya doesn't make it easier.. Even if t would stay on

[Pete's Draggun]

February 10th The evaluation came back.

The results came back bad again.

1st test I stopped breathing 41 times an hour
with an oxygen saturation of 83 percent.

2nd test I stopped breathing 42 times an hour with an oxygen saturation of 81 percent.

This was medically alarming from my doctor and the staff of nurses.

Doctor: Pete needs sleep apnea equipment like yesterday!

[Din Djarin]

You got a whole staff of nurses worrying about you huh. Sounds like you're in good hands

[Pete's Draggun]

Din Djarin

3 nurses
6 hands
3 mouths

[Amerijuanican]

Lol!
which one is the Head Nurse?

[Din Djarin]

All worth it if it gets ya good sleep! As bad sleep comes at a bigger cost. I can relate lately.. Slept like a baby most of the time from march til end of august, when I lived in a place i could stay max. 6 months (compensation of my landlord for the abominable circumstances he put me up with before march :P )
New place is almost finished, but have been sleeping at my parents place since august 30th and am thoroughly through doing that fulltime. Gonna invest in a new bed at my new place too Can't wait! Not gonna be cheap on it either, bed I slept in at that compensation place (which was furnished) was awesome. Totally worth like €500

[Pete's Draggun]

Now I need all this stuff in my bedroom

Sleep machine
Hoses
Water
Air tunes
Head gear

I get into a more Q & A with my doctor on just how serious is my condition.

She said honestly Pete "You could have a heart attack or stroke in your sleep"

Pete: I can't believe it.

Doctor: yes Pete, you could die in your sleep

Pete: what's this oxygen saturation number 81 percent

Doctor: normal healthy is in the middle/ high 90s

The Doctor had me try an experiment. She put the index finger clamp and hold my breath for as long as I can.

I held my breath until I gasped for air.
My oxygen saturation level was at 93 percent when I took a breath.

The Doctor said in the low 80s is extremely life concerning.

[Pete's Draggun]

This heart attack/stroke stuff was quite a shock for me.

I eat good
My weight is ideal
I exercise 4 times a week
I've been alcohol/drug free since Thanksgiving 2020

I have no stress
I have no depression
I'm mentality and romantically happy

WTF!

[Din Djarin]

Yeah, heard something before about some guy. They were amazed he didn't notice his apnea earlier in life, and could also have died in his sleep. He stopped breathing several times during a night. Now wears some kind of oxygen mask

They found out because he suddenly got complaints, somewhere in his forties.. like always tired, never felt rested etc. I kinda experience something similar lately but know its mainly due to changed circumstances and routine

[Pete's Draggun]

Months February 19th to March 31st I'm using the sleep apnea machine with the nose breather and I can't fall asleep without the air from the machine blowing through my mouth



Then I try the full face. Failed.
when I'd turn to my side, the seal would break cause air to leak again.

[Pete's Draggun]

The sleep apnea machine, hoses and masks are an epic fail for me. Time for plan B


June 10th

I see a ear nose and throat doctor.

He tells me that he's going to put me under a drug induced sleep using a mild general anesthetic to see why I'm stopping my breathing.

During this procedure he'll watch to see what my mouth, nose, tonsils and tongue are doing using a camera and line the thickness of a needle.

[Pete's Draggun]

July 1st

I'm put under drug induced sleep.

15 min later....... done

Doctor says that my tongue is dropping to the back of my throat and cutting off my oxygen when I'm on my back. On my side I breathe fine.

He could take my tonsils out, but it wouldn't be a big enough change to alter the oxygen level results

He could fix my deviated nose cartilage, but it also wouldn't be a big enough change to alter the oxygen level results.

He could do both tonsils and nose but it still wouldn't be a big enough change to alter the oxygen level results.

[Meliai]

Yeah Pete I know someone who is going to post covid pulmonary rehab because their oxygen levels are hanging steady around 85% when they breathe without supplemental oxygen. Just to put it into context. 81% is extremely low

Sucks sleep apnea equipment is so cumbersome though. Someone should get to work improving and streamlining on that!

Sometimes I wonder if I have some sort of sleep disorder. Probably not sleep apnea, because I've never had complaints from romantic partners about snoring. But I literally never feel well rested when I wake up, I feel more like I ran a marathon in my sleep and my body aches really bad every single morning and only starts to feel better once I've been up and moving and stretching a bit

[Din Djarin]

Could it be your bed? I slept like a baby on my temporary bed in the furnished apartment Amazing change! Which I hope and expect to return to shortly; when i get my new bed for my new place

[Meliai]

Din Djarin possibly. I have a memory foam mattress and I'm not the biggest fan. It doesn't really provide the support of a traditional spring mattress.

My son has a spring/memory foam hybrid though and that shit is the most comfortable mattress i've ever experienced. I should swap out our mattresses and hope he doesn't notice lol

[OP1]

That sounds like a ringing endorsement. Care to mention the make and model Meliai ?

[Pete's Draggun]

Time for plan C

The surgical solution

https://www.inspiresleep.com/

The doctor will insert this small unit (like a cancer infusion port) into my chest.

The first wire will be pushed up through my neck and attached to the under belly of my tongue.

The second wire will be pushed down just below my ribcage to monitor breathing movements.

10 year battery
Metal detector resistant
NON chest MRI compatible

What's supposed to happen during my sleep.
I stop breathing

1. Ribcage breathing sensor wire detects no breathing movement

2. Chest unit sends electrical current from inside the battery compartment to the tongue wire

3. Tongue wire stimulates the tongue to move forward to push away from the back of the throat.

^
All this without ever waking me up.

[Pete's Draggun]

But I literally never feel well rested when I wake up, I feel more like I ran a marathon in my sleep and my body aches really bad every single morning and only starts to feel better once I've been up and moving and stretching a bit

^
This is me to a tee