I stop breathing in my sleep 70 times an hour.

[kevyn]

Just got back from meeting with my sleep doctor, to go over the results of last week's sleep study (which I think I neglected to blog about).

Turns out, I stop breathing an average of about 70 times an hour when I am asleep, in all sleeping positions.

More than 30 times an hour is considered severe sleep apnea. I'm WAAAAAAAAY beyond severe -- the doc called it "super-severe," and insisted that I come in tomorrow night for an emergency sleep study with a CPAP.

70 times an hour? That's more than once a minute! ("Stop breathing" is defined as not breathing for more than 3 seconds).

No wonder I am always tired, depressed, moody, unstable, unable to focus, unable to complete tasks, overweight and suffering from heart problems! It seems that this may be one of the key factors in all of my health problems.

Here's hoping that the CPAP works.

Comments

[atldaddybear.livejournal.com]

According to Bryon/hangnaildhole, my snoring and obvious apnea got progressively worse and worse the longer I was in Tennessee. While he says I still have my "moments", he also reports that I've gotten much, much better since we moved to Canada in May.

The apparent main reason? Between giving up most of the alcohol I was pounding in NashVegas (I'd drink around a 6-pack of cheap "light" beer each evening), along with us becoming much more physically active, I've lost at least 29 pounds in the last 3 months. In mid-April, around the same time Bryon took the pics I comment-whored posted, I weighed myself and the scale screamed in terror "293". Early last week I weighed myself, and scale yelped out "264".

Given my family history, that's still much too much weight for my 5'11" frame, but 29 pounds is a damn fine Good Start to it.

So, this is a long fuckin' way of stating that, if you can do so, work on the weight loss. You'd be surprised what all will be helped by carrying around less poundage. :-}}}}

[kevynjacobs.livejournal.com]

Yes, I am aware that the weight is a problem.

But when I barely have the energy to get out of bed, exercise is almost unthinkable...