C PAP of DOOM!

As part of getting ready for the gastric bypass surgery, I had to have a full understanding of where my health is. That basically means getting stuck with needles, a lot. It also means I have to have a full psych eval as well as a sleep study and several nutritionist appointments.

I went for the sleep study about three weeks ago. You go in to the doctor's office at night. They goo up your head with electrodes, put electrodes all over your body, put something up your nose... and then tell you to go to sleep. You can imagine the difficulty.

I figured that I don't really wake up tired, I don't drink caffeine... I thought for someone morbidly obese beside the requisite snoring... I was ok.

Interestingly enough... I found out how poorly I sleep. During the night of the study I woke myself up 11 times from leg and arm movements - Periodic Limb Movement Disorder (PLMD). I also found out that I have mild sleep apnea - but only during REM.

The resolution?

I have to take iron and calcium supplements to reduce the limb movements (my iron levels are low and that can cause the PLMD) and use a C PAP. A C PAP is a device that straps to your head and goes over your nose. It's attached to a machine that pumps warm moist air into your nose. It's supposed to keep your airway open while you sleep.

Super un-sexy. I know that it'll help me sleep better... but geez. Can you imagine? What an image.

I can only imagine having a guy overnight for the first time and just have the C PAP totally kill the mood. Unless he's got a thing for Darth Vader. Ugg. (Darth Vader Heavy Breathing) "Luke (chuh-huh). Where are you going (chuh-huh)? Come back (chuh-huh)!"

I'm excited about the iron supplements though. I've been told that I hit in my sleep. Only by those people that I've been genuinely pissed at a time or two though. I remember that a guy that I dated told me that I hit him in my sleep one night. He was kind of an ass before we went to bed though, so (secretly) I didn't feel too bad. I always thought it was psychosomatic anyway. Apparently, it wasn't. If I don't wake up at night 11 times, and my sleep is better... then maybe I'll have more energy! Wouldn't that be awesome?

So I used the C PAP last night. I left it on all night. I woke up a couple times. Apparently I tried to roll over in my sleep and got caught. I also did that thing where you wake up swinging because there's something on your face. Then I did the "What the? Oh yeah" thing and went back to bed. I had to work early so I didn't get much sleep. I hope this gets better in the future. My nose is all thick and mucus-y today (I know, thanks for sharing, right?) kind of like I'm getting a cold . I think it's just getting used to the air up my nose. Ugg. I hope that gets better.