No Kittens Were Harmed in this Post
Two weeks ago I had my first follow-up appointment with my sleep doctor. I needed to bring the SD card that is in my CPAP for my doctor to analyze - and provide the insurance company with data proving I was actually using the machine.
The nurse called me in for my usual weight and blood pressure check while the doctor looked over the data. I wondered if and what he would find. The first month of using the CPAP wasn't exactly what I thought it would be. I had a cold for the first part, making it difficult to breathe in general. I needed to get a chin strap to keep my mouth shut and I found the mask to be irritating my nose. There some "meh" nights and some nights I ripped the mask off my face.
So what did the doctor say? Well, the machine is doing it's job. I have no signs of sleep apnea and all of the "mechanical" issues I'm having with my throat and jaw seem to be under control. And based on my data, I am using the machine enough to get insurance to continue covering the cost.
However, when I told the doctor that I'm not feeling any different, his response? "Are you falling asleep driving home after school? do you feel like you could fall asleep now?". I said no. He assured me that the machine is doing it's job. I told him that I thought I would feel totally refreshed and full of energy, which I'm not.
The doctor reminded that my work and sleep schedule are a bit off the norm - I usually get up between 4:30 and 5 am and asleep by 9 pm, so to be alive and full of energy at 10 pm just isn't realistic. The doctor did offer a sample drug for me to take that might give me a morning boost.
I'll spare all the pharmaceutical details, but the medication is for people with narcolepsy, shift-work disorder, and obstructive sleep apnea. I expressed my concerns - about becoming dependent on it and/or it's side effects. I took the sample home, and after reading the "fine print", I realized it interacts (rather lessons the effects) with a certain medication I'm already on. After talking to both my pharmacist and doctor, I've decided to hold off on trying the medication for a few months to see if I feel better with just the CPAP.
In the meantime, I was cleared to continue using the CPAP and have another follow-up in August. August. It will be warm then! And that's something I'm looking forward too.
The nurse called me in for my usual weight and blood pressure check while the doctor looked over the data. I wondered if and what he would find. The first month of using the CPAP wasn't exactly what I thought it would be. I had a cold for the first part, making it difficult to breathe in general. I needed to get a chin strap to keep my mouth shut and I found the mask to be irritating my nose. There some "meh" nights and some nights I ripped the mask off my face.
So what did the doctor say? Well, the machine is doing it's job. I have no signs of sleep apnea and all of the "mechanical" issues I'm having with my throat and jaw seem to be under control. And based on my data, I am using the machine enough to get insurance to continue covering the cost.
However, when I told the doctor that I'm not feeling any different, his response? "Are you falling asleep driving home after school? do you feel like you could fall asleep now?". I said no. He assured me that the machine is doing it's job. I told him that I thought I would feel totally refreshed and full of energy, which I'm not.
The doctor reminded that my work and sleep schedule are a bit off the norm - I usually get up between 4:30 and 5 am and asleep by 9 pm, so to be alive and full of energy at 10 pm just isn't realistic. The doctor did offer a sample drug for me to take that might give me a morning boost.
I'll spare all the pharmaceutical details, but the medication is for people with narcolepsy, shift-work disorder, and obstructive sleep apnea. I expressed my concerns - about becoming dependent on it and/or it's side effects. I took the sample home, and after reading the "fine print", I realized it interacts (rather lessons the effects) with a certain medication I'm already on. After talking to both my pharmacist and doctor, I've decided to hold off on trying the medication for a few months to see if I feel better with just the CPAP.
In the meantime, I was cleared to continue using the CPAP and have another follow-up in August. August. It will be warm then! And that's something I'm looking forward too.
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| I had no fun photos to include so I will just post a photo of our cat Cricket when he was a kitten |
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