Sleep apnea, GERD, and obesity: efforts to fix this.

[oak]

Well said, Mental Fairy and Snoring Dog.

Well friends, I completed my big, important week that had four specific appointments to address each of the big themes of curing my sleep apnea: nutrition, sleep apnea appliance, fitness methods, and assessment.

The first three went fine, and I'm grateful for them. More about all that soon.

My biometric numbers came back already, and they're not good.

The good: glucose and HDL cholesterol.

The bad: total cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL cholesterol, non-HDL cholesterol, BMI, blood pressure, and waist circumference.

The good of the bad: each of the "bad" above, is better compared to last year.

I posit, and anyone is welcome to disagree, that I am in still in considerable danger, but I have a clear, specific way forward: I am actively trying this CPAP machine, these foods in the Mediterranean diet, and these exercises for fitness.

I fully admit the above, and don't make any excuse or equivocation. I know where I'm headed, I just don't know if it will be method A or method B, or how long it will take.

But hopefully by next summer, goodness. This sleep apnea is exhausting.

[Mental Fairy]

One foot in front of the other Oak, don’t try leaping the steps, it doesn’t work that way.

[rivergirl]

Hi Oak,

Congratulations on getting through three of your goals this week. I'm looking forward to reading the rest of your posts about your week and your further updates.

About the biometric assessment, seeing those numbers can be discouraging when you're not where you want to be, but you're already on your way to making changes. As Mental Fairy said, we have to take big changes step by step. I'm on your side and cheering you on.

rg

[oak]

@RiverGirl and Mental Fairy: Thank you for your encouragement and advice. And, like your excellent insight, my dietician (1) was pleased that my year-over-year numbers are down (2) created, with me, a preliminary plan to lower my triglycerides.

(TW: mention of weight, BMI)

Friends, big news:

Two of the issues in this thread's title are done/mitigated!

Obesity: I am down 10% of my body weight, from my heaviest in August 2021. My BMI* is 29.999999999999999

GERD: Having eliminated the main culprits of oil and cumin and increased unprocessed foods, my hated GERD is mostly behind me. I really hate GERD. I just have to watch eating after 6 pm.

Sleep apnea: My CPAP progress (or "progress") seems to be on the downer side of most people's expectations for trying a CPAP. Not a failure, by any means, but more mental issues that physical, or trouble about the machine itself.

Overall, like MeatLoad said, two out of three is not bad. I have hope and a plan for the third, sleep apnea. We'll get through this together.


*I know BMI isn't great, but any port in a storm.

[manuel_moe_g]

Two of the issues in this thread's title are done/mitigated!

Fantastic!

Don't take it so hard about the CPAP. I am further along than you on the apnea journey, and there are a lot of emotions tied up in that darn machine

[snoringdog]

Hello Manny & Oak,

Can you describe the difficulties of the CPAP?
I think I'd feel claustrophobic maybe, wearing a mask.

Do you feel like you're fighting with it, instead of it assisting you?
Just curious.

[oak]

Hi SnoringDog. Thanks for posting.

I feel much the same as our good friend Manuel Moe: for me, there are lots of emotions tied up with the machi; emotions that have nothing to do with the machine itself.

I was inured to having something on my face when I was in the clinical trial for the negative pressure device earlier this year, so I find the CPAP mask kind of fun. The air, which is very soft, I find refreshing.

The emotions come in, for me, three ways:

1. Anxiety about the stakes: CPAP is touted as the gold standard, so there are real stakes!

2. My HALT is bad at night. Lots of anxiety from a (typical) day sadly suffused with grief.

3. Like everyone, I don’t love the fit of the mask. (Very common.)

All that said, I never found the CPAP’s mask oppressive, and I’ve always been tetchy about anything on my neck/face.

If you have sleep apnea (snoring or heaven forbid waking up choking), find a good neurologist/pulmonologist/dentist who specializes in sleep apnea and ask for a low-key session to try a CPAP in their office. All cool like.

[Mental Fairy]

Oak, you have come so far. I’ve personally never seen a working CPAP in action but will have a look once I post. With the weight coming down have you found it’s helped at all with sleep and your ability to handle anxiety?

Can I also ask how your walking is going? Winter is coming for you I understand and I’m wondering what your plan is for winter work outs? Does it snow where you are?

Hugs

[oak]

Hi Mental Fairy!

Yes, I am sleeping better and am actively planning for alternate activities for when winter comes. More updates soon!

In the meantime, thank you for standing by me.

Me using my words: a neurotic fear

Friends, may I share something not related to any of the above?

Today I have a neurotic fear of getting stooped.

My posture is okay, and I have genuine reason to be anxious/wary of stooping as I become elderly (Parkinson's runs in my family. yikes!).

No less an authority than Jung said this: "Neurosis is always a substitute for legitimate suffering".

I think (read: I know for certain, but don't want to admit to myself, much less here!) I know what the "legitimate suffering" I'm actively avoiding is, which is causing this neurotic anxiety.

Aaaah*!


*Mostly good natured Edvard Munch scream

[rivergirl]

Two out of three isn't just not bad, it's amazing! Congratulations, Oak.

Looking forward to hearing about your winter activity plans, and if you'd like to share more at some point about avoidance, please do.