CPAP and Gas, who knew?

I noticed an increase of stomach air when I began using my CPAP machine. Over time, that diminished. Then, after my hysterectomy, it returned with a vengeance and hasn't decreased. Is there a correlation? I thought so, at first. Turns out, I had accidentally increased the pressure and hadn't noticed. Go figure. As it happens, one of the causes of increased belching and flatulence is a pressure setting that is too high. 

That's an easy enough fix, and it did help enormously! 

Even so, the topic of CPAP gas can be bigger than simply adjusting the air pressure setting on your machine.

When you swallow the pressurized air from CPAP, you may notice:

• Burping or belching
• Flatulence
• Bloating
• Stomach pain

While none of these symptoms are life-threatening, they can be pretty embarrassing. If reducing the air pressure setting doesn't help, you may want to try a full face mask rather than the cute nose option. 

Related Post:  A Breath of Fresh Air

Related Links

• CPAP and Things That Go “Burp” in the Night
• CPAP Gas Problem - Aerophagia
• The Causes and Treatment of CPAP Gas

Symptomology 101

Throughout these posts, I have mentioned symptoms and associated many of those symptoms with possible root causes. I've made dramatic lifestyle changes and I'm experiencing either a resolution of or a decrease in the intensity of my symptoms.

I call that success!

I decided to take a moment to celebrate my successes and speculate on which life change may have contributed to the improvement of symptoms.

Acne
Significant changes in not only what I eat, but when and how much I eat have contributed to completely clearing up acne breakouts. I'm positive that going dairy free, and eliminating potatoes, rice, and white flour, have contributed to eliminating this particular malady.

Excessive Sweating
While I haven't found the off switch for this lovely symptom, it is greatly reduced. I've noticed that the onset is usually when my blood sugar levels are high that I'm particularly susceptible to sweating. Further, when I'm exercising my sweating is within acceptable limits, so long as I drink plenty of water before, during, and after an activity. I'm fairly sure that eliminating caffeine and drinking buckets of water have been key to alleviating this fun symptom.

Assorted
Some of the following symptoms I know are addressed by using a CPAP. Others depend on my blood sugar levels, amount of daily excercise, and my stress levels. Still, significant improvements overall.

• Anxiety reduced
• Depression reduced
• Daytime fatigue reduced
• Forgetfulness reduced
• Lack of energy during the day reduced
• Loud snoring gone!
• Mood changes reduced
• Morning headaches reduced
• Sleepiness reduced
• Slower reaction time reduced
• Restless sleep reduced
• Recurrent awakenings reduced
• Insomnia reduced
• Vision problems reduced
• Waking up with a very sore or dry throat gone!
• Waking up with a choking or gasping sensation gone!

Related Links

• How lifestyle, daily routine affect blood sugar
• Patient information: Diabetes mellitus type 2: Alcohol, exercise, and medical care (Beyond the Basics)
• Pre-Diabetes&Lifestyle Changes to Prevent Type 2 Diabetes

Agnsty, Not Only for Poets and Teens

I love that word. When I looked it up, I found this definition in the Urban dictionary:

Generally it involves the feeling of not being understood by anyone and that the person is alone in the world.

The Merriam-Webster free online dictionary has this nugget:

feeling, showing, or expressing anxiety, apprehension, or insecurity

My teens are in the former group, which makes total sense, because, well, they're teens. I'm in the latter group, my guess is because I'm neither a poet nor a teen (although there are times when I act like one). Anxiety and its cohort, depression, have been my companions for quite some time. Probably about the time I started infertility treatments. (I am blessed with three amazing kids. More on that story, later.) However, anxiety and depression have been particularly present in the last few years. Probably about the time insulin resistance reared its ugly head, unbeknownst to me. The good news is, now things make sense in ways that baffled me before. The bad news is, I must take better care of myself. I mean, you know, like put myself first sometimes. How bad can that be?

I'm curious, though. How much of my anxiety and depression are health related? As I ease into a healthier lifestyle and continue to put myself first in positive ways, will my depression and anxiety lessen? Will I be in a position where I can cut back on my "happy pills?" These are questions I hope I'll have answers (in the affirmative) to in the near future. It looks like, by continuing down the path of eating healthy and exercising, I could very well reverse insulin resistance and its unsavory symptoms in about a years time. I tend to be a rather goal-oriented individual, so of course I'm writing the goal of eliminating the whole prediabetes thing in gold letters on my bucket list.

I have found that sleeping better, thanks to the CPAP machine, has improved my over-all state of being. I'm positive that exercise is also responsible for helping smooth out my rough edges. Therefore, it must be possible that eating well, and managing or eliminating the massive levels of insulin wrecking havoc on my body, may very well contribute to reducing my angsty depression, as well.

That's my story, and I'm stickin' to it.

Related Links

• Serum androgens and depression in women with facial hirsutism.
• Severity of depression and anxiety in obstructive sleep apnea syndrome
• What's the connection between diabetes and depression?

A Breath of Fresh Air

I remember when I was pregnant how I would need to take a nap so that I had enough energy to go to bed. A pregnant woman's exhaustion makes perfect sense, as she's using the equivalent amount of energy as does a mountain climber even when she's sitting still. It's been more than ten years after the birth of my youngest child, and there are times when the act of lifting a toothbrush seems to be more than my body can manage. Could stress be the culprit of fatigue? Stress most likely contributed, but it seemed like an accessory to the underlining issue, not the culprit.

Until recently, I thought that my profound exhaustion was related to depression and anxiety. Now that I've been diagnosed with sleep apnea, my chronic fatigue makes perfect sense. Now that I believe to have found the source of my exhaustion, time to work on resolving it!

I picked up my CPAP machine, the cool one with the humidifier. I have the nose piece, so instead of looking like Mom Vader, I look like the Elephant Mom. Seriously! The tube attached to the nose piece can, with a bit of imagination, look like a trunk.

I was given instructions to wear it for the first week while sitting and reading or watching TV. My son helped me set up the machine and hook up the hoses, harness, and nose piece. We both laughed at both my daughter's expressions when they came out into the living room and caught a glimpse of me in my gear. There's nothing like the laughter of my kids to help me keep things in perspective. I soon figured out how to inhale and exhale without popping my ears or having air whoosh out of my mouth (keep it closed, duh). It didn't take long to get into a breathing rhythm. Speaking while connected to the unit, however, I haven't master. Yet another element to have fun with. My kids would ask me questions just to hear me try and talk. I am, after all, on this earth for their entertainment. Well, that and a walking ATM machine, but I digress.

The first night I don't think that I slept. At least, I didn't feel as if I had. Clearly, I must have caught a couple of winks as my husband noted that while I did sound like Darth Vader, I didn't snore. I'm thinking that's progress, or at least an improvement. However, I was unable to function the following day. So I didn't, I stayed home and took a long nap.

The second night I fell asleep promptly, despite the long nap I enjoyed earlier in the day. I did wake up a couple of times. The first time I awoke, I went promptly to sleep again. The second time I stayed in a state of not asleep and not awake. Fortunately, I felt more human than the day before. Does it just get better and better from here? How many more days before I get to the "life changing" benefits of using this contraption? I am truly ready to "feel like a new person."

The third night I wasn't obsessively focused on my breathing and I fell asleep fairly quickly. I woke up about three times, but I immediately returned to sleep. By George, I think I've got the hang of this thing! While I still have a morning headache, I don't feel as if I'm mired in a dense fog. 

Looks like all I need is a bit more time to cozy up to my new best [electronic] friend. Do you think my smart phone will be jealous? 

Previous topic in the Sleep Apnea series: Sleep Perchance to Rest

Related Links

• Sleep Data Infographic
• Stop the Snore: 5 Risk Factors That May Require You to Talk About Sleep Apnea With Your Doctor