In the pre-assessment that took place before my TURP (transurethral resection of the prostate), I had my oxygen levels monitored whilst I was asleep. Apparently, this testing indicated that I am suffering from mild sleep apnoea, and I have just had an online consultation with a Registrar from the Respiratory Medicine Department of the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Woolwich. As a result, sometime in the next few months I will be issued with a CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) machine.
The CPAP machine gently pumps air into a mask that one wears over one's mouth or nose while you are asleep. It should:
- Improve my breathing whilst I am asleep by stopping my airways from narrowing
- Improve the quality of my sleep and help me feel less tired
- Reduce the risk of problems that are linked to sleep apnoea, such as high blood pressure
I have never slept particularly well, and this may well be the reason why. If this machine improves the quality of my sleep, I’ll be very pleased indeed … and if it doesn’t, I’ll try any other remedy that the doctors can come up with.
Fingers crossed it works for you Bob!
ReplyDeleteSteve J.,
DeleteI hope so … but it isn’t a problem that needs an urgent solution.
All the best,
Bob
Best wishes with your health and sleep, Bob. Good news that the NHS staff have spotted problem and can offer help. Carl
ReplyDeleteCarl,
DeleteCheers! The NHS staff are doing a great job in spite of the underfunding, understaffing, and poor pay that they have to cope with.
All the best,
Bob
The annoying thing about getting medical tests is that they will tend to find stuff that's going wrong! But in this case, good news if it helps, getting decent sleep should improve things a lot for you. Hope it goes well!
ReplyDeleteDavid in Suffolk,
DeleteYou are right that once you start having tests, the medical profession tends to find things that are going wrong with your body. However, I know several people who have refused to have long term ailments looked at by their doctors, and have since discovered that they have incurable illnesses that could have been dealt with had there been early medical intervention.
I’m hoping that the CPAP machine will improve me sleep … once it has been issued to me.
All the best,
Bob
BOB,
ReplyDeleteOver the past months I have been having nights of interrupted sleep- I don't sleep right through the night waking several times - oddly I do sleep during the day also- and generally feel tired. I thought it may be the tablets I'm on so I stopped for awhile- felt a little better though. Hope your machine does the trick for you Bob. Cheers. KEV.
Kev Robertson (Kev),
DeleteA disturbed night’s sleep can really be debilitating. I cannot remember the last time I slept right through the night … and I am going all the way back to when I was a child. Things have got a lot better since I had my TURP and my body has settled down after it. Now, I usually manage to get at least three or four - and sometimes five - hours of uninterrupted sleep.
I hope that you find the cause of your sleep problems and get them solved soon.
All the best,
Bob