1:06
Hey everyone, it’s Emma Cooksey here and I'm your host.
Last week,
I was talking to Dr.Keith Matheny.
And one of the things that we talked about was this clinical trial.
If you missed last week's episode go back and listen to it, but he is an ENT surgeon.
1:21
But one of the things he's been involved with is this clinical trial for a nasal cleansing gel.
So it's company called neighs, okay?
Clans.
And they have been doing a clinical trial where they're looking at CPAP users who are using.
1:42
It's kind of like a wand with an antiseptic gel that you clean your nose thoroughly in the morning and at night.
And their first clinical trial, showed an improvement in comfort for CPAP use for people, that were cleaning their nose like this.
2:00
So it's kind of interesting.
They're doing another Bigger clinical trial.
So they've asked me to kind of reach out and let you all know about it.
So essentially and you have to be over 18 to take part, you have to be a CPAP user of at least a year, so they're not looking.
2:22
They're looking for people who have already gone through that.
Initial phase of getting used to see that.
So now that they're they're looking for a kind of established people that aren't Having problems and they're doing the clinical trial in Dallas, Texas, but they're pretty sure that the anyone in the United States can take part and because they don't actually need to see you in person for you to take part in the study.
2:51
So if you're interested in doing that, there's there's two people to email and I put their email addresses in the show notes and so you can go and find the details where it says, As nasal Clans and clinical trial.
And I hope some of you will sign up and just I think it would be really great to get more data about it and see if it could really help people.
3:17
So onto today's guest today, I'm joined by Jason Webb.
And Jason describes himself as a thirty year old single man.
Living in Charters Towers Queensland which is a small Country Town, 1300 km north of Brisbane, in Australia.
3:36
He is a qualified panel beater, which is known in the US as an auto body technician, and he's been that for around 12 years.
But if you follow him on Instagram, like I do.
You can tell that his real Joy is and gardening and plants, and he has like, so many great posts all about the stuff that he's growing.
3:59
So, definitely go and check that.
I've got a link to his Instagram on the show notes, and he owns a Property where his parents also live in there, a close family, oftentimes sleep, apnea and can be very dependent on where you are in the country or where you are in the world and what's available to you, right?
4:22
So I think oftentimes, when I'm talking to people who are in major cities in the United States, which have, you know, teaching hospitals, and huge sleep labs and lots of sleeps, Nationalist.
And you know, a lot of times we're saying go and find a board certified, sleep specialist.
4:43
Well, there's lots of parts of rural parts of America but also all over the world where there just aren't those Specialists, right?
So I thought that Jason's Story was was really important because he's trying to navigate and getting to diagnosis and treatment with sleep apnea, in a Small town in Australia, where, you know, we've talked a lot about how doctors don't have enough training and sleep apnea and, and honestly, sleep in general.
5:17
So we definitely talk all about that and how Jason just had to keep pushing for a diagnosis.
And because he knew there was something wrong and his symptoms were so debilitating.
So just a quick and Trigger warning, that we are going to talk a little bit about suicide.
5:36
Our thoughts.
So that's an issue for you and just be sure to take care of yourself.
You know, that almost all of us have mental health and challenges along with our sleep apnea.
So you're definitely not alone, and if hearing about that's going to be too, upsetting today, just give it a Miss.
5:55
Alright, without further Ado, here is my conversation with Jason Webb Yeah, no, I just want to say thanks for what you've been doing with the podcast.
Oh thanks for saying.
Well I think I started watching it.
Did you start in 2020?
6:12
Yeah.
Yeah yeah yeah.
So this star in the end of 2019 has started 2020 was when I was really sick so that's when everything hit me and that's when I started listening to your podcast.
So that was the only thing that really Yeah, kind of helped me through to be honest.
6:30
Thank you.
That's really kind of you to say.
And so let's start with.
So Jason, where are you?
Okay, so I'm north of Brisbane, so I'm a little town called shot of Tears, which is about an hour and a half from the coast of Townsville.
6:46
So yeah, just a little country town.
Where do you want to start with?
Do you want to start with?
When you first know it was?
There must be something going on with your sleep or like what take it away.
Do ya.
So it's funny.
Now, it's all in hindsight.
7:02
As you probably know, everything's in hindsight, now, looking back on my life.
Yeah.
From early age, like, when I was very young, I struggled a lot of anxiety like very done all through my life.
I struggle with anxiety later on, in my life.
7:19
I was put on anti-anxiety tablets and so.
On the real Catalyst for me was at the end of 20 Auntie I resigned from a long-term job that I was at for quite a while and was excited to start at another job, a new company and start up a friend of mine and another great friend of mine.
7:46
We kind of started this other business up and yeah, it was kind of exciting times, but little bit crazy times to Bradley.
Yeah, yeah, quite stressful.
Yeah.
Throughout my life.
I was very active person.
8:01
Always outside, always in the garden, I wouldn't say that I've looked back and seen that.
I was tired all the time or anything but it seemed to everything just went bang at the end of 2019 and when I say bang, it was just physical symptoms.
8:19
I was on.
Zoloft for anxiety and I honestly thought I was having a reaction to the medication.
That's how severe these things I had had the shakes.
I was extremely fatigued, I could not see clearly.
8:36
I had the brain fog, I was headaches nearly every morning and they kind of just all hit me at once.
Going to bed, you know, sleeping for a have a long and still waking up feeling exactly the same.
If not worse, and it kind of just got deeper and deeper with Everyday symptoms and stuff.
8:55
Got worse and worse to the point where because my parents live with me in a separate house, kind of on the property.
And thankfully, I thankfully they live with me because they were able to kind of keep an eye on me and yeah, they took me to the doctor and the the brain fog was so so bad.
9:17
Like I could not see like it was almost like I actually went and got to I test son.
That's how bad I couldn't see ya.
So I went to the first doctor and so before we go to that, so yes.
What did you think was going on?
9:35
Like like, how did you because you've been dealing with anxiety?
I don't know if this resonates with you and the thing, but like I I just remember, you know, because I've been kind of threw a lot of doctors and always been told well, you know, yeah, you You seem depressed, you seem anxious.
9:55
And I think that it almost went my physical symptoms.
Got a lot worse.
I think that I would almost just like, question my own judgment and be like, well, you know that like, there's nothing physically wrong with me.
Though.
It must be anxiety.
10:11
And depression, is that he fell or you really?
Yeah, something wrong.
Yeah, at that point before all this happened, my anxiety was kind of under control.
I was fine.
Yes.
I was on for four years and I think the doctors kept saying like kind of as you just said.
10:29
So yeah, it's probably just your anxious or it's probably just that but inside I kept saying turns like no I'm depressed because I feel crap all the time.
Yeah it's not the depression causes me to feel this way and I always knew there was something biologically wrong.
10:46
I think it goes back to me being out in the garden and love and my plants and stuff is you know, something's not, right.
I Scott a flow-on.
Act.
Yeah, you know, biologically how we work.
Yeah, so true.
I was, yeah, I was a mess and I can't really recall 2020 at all.
11:02
It was was a blur.
Yeah.
But I remember the first doctor I went in and explain what's going on and what's shaking, he said that your dose of anxiety medications probably too low, we need to raise it.
It's crazy in retrospect.
11:20
Yes.
So that point you're saying, you know, you're having morning headaches.
You you're like really struggling with brain fog and all these different symptoms and they just that was there.
Yeah.
Not.
There was no blood test.
That was, no anything.
11:36
It was just I, you know, talk about your sleep or no God.
So we're like, okay, great.
That's awesome.
Scheduling or raising the medication to a different rate.
So I went through all that symptoms, still exactly the same mode was still a zombie went through.
11:58
Did everything that they asked me to do went back again.
The same doctor.
Yes in Australia and I feel like every time I interview somebody from wherever we have to kind of go through what the health care situation is.
But yeah.
12:13
So my understanding of Australia is it It's a situation where you have a doctor like you have your GP, or your primary care doctor and they're the one that kind of like, would refer you, if you had to go to a specialist.
12:29
Is that son, right?
Yeah, you can choose your doctor.
It's not like you just get set and starring.
Yeah.
So in this one Clinic we've got about three clinics in this town.
In one Clinic.
I went to three different doctors over a period of six to eight months or something like that.
12:46
Yeah.
And just wasn't happy kept moving those feeling crap.
All the time, I go.
Yeah, thank you.
There's got to be an answer.
Yeah.
And then, every time I went back, it was like, oh, do you know that depression can cause fatigue?
13:02
Do you know that depression can cause you to feel tired all the time and stuff like that.
So it's I'm trying everything.
Yeah and you know, it's not that.
So yeah, after that doctor I think I went up from 50 to 100 or maybe even 120.
I'm not sure mg, which Quite High.
13:19
Yeah, so then I went to another doctor explained the whole thing.
She changed my medication saying, that's the wrong one.
You should be on.
Go to a different one.
That's more adapted to depression.
13:35
Pretty much said the same thing.
Yes yeah, exactly.
So at that point she's still like you're telling her all these others sometimes but she's still just saying, let's try a different medication for Or the anxiety.
Yeah.
13:50
So again I went on another another scheduling.
Well, yeah.
At that point because I wasn't the best prices for anybody.
That isn't familiar.
They really like you need to be really careful about gradually upping and lowering doses because, you know, there can be really extreme side effects if you don't.
14:10
So that's what you're talking about.
You kind of like gradually tapered on to this other drug.
Yes, I you have to type her up if you're going up into Larger, dose, and then have to tape it down.
If you're changing and all that stuff has severe side effects in its own, right?
Yeah.
Let alone all this other stuff that's going on.
14:28
So, yeah, that was the next Doctor went through all that stuff.
Yeah.
And by that point, I was something I did.
You feel on the next medication?
Just, I mean, all of your sleep apnoea symptoms are still there.
We just don't know.
14:43
Yes, I just, I just, I just didn't know.
Yeah, yes, I was By that point, I was put on another medication which I didn't realize, because I was saying that I was hallucinating.
I was seeing things as well and kind of retrospect, it's because I was that tired.
15:02
I wasn't getting REM sleep.
I was dreaming during my conscious State like I was saying crazy stuff, which of course, just messes with your brain to recycle.
What is wrong with me?
Like yeah, I'm doing everything, right?
I've go to the doctors as much as I can and they're just saying, And I believe you, you're in a dark time.
15:19
It's like, not even like I'm sayin stuff.
And but yeah, this is not right.
So then they put me on a lot of medication, which I found out later was for schizophrenia, which again has heaps the side effects but they didn't tell you that.
No, no, it's so slight to me, I think, the more that I hang out with people that have narcolepsy, the more that it's astonishing to me that, if anybody mentions You know, hallucinating or different things like that, it's astonishing that people aren't looking at sleep.
15:55
Of course, there can be other mental health, things that, you know, yeah to that.
But it seems astonishing that they wouldn't talk about.
How are you sleeping have?
You had a sleep test and that kind of stuff because it's so light up with it.
Yeah, 100%.
And I'll talk about a little later on my actual sleep study results, but it's just the side effects of my own of this different medication that can have just on its own, right.
16:21
If you're a healthy person is going to knock you around.
Let alone having sleep, apnea issues and other things, you know.
So I'll see you were taking the antidepressant and then another drug as well as other drunk.
Yeah.
And then, how long and then did you go back to the doctor again?
16:38
Yeah.
So I was still, at that point.
I Complete depression.
I was still working 10-hour days so I was getting up going away for channel.
How you were doing that Jason?
Yeah.
16:54
So for the whole of 2020, I think I took two days off.
Roughly during that whole period.
I just because it was a new business.
I didn't want to let the guys down.
I really wanted to push through, but I was an absolute Zambian even talking to them.
There are great support.
I'm so lucky that I had them there because I could say, to look, this is not a good day.
17:12
Yeah.
And I was so up and down, you know, I'd one day I would come in feeling great.
And then the next day, it's completely depressed seeing stuff at work and, and feel like, I've gone to the doctor and I'm doing everything for idea but I'm not getting anywhere anyway.
17:29
Yeah.
So I took it upon myself.
I actually got fed up.
I knew that there was something not right, and I figured again, Connor biologically.
I was like, I need to get back to a baseline.
I need to work out what my body is at Baseline.
Remove all this stuff that's in there.
17:45
So actually it's not recommended at all and I don't recommend it to anyone but actually weaned myself off the antidepressants over a period because every time I went back, they just give me more and more.
So for anyone who's listening and we would recommend that you talk to your doctor and don't, ya do that without the doctor's supervision, but over time.
18:08
So you gradually tapered off of that.
Yeah, then I went to another Other doctor at that point, I was completely in a mess and said to him, look, I've had enough.
I can't do this anymore.
At that point, I was suicidal.
18:26
I had no, I was attending any answers and it was and they weren't helping at all.
But I pushed on now, it's during 2020.
Yeah, so that's the first half of 2020.
20:10
We're starting at good as I went to another doctor and another clinic and it was more of an old-school doctor and at that point, my father took me there and he said, Doctor you need a brand, you were still working at this point.
Yes, yes, we're still working but just feeling suicidal and terrible and then watch it that next Doctor.
20:30
Tell you, hey said, okay let's get off this medication for a start.
Let's do blood tests, which was probably the first First, blood tests I've had in a long and let's see what's going on.
Let's see what's going on for a start and then we'll go from there, right?
20:46
So that was that was great and that doctor actually saved my life because things start to improve from there now.
So yeah, it seems like being heard by somebody you know that they're listening to what you say and coming up with some sort of plan which sounds like you know they're actually listening to what you're saying like makes all the difference.
21:07
Yeah yeah.
So lots of blood tests are That I discovered things didn't know.
Like I've been exposed to, I'm not sure if you've heard of its Ross River virus, it's a virus carried by mosquitoes, one of its main symptoms.
I didn't even know that I had contracted.
21:23
It is fatigue, is one of the biggest symptoms fatigue and the other one that I had on the Bloods was glandular fever, which I wasn't aware of either and that also carries heavy fatigues.
Yeah, they all that was contributed.
I didn't know about it because I'd never really had any man.
21:39
A, I don't know what Americans called glandular fever, but I think that they might call it mono.
Okay, I'm gonna look it up.
But yeah, we call it module a fever.
So I told, you know, what you're talking about.
Yeah, and that can just be debilitating.
Yeah.
21:55
And yeah, she even know that I didn't didn't even know that I had that.
So, that was interesting.
And then, yeah, it's over a period of time, back and forth, back and forth to that doctor.
I'm still not on CPAP.
I'm still not diagnosed yet.
But you feel like you've got a partner in crime and he's kind of on it and listen to you.
22:17
Yeah.
Which is a great feeling.
Yeah and I think the real the real changing point was I was still fatigue.
I felt better because I wasn't on all the drugs I did feel better but I'll still heavily 14 are still battling every single day and then one we have a bit of a beach house, a couple hours away from here family.
22:40
We beach house and one night, I was for fell asleep.
On the mound room floor, and the next morning.
My mom said she said you choke when you sleep like we have to move you to stop.
Keep you breathing.
She's like I think you should mention that to the doctor next time and in hindsight, my mum has said that from an early age, I didn't sleep really well.
23:05
I used to be up throughout the night, walking always stuff like that idea.
Really notice it at the time either.
But yes, yeah, because this audio people can't see me nodding vigorously because light just because I mean the number of people at this point who, you know go and then it all came over, actually all through my childhood.
23:30
Yeah, stuff was happening and you're like, oh, goodness, that's a beautiful thing.
Yeah, it really is.
So as your mom said that Did you take that information?
Back to that doctor?
Yep, straight away.
I just mentioned because I didn't know I still didn't know about sleep, apnea and all this type of thing.
23:49
As I mentioned that to him and he said, first thing you did was he said, okay, I'm going to look up your nose.
And he looked at her nose, like a universe of being a deviated septum, like severely.
We're going to send you to an ENT to get it looked at.
24:06
And he went on to say that his son has had a similar problem with a deviated septum because he used to snore and he was tired a lot.
And then once deviated septum is fixed, it gives all good and I was like, oh, that sounds awesome.
24:22
You know, I just got to get this fixed.
No, it's so no talk of sleep testing at this point, at that same appointment.
Sleep study was okay organ.
I love this doctor.
Yeah.
Yes.
At the same time, it's a really, it's a bit hard with the Medicare.
24:39
A system with that doctor, you kind of can't get like four things done at once.
So it's took a long time.
So it's one thing at a time.
Okay, let's get the Bloods.
Don't poke, let's do this at it and you got to make an appointment each time.
So it did take a long period of time.
Yeah.
Which is a little bit frustrating but that's why it took so long.
24:57
Yeah, so yeah, so you went to the NT.
Yes, I want to be anti say before I even got to the NT because it took a long time to get into him, like a sleep study results, came back.
25:14
My HR, I was twenty nine point one, and then average time was 20 seconds at an event time.
So that's huge.
Yeah.
That and it was under, you're not sleeping, right?
25:29
Like it back.
Yeah.
That was a real big kind of celebrations.
Like this is why this is why I feel and yeah it Go and doing in lab study a Sleep Clinic or somewhere.
No it was an at-home Stockholm 10K and so tell me about how you felt when you got that result was it a feeling of relief and almost like validation or did you have like sadness or what were the feelings?
25:58
Yeah.
Mixed emotions it.
Good.
That I had somewhat of an answer and an actually explained why I felt that I did and the consequent like symptoms around that that was good.
But at the time like when I got the sleep study done and the doctors said he's like ah you know and it's the same old story Emma.
26:20
He said you're a slim young guy.
You're not going to have sleep apnea.
He said I'm pretty certain it's going to be knows it's causing you problems and so I thought okay Yeah.
Yeah, I've got sleep apnea but it's going to be fixed.
Once I have surgery, that was my thoughts.
26:37
Did baby.
Have you start any CPAP or anything?
No, not yes go and see the ENT about the deviated septum so by this point manages pixel.
Pretty much.
Okay, so this point it's November 20 2010.
26:56
So I was still feeling crap and yeah, so I think I got into the ENT towards the end of the towards the end of the year and I went and seen him.
And he's like, okay, yeah, it's severely deviated, you will need septoplasty turbinate reduction.
27:15
He said, but I'd advise you get on CPAP as soon as possible.
Yeah.
So you can actually Breathe at night.
And yeah, like all of your life, white were you always a nice breather and did that ever come up with people?
27:30
Like, did you ever question that or you just would breathe through your mouth because you can breathe through your nose.
Yeah, I just I wasn't aware of it and known really brought it up.
Yeah.
I mean I was 28 at the time and all this kind of stuff to go down and was not aware of it.
27:46
I knew I struggle with hayfever and stuff a little bit.
And you can be nose is a little bit but often I didn't think anything of it.
Yeah.
Yeah.
So yeah, when I went to the NT also discovered that I was highly sensitive to dust mites.
28:03
Yeah.
So with having a deviated septum and all that type of stuff with an allergy that I wasn't treating.
But no, it wouldn't have been working now.
So yeah, January of the next year, what you were 21?
Wow, anyone Is when I first started CPAP, okay.
28:24
And how did that go?
Tell your.
So what was your experience of gang, the CPAP and the mass, did you go to a place and get set up and fitted for a mask?
Or did they just send you the equipment?
Not.
28:40
So, I went to my local pharmacy and there was a lady there who I wouldn't say she was an expert in sleep apnea, but she pretty much got you all set up on it and the same story I'm afraid it was like, here's your machine, it's an automatic machine.
28:57
You just got to put it on and you're going to feel great tomorrow.
Yeah.
Right.
Same story.
And yeah, it took, I'm actually just now trying getting used to it, you know, and actually kind of look forward to putting along because I know the difference it makes so what happened when what kind of Master they give you?
29:16
You see your face because your nose was not working at that point.
And then what, what did it look like the first night?
Like, did you manage to keep it on?
Did you take off a bunch?
Yeah, I don't know.
I think I'm just, I think I'm just trying to normalize for a lot of people listening.
29:37
Yeah.
Well, that experience is because I think that there's a little bit too much kind of like, oh, just go and use your see.
I'm going you'll be In better, in no time when I think like oftentimes, you know, does it?
There's a total learning curve and a lot of stuff different things to try.
29:56
You might not have the right mask and just I think it's good for people to know that.
Yeah, 100% And for my story like I listening to your podcast and stuff and hearing other stories of people like overnight, it's great or even with surgery or the next day.
It's great or recovered quickly.
30:13
Unfortunately, for me, it was the complete opposite.
So yeah, everything just took everything took forever.
Yeah.
It didn't work straight away.
Yeah.
So it was a bit of a struggle getting used to CPAP and then you went to have your nasal surgery.
Yeah.
Did they do all the same time?
30:30
The deviates, the septoplasty, and the turbinates.
Yes.
Okay.
And how did that go?
Yeah, so that was in September.
So I was pretty much a full year of trying to use CPAP with a block.
Knows I did try the nasal die Die looters.
30:47
Who have their oh, and daily Earth.
Yeah, then yeah, I tried them because I was like, yeah, good.
Like for someone who is waiting to have their nose unblocked, really good therapy, try and get the the see better.
So finally, it came time to do the surgery surgery.
31:10
Yes, I drew September.
Yeah, it all went well.
Recovery was awful for me.
Yeah, because you still using the CPAP because you have to use your feedback right with the HR that higher.
31:28
But after surgery you still got, I had balloons inflated balloons in your nose.
Yeah.
So my aho at that time and I can see it because I used to use Oscar quite a lot.
Oh yeah.
It went from like maybe a 3 and for the month of September was up to seven or eight.
31:47
Yeah, now that also shows how important nasal breathing is And a simple blocked knows how much of an effect it can have as well, because while it's all packed and it's healing, you can breathe out your nose at all at all.
32:05
And I were in for two weeks, I think from memory.
Wow.
Yeah, and I kind of surgery my own towns.
I travel an hour and a half to have surgery.
So you have to travel back and forth.
Yeah.
And even when I got them out it was like relief.
32:23
Once I hold all the packing and stuff at, what did you think?
Like, where's your nose, all better?
Or how did it feel?
There's like a lot of weeks, probably six weeks of healing.
After that, you know, that you've still got to be careful of bleeding and stuff when you lean forward and so on, and so on.
32:39
So yeah, the first I'd say six weeks was pretty much just a right off.
Like you don't like it felt it felt better, but I was thinking that's just going to be rushing up there.
It's going to feel amazing but there's a lot of Healy involved in it.
And it probably wasn't until the new year that and also some swelling is quite normal during that period where you're healing and so that's going to take up room in your nose.
33:05
So you maybe don't need to, you don't get to really feel what it feels like for a while.
Yeah, that's right.
I went back to the ENT couple months later because I was just wanting to get a check-up to see if everything was okay because I wasn't feeling.
Well, I thought I would feel and he essentially said the same thing.
33:20
So it takes a long time for that swell.
There's lots of blood vessels and stuff up there.
It takes a long time to heal and I think I'm only just now starting to see the benefits of that during other sleep study or yes, II fact.
Yeah.
33:36
The doctor kind of said, yeah, just like what you said just see how, you know his heels up and how do you see map going?
He's sleeping.
Well, I said yeah.
I think I'm doing everything that I possibly can.
I did track down a sleep apnea clinic in Townsville and they sell CPAP machines but they also do sleep studies and this was kind of off my own back.
33:58
I went and seeing them, explain to them.
Hey, I've been monitoring my own data using Oscar.
I've been adjusting my pressures from.
What I can tell from that data, I don't recommend people do that if there's anyone listening.
But, yeah, for me, it was really difficult.
34:14
Like I do live in a very remote Town.
Yeah, we only have GPS, we don't have Specialists.
We don't have belly of people that understand what sleep apnea is low.
And on what a pressure is.
So that's all I was gonna say like, so when you first got, your CPAP was there.
Somebody who had done the sleep study.
34:32
No, because you did a home test.
Yeah, so it's like what it was just that on a really big like what age 6 to 20 years me?
Yes 20 was the max it would have been 16, I'd say.
Okay.
Yeah and it was just go home and put this on and yeah there's a lot of what you've been working.
34:53
With your Oscar day to try and figure out yet an hour or window just to improve your experience.
Yeah, yeah.
And by the time I went and seen this sleep apnea person in Townsville to discuss my daughter and have a look at it.
35:10
She was like, well, no one noticed.
Yeah.
She was very surprised, and by this point, I'd be listened to your podcast for nearly 12 months.
So, I've been getting a lot of information from the experts at you spoke to, and she looked at the data and said, you know, your pressures fine.
35:28
It's capping at the right amount.
I suffered a lot also of are Aphasia.
Yes.
Say yes.
Yeah.
Very much like very bad and that too was a reason for adjusting pressure's here.
35:44
So let's talk about are Aphasia because I think that people don't talk about enough and I don't know if he listened yet to the one I did with Dr.Noah where he's talking about the V, calm and the inspiratory and expiratory pressure, little bits and pieces, I have Jello full episode.
36:01
You have a whole thing.
So, when I first got my New CPAP machine probably like or a Pap whatever like three years ago.
Four years ago when I did that.
I had terrible error faiza.
So for people listening that's when you repeatedly swallow air.
36:19
Yeah.
And it often causes like, you know, flatulence and belt belching.
So you would think it would be funny, but it's not like I wake up with pains in my stomach and just have to do like yoga.
36:35
And relieving postures to try and move some of that are I?
But it's terrible are beija I think that doctors often times will, you know think, oh, this person is just kind of dealing with a little bit of trapped gas but that's not what it is, right?
36:54
It's painful and all it is.
Tell me what I was like were you waking up in the night and just feel your terrible?
Yeah, it seemed to happen after my, On a surgery.
So I'm not sure whether the pressure is a change and stuff due to my nose and all that type of stuff.
37:10
But yeah, just all of a sudden like chime night.
My stomach blew up like a balloon and it.
Yeah.
Like you say it sounds hilarious but it's so painful.
Yeah.
And the only way to relieve it is.
Flatulence.
Yeah.
But yeah, it's horrible.
37:27
And if it happens every night you're actually losing sleep.
Yeah.
That's broken sleep from getting up throughout the night.
Yeah, so yeah, that's I did struggle with that a lot.
I did a lot of research and linked a lot between stomach problems as well.
37:42
Not sure.
If you've heard of that, they ain't it, but not really.
So tell us all about them.
Yes, from what I've read, there is a link between people who suffer a lot from reflux and there is high amount of people with sleep apnea who has reflux.
37:58
Yes and if you have reflux that can kind of damage the opening of his stomach allowing air to pass in, So I went down that road, okay?
Everybody get from their Aphasia point of view, but that's that doesn't make a lot of sense.
It's crazy.
How?
All of these things are linked?
38:14
Yeah, I would say, yes, I went down that road.
And I have struggled with reflux, all my life.
I've had heartburn since I was a kid.
So I went down that road and got on, not shortened medications called, but it's essentially for reflux and I take it before bed and that has helped They are Aphasia without changing my pressures too much, okay.
38:39
Good at all.
So yeah it's one thing good and then hope you like elevated.
You're the head of your bed and yes.
Okay.
Yeah that's one thing.
The doctors said yeah.
Elevate the bed and not the pillows is what I got told ya.
38:55
Yes, perfect.
Okay, if your daughter sir I got another study done but it was a, I think they called titration with the mask on.
Yes.
Yes.
All of that other point of daughter as well.
This was all of my arm back as well.
That's what I was gonna say, like, how did you manage to get that?
39:13
Because I've been trying to get a tight race, I think it's really hard.
Oh really?
Yeah, it was actually quite easy.
Yeah.
Yeah.
He went into that same place that you fit a by yourself that I that I found and and she went through my daughter and said you're doing great.
39:28
He does awesome with that means that you've got said look, that's all well and good but I want to see where I'm at now.
After surgery.
Hurry to see if there is a difference.
Yeah, that yeah.
And so I did titration I was a little bit disappointed in that.
39:45
I did.
It had a horrible night sleep you know wearing all that stuff.
Plus the CPAP mask.
It's not much fun though.
They don't fill polysomnogram where they put all the electrodes on your head.
Yeah, yes.
And then wear the mask as well and then they go go to sleep.
40:01
Yeah.
Pretty much.
And you toss and turn like a washing machine all night.
Yeah.
And I kind of just run me up with the results, which is about two months later and I stood.
Yeah, I still remember it was the admin who wronged me and she's okay, I'm just letting you know about your results from titrations are cool.
40:20
Awesome.
But had to go and she's like, oh it's three which is minimum disturbances.
So all good have a good day and I was like, wait wait, wait, wait, wait, what does that even mean?
Now like it's I'm still on CPAP like, right?
Yeah, and she's like, oh, it's three disturbances or something and I'm sorry I can't really on on CPAP.
40:43
Yeah, okay, so that's fine.
But where do we go from here?
That was pretty much and she's 30 G's asleep.
So I thought the titrating studies that I've heard about her more like split studies.
41:02
Were they do part of the night without the see that That's when they want to write and then they do the rest of the night with CPAP and they adjust the pressure to see and so they don't do that.
No, it was a fool.
Not with this with the CPAP on.
41:18
Yeah, I was really intrigued to do that.
Split study, because I wanted to see how much, like I knew that before surgery, I was at 29, right?
What am I now without CPAP?
That's what I mean, I wanted.
But, when they said no, and they said it was only three disturbances with CPAP alike Great.
41:35
My therapy is working, that's good.
But right?
Where do we go from here?
Like, yeah, so I asked to have an appointment with them and they, pretty much just said, we can't do much for you.
You can have to go see the doctor as to what the next step is.
41:51
So yeah, that's pretty much the last study that had done.
Hmm.
So sad to is because if you're just even the CPAP and it's a therapy that therapy needs to be checked in on, if you just given this in the same, okay?
Good sleep apnea.
Live your life, a lot of people still feel horrible.
42:08
Yes.
Still can have depression because they definitely there at me is may not be treated properly with those current settings and so on.
Yeah, and everyone's completely different.
So, tell me how you feel like, mental health wise now, did you stay off of antidepressants or high?
42:26
Is that?
Yes.
So from then on I have very little anxiety.
Very little depression.
I've had anxiety.
All my all my life and now now after being on CPAP after having surgery after finding out all this stuff, I don't need them anymore.
42:45
I take lots of like natural supplements and stuff.
Yeah, vitamins and stuff to try, not to try and help.
But yeah, glad you're feeling there.
Yeah, thank you.
Yeah, yeah.
And that comes back to my thoughts originally.
It's there's something biologically wrong.
43:01
Yeah, I mean people are doctors are doing their best but just wanted.
Yeah, absolutely.
For about me of they just don't know enough.
And yes, a lot of it is about changing that along with like peoples, you know?
Yeah.
And, and why my experience going through all this, I've actually changed the doctor's perspective because he's actually seeing it.
43:21
So initially when he gave me, this sleep study for me said, you know, I can have sleeps a sleep apnea, he's direct words about sleep apnea.
After People barely get sleep apnea, overweight and old.
Yes, and as and by this point, I'd already been Listening to your podcast and I was like wow that's interesting right?
43:39
Like that but when I first started my podcast I was just like who can I find?
That's not an older overweight man to talk about her experience and then this is one of those people that's not many people like yeah.
Well what and high blood pressure Now, I've been told that I had tachycardia or my life.
44:07
Every time I went to the doctors or if I was in an ambulance or something like that.
I said, are you feeling nervous?
I said, yeah, of course, I'm nervous.
I'm at the doctors or hospitals and I said, oh, you're a bit tacky and I didn't know what that meant, but when I went into surgery, it was actually a bit of a problem.
44:23
And they, when I come out the Anita stand, the surgeon said, hey you need to go back to your GP and get your heart checked because someone of your age, your heart rate should be that high and So I went back and he fitted me up with.
I think it's called a bolt a holster.
44:40
It's pretty much a machine that you wear for 24 hours.
Wanted to show heart rate.
Yeah.
It's going okay.
Okay.
I also have an ultrasound done on my heart, that was perfect.
And the results back from that, I had an average heart rate of ninety eight beats per minute at rest and the highest point during the 24 hour period And I didn't do much that day because it's my day off.
45:01
I wasn't working.
I was 165.
It's per minute but my heart completely fine.
That's very high, right?
Yes.
So my point is if and I also did find some studies to suggest that people with tachycardia and people with low 80s a they have a higher chance of cone meeting together, you know those with Osa have a higher chance of having tachycardia.
45:25
Yeah.
Those of tachycardia often have Osa definitely and you said blood pressure as well.
Didn't you?
Yeah.
Yeah, yeah.
Yeah.
Which is pretty crazy.
And If I've heard that all my life, I've had the anxiety and stuff as well.
45:41
It's just all connected.
I feel, and now that I've got my sleep and that means under control, that's kind of dropped away.
I'm on beta blockers for my high heart rate and I feel amazing.
And yeah.
45:58
So I'm really glad everything kind of worked out quite well.
I feel like you're still.
Would you say you're still kind of figuring out your CPAP Pressure.
You feel like it's kind of a good?
My CPAP said a good a good spot right now.
46:13
I can wear it every night and not have to change anything.
My next goal would be another sleep study.
I want to see where I'm at, without CPAP.
Yeah.
Because I would like to look at.
I've never had a dentist look inside my mouth, or at my jaw structure or anything like that.
46:31
So that's my next journey.
I would like to do that.
Well, once you do all that, then you can come back on and tell us how that went.
We're taking time to tell us your whole story.
I really appreciate it.
Thanks so much for having me.
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