Finally Fighting the Sleep Apnea Blues

Way back in college, my roommate made fun of me for snoring. It was just a little light ribbing, no big deal, I can take it. But I was surprised to find out that I snored. He said that he would wake up and slam dresser drawers to make me roll over and stop snoring. It was pretty embarrassing.

After a few months of marriage, my wife told me to go to the doctor. She said the snoring was bad, but she was more worried about how I would stop breathing during the night. What? I stop breathing? Again, I was shocked. I wasn't embarrassed this time, but I was a little scared.

The doctor got it out of me that yes, I snore. Yes, I am tired during the day. Yes, I do have trouble staying awake while driving or sitting at my desk. Yes, I sometimes stop breathing in my sleep. He sent me to a sleep clinic where they wired me up to about a million little sensors on my head and chest. Then they left me in a room with all this stuff strapped to me and told me to go ahead and sleep.

Sure, Doc. Easy for you to say. But after a few hours of lying there staring at the ceiling, I eventually fell asleep, only to be woken up seemingly seconds later to be told to change my sleeping position. This time, sleep came a little easier.

A few weeks later the results were in. I had severe obstructive sleep apnea. The only thing I knew about sleep apnea was that it had killed pro football player Reggie White. "What do I do, Doc?" I asked. He told me I could either have surgery that may or may not work or sleep with a mask strapped to my face.

Neither sounded appealing, but I opted for the mask. It was horrible. It was almost impossible to go to sleep. I'd move my head slightly and air would shoot out of the mask and into my eye. I couldn't get comfortable because this huge Darth Vader looking thing was stuck to my head. I was miserable. Most nights I'd end up throwing the mask across the room so that I could finally get some sleep.

I called the doctor back and asked for the surgery. He removed my tonsils and my uvula, and reconstructed my nasal septum. It took me about two weeks to recover from that. After recovery was complete, I went in for another sleep test. Surely this time I'd have better results.

Nope. Sleep apnea was still there and just as bad as ever.

I had to start using the mask again. But really the only cure, he said, was to lose weight.

Really? I can do that! I'll still use the mask, but I can drop the pounds quick and take another sleep test, and be rid of it all forever!

Fifteen years later, I'm still using the mask. I'm still lugging it with me on vacation. I'm still having to remove it from my carry-on bag so they can inspect it at the airport. I'm still tearing apart hotel rooms to find an outlet close to the bed. It broke during travel once when I flew to England, and I had a miserable two weeks there because I couldn't get a good night's sleep. We actually had to cut one mini weekend vacation short because I'd forgotten to bring the CPAP machine. The worst part of it all? Some mornings I'll wake up to find that my wife has moved to the couch because my mask has come off and I've started snoring again. I absolutely hate being tied to that stupid little machine.

That's one of the big reasons I want to lose weight. It's pretty close to the top of the list. It's embarrassing for me to talk about, for my kids to see me in that mask. I want to be rid of that annoying little machine for the rest of my life. I want to be done with it.

I'm getting there. I mentioned last week that I wanted to get my family involved, and they have. Most importantly, my wife and I are doing a weight loss-related Bible study together about finding those triggers that cause you to overeat and filling those with God, prayer and Bible study. I can write more about it as we get more into it, but I really think the most important thing about it is that we're doing it together. We can hold each other accountable. And I lost 7.5 pounds this week! Some of that may be from being sick, but I'm not looking a gift horse in the mouth.

Losing weight is all about the proper motivation. Getting closer to God and my wife -- and losing that CPAP machine forever! -- are at the top of that list.

After decades of dieting only to gain it back, two That's Fit readers have decided to finally rethink their relationship with food and exercise over the next year to move toward a lifetime of fulfilling, healthy living. Come by every week as Ashley and Lee share their successes and challenges as they tip the scale.