Dental Woes

I hate going to the dentist.  I know, who doesn't? Right?  The truth is that I don't mind going for a simple, routine checkup and cleaning.  I can even tolerate something as simple as a filling.  With my dental insurance, those types of procedures are relatively affordable.  It is when we get into things like root canals, crowns, and other types of treatments that even with insurance can get quite expensive.

Several years ago, I had a molar that was badly decayed and had to have it extracted.  Now, whenever I go to a dentist, they always want to talk to me about getting a partial bridge done.  Even with insurance, the procedure would cost several hundred dollars out of pocket.  Since the tooth (or lack thereof) has never bothered me, and since money (and lack thereof) is also an issue, I have never had this done.

Besides the fact that every time I go to the dentist they want to do an expensive procedure, another reason I hate going to the dentist is that I have had a few really bad experiences.  Once, while getting a filling done, I didn't get enough Novocaine and the dentist started drilling before I was numb.  Other times, I have had dentists lecture me on my dental sins rather than move forward to fix and prevent further issues.  Even if you know you are wrong, you don't want to be lectured by anybody.

One of the things, at least in my past, has been poor communication from my past dentists in regards to the importance of dental health.  I like to know all of my options.  It doesn't help if I feel that the dentist is only trying to come up with ways to get more money rather than looking out for what is best for me and my dental health.

I recently came across the website of Dr. Mac Lee.  He is a TMJ Dentist Richmond TX and has appeared on the Dr. Oz show.  He is also the author of the book "I Hate Dentists!"  His website is very informative about all sorts of different dental issues and explaining the consequences of not receiving treatment.  One of the things I learned is that issues such as headaches and neck pain could be the result of a bad bite.  Who knew?

As somebody who suffers from sleep apnea and has to use a CPAP machine, I also found out that there are dental alternatives to treat sleep apnea for those who have a hard time with the CPAP machine.  Personally, I have adjusted to wearing the CPAP mask just fine, but it is good to know that there are other options out there if I needed them.

Unfortunately, I am probably going to have to bite the bullet (pun intended) and get to a dentist pretty soon.  I have two wisdom teeth, one top and one bottom, in the very back of my mouth that are in need of attention.  Both had a little piece break off of them and will either need to be repaired or extracted.  I hope all they will need is a filling.  I definitely can't afford root canals or crowns which is why I will wait until after I get my tax refund next spring.

Sleep Apnea Results

Image via WikipediaBack in July, I started the process of getting checked out for sleep apnea.  I had my first sleep study done on July 27th.  Two weeks later, I received a call stating that they needed me to go in for a second study.  At first, I thought something had gone wrong with the first study, but instead they told me I had mild to moderate sleep apnea and they wanted to see how I would respond to a CPAP machine.

On August 11th, I had my second sleep study so they could determine if the CPAP machine was the right treatment for my sleep apnea.  It usually takes a couple weeks to get the results back from the study as they have a lot of data to analyze.  Two weeks ago, I received a call from the doctor's office that runs the sleep clinic saying I needed to schedule an appointment to go over the results.

He proceeded to explain to me how when we are awake, that the air opening in our throat remain open because we are alert.  When we sleep, our muscles relax, and the opening narrows.  In my particular case, due to the shape and position of my chin and jaw causes my throat passage to be a little more narrow than average.  When sleeping, the passages can completely block the passage.

He then went over each of the two sleep studies with me.  First, he showed me the charts of the initial study.  He could identify each episode that occurred throughout the evening when my air passages were blocked and I stopped breathing.  During each occurrence, he showed me how my heart rate increased and my oxygen level dropped.  These episodes happened several times over the course of the night.  

Another thing that he showed me from the initial report were incidents that he called "brain arousals."  Each time that my air passages were blocked and I stopped breathing, the brain responded.  I would wake up enough for the brain to send a message out that would allow me to breath again, without fully gaining consciousness.  It was a lot of stress through the night, so no wonder I never feel refreshed when waking.

Next, he showed me the results of the study with the use of the CPAP machine.  Through out the night, they monitored my snoring and as my snoring would increase, they would increase the air pressure from the CPAP machine.  In the early part of the evening, I had more blockage episodes, but as they increased the pressure, those episodes decreased to less than one per hour.  This way, they would be able to identify the proper pressure to set the CPAP machine to.

The doctor said that normally with my mild sleep apnea, he would recommend some lifestyle changes including weight loss.  However, due to some other conditions that I have such as my high blood pressure and a history of blood clots his recommendation is to treat the sleep apnea with the CPAP device.  My insurance requires that I get my machine through another company other than the clinic doing the study so I was unable to get my machine right away.  I should have it early next week.  I am anxious to see if if it helps.

Almost There

Image via Wikipedia

It has been almost two months since I had a small health scare.  I was carrying two garbage bags out to the curb for trash pick up when mgr whole left side started tingling.  It shook me up enough that I ended up taking a sick day and went to the doctor.  Though I did sit in the car and contemplated going to work.

My first thought that day was that I might have been having or getting ready to have a stroke.  Since that day I have had a series of tests done.  My blood work up revealed that I had a Vitamin D deficiency.  I have had two sleep studies done that revealed that I am suffering from mild to moderate sleep apnea and will need to use a CPAP machine.  Both of those put me at risk for heart attack or stroke.

About two days before the incident, I was feeling rather poor and tired.  I decided that I needed to get serious about changing my diet, start eating right and lose some weight.  Earlier in the year, I had lost about 20 pounds, but fell back into my bad habits and quickly gained about 15 pounds back, making me like a lot of people who struggle with weight.

I am glad to say that I have been feeling a bit better these days.  I have not started the CPAP machine yet, but estimate that I will get the results from the most recent sleep study in a couple weeks.  At that time, I should be able to start that treatment making me feel even better.

These days, my diet consists of a lot more fruit, a lot of salad, and I usually only consume meat with my evening meal.  Occasionally, I will add a protein or nutrition bar, and some nuts.  I have more or less cut out all junk food and alcohol.  I am supplementing my diet with Vitamin D supplements and a multi-vitamin for men over the age of 50.

I had been hoping that I could get down to under 200 pounds before we headed off to the beach this week.  This morning, I looked down at my digital scale to see a reading of 201.5 pounds.  It has been several years since I have been under 200 pounds, but I am almost there.  Ultimately, I would like to lose another 20 pounds or so, but I am happy with the 25 pounds that I have lost since the incident.

It is hard to change bad habits.  In the past, I have been able to lose a lot of weight, but each time I did so, I would lapse back into those bad habits and gain it all back and then some.  However, in the past I had never had a health scare that forced me to take stock of things.  In the past when I decided to lose weight it was tied to vanity and wanting to look better.  I am hopeful that my health scare has prompted some permanent behavior change.

Related articles

• Does Sleep Apnea Cause Dementia? (psychologytoday.com)
• Sleep Apnea Makes Quick Return When Treatment Stops (nlm.nih.gov)
• New Study a 'Wake Up Call' For the Urgent Need for Sleep Apnea Treatment (prweb.com)

CPAP

Image via WikipediaA couple weeks ago, I had my sleep study to check for sleep apnea.  They said that it would take about two weeks for them to review all of the data and to get back to me with the results.  Originally, they told me they would send the results to my doctor and that I would hear from him once he had the report.  Consequently, I was a little bit surprised when I received a phone call from the hospital where I had the original test done. 

When I picked up the phone, they told me that they were calling to schedule another sleep study.  My initial thought was that they were not able to get a good enough reading during the first test.  For one thing, I never sleep very well when I am away from home.  After they hooked all the wires to me, it felt like I had 10 pounds of wire hanging off of me.  All of that combined, and I felt like I was awake most of the night for the test.   

When I asked why the need for the second study, I was told that I was diagnosed with mild to moderate sleep apnea.  The recommendation is that I used a CPAP machine when I sleep.  They want me to come in for the second study while using the CPAP machine.  The purpose of the CPAP machine is to provide air pressure to prevent the blockages that occur while sleeping if you are suffering from sleep apnea.

I have some mixed feelings about the CPAP machine.  I have read that people who use the CPAP machines successfully experience better sleep and feel more rested when waking.  Consequently they tend to be more alert and have more energy.  Successful use of the device also helps to reduce the risks associated with having sleep apnea.

On the other hand, I have also heard that some people have trouble sleeping while using CPAP.  I also worry that device will be loud, though it will probably be better for my wife than my incessant snoring.  The other drawback is that you are told to use the CPAP machine every night, and most likely every night for the rest of your life.  That means I will have to take it with me whenever I travel, so I will have another thing to lug around with me on my trips.

I am scheduled to have my follow up study next week.  I am hopeful that using the CPAP device will have the desired results of better sleep.  So often, I go through the day feeling completely drained and exhausted.  It will be nice to wake up and feel like I actually got some rest.  With any treatment, there are potential side effects.  Hopefully they will be minimal. 

Related articles

• Snoring and Sleep Apnea (dickstersrandomthoughts.com)
• CPAP Machine And MAD Mouthpiece Best For Obstructive Sleep Apnea (medicalnewstoday.com)

Snoring and Sleep Apnea

I snore.  Apparently, according to my wife, I snore rather loudly.  To hear her talk, when I snore, I am not just sawing logs, but I am a veritable sawmill.  She claims that sometimes my snoring is so bad she thinks that the bed is vibrating.  So, I am having a sleep study done to check for sleep apnea.

Sleep apnea is a condition that can be life threatening if left untreated.  Those who suffer from the condition will stop breathing during sleep.  These stoppages can last several seconds and can occur several times throughout the night.  Consequently, oxygen levels in the blood can fall leading to the potential of having high blood pressure, stroke, or heart attack.

I have several of the signs and risk factors for sleep apnea.  It occurs frequently in middle aged, overweight men.  Thankfully I have been losing weight of late and according to the BMI charts have recently crossed over from obese to overweight but still have some more to go.  I also have hypertension, which sleep apnea can lead to if left untreated.

Some of the other symptoms that I have besides the loud snoring include waking frequently during the night for urination.  I have always attributed a lot of that to having an enlarged prostate, but it could be a part of apnea if that is the diagnosis.  Another sign is that I rarely wake up feeling refreshed and I usually feel sleepy during the day.

I am having my sleep center done at a local hospital.  However, the hospital room is not your typical hospital room.  It is set up similar to a hospital room.  The goal is to create an atmosphere conducive to falling to sleep.  Unfortunately, I usually have more trouble sleeping when not in my own bed.  I am also wondering how I will be feeling with all of the electrodes hooked up to me to measure everything when I sleep.

They say it usually takes a couple of weeks for the results of the study to be analyzed and a determination to be made.  If at that time they discover that I have sleep apnea there are a few different treatments.  Continued weight loss would be a given.  There would be the possibility of being put on a CPAP device that forces air through the nasal passages to prevent the obstruction from occurring during sleep.  Other options include oral devices or possible surgical procedures.

Related articles

• The war on snoring heats up (macleans.ca)
• Hotel Becomes Snore-Proof (foxnews.com)
• Really? The Claim: A Tennis Ball on the Back of Pajamas Can Cut Snoring (well.blogs.nytimes.com)

Small Scare

I had a bit of a scare this morning.  The last few weeks, I have been starting to feel a little more run down than usual.  I attribute a good bit of it to my having put on part of the weight that I had lost earlier in the year. 

I had lost about 20 pounds by cutting out drinking, junk food, and a lot of bad carbs.  Unfortunately, since the baseball season started in April, I have been partaking of too much stadium fare.  A little bit would probably be OK, but when I fall off the wagon, I usually jump off full bore.

Anyway, back to the scare.  I was all set to head off to work this morning.  My lunch was packed, I had brewed some tea to drink on my commute.  The only thing left to do was take out the garbage.  I was walking to the curb with a bag in each hand, when all of a sudden I felt a tingling sensation all up and down my left side.

I have been having a bit of a problem with my right arm where I would experience some occasional weakness and numbness, but it usually happened if I slept on my left side or rested my elbow or wrist on a hard surface for an extended period of time.  This was different, and a bit scary.

The sensation did not last long, probably just a few minutes.  I sat in my car and debated whether or not I should head to the office or not.  Discretion being the better part of valor, I decided to call out sick to work and try to see my doctor.

I was able to get in to the doctor's office to be checked out.  His first thought is that I may have a pinched nerve, but he wants to run several more tests to be certain.  I have to go back in to see him next week when a technician will be in to run a carotid doppler exam.  I also have to schedule an MRI on my brain and neck.  He is also concerned about possible sleep apnea, so I also will need to get sleep study done. 

Hopefully there is nothing seriously wrong.    I hope the fact that the doc sent me on my way means he doesn't think it is too bad.  I definitely need to clean up my eating habits and take better care of myself.  If you happen to be of the prayerful type, I appreciate any positive words on my behalf.  We will keep you posted of the results.

Related articles

• How eating junk food destroys brain cells that control weight (news.bioscholar.com)
• I have Sleep Apnea (usurpingunencumberedness.com)