Sleeping with Breathing Problems
To be able to sleep, I have to be really tired. There were times when I would have a panic attack when I was trying to fall asleep. The fear that I would stop breathing when I slept was causing me to fight falling asleep even though I used my BiPap machine. I didn’t know how to control my fears. I had to start taking Xanax for a while when I had a panic attack and couldn’t sleep.
Usually I would start having a nighttime panic attack when I had a bad breathing day. After a while I learned how to relax by, basically, having faith that I would wake up in the morning and a lot of slow breathing. Having the air conditioner on really helped as well. It’s easier to sleep when it’s cold than when it’s hot. Now that I have the panic attacks under control, I don’t need Xanax.
BiPap machines are a wonderful invention. To qualify for a bipap, I had to have numerous sleep studies. I had electrodes glued to my head while I slept in the hospital over night. They are NOT fun. I didn’t ever like them because they’d try to start me sleeping with no oxygen (when I didn’t have to wear oxygen 24/7), then they put me on the bipap, then after they got the test readings, they added oxygen with the bipap. They would change the settings of the bipap at various times. All this was done in the space of 8 hours. Basically, I didn’t get much sleeping done.
God forbid if I had to change insurance companies or doctors group. Because that would mean that I would have to REQUALIFY for my medical equipment and oxygen. Requalifying for a bipap was the worst. It usually meant another sleep study. Now that I’m using oxygen 24/7, I pretty much have the insurance company’s confidence in knowing that I really DO need a BiPap to live and sleep.
Anyway, the lasanga turned out great! A little soupy because I added a can of tomatoes & cottage cheese. The movie was GREAT!!! I just hope I make it through tomorrow without a headache. I feel one coming on.