Thanks for asking. After about three years of treatment, I slept completely through the night for the first time in many years last July. In a surprisingly quick period of time, I was sleeping through every night and even have REM sleep and dreams again. I feel better than I’ve felt in many years.
As some of you know, I stepped up to the plate and got sleep-tested a few years ago, which confirmed the apnea problem. I lost nearly 50 pounds in the first year of treatment (hey, the boring, change-your-habits and understand-your-portions, lose-a-pound-a-week approach really works), used a CPAP machine for a few years, got my deviated septum fixed and, although the side effects were a little rocky at times, tried some of the standard medication routes. As my sleep doctor said, I did everything that doctors want their patients to do and should be giving seminars on the topic.
I also did a lot of research and tried to understand the condition, which is more common and more disruptive than most people realize. It is a very dangerous condition and you should not minimize its effects or treat it lightly. Around the time that Reggie White died, possibly related to his sleep apnea condition, my niece’s husband’s father, a sweetheart of a guy, died in his sleep and he was using a CPAP machine at the time.
If you are a male, over 40, carrying some extra weight, feeling tired a lot of the time and your wife complains about your snoring, GO SEE YOUR DOCTOR ABOUT GETTING A SLEEP TEST. If you are diagnosed with sleep apnea, work hard at following the program and find ways that you can use a CPAP machine and not excuses why you can’t. Ask me for suggestions. I want to see you around for a long time and so does your family.