How I Was Diagnosed With Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Type 2 Diabetes

Years before being diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea, I was struggling with blood sugar problems. Although I wasn't diabetic nor insulin resistant, my blood sugars would go up to around 400 and then within a matter of minutes drop to about 40.

For weeks on end, this was a daily event. Some days/most days, like a yoyo, to the point it left me unable to get off the couch. Once, when we were out in public, I collapsed and my husband had to carry me to the car.

A link to poor sleep?

I was doing this for years, and I couldn't get doctors to take me seriously. Then, for the most part, it just all stopped. I was still having blood sugar problems, but not that extreme yoyo activity.

The whole time this was going on, I had not even given a thought to the fact I wasn't sleeping well. My husband would laugh about my snoring and keep me updated on how good or bad it was that night.

Going for a sleep study

Feeling tired and always rundown, I decided to say something to my new doctor, who thought I possibly needed a sleep study done just to see if I had sleep apnea. Of course, I was sure a sleep study was just a waste of money and time for me – any way for the doctors to make money, right?!

But I went ahead and had the sleep study – just to see. And low and behold, I was diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea.

Starting CPAP therapy

Therefore, I got the CPAP machine and used it per the insurance company's request for at least 4 hours a night. During this time, I was getting much better sleep! Along with that, I was not having as many problems with blood sugar.

But again, I had not made the connection between sleep apnea and blood sugar.

Getting a diabetes diagnosis

About a year after starting the CPAP machine, I started having problems with getting supplies. This was along with it being uncomfortable to wear and just all the other stuff that can happen with new CPAP users. So I wasn't using the CPAP machine quite as much. But I had fulfilled the requirements for insurance to pay for it.

It was during this time that I got a new diagnosis through just random blood testing. Actually, I got the results on my birthday! So, my birthday song for that year was...Happy Birthday to me, I now have diabetes!

I was given a prescription for a pill then sent on my merry way, with no further instructions about diabetes. Well, a whole lot happened after that!! But that's for another article, at another time.

Is CPAP helping my blood sugar levels?

It took me about a year to figure out and I'm still kind of in that process! However, here's the short version of it, from my own observations only.

On the nights that I use my CPAP machine for at least 6 hours a night, I have a lot less trouble controlling my blood sugars during the day compared to the nights that I don't use a CPAP much or at all. After those nights, my blood sugar seems to skyrocket all day long.

Has anyone else noticed a link between their CPAP and blood sugar levels? I would be interested in hearing from you!!