Sleep Apnea and Limited Treatment Options

After getting my diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and restless legs syndrome (RLS) from the sleep clinic, the sleep doctor only focused on my RLS. He never did anything about the OSA or spoke about it other than I had it.

I recently spoke to my GP about my diagnosis and what to do from here. I have another sleep study pending, a more comprehensive one, because of the heart issues I am currently having. My GP said she wants to wait until after that to decide what to do.

For now, I am following a sleep routine

Until then, all I have is the sleep routine that the sleep clinic recommended to me. An hour before bed, I begin to wind down — no screen time (blue light or otherwise). Sometimes I listen to classical music, sometimes I meditate, and other times I have a nice relaxing hot shower. I have a shower chair, so I am able to just sit under the water and do nothing. I have guided meditations that I do in my head.

Recent challenges with keeping my routine

Up until 2 months ago, that was going really well for me. I was falling asleep so much faster than before doing the sleep routine – at least by half an hour. After inevitably waking up to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night, I also fell back asleep faster.

Currently, with the heart issues that I have been having, it’s been challenging to follow a sleep routine. The extra fatigue that I experience has me falling asleep much earlier in the evening, sometimes at 6 PM. I have had to start having dinner earlier so that I can try to at least have 2 hours after eating before I fall asleep.

I still try to wind down, but I often end up falling asleep on the couch. There are times, as I am nodding off on the couch and trying to stay awake, that it feels like my throat is closing off or something slightly obstructing my breathing. I also can slightly hear it happening. My husband has said that he has heard it as well.

Learning more about sleep apnea

I have been reading up on OSA – what it means for me and what I can possibly do in the meantime. It’s very unfortunate that it is highly recommended not to sleep on your back because that is the only position I can sleep in.

I have joints that are slightly hypermobile, and any kind of weight on my shoulders causes pain and the joints start to slip out of place. After Christmas, I’m seeing an ear, nose, and throat (ENT) specialist to talk about the stones in my salivary glands. I will also mention that I have OSA in case it’s caused by something that he can help me with, like tonsils that are too large.

There may be a genetic reason for the OSA, but I don’t know because my mom never saw a doctor about her sleep issues despite her issues starting at 8 years old. She also has RLS and fibromyalgia. like I do.

What was your sleep apnea diagnosis experience like? Do you follow a sleep routine? Share your experiences in the comments below!