dbMe: April 2015

Wednesday, April 8, 2015

Diabetes and CPAP

Its no big secret that many of the things that lead us to developing diabetes also play a significant role in other health related issues as well. And one of those correlations is shown in how many diabetics are also affected by sleep apnea. In my own case, I was aware that I had, un-diagnosed and untreated, sleep apnea for many years prior to the onset of my type 2 diabetes. But escalating risks, with my diabetes, and cardiac issues, forced me to finally seek help for my sleep apnea, which resulted in my doctor putting me on a CPAP machine.

About a week into my CPAP usage, there was a problem. It wasn't a problem with the use of the machine, or nasal mask, or even dealing with nightly bathroom visits. In fact, I don't believe I have ever had a better night's sleep than these first nights, and I awoke more refreshed and more energized that ever before, with only minimal adjustment issues. So what was the problem you might ask?

The problem, was a software problem. It seems that the SleepMapper software for my Philips Respironics® CPAP machine is only supported for Windows or Mac computers. Which is fine, as long as you are a Philips customer, and own one of those types of computers. But in my case, my computer runs a LINUX operating system, and Philips wasted no time in letting me know that I was 'out of luck' as far as software support goes. (You can see more about this, and my rant about how corporate America treats LINUX users as if they are not important in this blog entry)

Because I do have a fundamental knowledge of computers, and enjoy a good challenge, I set out to attempt to find a solution to using the Philips SleepMapper software with LINUX. And along the way, not only did I discover a solution, I also discovered a much more comprehensive software solution for use with my Philips Respironics® CPAP machine called Sleepyhead. The solution that allows the Windows version of SleepMapper to run in LINUX also allows the Windows version of Sleepyhead to run in LINUX as well. If you are the owner of a Philips Respironics® CPAP machine, and are also the owner of a LINUX computer, feel free to check out my solution on this blog entry.

And if you are a diabetic, you probably already know how important it is to get an adequate amount of high quality of sleep each night. Are you taking the steps to insure that you are getting 8-9 hours of sleep every day? As a diabetic your body needs it's rest to help combat your diabetes. And if you have not been screened for sleep apnea, and have any of these symptoms, you owe it to yourself to seek the appropriate medical advice.

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A quick intro from a 'born again' type 2 diabetic.

I was diagnosed as a type 2 about 10 years ago. At first I did very well managing my diabetes, losing weight and eventually progressing to the point where I no longer needed medication and could control my glucose levels strictly with diet alone. I was doing so well that my waistline dropped to dimensions I had not seen since high school.
About 5-1/2 years ago, I had a major lifestyle/location change, and slowly began to lose ground on the progress I had made.
Fast forward to June of this year. I had not seen a doctor about my diabetes in over 5 years, and when I finally went in for a checkup my blood glucose was 250, my A1c was 10.5, my cholesterol was just one point shy of 700, and my waistline was almost as large as it had been when I was first diagnosed.
During the checkup it was determined that I appeared to have had a heart attack some time in the recent past. Visiting a cardiologist resulted in two trips to the hospital, the installation of 5 stents to address severely blocked arteries, and a series of stern admonishments by all of the health care professionals I came into contact with to get my act together.
So now I am on an insulin only therapy for my diabetes, along with a plethora of cardiac/cholesterol meds. I'm slowly getting the hang of calculating insulin bolus doses for carbs consumed, as well as adjustment and basal dosing, which require me to constantly calculate my carbohydrate intake. In one months time my A1c has dropped from 10.6 to 7.9, and I am slowly but surely working myself back to being in control of my diabetes.