Jim’s snoring wasn’t really a problem for him anymore. On the other hand, it was for those close to him, explains The Mirror. The man then decided to consult a sleep expert to find out more. At that time, the former veteran already suspected possible sleep apneaa condition that causes interruptions in breathing during sleep. However, nothing could have prepared him for what the doctors would tell him after he spent a night under observation.
After his night of observation, the medical results were surprising to say the least: Jim stopped breathing more than 600 times a daywith interruptions lasting up to two minutes. Diagnosed with one of the most severe forms of sleep apnea ever seen in North Wales, Jim had no choice but to adapt to a new nighttime routine.
He suffers from sleep apnea and must endure very restrictive treatment.
For Jim, the solution was the use of a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine, a mask that pumps air during the night to keep his airways open. “I never really felt tired“, he explained. But after using the machine, he quickly noticed a significant improvement in his sleep.
However, this improvement in Jim’s nights came at a price. The mask, which is bulky and uncomfortable to say the least, limits its positions at night. Especially since it leaves visible marks on his face every morning. Despite everything,
he continues to use itaware that without him, his nights would be restless and that the risk of complications would be greater.
Sleep apnea: a pathology with serious consequences
Sleep apnea is not just a nighttime nuisance. If left untreated, this condition can lead to more serious health problemssuch as hypertension, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Jim knows something about that. A few years after his diagnosis, he was diagnosed with terminal dilated cardiomyopathya condition where the heart is unable to pump blood properly. For him, this illness is directly linked to his untreated sleep apnea for years. “I am convinced that it was the apnea that caused the excessive pressure on my heart“, he confides.
Today, he lives with a pacemaker and has to pay even more attention to his position while sleeping. Sleeping on your left side, for example, became impossible because of the device implanted in his chestwhich causes muscle irritation and spasms.
A medication could relieve episodes of sleep apnea by 50%
Despite his frustration with wearing a mask every night, Jim remains optimistic. A recent European-wide study found that sulthiame, a drug currently used to treat epilepsy, could reduce apnea episodes by 50% in just 12 weeks. If this drug proves its long-term effectiveness, it could revolutionize the treatment of sleep apnea and offer an alternative to bulky devices.
“If a drug could replace the machine, it would radically change my quality of life“, Jim admitted, knowing thatit will still take some time before this option becomes accessible.
