New to Fitbit Community & Hitting the Reset Button

[SunsetRunner]

Hello there. 60 year old man here, Trucking Owner Operator. After losing 135 lbs in 2013/2014, you guessed it, I put it ALL back on.

Sorry ahead of time for the long post

I went in for my annual DOT physical on 4/10/2018. I felt like absolute crap. I was embarrassed to death of my weight and really not that shocked that my blood pressure was 160/95. That's even with taking 200/12.5 mg a day of b.p. medication Losarton.

The DOT physician only gave me a 90 day medical card and said I needed to do a "sleep test". The DOT has recommended (not mandatory) guidelines which can trigger a certifying physician to require a test for sleep apnea. My age, BMI, BP med and 19" neck size fall under those guidelines.

I protested the sleep test requirement to my own personal physician who asked to see me the next day. After testing me on the EPWORTH scale & making a couple of other observations he determined a sleep test was not necessary. However, after consulting with the DOT doctor, they decided a nocturnal oximetry test would be a compromise.

Well, the results were NOT what I was hoping for. My doctor indicated the test revealed my blood oxygen saturation levels were at times desaturating below the norms and recommended I do an in-home sleep test. Mind you, I am ultimately having to pay for this testing out of my own pocket due to limitations on what my insurance company will & will not pay for. However, that's a whole different subject.

The doctor recommended me to a local sleep lab facility who informed me that I could start with the in-home device first for only $775.00! So, I did a little research and discovered there are scores of companies who provide (using the same testing device) the same service. I ended up using a company who is sponsored by an organization I'm a member of for my vocation. The cost was $225.00! That's right, $550.00 less.

Sounds like a racket to me...

I'm still waiting for the results. My experience with the process of the overnight testing device could take up a whole other post, however, I won't bore any of you. The reality is that IF I do have sleep apnea, I want it treated.

Turning the corner, this has been another wake-up call for me. I've used this situation to hit the reset button, get back up and to refocus on my health again. 

I purchased the Fitbit Iconic and am enjoying the many features it provides. It's another useful tool that can provide motivation.

I especially like the easy to use food logging app. In addition, the Sleep stats feature is pretty cool. I know it's probably not 100% sleep lab accurate, however, it does provide a snapshot of how one is resting at night. What I like to do is to compare the sleep reading with the heart rate monitor readings during the night. My weekly stat show nothing unusual when compared to the benchmarks of men my age. 

If anyone is interested, there a nice little app I've been using since my doctor prescribed a new b.p. med for me. It's called Blood Pressure Log-MyDiary by Dr Tomasz Zlamaniec. I found it on Google Play. For a donation of $3.50 the in-app ads go away.

All that being said, I am back on the wagon. I've managed to lose 17 lbs (mostly water I'm sure) in the past 2 weeks and my blood pressure has moderated to a decent level of 123/79 average this past 7 days.

My Fit Iconic  is motivating me to walk a little more, drink at least 8 cups of water a day, get at least 7.5 hrs of sleep a night and to log EVERYTHING that goes into my big pie hole throughout the day.

Thanks for reading!

[SunsetRunner]

So what you're saying is that IF I had been using a CPAP the past 9 weeks I could of lost MORE than 43lbs?

We shall see. I feel good as it is. I don't experience any of the symptoms normally associated with someone who has sleep apnea. Which is why I have my suspicions about this whole process. Just like big Pharma (legislatively) drives the medical community, I think the sleep related folks have gotten a toe hold in and have leveraged it into big business. 

Who knows though, maybe I'll be back singing the praises of my new found salvation in the ResMed CPAP machine! LOL

[Daves_Not_Here]

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@SunsetRunner wrote:

So what you're saying is that IF I had been using a CPAP the past 9 weeks I could of lost MORE than 43lbs?

We shall see. I feel good as it is. I don't experience any of the symptoms normally associated with someone who has sleep apnea. Which is why I have my suspicions about this whole process. Just like big Pharma (legislatively) drives the medical community, I think the sleep related folks have gotten a toe hold in and have leveraged it into big business. 

Who knows though, maybe I'll be back singing the praises of my new found salvation in the ResMed CPAP machine! LOL

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@SunsetRunner - it's certainly possible.  I had a minor improvement.  I've have friends who were initially skeptical but reported a drastic improvement.  And one friend can't get comfortable enough to sleep with the mask.

[SunsetRunner]

Okay, I hit the 10 week reset button mark a couple of days ago.

Feeling great. My blood pressure average is right on. I noticed yesterday while walking around the baseball complex where my grandson's had a tournament, that my shortness of breath walking a good distance from the parking lot and around the complex, had diminished significantly from what is was just a few weeks ago.

Which stands to reason since I've dropped 47lbs in the the last 10 weeks. That's like lugging around a 50lb bag of dog food everywhere.

I know what I was feeling, but what was I thinking?...

My intermediate goal is to lose another 53lbs and then re-evaluate from there. There is no way I can do that in another 10 or 11 weeks. I've noticed the plateaus are coming more frequently, which stands to reason.

The Ionic has been a nice addition to my personal tool box, I personally like it, however, let's face it, it's not the thing making me lose weight and get healthier 

I'm in the process of getting situated with the APAP device and will update about my experience with it as soon as I have more to share.

Cheers!

[SunsetRunner]

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@SunsetRunner wrote:

Okay, I hit the 10 week reset button mark a couple of days ago.

Feeling great. My blood pressure average is right on. I noticed yesterday while walking around the baseball complex where my grandson's had a tournament, that my shortness of breath walking a good distance from the parking lot and around the complex, had diminished significantly from what is was just a few weeks ago.

Which stands to reason since I've dropped 47lbs in the the last 10 weeks. That's like lugging around a 50lb bag of dog food everywhere.

I know what I was feeling, but what was I thinking?...

My intermediate goal is to lose another 53lbs and then re-evaluate from there. There is no way I can do that in another 10 or 11 weeks. I've noticed the plateaus are coming more frequently, which stands to reason.

The Ionic has been a nice addition to my personal tool box, I personally like it, however, let's face it, it's not the thing making me lose weight and get healthier 

I'm in the process of getting situated with the APAP device and will update about my experience with it as soon as I have more to share.

Cheers!

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Update here. Today is the 12 week mark since jumping back onto the wagon.

Went in for my DOT Doctor APAP "compliance" review yesterday. After testing almost 3 mos ago, it was determined I have "mild" sleep apnea.

With an AHI of 9, I tried to fight the inevitable APAP, however, I lost the battle. Too much liability for these doctors now when it comes to commercial truck driver certification.

With an AHI of 9, which as I said is considered "mild", my insurance company wouldn't even pay for my APAP, they consider an AHI of 15 the starting threshold. So, I had to pay for everything out of pocket.

After completing 10 nights of APAP usage, I had enough data available to demonstrate "compliance" for my doctor and he extended my commercial license medical card for one year.

This has been a real eye opener for me and quite a process on many levels that I don't have time to go into at this point. Needless to say, I don't like change. The introduction of a mask onto my face blowing air into my mouth at 5 to 10 cfm, was not easy.

I adjusted and it's not really that big of a deal...

Whether it has the ultimate effect of making me feel better is too early to say. Because I really didn't feel bad before I started using the APAP machine LOL.

I was very pleased though with a couple of other vitals during my doctor visit yesterday. I was down 51.3 lbs from just 12 weeks ago and my blood pressure was 120/80. I usually experience "white coat" syndrome when I go in to see the doctor, so, the b.p. # made me pretty happy.

Overall, I'm pleased with my progress. I upgraded to the Premium level here on Fitbit and have been reviewing my daily food intake. It's time to tweak a couple of the macros. I have pretty much been focused on calories in and out, however, recognize there are areas I can improve on. Including getting a little more active throughout the day, which is not that easy when you sit behind the wheel of a big rig for hours at a time. I can do it though 

Cheers!

[SunsetRunner]

Today marks week 14 since jumping back on the wagon.

I'm down 55 lbs. Loss has definitely slowed, which is to be expected. 

My B.P. for the past 14 weeks is at 116/71.

I've fully adjusted to the APAP and must admit I'm sleeping better and feeling better. However, how much of that is directly attributable to the APAP use, I don't know for sure.

I do know that my apnea events during sleep are essentially gone now since using the APAP. I'm able to remove the SD card from my device and download the results to a software program called, Sleepyhead, the information these devices provide are fascinating.

In addition, I've begun wearing a pulse oximeter at night which records my blood oxygen & pulse levels while sleeping. The oxygen desaturation levels while sleeping provided in my initial sleep study results was the trigger for having to do a more formal sleep study test at home.

I was able to obtain that initial nocturnal pulse oximeter results from the doctor so I could compare it to the results I'm recording now. Man, let me to tell you, it's no wonder the doctor prescribed a more detailed home sleep study test for me! My blood oxygen levels were desaturating to a very unhealthy level at sleep. The corresponding spikes in my pulse rates reflected that.

Now that I'm using the APAP and am able to record the SpO2 levels and see the results, there is no comparison to what was happening before I started using the APAP. I have completely normalized.

In summary, I feel MUCH better, more rested and clear headed since retaking control of my health. Still have a ways to go, but I'm making progress!  

[lavabelle]

Thanks for sharing! So inspirational. Keep up the great work 🙂

[Dominique]

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@SunsetRunner wrote:

I do know that my apnea events during sleep are essentially gone now since using the APAP. I'm able to remove the SD card from my device and download the results to a software program called, Sleepyhead, the information these devices provide are fascinating. 

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I had a look at SleepyHead, amazing there’s something like this to analyze the data produced by the APAP! Have you compared the sleep data of SleepyHead with that of your Fitbit?

I assume that - as a truck operator - you must be away from home on a regular basis. If so, are you able to take the APAP machine with you?

[SunsetRunner]

Hi, Sleepyhead software is very useful indeed.

I'm not sure how my fitbit ionic matches up with data collected off mt APAP machine via Sleephead. I've been wearing the pulse oximeter and not my fitbit.

As to my travels, yes, I'm usually out 3 nights a week. My truck is self-contained with all the comfort features, including power outlets. I just take my Resmed Airsense 10 with me.

[Dominique]

Thanks for providing additional information about your APAP setup. I had noticed ResMed has a portable version called AirMini, but I guess it makes more sense to people travelling with airlines. I’ve you stopped wearing your Ionic altogether, or only at night? It’s kind of funny your Fitbit got you started on your weight loss journey and you initially resisted the idea of using an APAP, but are now fully backing it!

I’d be interested to have my sleep analyzed with an APAP. I used to snore heavily when I was 75-80 kg and I was tired at daytime (almost always had to take a nap at 5pm). Both the snoring and daytime tiredness disappeared right after I got my first Fitbit and lost 10 kg in the first three months. However, even at a lighter weight (currently around 60 kg, which is BMI 19.8), I still have problems breathing at night, due to narrow/bent nasal walls, which is why I’m considering the sleep analysis thing, if only to formally exclude sleep apnea.

[SunsetRunner]

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@Dominique wrote:

Thanks for providing additional information about your APAP setup. I had noticed ResMed has a portable version called AirMini, but I guess it makes more sense to people travelling with airlines. I’ve you stopped wearing your Ionic altogether, or only at night? It’s kind of funny your Fitbit got you started on your weight loss journey and you initially resisted the idea of using an APAP, but are now fully backing it!

I’d be interested to have my sleep analyzed with an APAP. I used to snore heavily when I was 75-80 kg and I was tired at daytime (almost always had to take a nap at 5pm). Both the snoring and daytime tiredness disappeared right after I got my first Fitbit and lost 10 kg in the first three months. However, even at a lighter weight (currently around 60 kg, which is BMI 19.8), I still have problems breathing at night, due to narrow/bent nasal walls, which is why I’m considering the sleep analysis thing, if only to formally exclude sleep apnea.

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I still wear the Ionic, just not at night, for now.

The Resmed Airmini is a small compact unit. However, it is not really built for full-time every night use. In addition, it has no SD card that can be taken out and used with the SleepyHead software.

It's a Bluetooth only unit, as such, the data is being uploaded to their cloud and is only accessible via a proprietary portal for doctors, clinicians, etc. That's one feature I didn't like about it. I want access to my own information.

 You're right, I was very resistant initially to the whole idea of having sleep apnea and what that would mean for me, especially since my livelihood is dependent on being medically certified. Then there's that suspicion in the back of your mind that those who are pushing a matter are doing it primarily for monetary gain. It's hard to decipher truth from fiction sometimes, especially with all the information accessible via the internet. 

We humans (at least this one) don't like change. However, a lot of times that dislike is based on fear of the unknown and lack of knowledge/information.

I've adapted to the change just fine...

I would encourage you to at least do the home study test if you have any questions that you might have some degree of sleep apnea. It's not that expensive (I paid $225) and there's a plethora of companies that sell the service on the net.

Cheers!

[Dominique]

@SunsetRunner wrote:

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I would encourage you to at least do the home study test if you have any questions that you might have some degree of sleep apnea. It's not that expensive (I paid $225) and there's a plethora of companies that sell the service on the net.

Thanks for the additional info! I’m not based in the US, but I’ve seen similar services are being offered locally (also with ResMed devices), so I’ll do this in the fall.

[SunsetRunner]

Today marks week 16 since jumping back on the wagon.

I'm down 57 lbs. I only lost a couple of lbs in the past 2 weeks, so, I definitely hit my first plateau. Which I'm cool with. I'm not in a sprint and am happy with my progress thus far and especially with how I'm feeling.

I've completely adjusted to the APAP lifestyle. It's almost to the point now where I don't even notice the mask on my face anymore. I figured which mask works best and is most comfortable for me. Learning how to adjust the pressure points on the straps took a little practice, however, I know exactly where that is.

I monitor my sleep results every morning now. I found a link which provided Resmed's software for reports, etc, called, ResScan. It's the exact program the DME (durable medical equipment) technician uses for compliance reporting, etc. I'm using it now on my own laptop and can easily create and download my own report(s) for the doctor.

Cheers!

[Dominique]

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@SunsetRunner wrote:

I monitor my sleep results every morning now. I found a link which provided Resmed's software for reports, etc, called, ResScan. It's the exact program the DME (durable medical equipment) technician uses for compliance reporting, etc.

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Just curious: what kind of info does the data collected each night give you about your sleep? I’m surprised you’re not interested in comparing it to things like Fitbit’s sleep phases, especially in a before vs. after (APAP) setup.

[SunsetRunner]

I'm monitoring apnea & hypopnea events primarily. I'm mostly interested in what my AHI score is during the night. Those along with automatic pressure adjustments throughout the night.

The APAP monitors and creates/stores data in 4 primary ways:

1. APAP USAGE

2. THERAPY EFFICACY

3. LEAK STATISTICS

4. PRESSURE STATISTICS

Fitbit's sleep data is only a guess (at best) based on pulse and movement during the night

It's not a substitute for someone who is interested in finding out if they have sleep apnea, or has already been diagnosed with sleep apnea, like I have.

[SunsetRunner]

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@Dominique wrote:

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@SunsetRunner wrote:

I monitor my sleep results every morning now. I found a link which provided Resmed's software for reports, etc, called, ResScan. It's the exact program the DME (durable medical equipment) technician uses for compliance reporting, etc.

---

Just curious: what kind of info does the data collected each night give you about your sleep? I’m surprised you’re not interested in comparing it to things like Fitbit’s sleep phases, especially in a before vs. after (APAP) setup.

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@DominiqueFinally getting around to posting a jpeg of what I'm reading on my SleepHead stats.

[SunsetRunner]

Yesterday marked marked week 19 since jumping back on the wagon.

I'm down 64 lbs...

Feeling good and truckin' right along.