02/03/2026
In September 2025, I experienced what was believed to be a heart attack. It turned out to be a severe high blood pressure crisis with heart damage that looked like a heart attack to the EMTs.
If I hadn’t been taken by ambulance to the hospital that day, I would still be living with undiagnosed obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).
After my cardiac tests, a perceptive physician assistant suggested I get a sleep study. That recommendation changed everything. The results confirmed severe OSA, the kind that can silently lead to life-threatening complications. I later learned that my untreated sleep apnea had contributed to my right bundle branch block (RBBB) and ongoing cardiac strain. Living at altitude only made the oxygen drops worse.
Before diagnosis, I was exhausted all the time. I thought that level of fatigue was normal. It wasn’t.
Adjusting to CPAP therapy wasn’t immediate. I had to get used to the mask and the sensation of breathing with pressure. I did start to feel better, but not dramatically at first. It took time.
Then, about five months in, something shifted.
My energy returned. I finally felt capable of exercising again. The constant heaviness lifted. I began to see how deeply untreated sleep apnea had been affecting every part of my health.
My mindset changed too.
Instead of thinking, “I can’t believe I have to wear this for the rest of my life,” I now think, “I am incredibly lucky to have this.”
CPAP therapy didn’t limit my life, it gave it back.
Now I feel hopeful. I believe I can lose the extra weight, reduce carb cravings (which fatigue absolutely fuels), and lower my blood pressure. For the first time in a long time, I feel excited about my health.
If you’re struggling with CPAP, I want to encourage you: stick with it. It may take time. It may feel uncomfortable at first. But it can change your life.
It changed mine.
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Email: admin@cpap2breathe.co.za | Visit: www.cpap2breathe.co.za