I've been trying hard to wear my mask throughout the whole night. Like many folks, at some point during the night I end up pulling it off (I have the nasal pillows) but must be wearing it long enough that I generally feel good the next day. Well on Monday night I was too tired to put it on (read: Lazy) and on Tuesday night I was too tired and didn't wear it either.

I woke up very early Wednesday morning because I wasn't breathing. I remember opening my eyes and taking a deep breath and feeling my heart pounding. I knew what woke me up but didn't want to alarm my partner, so I just rolled over and went back to sleep. When I finally did get out of bed I was exhausted and, more troubling, had heart palpitations all day. I've had them before here and there, but not all day.

Finally at 5:30 I was worried enough that I took my self to the emergency room. I _thought_ I could just get someone to look at me, say 'yes' they were caused because I didn't wear my cpap and send m on my merry way. Well, of course traditional medicine isn't so simple.

They took me into emergency, took blood, took an EKG, then hooked me up to a monitor and there I lay for the next two hours. When the doctor finally came by she listed with a stethascope, asked a few simple questions about family history and then was gone. Another hour went by and my partner arrived. I filled him in and there we sat. After another while I sent him home to feed and walk the dog. When I finally noticed the doctor go by I asked her if there were any updated. She said she was waiting for the results from the blood test and urine test (which I never took) and she was going to order and EKG (which was done when I arrived).

Clearly she was overworked. If I hadn't had the catheter in my hand I probably would have left right then.

My partner came back and I told him not much had transpired. He went and found the doctor (who was doing paperwork) and she sent the nurse over who told me that they were still waiting for the results of the blood work and that the doctor would probably admit me. I didn't want to be admitted and the nurse said that the blood work would show if there was a minor heart attack by the presence of some enzymes and that they repeat this particular test three times over 12 hours.

I chose not to stay and signed the paperwork necessary to be released (since the lab results weren't back yet) .

Anyway, I wrote all this to say that I believe the palpitations are absolutely related to the apnea. Even last night, once I got home four and a half hours later, I still had them. But I put on that damn mask and made sure I wore it all night.

I feel good today- rested, and no palpitations. But it was a big eye opener and now more than ever I really believe that I hold the power to control this. Not only with the cpap but by taking care of myself though exercise and diet.

Note: I _just_ turned 40, I'm 6'1" and 172lbs. so I'm not the typical case of being overweight; however I'm not active. I work at my computer all day long and only move when I have to walk the dog.

So for those folks who are still struggling with the mask, as I am, do yourself a favor and just wear it. If that means waking up to put it back on, do it. Finding myself in the emergency room with the possibility of being admitted in hospital with a heart problem is really scary.