HELP FOR MY HUSBAND!

[zimlich]

He's lucky to have you. If he won't do anything else I would buy a machine from someone on Craigslist, or the classifieds. One other forum often has machines for sale. There is also an at home DIY (though it's supposed to be done with medical supervision) test by Test Country available on Amazon and other places that would tell him if he has sleep apnea, about 80$
There are different kinds of sleep disordered breathing so a visit to the doc would be best. How would he take it if you made an appointment with a sleep specialist and just took him there? Or maybe make some kind of a deal with him.
Good luck to both of you.

To hubby- please get tested to preserve your health and live long with your wife. She's worried about you and with good cause. She's not getting good sleep because of this. Out of love for your wife, please see a doc. Write to us yourself and we'll explain the process.

[Abearir]

Tell you hubby to go. Use me as an example.

I have suffered permanant heart damage and am facing heart surgery due to untreat apnea.

GO!

[CHanlon]

And me. Same story. Only thing that might be different is that I *knew* I had sleep apnea for at least 5 of those years. It hadn't been diagnosed but the Google-Fu is strong in this one.

I was nearly certain I had sleep apnea, probably throughout my life. The big question on my mind was how many other diagnoses I would receive.

Yeah, me too. And my Doc was more then happy to get his hands on me... sent me for every test he could think of including cardiograms, etc.

All they found was that my blood sugar was *one* point high and my TSH was about 4 points high - meaning I'm hypothyroidal... which I'd also suspected for years. So I let him put me on thyroid meds, and said we'd worry about the blood sugar after everything else - since both SA and thyroid deficiencies can affect blood glucose levels. A year later, all tests are clean... and the blood pressure - which was on the high-normal side is now on the low-normal side. I actually think I've sprung a leak...

[memnoch1974]

I don't want to sound like a broken record, but to re-enforce the consensus in this post and I hope this helps (as it did for me) is that what pushed me into getting an evaluation and a sleep study done was my daughter. I recently became a dad for the first time and a few things dawned on me and one being of me hoping to be alive and in the best of health when my daughter grows up. I'm not as young as I would like to be, but I also know I'm at the half way point through life. As for my sleep apnea, I knew about it for a very long time but didn't bother with it (initial fears, embarrassment, inconvenience, etc.). The more I became aware of what sleep apnea is and the potential consequences to my health and factor in me being in my daughter's future, I took a leap of faith with the intent of doing something about my health and well-being (not to mention keeping my wife happy from my snoring). Long story short:

1. I am overweight.
2. Doc did not find any indication of diabetes (even though it runs in my family).
3. I have large tonsils, large tongue and a crooked septum. Issues that contribute to snoring, including my overweight factor. I can get surgery done to "fix" these physical problems.
4. I had high blood pressure (160/110).
5. The sleep study I went through diagnosed me with severe sleep apnea. Meaning, I stopped breathing about 200 times during that study. Not good.
6. I always felt tired. Getting the day started with like pulling teeth. I didn't get warmed up until late in the morning and then started feeling sleepy/tired by around 5 p.m. Could not focus a whole lot at work (which caused self inflicted stress).

After prescribing and getting fitted into my beloved cpap...

1. No more snoring, according to my wife.
2. Feel rested. I actually remember dreaming every night now...I can't remember when was the last time I dreamt so much...probably when I was a teenager. More focus at work (my peers and boss are very pleased). I get up in the morning with no issues - change a diaper, brush my teeth, eat breakfast with energy to start the day. I get home from work and have the energy to walk my daughter around the block.
3. Blood pressure is down (110/80). Reducing my changes for a stroke or other type of cardio condition.
4. No diabetes still.
5. I am still overweight, lost 10 lbs. though. I am motivated now to work on a 3 year weight balance plan...work in progress.

Your husband needs a reason to do it, if not for himself. I have a lot going on for me and I hope your husband sees a lot for him as well, enough to have him accept his predicament, do away with denial (he's responsible for himself) and find the motiviation/support to take his life to the next level.

Alex

[archangle]

He's not likely to die in his sleep because he's stopped breathing.

Well, he probably won't suffocate, it will be a heart attack or stroke triggered by apnea.

[zonk]

He's not likely to die in his sleep because he's stopped breathing.

Well, he probably won't suffocate, it will be a heart attack or stroke triggered by apnea.

Or get a visit from Archangel
welcome back arch

[iSnooze]

Another fact to point out is that the 2nd cause of vehicle fatalities is drowsy driving. Not falling asleep at the wheel just simply being tired and driving. Your husband might not die in the crash but he could cause the death of another person. He might think he's doing fine sleeping the way he is, but is he willing to put someone else's life on the line because he's afraid of what the doctor might tell me?

Good luck getting your husband to see the doctor. As others have said, you can only do so much but it is up to him.