DH's dr update

kit_kats_mom wrote: Early Diagnosis

Sleep apnia
Possible sinus infection

Will do sleep study
Stress test - beacuase you requested it

kit_kats_mom replied: wanted to add. He's none too happy about the sleep apnea diag. His boss has surgery for it earlier this year and was out for over a month. Scared the patootie out of my DH.

BJ~Bre's Mommy replied: I hope it is nothing serious.

Kaitlin'smom replied: my mom has sleep apnea. he has a machine for night time. Kinda noisy but it works. Might I ask is DH overweight? cause that can play a role in it. My mom is and if she would drop some weight she most likly would no longer have the issues. One of our friends also had a form of it and he lost over 100 lbs and sleeps much better, its not scary any more, still snore some but he can breath. Just something to think about and ask about.

amynicole21 replied: Hmmm. I believe that if sleep apnea is bad enough it requires a breathing machine at night, but I've never heard of surgery to correct it. Is that supposed to account for his shortness of breath? Sounds fishy...

coasterqueen replied: :hugs: for your DH.

My dad has sleep apnea and has to have a breathing machine at night. Scares Kylie to death when she stays the night with my parents.

My dad was told if he would lose weight he'd probably solve the problem himself, course that would be the case for his heart as well.

jcc64 replied: Idk, Cary, do you like this dr? First off, never heard of surgery for sleep apnea. Know lots of people with it- the most aggressive treatment usually entails wearing a mask at night- but no surgery. And I also never heard of a sinus infection causing shortness of breath.
I'm glad he's doing the stress test. Something insideous should show up on that- but if it was me- I would be asking for a full cardiac workup. At his age, with his history, and with a telltale symptom, I would want a thorough investigation. My dad had his first cardiac event at 49, and both of my brothers check in regularly with a cardiologist.
I certainly don't mean to freak you out- I believe you do a good job of that yourself. However, I know far too many people who exhibited symptoms and were either ignored by their drs or ignored the recommendations of their drs and wound up dead or with massive cardiac involvement. Don't let this go, Cary- if it turns out to be nothing, at least you'll have peace of mind.

kit_kats_mom replied: This is what I found about the surgery that his boss had.

http://www.entnet.org/healthinfo/snoring/snoring.cfm

Is Snoring Serious?
Socially, yes! It can be, when it makes the snorer an object of ridicule and causes others sleepless nights and resentfulness.

Medically, yes! It disturbs sleeping patterns and deprives the snorer of appropriate rest. When snoring is severe, it can cause serious, long-term health problems, including obstructive sleep apnea.


Obstructive Sleep Apnea
When loud snoring is interrupted by frequent episodes of totally obstructed breathing, it is known as obstructive sleep apnea. Serious episodes last more than ten seconds each and occur more than seven times per hour. Apnea patients may experience 30 to 300 such events per night. These episodes can reduce blood oxygen levels, causing the heart to pump harder.

The immediate effect of sleep apnea is that the snorer must sleep lightly and keep his muscles tense in order to keep airflow to the lungs. Because the snorer does not get a good rest, he may be sleepy during the day, which impairs job performance and makes him a hazardous driver or equipment operator. After many years with this disorder, elevated blood pressure and heart enlargement may occur.


Can Heavy Snoring be Cured?
Heavy snorers, those who snore in any position or are disruptive to the family, should seek medical advice to ensure that sleep apnea is not a problem. An otolaryngologist will provide a thorough examination of the nose, mouth, throat, palate, and neck. A sleep study in a laboratory environment may be necessary to determine how serious the snoring is and what effects it has on the snorer's health.


Snoring Treatment
Treatment depends on the diagnosis. An examination will reveal if the snoring is caused by nasal allergy, infection, deformity, or tonsils and adenoids.

Snoring or obstructive sleep apnea may respond to various treatments now offered by many otolaryngologist-head and neck surgeons:

Uvulopalatopharyngoplasty (UPPP) is surgery for treating obstructive sleep apnea. It tightens flabby tissues in the throat and palate, and expands air passages.
Thermal Ablation Palatoplasty (TAP) refers to procedures and techniques that treat snoring and some of them also are used to treat various severities of obstructive sleep apnea. Different types of TAP include bipolar cautery, laser, and radiofrequency. Laser Assisted Uvula Palatoplasty (LAUP) treats snoring and mild obstructive sleep apnea by removing the obstruction in the airway. A laser is used to vaporize the uvula and a specified portion of the palate in a series of small procedures in a doctor's office under local anesthesia. Radiofrequency ablation—some with temperature control approved by the FDA—utilizes a needle electrode to emit energy to shrink excess tissue to the upper airway including the palate and uvula (for snoring), base of the tongue (for obstructive sleep apnea), and nasal turbinates (for chronic nasal obstruction).
Genioglossus and hyod advancement is a surgical procedure for the treatment of sleep apnea. It prevents collapse of the lower throat and pulls the tongue muscles forward, thereby opening the obstructed airway.
If surgery is too risky or unwanted, the patient may sleep every night with a nasal mask that delivers air pressure into the throat; this is called continuous positive airway pressure or "CPAP".


He is a bit overweight but not huge.

~Lynda~ replied: I don't know much about the subject, but I definitely hope all goes well!

luvmykids replied: Has he had a full physical lately, or did they just kinda give him the once over? When is the stress test? KUP on that one too.

MommyToAshley replied: I hope you and your DH are able to get some concrete answers soon. I don't know much about sleep apnea, but I have had my share of sinus infections. In fact, I actually had a minor procedure done because my sinus infections were so horrible. But, they have never caused me shortness of breath? Of course, they could affect people differently, I suppose.

Maddie&EthansMom replied: I'm glad he went to the doctor.

Scotty's cousin also had surgery for his snoring/sleep apnea. It helped some, but his wife still can't sleep in the same room as him.

I'm about at my wit's end with Scotty's snoring. I'm going to buy some ear plugs today as a matter of fact.

mummy2girls replied: Thats the surgery aron just had...it has helped bigtime!