Sleep Apnea

[SleepDeprived]

Hi there,

I'd like to ask some advice from the people around. I have been suffering from this sleep apnea for sometime now and its been hell on my system. I haven't been able to sleep for ages, constantly fall asleep during work and now i have bad headaches every morning.

after visiting the doctor, he suggested that i go through a surgery first to remove my tonsils as he feels this might aid my breathing.

but at the same time many pple tell me not to go through the surgery and try to focus on losing weight. ( i am in very bad shape).

I really do want to lose weight but I am exhausted every single day. i am so tired i fall asleep by 9+ and i have no energy throughout the day.

Can someone give me some advice? should i go through the surgery?
if not , can someone provide some advice with a way to lose weight?

thanks in advance
sleepdeprived

[jkvz2011]

Hi there: I also have a friend who suffers from your disorder,do you know that if sleep apnea is not properly treated, it can lead to death... How long has this problem been with you already?

[SleepDeprived]

start of the year is when the problem got really worse.

are the effects that severe to death???

[jkvz2011]

There are few types of sleep apnea... Those severe ones can lead to death... Do you experience shortness of breath in the middle of the night?

[taxico]

sleep apnea. yes, it can be life threatening.

as you already know, the best step foward is to lose some weight - there are no easy ways to do this as we are usually wired to enjoy eating food that gains us pounds if we don't use more calories than we consume.

so the answer is: eat less, exercise and you'll lose weight!

i'm not in the position to say if tonsil removal is the best way forward, but i think it may not be necessary if you're determined enough to lose some weight.

i cannot help you with your exhaustion, but i think you should always think HEALTH over WEALTH. if you're working at the expense of your health, you have your priorities wrong.

exercising is not fun. i don't like it either, but if i have to, i have to!

i recommend seeing another doctor (licensed medical doctor) for a customized weight loss program.

[JackDaniels]

While it's always good to be in good shape and at a healthy weight there are also other options I know of as my father was diagnosed with something similar.

First he would sleep with one of those oxygen tanks but he never ended up using it. Next he tried a device that he wore while he was sleeping that adjusted his jaw to the correct position so his brain was never deprived of oxygen. There are two products on the market right now that I know of. One is called QuietNite and the other SilentNite. As always ask your doctor or dentist what the recommend and do not rely on the internet as a reliable source of reference.

Best of luck

[taxico]

While it's always good to be in good shape and at a healthy weight there are also other options I know of as my father was diagnosed with something similar.

First he would sleep with one of those oxygen tanks but he never ended up using it.

Next he tried a device that he wore while he was sleeping that adjusted his jaw to the correct position so his brain was never deprived of oxygen. There are two products on the market right now that I know of. One is called QuietNite and the other SilentNite.

As always ask your doctor or dentist what the recommend and do not rely on the internet as a reliable source of reference.

every person's diagnosis is slightly different. while i haven't seen what type of products quietnite or silentnite are, i have a feeling these anti-snoring products may not be suitable for the thread starter.

oxygen tanks are not as simple as giving your body more oxygen - too much oxygen is, in fact, a bad thing for the body and as such, not suitable for every patient diagnosed with sleep apnea.

if he needs a specialist in singapore, he would be looking at (probably) an ENT - otorhinolarynologists. they would be best equipped (knowledge and equipment) to help him.

[SleepDeprived]

The topic of machines hasn't come up with my doctor yet as i have just completed a sleep study at SGH. i am awaiting my results to find out how many times i have stopped breathing through out the night.

But i have noticed that when my tonsils are swollen. my entire passageway is as good as closed. can't even swallow my food properly.

[SleepDeprived]

There are few types of sleep apnea... Those severe ones can lead to death... Do you experience shortness of breath in the middle of the night?

yes during the period when my tonsils were swollen i woke up choking several times. i didn't get any sleep during that period at all.

[jkvz2011]

I see... Then do you think there's any link between your current disorder with obesity?