Sleep Apnea Help/advice

What kind of doctor has he been seeing? Has he been seen by an ear nose throat doctor for the sinus problem?
The best thing he can do is try to lose weight. I've been battling with my boyfriend over that because he has severe sleep apnea too but won't use the machine. Losing weight takes a lot of pressure off of the airways which can at least reduce the sleep apnea greatly.

Basically he has been seeing our local dr (she's great & has known us for about 14 years - note she is female so does have alot of common sense!!).

He has also seen an ear nose & throat specialist & now a sleep disorder specialist as well.

He is overweight but not obese, he gets minimal exercise & despite being a vegetarian (they are supposed to be so healthy!!) he really eats a poor diet - unless hot chips (french fries) & pizza & nuts & bread & stuff counts!!

Apparently because of the sleep apnea his immune system is down so his sinus problem is made worse & anti-biotics etc just do not work - rather a viscious circle all in all.

he reckons he'd use the machine but I wonder, he refused to even try those nose strips, or drps you put on the pillow to open air passages so why would he think i'd think he'd use a machine??

Sorry to know that you can't get the machine. In the states, we have congressman, senators, assemblyman. If you write to one of the government officials and explain your case. Most likely they would send you the cpap machine. Even local hospitals have programs for sleep disorders that may be able to get the machine to you without you paying a dime. Good luck. God bless

Our politicians aren't generally helpful (unless you can be of use to them!!) but I have just seen a report on tv about a new sleep study (research so hopefully free!!) at one of the big hospitals about an hour from us but anyway I rang (my husband forgot - so again why on earth would I think he'd use a machine if a phone call is too hard!!) anyway he has an appointment for monday & then we'll see.

I have also found a place where we could possibly rent a cpap machine & if we buy we get some of the rental cost off the purchase price - but I first have to get him to find the details of the exact machine he needs to see if this place has the right one - obviously "he" has lost the information on what type of machine (actual specifications etc) he needs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!

But it's never been diagnosed because we don't have health insurance (our choice).

My husband is *very* tall (6'7") and *very* thin (195) but he has a hugely enlarged tonsil in his throat. He had two but one day one of them disappeared (he thinks he swallowed it...I think...It's possible?) his tonsil(s) has been swollen since he was a kid but his parents were fairly low income and couldn't afford to have them removed (optional surgery). We are both young (early twenties) and been married over a year.

I did some research a while ago and think he might have sleep apnea but he's never been diagnosed because all the sleep disorder clinics have huge waiting lists.

After he falls asleep, he will have insane cold sweats (sometimes he's hot, sometimes he's normal or slightly cool) that completely drench the sheets, through the matress cover and soak the matress, soak through the sheet, the blanket and the comforter on top of thim, soak through his pillow.

It only happens (usually) during the first few hours of sleep and then "normalizes".

I guess i'm just wondering if anyone else has had this experience with sleep apnea? Does it sound like this is what he has? Do you think it would be taken care of by removing his enormous , porous tonsil?

This doesn't sound like sleep apnea to me but I do think it indicates a health problem that needs to at least be looked into - as for the tonsil - again I think some tests need to be done & questions asked!!

I saw some on ebay a while ago. Maybe there are still some there and you can get a machine much cheaper. It may be worth checking it out.
Good luck.

Kanvas19

My husband has a severe case of sleep apnea. He was waking up every 2 seconds. By the time they diagnoised him he hadn't slept in almost 2 months. The cpap machine he got really is wonderful. You have to get used to it but it is worth it. The doctors told him he could have easily died. I hope you find a way to get a machine. It could save his life. I know money can be hard to get. Sometimes you can get help from churches or charities for such things. People in the u.S. Are great about helping people who need help. Good luck and god bless.