Is Sleep Apnea A Real Problem, Or Is The Doctor Trying To Scam Me?
Posted by: Alan in Obstructive Sleep Apnea, tags: Apnea., Doctor, Problem, Real, Scam, Sleep, Trying
My doctor, who’s new because I moved, referred me to a “sleep specialist” because I told him I snored heavily, am often tired during the day, and am overweight. The sleep specialist, after having me sleep with a bunch of wires strapped to me for a night, diagnosed me with “obstructive sleep apnea”, and is telling me I need a breathing machine for when I sleep at night as treatment. Also, he’s told me all sorts of stuff about health risks from the apnea: I’ll get to being fatigued to the point of narcolepsy, I’m at even more risk for an early heart attack, even though I’ve started going to the gym I won’t be able to lose weight, etc.
Now, what I want to know is, are there really health risks from sleep apnea, and is it a real problem, or is it just some sort of medical fad or scam?
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November 29th, 2009 at 8:04 pm
My story mirrors your’s. I got the CPAP and started using it last year. I was underwhelmed when I did not see a perceivable change. After a few months I went on vacation and forgot the machine. Wow i felt it then I did not get any rest from sleeping and felt run down. After I got home and used the machine again I felt rested. Now occasionally I will take it off during the night or just forget to put it on. When I do that I feel as though I get no rest. I think overall it is a great benefit to my as well as to my wife that I don’t wake up with my snoring.
I think there are real health risks and the “bother” of wearing the machine is worth not having or decreasing the risk of some of the apnea health risks.
I have had chronic sinusitis for years and since using the CPAP I have found I am far less sensitive to sinus problems. I am not sure if it is the air pressure in my sinuses or not snoring. I have always wondered if the vibration from snoring caused some of my sinus problems. Overall I am healthier today than I was without the machine.
The medical scam I see is not about the benefits of the machine, it is in the leasing of the machine to the health insurance company. I priced the machine on eBay at about $700 all in. The company that owns my machine leases it to the insurance company for $189/mo. for the last year = $2268. I am not sure what to do about this issue, and I don’t want to deter you from getting the machine and using it.
Be Healthy!
November 29th, 2009 at 8:15 pm
It’s a real thing. My brother has the problem and I watched him in the sleep lab. It was frightening.
But after he got used to the machine, he found that he could sleep longer hours in a stretch and was always fresh after a sleeep whereas before he never fully rested even when sleeping.
November 29th, 2009 at 9:20 pm
it’s not a scam, it’s definitely a real disease that you could have. it’s most dangerous because it’s characterized by the pausing of breathing during sleep. which obviously isn’t good. it was in the curriculum in my psychology class.
i don’t know what the normal treatments for it are though. maybe this page will be helpful.
November 30th, 2009 at 1:51 am
Oh its very real!http://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/sle…