Sleep Apnea Treatment

Question by Frank: Is God making my sick friend linger because I’m going to the wrong church ?
A close friend of mine claims an aneurysm was discovered on an X-ray in 1999 after a car wreck. He is 66 years old. He has not had surgery or treatment for it. If this is true, how is it that it hasn’t disected. I had a cousin half his age (32 years old) who died immediately from an anuerysm. My friend also had gotten “messages from God” in the past that he was going to pass away in a certain month, which didn’t happen. He says his being here after that are “extensions from God”. He also that told me the Lord was going to take me home to Heaven by age 47 (now I’m 49).

I am going to a church he considers to be legalistic and has been trying to get me out of it for years. If his sicknesses are genuine, is God keeping him around because of this? He used to call me on the telephone every night and we talked for about three to four hours (not always about my church) and I was getting very annoyed (see Proverbs 25:17).

He also has had for many years:

Congestive heart failure
Severe asthma
Cellulitis of the legs
Sleep apnea
Obesity (well over 300 pounds)
Verigo
Tumor in lung found recently

Given all these conditions at once, how has he survived for so long unless it’s for the reason I stated? Since 2002 he had kept telling me his time was “short” until two years ago. He has stopped telling me that because he knows I won’t believe him. Am I wrong in being skeptical about his sicknesses and thinking he is a hypochondriac, or that it’s my church attendance as the reason God is keeping him here?
ADD: How could he survive so long with obesisty plus all the others combined?

Best answer:

Answer by Phurface
Bub there is no right or wrong church. And it is not God that is keeping your friend alive or sick to punish you or him.

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Question by Barney Blake: Best Friend Denies Heart Problem…?
My best friend (age 52) had a heart attack 2 years ago. After that time, he quit smoking, but refused to follow any of the other medical advice given to him.
In the past year, he has gained about 100 lbs, he has pitting edema in his arms and legs, abdominal distention, shortness of breath, crackles and wheezes when laying down, suffers from long periods of sleep apnea, has clubbing of his fingernails, pale skin, he sweats profusely after little exertion, he can only walk 100 feet before having to take a rest, and his resting pulse averages about 100 beats per minute. He is on blood pressure medicine, though his pressure is all over the place even with the meds.
Due to his prior heart attack, he has a stress test every year, and he just had one in July which said everything was okay.
But, being a nursing student, I see the signs of impending doom, I don’t know why the stress test would be inaccurate, but why would a doctor dismiss all the signs and symptoms because one test was okay? I have insisted to my friend to go for a second opinion, but he trusts his doctor and flat out refuses to believe that anything is wrong.
So, am I correct that this is right sided heart failure? How long can these symptoms go on before he has major damage? What exactly will happen if he doesn’t get treatment (besides the obvious answer of death)?

Best answer:

Answer by duparq
It sounds too as if he might be diabetic as he seems to have, at least, prediabetic health signs. Needless to say that your friend is foolish but as we all are our own executioners then allow him to follow his own chosen path to the gallows. He probably appreciates your friendship but not your advice; to him you are only the ‘carpenter’s son’!

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Question by Frank: Am I going to the “wrong” church a hypochondriac, or does my friend sound like a hypochondriac?
A close friend of mine claims an aneurysm was discovered on an X-ray in 1999 after a car wreck. He is 67 years old. He has not had surgery or treatment for it. If this is true, how is it that it hasn’t disected. I had a cousin half his age (32 years old) who died immediately from an anuerysm. My friend also had gotten “messages from God” in the past that he was going to pass away in a certain month, which didn’t happen. He says his being here after that are “extensions from God”.

I am going to a church he considers to be legalistic and has been trying to get me out of it for years. If his sicknesses are genuine, is God keeping him around because of this? He used to call me on the telephone every night and we talked for about three to four hours (not always about my church) and I was getting very annoyed (see Proverbs 25:17).

He also has had for many years:

Congestive heart failure
Severe asthma
Cellulitis of the legs
Sleep apnea
Obesity (well over 300 pounds)
Blocked esophagus
Vertigo
Infections in his legs

Given all these conditions at once, how has he survived for so long unless it’s for the reason I stated? Since 2002 he had kept telling me his time was “short” until two years ago. If he had even half the health problems he claims, he would have been dead years ago. He has stopped telling me that because he knows I won’t believe him. Am I wrong in being skeptical about his sicknesses and thinking he is a hypochondriac, or that it’s my going to the “wrong” church?
ADD: I accidently typed “hypochondriac” twice.

Best answer:

Answer by Bob
yes

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Question by Barney Blake: My best friend has severe sleep apnea, and…?
I’m a nurse, so I’m well aware what sleep apnea is, what causes it, and what the treatments are.
My problem is that my best friend (age 53) has SEVERE sleep apnea, he goes for 30-45 seconds without breathing (while asleep). Its affecting his mood, his lack of feeling rested during the day, his extremities turn pale and/or gray while he sleeps, and one of these days I’m afraid I’m going to find him dead in his apartment.
He has seen a doctor, he’s had multiple sleep studies done, he even owns a C-Pap machine (which he refuses to use).
He had a heart attack 3 years ago, and had cardiac cath with 3 stents placed, and I’m certain that the sleep apnea is doing much additional damage to his already damaged heart.
I’ve BEGGED him to see a doctor, he claims that “all the bloodwork comes back normal”, and his yearly stress test results are always “within normal limits”. Still, I worry for his life, he is my BEST FRIEND, and I don’t know what else to do. I’ve slept over many times, watching him sleep, and when his breathing stops, I often wonder if it’ll start again, I count the seconds, and breathe a sigh of relief when he gasps for another breath.
He’s almost 100 lbs overweight, a former smoker, and bipolar.

Best answer:

Answer by Alexandrea
Your best bet, might be trying to find out why he doesnt use his C-PAP machine. perhaps its discomfort, or the general feeling. See if there are other types of machines, or different models he may be able to use. Ask about different positions that might help. That is a long time for him to go without sleeping. I used to stop breathing at night in my sleep, and wake up tingling. I also realized that it only happened when I felt completely worn out. It may help for him to get a few good nights of sleep, and perhaps when he gets worn out enough, hey may warm up to the use of the CPAP.

Unfortunately, you must know better than many people, that if they refuse to abide by your medical advice, then there is nothing left you can really do, other than continuously urge them into better choices. Perhaps helping your friend lose weight might be a good start to help treat the apnea.

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Question by Jennifer: My friend is 70 has one lung, diabetic his oxygen level is 88 what should he do?
His doctor is wanting to do the sleep apnea surgery (which he had 15 years ago), I’m concerned he doesn’t need this surgery

Best answer:

Answer by sandy7970
oxygen saturation of 88% isn’t good. not sure exactly what kind of surgery you’re referring to, but he clearly needs some kind of help in order to breathe better. does he use oxygen at home? hope so.

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