Sleep Study?

[birdman]

   My doctor was worried that I might have sleep apnea when I told her that I felt dull and logy upon awakening in the morning. The sleep study proved that this was not caused by any sleep problem, but was the result of natural stupidity. Thank God! What a relief! I should have realized it was something much more common and prevalent than the easily preventable sleep apnea. She said that as yet there was no cure for stupidity, but they were working on it. Probably just need more grant money.     Gene

[tracker]

Money is not a cure for stupidity but comes close if one can be a bit reticent.

[Richard S]

It also beats a colonoscopy but that isn't nearly as bad as imagined either for the peace of mind it offers.

Amen to that! Every man over 50 needs to check his pride at the door and undergo the examination. The momentary inconvenience and loss of dignity is nothing compared to what will be experienced from a slow death from colon cancer. I've watched a friend go from body builder, to frail invalid, to the grave -- all within a year. And the tragedy of it all is that he would be here today if that damned polyp had been discovered while it was still benign.

[tracker]

Thanks for sharing the sad sequence with us, Richard. I hope that this account will cause just one person to visit his Dr. who wouldn't have otherwise. This procedure is truly an ounce of prevention and stories like this are all too common.  

[DanR9SF]

I was diagnosed with sleep apnea back in 2000 and had the operation.  Now I can't snore nor even make that sound you make when you're simulating a "pig" as in someone overeating.  When you make that sound you're flapping the flesh in the back of your throat, the same flesh that flaps when you snore.

My sleep apnea was bad.  I would awaken yet feel groggy and weak for half an hour or so.  My girlfriend was a nurse and told me I stopped breathing for around 20 seconds, then I'd gasp for air, roll over, and repeat about 4 or 5 minutes later - all night.

Before then, my (ex) wife would wake me up and be visibly upset because I was snoring.  Of course I had been asleep, so the first thing I would say to her is, "are you sure I was snoring"?  This would set her off like you wouldn't believe!  The look on her face...  Anyway we got divorced and I think it was because of her inability to sleep in the same house with someone (me) who snored loudly (me).  

The operation was a complete success and the only negative side effect is, I can no longer make fun of people overeating.

Moral of the story: see the doctor once a year.  It can save your life.  I had the colonoscopy at age 50 and it was so simple, I didn't feel a thing.  They give you a drug that causes temporary amnesia so I may have felt everything but I sure don't remember.  I woke up and that was it.  I never even felt them touch me.  All the stress I went through worrying about the procedure - all for nothing.  If you haven't had the examination and you're 50 or over - get it done.  

[yankee2500]

 I had the colonoscopy at 51 and need to call the VA and make an appointment to have another, it's been ten years.
The worst part was drinking the gallon of fluid

John

[DanR9SF]

I meant to add something about that.  I didn't have to drink anything (except water).  The Doc gave me some tablets to take every 4 hours for 36 hours prior to the procedure.  "Drink a lot of water".  I did.  Cleaned me out.  It was not bad at all.  I think they've made a lot of progress and the procedure is much easier than it used to be.  

[kjtrains]

Less than 2 months, still had to drink the liquid the day before.  Not bad tasting, but the quantity.  Uhhh!

I have heard within the next year or so they will have a blood test that will eliminate the colonoscopy.  Was on the ABC News.

[tracker]

The blood test, if it happens, will not eliminate the polyps but would certainly be a step in the right direction.

[kjtrains]

Here is something that explains it better!

http://www.king5.com/health/cancer-free-washington/60789247.html

[tracker]

Hopefully, by the time that comes about maybe there will be more effective ways of avoiding cancer entirely such as the work in monoclonal antibodies, for example. Or, as a friend of mine said 30 years ago when he lost his young wife to breast cancer: "I pray for the day that cancer becomes obsolete."

[kjtrains]

Now that will be great!

[yankee2500]

Unfortunately the VA doesn't institute the new technology until it's old.
They don't even offer the same prescriptions at all VAs.
  When I moved to NC one of my scrips from the VA in Buffalo could not be filled at the VA here in Salisbury, they did not have that drug on the list of ones they could prescribe.
  The doctors at the VAs are not state licensed and prescriptions
they write are only good at the VA pharmacy.
  I had a aortic valve replacement done at the Buffalo VA, top notch care provided for the ten years I went there, the Salisbury VA, were I go now is a little scary.

John

[Brenden]

Well I sure am glad I had my colonoscopy a couple of months ago,cause this sleep clinic had a "combo" of sleep test/rear router test,and I was glad I didn't have to go thru that again!!

Truth be told,I did have a colonoscopy a while ago,and I was clean and clear-don't want to do the clean out again..

My sleep test was alright I guess.
They did come in about 2 hrs of sleep,and attached a Bi-Pap machine on me due to low O2..

Felt like a fighter pilot with the mask on!!
They were in 2-3 more times to adjust this or that,good peoples but hardly a "good" nites sleep was had..

They did say that normally there is a follow up test,depending on the results of the first one,so I await that from the ordering Dr.!!

BTW,there was not a blond nurse/technician to be found.

But there was a very nice brunette beauty!!

Being that everything is filmed,we shall leave it at that!!

[kjtrains]

Brenden.  Glad you got through it fine.  Now, hope the results are good.