Sleep Apnea? My dad has it but won’t go to the doctor.?
My dad is very stubborn. I am so sure he has sleep apnea because I looked up the symptoms and he pretty much matches all of them. Loud snoring, long pauses in his breathing (20-30 seconds), extreme sleepiness throughout the day, irritability, fatigue, mood changes, and headaches. Sleep apnea can cause serious problems in one’s life and I am so scared for my father. When ever we go out to a hotel on vacation and have to sleep in the same room, I can hear the pauses in his breathing and it freaks me out because I am afraid he is going to die or something. I asked him why he doesn’t go to the doctor so he can get treatment, but he insisted that everything was okay. My dad hates admitting he is wrong. How can I convince him that he needs to see a doc asap so he won’t have to continue having these problems? Its really taking a toll on me also (the irritability and mood changes). Thanks for taking the time to read this. :]
Tagged with: asap • dad • extreme sleepiness • fatigue • freaks • headaches • irritability • mood changes • sleep • taking the time
Filed under: Sleep Apnea Symptoms
Men are (stereotypically) notorious for not attending to their personal health and going to see doctors. Congratulations on being concerned about your father.
Depending on the circumstances (of which we are unaware since we don’t know you)… my feeling would be to contact his friends or family (people he trusts) and get their help to sit him down or do an "intervention."
Print out articles on sleep apnea and leave them for him to read. Circle symptoms that you think apply to him.
Give him a list of doctors and their phone numbers to make it easy for him.
Make sure to tell him that you are not diagnosing him, but that you are just CONCERNED. Tell him the negative effects this is having on you and ask him what HE would do if the situation was reversed.
Good luck sweetie, you sound like a very concerned and smart daughter!
If he’s overweight he may need a general physical. I reccomend a physical at least every 2-3 years to check cholesterol and other stuff. He should just get an overall checkup.
get him some literature on sleep apnea, and hope that you are aboe to get him to go to the doctor. I had a friend with sleep apnea, and he got a c pap machine to help him get oxygen when he is sleeping and he said it was the best thing that ever happened to him, he felt so much better, people with sleep apnea wake up hundreds of times a night, and feel like crap all day from not sleeping. keep bugging
Getting someone to go to the doctor who doesn’t want to go is one of the hardest things in the world to do. Nagging doesn’t usually work. You may want to look in your area for some free seminars on the subject and ask your dad to go with you, however don’t tell him where you’re going. I was diagnosed with sleep apnea last December. Getting treatment for it was one of the best decisions that I’ve ever made. Try making a video or audio tape of your dad as he is sleeping so that he can see why you are so concerned. Best of luck to the both of you!