My dad's in PAIN and his DOCTOR is crappy! What can I DO?

Question

I'm 16. My dad's overweight. But it runs with everyone in my family, this sleepless thing. I don't know what it's called. It's where you literally stop breathing like once every minute when you sleep and even my relatives who are thin and in shape in all other areas have this! When my dad goes to sleep, I feel like I'm about to have a panic attack! But my dad's working on contract and they renew it every 3 to 5 months, so he doesn't get full time benefits. They're using him! He's working as an Accountant 3 [Highest accounting position] and they're being cheapskates by not hiring him with full benefits! Anyway, so we spend an enormous amount on insurance and my dad puts my insurance before his. Also, most men on my dad's side have back problems, even the ones that aren't fat! And my dad's doc. keeps telling him it's because he's overweight! My dad has had this and he hasn't always been overweight and now, he can't stand up in one place for more than 20 or 30 minutes. UGH!

Answer 1

Ok well when you stop breathing at night it's called sleep apnea, it's pretty dangerous, and doesn't only affect those who are overweight. He should be referred to a sleep medicine specialist. Basically they'll bring him in, let him sleep, and monitor how many times he stops breathing, and for how long, over the period of time he's sleeping. Then they'll probably help him treat it. Definately talk to his doctor, or a new doctor if you have to about this and get him into a sleep medicine facility, they'll help you as best as they can. Good Luck!

Answer 2

since you as a young person are aware of all of his problems that's not a good thing. you should be having fun at your age and not worrying about anything. it's sad his problems have burdened you. Your dad should lose weight, it's up to him to lose weight (not you), he can do that with diets or a change of the way he eats or he can do it with a simple pill. Apparently he doesn't want to lose weight or help out his back problem and so it continues, but as he ages it gets worse. He could solve it or solve it to a point of at least alleviating some pain but he "chooses" not to for some reason. Maybe he gets attention he craves by keeping this problem and mindset or after many years it's become his friend.

The sleepless thing is either called stress or "sleep apnea". Many many people have that. It's not a big deal and should not at all bother you so I don't know why it has. If he can't sleep at night his body will eventually wake him automatically to turn on his side an breathe again. There are however studies of people that have sleep apnea, and, if he wants to make a big case of it he can get into the study and they will give him apparatuses so that he will turn over in his sleep and start breathing again. Of course, he could also do that on his own.

Most doctors know what the problem is when people go to them and most situations are diagnosed. But when people themselves don't want to solve the situation there's nothing more the doctor can do for them. Why waste good money on doctors when a person can solve the problem themself.

Answer 3

Sleep apnea is a disorder where you stop breathing when sleeping. Doctors recommend that you take some weight off if you are overweight because it can help it sometimes. However, it's not necessarily going to remove it completely. He definately needs a sleep study done. It's pretty painless and doesn't take long to get results. For his back, he may need to get an MRI or at least an X-ray done. He might have a slipped or herniated disc which can cause bad pain and more difficulty breathing at times.

Answer 4

The stop breathing "thing" is called obstructive sleep apnea. It is hereditary. He needs to have a sleep study done-overnight in a sleep study hospital wing, etc-and get a CPAP-it's a machine that has a mask you wear over your nose, forcing (gently) you to close your mouth, therefore no snoring, and breath thru your nose. It blows air all the time, non stop, it is CPAP-Continuous Positive Air Pressure--each person needs the sleep study (for one night) to be watched b a respiratory therapist, and have the CPAP air pressure adjusted, to your dad's need of pressure-mine is 9+, others have it at 14, others lower.
Your dad would be watched and listened to with a small mike, and small camera located in the room he would be sleeping in. All professionally done.
Your dad NEEDS to get this done-it will help him with any blood pressure problems (like high bp), etc. He will feel more rested within a few weeks of the CPAP, and therefore have more energy during the day.
As for his back, that needs to be more thoroughly examined, as to the cause.
Please, speak with your dad about your concerns, and this information. Also, see if he would be willing to change dr.'s. To one who is more caring, compassionate, and definitely more thorough than the dr. he has now.
I wish you all the best. Take care.

Answer 5

Sleep apnea was the word you were looking for, and yes it does make you overweight, but it's a bit of a "chicken or the egg" scenario. Being overweight and stressed out can cause sleep apnea and vice versa. His best bet is to see a nutritionist and a personal trainer to get his weight down before trying an expensive c-pap machine or surgery. Genetics have very little to do with being overweight, usually a person is not taking care of themselves.

Answer 6

Sleep apnea is when you stop breathing during sleep he needs to see a doctor that works in that field a specialist.I have known men like that and they had to do many things cause they found it hard to wake up they got little sleep because of it.I know a guy who got surgery for his sleep apnea and he said it helped him and he did start losing weight.Go to a sleep clinic I am not sure what the name is but they hook you up to machines and try to figure out what is going on and they also have machines for people who suffer with that here is a sight for you to check out http://www.stanford.edu/~dement/apnea.html

Answer 7

You're no longer a loser simply on account that you needed to take a semester off for wellness causes. You're a winner for nonetheless making an attempt. And no, it isn't too overdue to obtain what you wish to obtain. Good good fortune =)

Answer 8

IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN I THINK THAT SLEEPING THING YOUR DAD HAS IS SLEEP APNEA AND BOTHE OVERWEIGHT AND THIN PEOPLE HAVE THAT. IN MY OPINION, I THINK YOU DAD SHOULD GO SOME WHERE ELSE FOR WORK WHERE THEY'LL HIRE HIM FOR FULL-TIME SO HE CAN GET FULL BENEFITS. HAVING BENEFITS WILL ALLOW HIM AND HIS FAMILY TO GET INSURANCE. THEN HE SHOULD CHANGE HIS CRAPPY DOCTOR AND GO WITH ONE THAT WILL HELP HIM GET TO THE ROOT OF HIS PAIN AND SOLVE IT. YOU DAD SHOULD ALSO TRY AND HELP HIMSELF OUT A BIT BY TRYING TO EAT HEALTHIER AND EXERCISE SO HE CAN LOSE SOME WEIGHT. IT'S GOOD TO KNOW YOU REALLY CARE ABOUT YOUR DAD. MAYBE YOU CAN WORK SOMETHING OUT WITH HIM WHERE BOTH OF YOU CANDOEXTRA CARICULAR ACTIVITIES TO STAY FIT AND LOSE A FEW POUNDS. YOU GUYS CAN MOTIVATE EACH OTHER. GOOD LUCK.

Answer 9

Oh wow. That is really sad. I don't know how long that has been happening, but my mom got this really bad sickness and after like 3 doctor vistits we had to take her to the hospital and get treatment. I don't know if that can help him or not, but I hope he gets a full recovery. That is really sad.

Hope it gets better.
♥ Debra ♥

Answer 10

If he had this back problem before he was overweight, ask for an X ray of the column...