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So far haven't seen anything to back up the OP's contention that any of these MDs are "pretending" to be anything they're not. Systems in the human body are interconnected. Problems with one part don't often happen in isolation. If more than one specialty started suggesting the same possibility I'd probably listen and pursue it.
I am considering the contraption for the tongue blocking the roof of my mouth. Maybe that stuffs up my sinuses for all I know. I was so shocked that an eye Doctor said that and an Endocrinologist said it too. I will never be able to sleep with air blowing in my nose.
I fell asleep around 5:30 today when the sun heated up my living room. I woke up around 6:30 with a slight headache. I drank plain water that gave me energy but now I can't sleep and it's almost 1am.
Me, either. I went to a dentist, who specializes in diagnosing and custom-making dental inserts for the apnea issue. First, he takes x-rays of the nasal and throat passages, to see if the patient is a good candidate for the device. He was incredibly well-informed about sleep issues, more so than the so-called "sleep experts" or "sleep doctors" who run the sleep studies. He said, that estrogen loss after a certain age causes apnea in women. Replace the estrogen (via HRT) and it goes away or improves.
I don't know if that's relevant to your situation, but I just thought I'd mention it. If you're a good candidate for it, HRT seems to be to be a much simpler solution than buying or renting a machine and carting it around with you when you travel.
Thank you I never heard of such a thing as HRT or dental inserts for sleep apnea. My dentist never said anything about my teeth showing signs of grinding when she crowned them. She also never suspected I had any sign of sleep apnea. The eye Doctor did mention people who are over weight and large in the front have problems stopping breathing when the sleep and don't know it. Well that was a big jump from overweight to oh you have sleep apnea. I would expect that from my Primary Care Physician not an eye Doctor.
I'm going to check with my family and see if they have it too especially the diabetic one's.
My Pulmonologist MD says the dental inserts are not actually for clinical sleep apnea. She says those inserts are generally (not always) for very obese people. Generally, sleep apnea does effect obese people more than non-obese people, but plenty of normal weight people get sleep apnea that never in a million years would be helped by a dental plate. If you think you may have sleep apnea DO NOT go to a dentist about it. Go to a real MD first. Just to clarify--
I'm not quite obese but if I don't get myself under control I will be. I was going to talk to my Dentist about that so ok then after I find a way to get over this fear and shock of maybe, might have sleep apnea I will call my Primary Care Physician and ask about it. I hope I don't have that
Oh I wasn't I just mentioned to my Endocrinologist about my headaches and that sound when my sinus are stuffed up. She then thought it was sleep apnea. The two Doctors who assumed I have, not wondered, were quick to offer a prescription to get one. When I said no they told me to at least go for the test. Oh then it's go for the test. the ENT Doctor gave me a lame excuse that I have headaches when I wake up from my teeth. Yes I know another poster here said that's their job look over other medical possibilities but to assume I don't already have a Dentist that would tell I grind my crowns wouldn't tell me this makes me think he has no business even checking my teeth. Since when to do teeth cause headaches when I clearly said my sinuses are stuffed up when I lay down. I sit up and both headache and stuffy nose go away.
He just didn't want to give a Rx for nasal spray but never explained why other than he assumed it was my teeth. This was after an article on the internet said most people are not seeing their Dentist as much as they should. It is suspicious to me.
A doctor tried to put two nasal sprays through my insurance (Medicare Advantage) but they weren't covered, the reason might be they are available over the counter now, so maybe that happened to you, your doctor couldn't get insurance approval. Years ago I had a doctor tell me I should do a sleep study because people with small throats could have sleep apnea, I didn't go, but that doctor put in my medical records I had it and it caused a problem when I went to the dentist for a tooth extraction. I wanted to be put to sleep, but the dentist was afraid to because my medical record said sleep apnea but I was never diagnosed with it! The dentist kept asking me if I had it and I was very angry about it, so I went with nitrous oxide instead. I think doctors put conditions on your medical record you don't have to cover themselves with insurance, I had one doctor put in my record I was diabetic (he gave me non-fasting testing, not accurate) and I had a fit and told him to remove it, another doctor gave me nitroglycerine when I complained of chest pain (I was young) to imply I had a heart condition so the testing he did was covered, but all the heart tests came back negative, it was muscle strain from exercise. I told the doctor I didn't fill the script for nitro and to take it off my record. I avoid going to doctors as much as I can.
well - I'm surprised more folks haven't chimed in with this - but my family physician absolutely said I was grinding my teeth, and that's causing - wait for it - a backache. And he was 100% right. I get my teeth examined 3x a year (not 2x). So while your dentist MIGHT have noticed - he would not have cared or looked unless you said your head always hurts. And if your doctor has seen this 1000x - maybe they'll offer it as a suggestion. It is likely not the first day on the job for the dr.
As others have pointed out - all dr.s have knowledge in all the fields - they specialize later on. It means your ENT could deliver a baby, yes he could. Your suggestion that they are "pretending" is a bit of an insult. How do you think your family doctor figures out what to do with you in the first place?
When you say "eye doctor" - was it optometrist - or an ophthalmologist? One of them is totally qualified to suggest you have apnea. But either way - if you don't like that idea - then go get the test. I know many folks with a cpap that are not women, not obese and not commenting on breast size. Some relationship to weight, sure, but not always (cpaps i mean...).
You're focused alot on this vent thing - lots of folks, MOST folks, have just one. Sleep with the door open for a few nights, see if that helps.
back to grinding - what was happening was - my grinding left me uncomfortable after falling asleep...and in an effort to comfort my jaw...I would turn my neck. Jaw good...neck bad. Weeks go by - back hurts. Because during the day, in an effort to comfort my sore neck...I favored one shoulder. And so on.
trust the doctors - stop being so suspicious! if it turns out you don't need a cpap - GREAT!
I think your doctors ae doing you service by pointing out that you may have sleep apnea .
You seen upset about the diagnosis that they are fully trained to suggest by a good clinical exam and history.
Seeing a specialist for a consult and possibly testing is the next best step.
And thank the ENT/Opthal and endo when you see them next.
The Endocrinologist and Eye Doctor said I have sleep apnea. When I said no I don't they said go for the test and see if I do have it or not. The ENT Doctor I will not see again. I am so against wearing that thing and I keep thinking how do I know I wake up from not breathing during the night when it's their contraption that I have no clue how to be sure it's not going to just say I stop breathing when I don't. Maybe having asthma is what makes them assume I have sleep apnea or the napping when home in the afternoon when the hot sun comes into my small unit. I couldn't sleep last night from napping at 5pm to 6:30pm I drank a bottle of water and that was the worse thing to do. Water gives me energy so from now on I will drink water at lunch time 12 noon to keep me awake. I should go for a walk to keep up I hate to with my sore ankles and toes but I have to try. I finally had to take an over the counter sleeping pill and finally fell asleep around 3pm. Woke up around 10 am. Now my sleep routine is way off.
well - I'm surprised more folks haven't chimed in with this - but my family physician absolutely said I was grinding my teeth, and that's causing - wait for it - a backache. And he was 100% right. I get my teeth examined 3x a year (not 2x). So while your dentist MIGHT have noticed - he would not have cared or looked unless you said your head always hurts. And if your doctor has seen this 1000x - maybe they'll offer it as a suggestion. It is likely not the first day on the job for the dr.
As others have pointed out - all dr.s have knowledge in all the fields - they specialize later on. It means your ENT could deliver a baby, yes he could. Your suggestion that they are "pretending" is a bit of an insult. How do you think your family doctor figures out what to do with you in the first place?
When you say "eye doctor" - was it optometrist - or an ophthalmologist? One of them is totally qualified to suggest you have apnea. But either way - if you don't like that idea - then go get the test. I know many folks with a cpap that are not women, not obese and not commenting on breast size. Some relationship to weight, sure, but not always (cpaps i mean...).
You're focused alot on this vent thing - lots of folks, MOST folks, have just one. Sleep with the door open for a few nights, see if that helps.
back to grinding - what was happening was - my grinding left me uncomfortable after falling asleep...and in an effort to comfort my jaw...I would turn my neck. Jaw good...neck bad. Weeks go by - back hurts. Because during the day, in an effort to comfort my sore neck...I favored one shoulder. And so on.
trust the doctors - stop being so suspicious! if it turns out you don't need a cpap - GREAT!
I did notice now that I was tensing up my jaw while washing dishes. I caught myself and realized what the heck am I doing? do I do this often and just notice? My mouth and jaw was so tightly closed I was surprised I didn't notice that before. My sinuses feel clogged on one side but I can breathe fine it's inside the Eustacia area. I was all clenched up no idea why. I never thought about how the body does do that funny thing is I had recently told this to a friend of mine who I could swear was putting a treatment she needed. I told her if she doesn't do it the awkward way she walks with a device one her body will hurt another part of her body. Like when wearing something on the foot until that problem goes away. It will cause other problems just like you explained to me with my sleeping and sinuses, possible grinding while sleeping, I wake up with a backache in areas I never had before but I blame that on the sofa so I figure time for another sofa. I don't know which Doctor to go to the Primary Care Physician or the Pulmonary Doctor
Sleep apnea should be considered when a pt complains of poor sleep, day-time sleepiness, severe snoring or choking while sleeping....We all breathe in a progressively deeper pattern while sleeping, then stop for a short period before starting the cycle over again...When the breathing stops for more than 10 sec at a time or the O2 sat falls below 88, then the dx of sleep apnea is made. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6140019/
While it's more common in over-weight, older pts with a thick neck, those aren't really important for making the dx.
Our sleep patterns change as we age. We tend to have more shallow sleep cycles, often fully waking up in between each 1.5-3 hr cycles. We usually fall right back to sleep, but after 6 hrs of sleep, that may be hard to do. We get up and then need to catch up with a nap later on. ..
I would suggest that few people "wake up to go to the bathroom." It's not like you gotta jump outta bed and run before you wet yourself...You've woken up from one of the shallow sleep cycles and then you realize, "well, maybe I could go."
Before electric lights and shift work in factories, the normal sleep pattern was to sleep 4 hrs, wake up for 1-4 hrs, then go back to sleep until the sun came up...It's the "eight straight hours of sleep" of modern socieity that is not natural.
I read through that site you posted. A lot of it does not apply to me. I only wake up in the early hours to go to the bathroom. I can barely hold when I wake up so it's not like I wake up then decide of may as well go now. It's uauslly after 6 hours of sleep. My back hurts but my mattress is sunken in a little that's when I switch sides. I never wake up snoring, I always wake up in the same position I was in when I went to bed. I don't have a heart condition, no high blood pressure.
I saw those medical CPAP devices on youtube and it scares the hell out of me. Also I will never have room to put it anywhere since my home is a mess with no room to put anything anywhere other than the floor. I can't see myself cleaning a thing like that properly and it reminds me of my Mother who had to have oxygen to survive. It scares me half the death!!
I have dry eye, which I kid and say it should be called wet eye LOL, ok joking aside. I never said to any Doctor that I have trouble sleeping so it really throws me off as to why they make a snap judgement like that. Yes I am diabetic and have glaucoma thankfully that is all. The only thing that bothers me is the headaches when my sinuses clog up. But that doesn't automatically preclude that I need a CPAP. I never heard of papilledema. I just read in Google what it is briefly and it sure sounds like it might be what a relative of mine has. She was told it's a viral eye infection but her eyelid is severely swollen and her cheeks down to her jowls. It's is frightening so thank you for sharing this I will let her know to be checked for that. At least I don't have that problem no floppy eyelid syndrome of swollen optic nerve. I got this Doctor who is not my new eye Doctor because that's who they scheduled me with for a suspected eye infection. She said it was in face an eye infection and gave me an Rx of drops 3 times a day. I go back at the end of April.
Sleep apnea is a risk factor for developing glaucoma...
People with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS), a disorder characterized by repetitive episodes of paused and shallow breathing during sleep, are approximately ten times more likely to develop glaucoma.
The link between both healthy sleep and personal health is established, particularly when it comes to serious medical issues such as diabetes. In fact, studies report that obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is 71% more prevalent in patients with Type 2 diabetes. A common factor in both conditions is often obesity.
It doesn't sound like your eye doctor is jumping to conclusions, in my opinion.
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