Can You Die From Sleep Apnea

Frequently Asked Questions

1. QUESTION:
   how can you die from sleep apnea?
   just curious

   • ANSWER:
     Usually your body can only go for so long without breathing. That's why the person with sleep apnea starts breathing again because the hypoxemia wakes up the brain and heart.
     Most forms of sleep apnea aren't fatal. But there are some, usually anatomical abnormalities that can be if not treated by a doctor. It's always best to get a heavy snorer a sleep apnea test. Quick, easy and painless.

2. QUESTION:
   Can You Die From Sleep Apnea?
   Please Help!!!! I want to know!!

   • ANSWER:
     Depending on the grade of sleep apnea , yes a person can die. I have mild-moderate sleep apnea with a respiratory arousal index of 25. The RDI is a number, usually between 0 and 120, which represents the frequency, per hour of sleep, of "respiratory events" such as apneas (cessation of breathing for 10 seconds or longer) or hypopneas (decrease of breathing for the same duration).

     Mild, at least in my lab was 5-20 Moderate was 21-50 Severe was 50+

     It also depends on what type of apnea the person has. There is central apnea which occurs because of malfunction in the stimulus that tells your body to breath in the brain and then there is obstructive apnea which occurs because of some type of blockage, large tongue, fat neck etc.

     Central apnea can be treated with drugs, such as caffeine and obstructive apnea can be treated with things that remove the blockage, like CPAP machines, dental appliances or surgeries. I also had obstructive sleep apnea as a child. They removed my tonsils and adenoids and the apnea didn't come back for almost 20 years.

     If you are someone you love has been diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea, don't panick. It's not a death sentence. With proper treatment, sleep apnea can be managed. OSA can actually be cured in some people with weightloss and/ or surgery.

     Good luck!

     The diagnosis of apnea does not mean certain death but the failure of proper treatment can lead to death

3. QUESTION:
   can you die from sleep apnea?

   • ANSWER:
     yes. Your body is not getting the oxygen it needs to keep you alive when the apnea occurs. you stop breathing. this is due either to an obstruction in the airway or from the brain not signaling like it should. If you stay in the period of apnea too long you most certainly will die.

4. QUESTION:
   HELP! Can you die in your sleep from sleep apnea?
   My boyfriend said I snore and I have chronic sinusitis. I went to my ENT and he said I may have obstructive sleep apnea because my one nostril is blocked, I have large tonsil, a narrow soft palette, & I'm overweight. My sleep study is scheduled for next week. In the meantime I'm scared I may die in my sleep from apnea. I just had a physical and I'm in perfect health otherwise. I'm so scared.
   I'm 32 if that matters

   • ANSWER:
     I had sleep apnea for awhile last year and yes, it is scary. first of all, do NOT take sleep medicines and tylenol PM is the worst thing for people with apnea; it doesnt help brain patterns, it just knocks one out....

     Don't spaz out so much that you make your condition worse or develop anxiety.

     Sleep on your side, not your back; back sleeping seems to agitate it. I used to and still wake up gasping if I sleep on my back.

     I'm under the impression you are young, dieing in your sleep at your age is highly unlikely. What is more likely to occur is you will experience headaches, be very tired in the mornings and feel lethargic thru out the day.

5. QUESTION:
   has anyone died from sleep apnea before? I tried to wear the mask but can not.?
   just wanting to know info on true cases. things you know about it only. do not make up crap please. thanks

   • ANSWER:
     I've got sleep apnea and the cpap machine & mask . I've the mask that is basically elastic straps with just some nostril thingies. I've found it is a nuisance having to use distilled water in the reservoir & cleaning the hose after each use. ( It's the same mask as the one pictured in the website )
     At this website, scroll down a bit to " Treatments for obstructive sleep apnea may include:
     Therapies " There it discusses alternative treatments.

     http://www.sleep-aid-center.com/obstructive-sleep-apnea-osa/

     On the internet I read if sleep apnea is not treated, life expectancy is just another 7 years. People with wide necks and that are overweight are
     inclined to have sleep apnea. In some cases loosing weight may clear the person of sleep apnea.

6. QUESTION:
   Could Heath Ledger have died from Sleep Apnea? What do you think?
   I noticed with each article I have read that Heath Ledger's care taker noticed he was "Snoring" when she went by his room.

   I have to wonder if the sleep medication he was taking could have caused an episode such as sleep apnea and have ultimately caused his death?

   I know it may sound silly but Ambien can really knock you out and he may have mistakenly overdosed - which is easy to do with Ambien.
   I also have to wonder if they were prescribed to him directly?

   I still wonder if it can put someone into a state of sleep apnea too?

   What do you think?
   I am definitely not disagreeing with the idea of an overdose, but I use to have sleep apnea and once my medications stopped - the apnea stopped.

   Guess we will have to wait...
   He will be missed.

   • ANSWER:
     I think you're grasping at straws to avoid the truth - that he died of a drug overdose.

7. QUESTION:
   Can you die from having a seizure in your sleep? Not sleep apnea but just a seizure?
   I probably have been having them for years now but have never had any issues. Can you just stop breathing?

   • ANSWER:
     If you have a degenerative disorder (Like lennox-gausteau) that effects the physiology of the brain, then yes. But other than that, the only reason you would stop breathing would be if you were to throw up and aspirate during the seizure.

8. QUESTION:
   Do you have to treat Sleep Apnea? What happens if you don't?
   I was just diagnosed with Severe Sleep Apnea. My insurance only covers 80% of the cost of a CPAP machine after a 0 deductible. There is no way I can afford that right now. I see my Dr. next week to get the full study results & I will talk to him then but I want to know now, what happens if you leave sleep apnea untreated? How many people REALLY die from it? All the sleep tech told me was that my oxygen level dropped to 65% & I had no REM sleep, I slept 90% of 4 1/2 hrs...

   • ANSWER:
     Wow, those are really bad numbers from your sleep study, I definitely think you need CPAP. I know the machine is expensive, but it is an investment in your health. The problems associated with sleep apnea are many and varied, but the most serious would be cardiac. When you are apneic and your oxygen level drops to dangerous levels, your heart goes into panic mode because it is not being fed. The vessels constrict, your heart rate increases, stress hormones are released into the bloodstream, your brain is being deprived of oxygen as well, and in an effort to fix the situation it causes your sleeping body to "arouse". These arousals, or waking periods, fix the oxygen problem, but this vicious cycle continues all night. By having such a severe apnea problem and a high number of arousals during your sleep study, it prevents you from entering REM sleep, the period of sleep that is most important. As a result, you probably feel tired frequently, or fall asleep easily if not occupied (ie: while watching TV or sitting quietly).

     By not treating your sleep apnea, you are putting unnecessary stress on your heart. You have sleep-deprivation, which can lead to personality changes and depression, among other things.

9. QUESTION:
   My hubby saved my life, how can I help him save his from obesity and sleep apnea?
   Sometimes I kid around and say I'm all kinds of broken, but that was how I felt when he became my friend. I was in a verbally abusive relationship, although he never hit me, it probably would have hurt less if he had. Overweight, bi-polar disorder, PCoS, and more problems on top of that. I was ready for suicide, just to get life over with since I was that unhappy.

   My new friend helped me understand that although I had some problems, they weren't worth giving up on everything, including letting my family down. He became my best friend for the next three years, then he moved from Canada to the US to be with me. We ended getting married 3 weeks later.

   When I meet him he was an online friend. I didn't know everything about him as far as physical attributes, but I really didn't care. Before he flew down he told me he was a heavy set guy, and I was ok with that. He reminds me of a huge teddy bear now.

   My problem is this. When he moved here he was overweight, I don't know how many pounds he was, but he was wearing a 2x shirt... Since then we've been married for 1 year and 8 months (today actually, how funny.) and he has gained another 2 shirt sizes. My husband now weighs in at about 360 at 5'8". I had sleep problems so I did a sleep study, I thought "well heck, he has sleep problems too, we'll both go". They diagnosed him with Sleep Apnea, he stops breathing about 200 times an hour. I was terrified for his life, if he stops breathing that many times an hour, what is my promise that he will start breathing again? Well now to say the least he has a breathing machine that helps him at night. He hates it, but he wears it for me.

   We went and saw our General Practitioner. He said that with Sleep Apnea, if it's untreated the heart enlarges, and if it goes untreated he could have died within a matter of 3-5 years, if it he was lucky.

   My husband's problems with weight started when he started gaming online. Mom is a superb cook and made something like 6 course meals on a daily basis, as a stay at home mom. I think this is around when he hit 22ish. (He's 30 now) We still game online... for a couple of months after seeing the doctor we walked 2 miles every day, when it started raining heavily in the area for a few weeks we stopped. Then I tried getting gym memberships for us, we went for 3 weeks... then he would refuse to go.

   I've done everything. I've cried, I've voiced my opinion, commented about how his shirts occasionally show his tummy poking out, tried putting him on an expensive diet, showed him that I’m willing to support and work out too, and taken him to the gym or just randomly walking. For the life of me I can not get him to take more interest in his weight. I'm heartbroken that he isn't taking this matter more seriously. My parents and brother are concerned, what's the likeliness that he will survive the next ten years at this rate, what will happen to me when he’s gone. He’s literally the light of my life; he’s what keeps me stable.

   How do you push someone to understand what they are doing to themselves? I'm overweight by about 30-50lbs, but since we've gotten married I've a few pounds, and kept it off.

   It's hard doing things together, shopping for clothes, being intimate. He wonders why I pull back, and I've tried telling him why, but he doesn't understand, or doesn't want to. My last thought is to send him back home to his family, leave him and maybe he'll understand how much I need him to be healthy. But then I don't even know if he'll take action.

   I know my husband is lazy, I am too to an extent, but he takes extremely good care of me. He has a hard time finding a job because he’s an immigrant to the US, so now he’s attending college to get additional training in his career. He’s not doing nothing all day. He’s studying, going to school, doing labs, and yes some gaming too. There’s no harm in that I think… It’s how we spend time together and keep within a budget.

   Note: I don’t have insurance; I lost my full time job that had benefits. Since then I had to take the first job I could get, which is only part time. Before when we had the insurance he didn’t find the idea of weight loss pills acceptable, he thought they could cause permanent damage. Now that we don’t have insurance he’s thinking that MAYBE he’ll eventually take them. I don’t know if he’s saying it because he knows I can’t afford to get them for him, or if he was serious. My sister in law’s extended family has a doctor in it, he’s from Mexico. He offered to bring medication to my husband to help stimulate his metabolism. My husband said NO without a second thought. He said medications from Mexico weren’t safe. My brother argues that the same medical companies make drugs all across the world, but he just said no, and left it at that.

   Sorry. I know this is long, but thank you for taking the time to read it, and possibly help me.
   As a response to my first comment. My hubby sometimes says that I approach him at the wrong times, IE: He's had a bad day. Other times he says he knows he needs to try, but just doesn't. He's even mentioned that if he cooks diet foods that I don't always like them, and that's disappointing for him. I've offered to cook my own meals, so that way he won't feel as though he's being unappreciated, but then he comments that he feels useless since his daily tasks are less than mine.

   • ANSWER:
     It hurts to see someone who's helped you gradually kill themselves with constant suicide, especially whenever they don't see the issue, or at least have no real desire to rectify it. There's only so much you can do or say to him. I don't know if counseling is an option, I know it's expensive, with or without insurance. You've tried talking to him, sneaking in exercise... etc. You're a good woman for trying. I don't know if I missed it or not, but what's his reaction when you tell him flat-out how you feel about his condition? Is he concerned in response, indifferent, thinks you're overreacting, etc.? You'd think he'd at least humor you and give it a shot.

     Addendum: Sorry, took me a while to get back to this question. His responses are... I don't know. My mind goes to extreme measures as being a solution, but I've never been in your position verbatim, so I don't feel completely adequate in giving you advice. Whatever you so choose, I wish you and he luck in the end-result.

10. QUESTION:
    Do you believe or have you experienced a O B E from a medical condition as sleep apnea?
    I will be tested on this condition because I believe that I have this problem with sleep apnea. This may explain one reason why I have out of body experiences......If your not breathing good while asleep, this in return will cause your heart rate to slow down. When your heart rate slows to a certain point, your soul is then released and floats out of body. Your fast heart rate is what holds your spirit-soul in the body.

    This sleep apnea can be a serious condition, and I do remember jumping out of bed from a deep sleep because I was in need to catch my breath and breathe.

    I do believe in one of my out of body experiences I did die for seconds, or they on the other side thought I was dead.....This is what happen that night....I was sleeping alone in the home at the time, I all of a sudden was aware, I first heard many voices as if I were somewhere else. Perhaps like I said died, and the voices were those on the other side that came to guide me to the other side. I then floated halfway out of my body feet first as if someone grabbed my legs and pulled me out, perhaps they were thinking, "Why is he still in his body if he's dead". Then I remember turning around and I crawled back in my body, but I am now in my body the wrong way, then I felt my spirit spin around to righten itself. I actuall felt my spirit swipe the inside of my body when I spun. Then I woke up. All of my out of body experiences is when I am sleeping.

    So does this make sense to you, and for those who do have out of body experiences, do you know if you have a sleeping condition to where your breathing isn't very good? This makes a lot of sense to me, OBE, as I see this from another aspect.
    There is more ways to have an out of body experience, and I am sure this is one way or cause for it to happen. You don't need air when your out of body.....I had done it enough to know what an out of body is, just wondering if this medical problem is a cause for it to start.

    • ANSWER:
      I believe that it is entirely likely. My friend has cryptic visions in her dreams. Many circling around religious events and such. I am not sure if she has sleep apnea, but the circumstances seem very similar. I just studied sleep apnea in my college psychology class, and some of the symptoms could fit her. Either way, I hope the doctor can give you the answers you are looking for.

11. QUESTION:
    Can you die suddenly from liver failure?
    My step-dad was a drinker, he drank almost every night after he got off work. He recently died and my brother found him, he looked like he was sleeping. His arm was back behind his head and my brother said he looked like he was just sleeping. Today, my mom got a call from the medical examiner saying he died of liver failure. JUST last week he got a test done and it said his liver enzymes were mildly elevated. He was just getting ready to go back to work after having rotator cuff surgery. That night he took 3 pain pills and was drinking, he is a snorer and I think he might of had sleep apnea. It's just so frustrating not knowing if my step-dad suffered or not I wish I could find out so bad! So sorry for the rant, I have no where to turn to.

    • ANSWER:
      I'm so sorry about the loss of your step dad. To answer your question, yes, you can suddenly die from liver failure. It's called fulminant liver failure, and is probably from the acetominophen in the pain pills when mixed with alcohol. I agree with the previous answerer that he probably died in his sleep and did not suffer. That is good for him, but terribly hard on those he leaves behind. He probably had scarring on his liver from his heavy drinking, which made it more difficult for his liver to filter the toxins (acetominophen & alcohol). Again, I'm so sorry you have to go through this. I'll keep you in my thoughts.

12. QUESTION:
    Are sleep apnea and sleep paralsys the same thing?
    I thought I might have had sleep apnea but I think it might have been sleep paralsys if there not the same thing..
    So I feel asleep on my friends couch one night and I woke up in the middle of the night and I was awake but paralyzed, it was really scary and then my eyes eventually opened, I was suffocating and couldn't breathe.. I tried tapping my friend on the shoulder (she was sleeping on the couch next to me)
    to tell her that I couldn't breathe but I couldn't move, just my eyes were open and I could look around.. I couldn't breathe and I was gasping for breathe and thought I was going to die. after a couple of seconds I could move and breathe again.
    Before that I was pretty sure I was going to die and was really scared. I dont know if this has anything to do with this but i thought someone broke into her house for some reason..
    also; this only happened once but it was really scary..
    ha so my question is
    what is this?
    are sleep apnea and sleep paralsys the same thing?
    can you die from this?
    did this happen to anyone else?
    if so; why do people get this?
    and is there anyway i can find out what was wrong with me that night?
    and anything else that has to do with this situation.
    k thanks.. =]

    • ANSWER:
      They're not the same. Sleep Apnea is when yu stop breathing during periods while you sleep.
      Sleep Paralysis is when you wake up or just got sleep, you can`t move for a period of time.
      The apnea is quite dangerous but if you go to a doctor ad get treatment, is very unlikely that someone die from Sleep paralysis or sleep apnea.
      Go to a doctor and you will be fine.
      Good luck!

13. QUESTION:
    if u cannot breath right and u arnt relesing much carbon dioxide and u save it up in your body can you die ?
    and my granma has this prob and she has sleep apnea so could she die from this????

    • ANSWER:
      yes, this condition (called hypercapnia) can be life threatening if left untreated.

      usually when a patient's co2 (carbon dioxide) level in the blood gets too high, they go into respiratory arrest and stop breathing.

      does your grandma use a special machine at night when she sleeps? this machine is called a CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) machine. It delivers a stream of pressurized air through a tube into a mask and into your grandma's lungs to help keep them open so she can exchange her air better (release the correct amount of co2 when she sleeps).

      as long as she is on this machine, using it as her dr advices her too,and sees her dr regularly, your grandma should do ok-thousands of people have sleep apnea and are required to use this machine at night.

      don't worry too much hon. death from sleep apnea is rare when being treated properly

14. QUESTION:
    Getting surgery, but I have sleep apnea, and I'm afraid of dying on the operating table because of it?
    Ok, I'm going to have a wisdom tooth cut out of my head, and I have sleep apnea.
    Which means, every minute or so, my throat closes, and after a minute or so, my brain says "hey idiot, you're suffocating" and I gasp and get a breath of air.
    All this happens without me waking up. I have a CPAP machine, but I can't use that while someone's operating in my mouth.

    So if I'm put under anesthesia, won't that mean that my brain will be too out of it to wake me up? If this happens, my heart will stop, because I won't be breathing. Do they put a tube down my windpipe to keep it open?
    I'm serious, how does this work?
    Is this possibly the explanation for people who die during routine surgeries for no apparent reason?
    I'm very afraid here, and I keep hearing "oh, I'm sure it will be fine" from people, but nobody can tell me WHY it should be fine.
    ... No, I can't have CPAP on during oral surgery, because for CPAP to work, you can't have your mouth open.
    It's the pressure from the closed system that keeps your throat open. Having my mouth open, would be like deflating a balloon, which is how CPAP works.

    • ANSWER:
      You do not necessarily have to be sedated to have this surgery. You need to inform your dentist of the sleep apnea. I have had all four of my wisdom teeth removed. When the first was done I was fully awake the other three at once I had to be sedated. Just tell you dentist that you want to remain awake. I did a search on your concern here is a support forum you may want to read up on others previous concerns and ones who have answered their questions. I hope all will go well. www.apneasupport.org/about4683.html

15. QUESTION:
    I know I have sleep apnea, any recommendations for a CPAP?
    OK Here's the thing, I know these machines are supposed to be prescribed and adjusted by a specialist but I just can't afford the dam thing with my crap benefits from my job. When I sleep sometimes I role on my back and I wake up choking and can't breathe, I know you can't die from it but it sure as hell feels like your going to die and it scares the crap out of me everytime it happens. I have called my insurance and local sleep clinics asking for quotations, at minimum I will owe 4k, no way in hell I'm going to pay that. I plan to just buy one online and get a new facemask, all I want to know is what are the differences between brands, and are these differences really important to my condition?

    • ANSWER:

16. QUESTION:
    Would this be an effective way to combat Food Abuse?
    Using government's already available information, take the number of people in a household and calculate the recommended number of calories they should consume in a week.

    When food items are purchased, they will be recorded (like cold medicine purchases currently are).

    Once your weekly limit is reached, you can not purchase anymore food.

    The possession of more food than your family needs would be grounds for immediate arrest.

    Of course, items purchased at restaurants would count toward your weekly calorie allowance.

    Given that almost four times as many people die from Food Abuse as from Drug Abuse, it is obvious that something needs to be done to protect citizens from their poor choices.

    The health care costs of obese people is a burden we all share (just like when people have a wreck on a motorcycle and aren't wearing a helmet, or in a car and aren't wearing a seat belt).

    Also, obese people suffer from narcolepsy (sudden irresistable drowsiness) brought about by sleep apnea (an abnormality of sleep exclusive to the obese), which causes daytime sleepiness and the inevitable automobile accidents that sleeping while driving causes.

    Can you think of other ways to protect people from themselves?

    Please talk to your children about the dangers of Food Abuse.

    Obesity destroys lives.

    Obesity is a KILLER!
    Facade: We could use the same ID we use for tracking our cold medicine purchases: Our Driver's License. There would be no need for any more beauracracy. The same people who track cold-medicine purchases could monitor food purchases. The whole system is automated anyway.

    The technology and personnel are already available . . . and in place.
    Missy: you don't care if people harm themselves, and possibly, you, due to their destructive behaviors?
    Moomy of 5: If you'll re-read my post, you will see that I say obesity results in SLEEP APNEA. The sleep apnea then contributes to narcolepsy. Read more carefully. Thanks.
    Parent:

    http://www.sleepapnea.org/info/index.html

    "Risk factors include being male, overweight, and over the age of forty,"

    http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/narcolepsy/detail_narcolepsy.htm#139533201

    "Infections, exposure to toxins, dietary factors, stress, hormonal changes such as those occurring during puberty or menopause, and alterations in a person's sleep schedule are just a few of the many factors that may exert direct or indirect effects on the brain . . . "

    Yeah. I think YOU need to get it right, before YOU spout off. Ya know what I'm sayin'? I think ya do.

    • ANSWER:
      it just almost makes sense. However I think the major flaw in your presentation is "Protect people from themselves" The motorcycle analogy is a good try to. Given all the starving people in the world, I would rather put a limit on food waste. Maybe some censor in peoples trash cans. I have to say the logistics of your rationing would be incredibly hard to do. It would take an entirely new gov't department and ID cards for everyone. For the sake of argument it's debatable, but people of all political parties would object to the cose and invasion of privacy. It's almost Puritanical, what to do with all the other guilty pleasures e.g. alcohol, cigarettes, every recreational sport has risks and environmental consequences. Last of all is most obesity is a life choice, I think excessive TV destroys more brains cells than obesity. Many hold that opinion. I'm sitting here on Yahoo not excercising and being mostly silly. You can't dictate morals on this subject.

17. QUESTION:
    Would this be a good way to combat Food Abuse?
    Using government's already available information, take the number of people in a household and calculate the recommended number of calories they should consume in a week.

    When food items are purchased, they will be recorded (like cold medicine purchases currently are).

    Once your weekly limit is reached, you can not purchase anymore food.

    The possession of more food than your family needs would be grounds for immediate arrest.

    Of course, items purchased at restaurants would count toward your weekly calorie allowance.

    Given that almost four times as many people die from Food Abuse as from Drug Abuse, it is obvious that something needs to be done to protect citizens from their poor choices.

    The health care costs of obese people is a burden we all share (just like when people have a wreck on a motorcycle and aren't wearing a helmet, or in a car and aren't wearing a seat belt).

    Also, obese people suffer from narcolepsy (sudden irresistable drowsiness) brought about by sleep apnea (an abnormality of sleep exclusive to the obese), which causes daytime sleepiness and the inevitable automobile accidents that sleeping while driving causes.

    Can you think of other ways to protect people from themselves?

    Please talk to your children about the dangers of Food Abuse.

    Obesity destroys lives.

    Obesity is a KILLER!
    ocean scoop: You want people to have the choice to kill themselves? Are you one of those potheads who wants to legalize marijuana? Are you one of those people who talks about "individual responsibility", and thinks people shouldn't have to wear a motorcycle helmet?
    Republic: You sound like another pothead who wants to legalize marijuana. Without laws to protect them from themselves, people WILL harm themselves. You know this is true.

    • ANSWER:
      I'm not sure if this is sarcastic or if it is real.
      If you are serious, it is a terrible idea. People have every right to eat what they want and get fat. Let them become obese. It's their body, not ours.

18. QUESTION:
    Need your opinion! please answer (10 pts.)?
    Please let me know what you think of my essay for a scholarship I am applying for. I promise it is worth reading. Im not finished yet. Let me know what you think!

    Every day is a struggle to live a similar life that I once had. Thirteen months ago, on April 27, 2008, I received news that changed my life forever. My mother approached me and spoke the words that I least anticipated, “Samantha, daddy is dead.” Confusion with a sense of disbelief made me reiterate the scene. How did this happen? Why would god take my father? Will he ever come back? My father had departed overnight and there was nothing I could do to save him. Nobody knew what had caused his death. All we understood was dad did not have a pulse. Dad was not breathing. Dad was dead.

    Growing up, I had a magnificent and luminous childhood, one that most children would dream for. I had everything; wonderful parents who put their lives first to make their children safe and happy, compassionate family and friends, a lovely house in a good environment, and most importantly, everyone was hale and hearty. My parents did all they could to please my brother and me; however, they also enforced self-discipline to ensure a bright future. Both my mother and father emphasized the importance of school and maintaining health. While I played on a travel soccer team, I was consistently encouraged to maintain honor roll grades in one of the country’s most rigorous elementary schools. Though it was educationally tough, my parents stuck to their word and helped me get the work done. Whenever there was a problem, they would be there to fix it.

    As time passed, the superior life I once had started going downhill. On September 23, 2007, my great-grandmother, Stella Manaker, passed away. A few months later, my grandmother, Arlene “Ollie” Manaker, died from complications of dementia. Their deaths effected my life but not as significant as my father’s passing. The elderly are anticipated to die, not the young. When put side by side, a grandparent’s death is a radically different spectrum compared to a death of a young or middle aged person. For the elderly, there is time to prepare and accept death is near. Older people have lived life to the fullest and some consider, death can offer more than what life can. In my father’s situation, there was no time to prepare, neither say goodbye. He was not ready to leave, yet for some reason, God decided it was his time to go.

    About three weeks after my father’s death, the pathology department had finalized the cause of death. My father had suffered from a massive myocardial infarction as a result of atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis is the hardening of arteries, specifically due to atheromatous plaque, such as LDL cholesterol. Several underlying factors, such as cirrhosis of the liver, stress from work, sleep apnea, and family genetics, caused this condition. Simple changes to his daily habits or seeking a Vascular Surgeon could have saved my father’s life. Despite the effects that my father’s death brought upon my family, I have learned many new.......

    • ANSWER:
      Hi! I very much like your essay. I sincerely am sorry for your loss, and this essay is certainly from what I can tell going to be a wonderful tribute to your memories.

      This is a very well written and well structured essay. Only one small edit pops out at me- the "luminous" used to describe your childhood seems a bit overdone, perhaps just magnificent.

      Your first paragraph does a great job of showing, not telling. However, your paragraph about your childhood seems to tell (however aptly) and not show. Its very good, but maybe add some examples?

      Overall this is a very effecting and engaging read, and I'm sure it will be approved and loved by all who read it. Great job, and I admire that you are writing about something so very close to you.

      Please feel free to ignore any of my critiques, I am a lowly editor, and you, the mastermind of the essay =).

      Good luck!

19. QUESTION:
    What is this with the whole death with snoring?
    I am a 54 year old male with high blood pressure. I heard somewhere that you can die from snoring, I do snore very loudly and I am sure I have sleep apnea. Is this article true?
    I do also gasp during my sleep
    I read it on an article on the daily mail
    I personally think there is not enough evidence about this but I may be wrong...

    • ANSWER:
      You probably have Sleep Apnea. Get tested. If you are fairly heavy with a big belly that can TEST as sleep apnea. Lose all that weight. (as I am doing right now--I was 249 at the time I was tested) I have got it down to 210 now,,I'm hoping he will re-test me in Sept. )

20. QUESTION:
    Would this be a good method of combating Food Abuse?
    Using government's already available information, take the number of people in a household and calculate the recommended number of calories they should consume in a week.

    When food items are purchased, they will be recorded (like cold medicine purchases currently are).

    Once your weekly limit is reached, you can not purchase anymore food.

    The possession of more food than your family needs would be grounds for immediate arrest.

    Of course, items purchased at restaurants would count toward your weekly calorie allowance.

    Given that almost four times as many people die from Food Abuse as from Drug Abuse, it is obvious that something needs to be done to protect citizens from their poor choices.

    The health care costs of obese people is a burden we all share (just like when people have a wreck on a motorcycle and aren't wearing a helmet, or in a car and aren't wearing a seat belt).

    Also, obese people suffer from narcolepsy (sudden irresistable drowsiness) which can be brought about by sleep apnea (an abnormality of sleep almost exclusive to the obese), which causes daytime sleepiness and the inevitable automobile accidents that sleeping while driving causes.

    Can you think of other ways to protect people from themselves?

    Please talk to your children about the dangers of Food Abuse.

    Obesity destroys lives.

    Obesity is a KILLER!
    truthsee: I'm gathering lots of answers. Did you have one?

    • ANSWER:
      WHy did you just repost this question?....didnt get the answers you wanted earlier?

21. QUESTION:
    Would this be a good way to reduce Food Abuse?
    Using government's already available information, take the number of people in a household and calculate the recommended number of calories they should consume in a week.

    When food items are purchased, they will be recorded (like cold medicine purchases currently are).

    Once your weekly limit is reached, you can not purchase anymore food.

    The possession of more food than your family needs would be grounds for immediate arrest.

    Of course, items purchased at restaurants would count toward your weekly calorie allowance.

    Given that almost four times as many people die from Food Abuse as from Drug Abuse, it is obvious that something needs to be done to protect citizens from their poor choices.

    The health care costs of obese people is a burden we all share (just like when people have a wreck on a motorcycle and aren't wearing a helmet, or in a car and aren't wearing a seat belt).

    Also, obese people suffer from narcolepsy (sudden irresistable drowsiness) brought about by sleep apnea (an abnormality of sleep exclusive to the obese), which causes daytime sleepiness and the inevitable automobile accidents that sleeping while driving causes.

    Can you think of other ways to protect people from themselves?

    Please talk to your children about the dangers of Food Abuse.

    Obesity destroys lives.

    Obesity is a KILLER!
    Kara: WHY are illegal drugs, illegal? They weren't always illegal, were they? Wasn't there a time BEFORE they were illegal? Didn't they only BECOME illegal? WHY did they become illegal?

    • ANSWER:

22. QUESTION:
    Would this be an effective way to prevent Food Abuse?
    Using government's already available information, take the number of people in a household and calculate the recommended number of calories they should consume in a week.

    When food items are purchased, they will be recorded (like cold medicine purchases currently are).

    Once your weekly limit is reached, you can not purchase anymore food.

    The possession of more food than your family needs would be grounds for immediate arrest.

    Of course, items purchased at restaurants would count toward your weekly calorie allowance.

    Given that almost four times as many people die from Food Abuse as from Drug Abuse, it is obvious that something needs to be done to protect citizens from their poor choices.

    The health care costs of obese people is a burden we all share (just like when people have a wreck on a motorcycle and aren't wearing a helmet, or in a car and aren't wearing a seat belt).

    Also, obese people suffer from narcolepsy (sudden irresistable drowsiness) brought about by sleep apnea (an abnormality of sleep exclusive to the obese), which causes daytime sleepiness and the inevitable automobile accidents that sleeping while driving causes.

    Can you think of other ways to protect people from themselves?

    Please talk to your children about the dangers of Food Abuse.

    Obesity destroys lives.

    Obesity is a KILLER!
    Terrel: I wasn't aware that the USSR or WWII Germany had helmet laws or seat belt laws. Thanks for the info.

    • ANSWER:
      Good Lord! You would have fit right in the Third Reich or the USSR.

23. QUESTION:
    How do I tell my fiance he is fat?
    My fiance is one of those people who tends to gain weight easily. I get that, so do I. But it has really gotten out of control. He gains 30-50 lbs, then decides he is over weight and goes to one of those quack weight loss doctors. There they pump him full of god knows what and cut down his calorie intake to a sickening amount per meal (something like 180/200 calories per meal / 540/600 calories per day). Of course he loses the 30-50 lbs, and does it in about 3 weeks. Then he doens't maintain it, he thinks that since he lost all the weight he can eat ANYTHING he wants - including whole half gallons of ice cream and whole bags of potato chips in one sitting. Needless to say, about a month or two later he has gained ALL the weight back, sometimes a little more. He has done this diet/gain/diet thing about 4 times in the past year. He hasn't done it in about 3 months. Yet he has gained every pound plus 10 back from what he started at the last time. I'm starting to get a little upset over this. Not only is the constant up and down in weight VERY unhealthy, it has given him other medical problems as well. He now has sleep apnea due to him being 60+ lbs overweight. He just went to the doctor for his annual physical, at which point he told the doctor about his excessive snoring that keeps me awake all night. The doctor then tells him he has sleep apnea and tells him he has it because he is 60+ pounds overweight. My fiance comes home and tells me what the doctor said - the goes straight on saying that the doctor doesn't know what he is talking about - if he were the weight the doctor is saying he needs to be he would look sick. Blah blah blah. He is doing absolutely NOTHING to lose the weight and continues to eat triple servings at meal time and junk all the time. I am really starting to worry, as I have researched sleep apnea and you can die from it! On top of that, his excessive snoring at night has created problems in our relationship. I no longer sleep in bed with him at night because of his snoring, which has created a lot of tension in our relationship. I'm am at a loss of what to do. I just don't think he believes he is over weight, he called the doctor a "f-ing idiot" for telling him he needs to lose 60 lbs. What is his deal?? And how do I tell him he is fat so that he will lose the weight and get rid of the sleep apnea?

    BTW: I have tried everything to help him lose the weight. I have started cooking very healthy, only to find fast food wrappers in the bottom of the trash can. I have suggested he exercise with me everyday (I work out about an hour 5 days a week) or even to just take a short walk every night, and he refuses, and instead plays video games for hours. I have told him to get a second opinion, and he says it is a waste of time. I have asked that he get help for his snoring and sleep apnea, which he replies that he doesn't want to be hooked up to a stupid machine when he sleeps....I really love him and want what is best for him. I just don't know what to do. I don't want to leave him, that would be selfish and cruel. Any one have suggestions?? Thanks
    ADD: I have thought about telling him the wedding is on hold until he loses the weight, but I thought that might be mean.

    • ANSWER:
      Get him to do more exercise without knowing it. Do you still have sex? Get him to 'work out' for half an hour, and get him to go for walks not just for exercise but for fun. If he absolutely avoids exercise, you're gonna have to be cruel to be kind and tell him that you're asking him to lose the pounds, then when he reaches a milestone reward him with something.
      Incentives.

24. QUESTION:
    Brain tolerance for oxygen loss?
    I know I've asked something similar before, but that question wasn't answered to my satisfaction. I don't think I have sleep apnea, but I read that people can die from it by means of suffocation...so I'm still worried, and would like reassurance that, if my brain is cut off from oxygen while I'm asleep, I'll wake up before I die or suffer severe brain damage. Citations are appreciated, but please answer even if you don't have one.

    • ANSWER:
      I don't have a citation, sorry about that. But, I did have my chiropractor ask me once if I'd ever heard of anyone that died of sleep apnea (think he was making fun of me!) And you know what, I haven't. And, several years later, I still haven't. Your brain stem controls breathing, I think it does a pretty good job of keeping you from dying. I do use a c-pap for sleep apnea, but when I don't, I haven't died yet. The c-pap just makes me sleep better and I feel better.

25. QUESTION:
    Fiance with PTSD anxiety attacks has to have a mental evaluation?
    My fiance is 23 and been in the Army since he was 18, he has been deployed as a sniper three times then changed his profession to a mechanic because of the mental stress of being a sniper. He has suffered from sleep apnea and gone many sleepless days and nights, from when we first starting dating until now his sleeping has improved though. One thing that I have seen come in waves is his anxiety attacks which have recently got worse, he is embarrassed by them and he describes them as a "tightening in his chest, hard to breath, and a feeling he is going to die." He just reminds himself that he isn't but it is scary for me so I can not imagine what he is feeling. He just found out that he has to take a mental psychiatric exam, I know that it is upsetting him because if he doesn't pass he will be discharged. They let him know he needs to take one but have yet to give him a date. I don't bring it up with him and ask a million question because it is a hard thing so I am hoping maybe I can get some answers on here.

    Questions I have:
    -After being notified is there generally a time line on when the test will be issued?
    -What does the test entail?
    -If he is not to pass will he be honorably discharged? (He has nothing negative on his record)
    -Anything I can do to help him?
    -Anything else you may know on this subject.

    Thank you!

    • ANSWER:
      The only one I can answer is Yes, he';; be honorably discharged.
      All the other question depend.
      To help him? Just be there. Let him open up to you. Don't pry

26. QUESTION:
    Are you ready to die?
    Last week, a friend of mine from college past away while he was sleeping. it was Sleep apnea. it made me think, since death can strike you anytime, what if something happens, whether it might be an accident, or something in your body just stops, are you ready to go? are you ready to die?

    • ANSWER:
      No. There are too many unresolved questions, too many things I haven't learned or thought about, too many things I haven't experienced.

27. QUESTION:
    Do you think it's phnuemonia?
    Hi, i suffer from chrones diease and sleep apnea I've had phnuemonia twice now. Once in April 2010 after a operation ( I had a colostomy done) and nearly died from it. Then again in December 2010 after a hernia repair operation. Again ended up in intensive care. Was in hospital for about two weeks with each episode. Lately I've been getting a debilitating pain by my sternum. Right under the central part of my rib cage. I currently take two forms of immunosuppressants. Is it Likely that the phnuemonia has come back? I do have a niggly cough and have had a bit of
    Blood in my phlegm sometimes. Doctors can't offer me a appointment until 21st of may. What do you think, should I wait til then or a&e it?
    Hi thanks. Yes I do get pains in my side. However I was putting it down to my chron's disease.
    Hi. Thanks for your reply. I did have related pluersy while in hospital due to the phnuemonia. I'll also be put on a cpap machine in June for my sleep apnea. I'll try to get a appointment a bit quicker though.

    • ANSWER:

28. QUESTION:
    I have been hallucinating for about 2 years since my mom has died.?
    My mother died two years ago from cancer. I took care of her and gave her the primary care required till she past to the point of taking her off her breathing mask. A lot of other stressful things in my life leading up to this final climax before things settled down. My problem is since my mom has passed i have hallucinations while sleeping. I come flying out of bed nearly scaring my husband to death. We have tried some simple meds, muscle relaxer, visteral, they took me of my prozac and i still have the hallucinations. All i want to do anymore is cry. I cant sleep without the hallucinations and i dont know what to do. I also have panic attacks, acid reflux, diabetes, high blood pressure. My panic attacks make my heart feel its beating out of my chest. I believe i also have sleep apnea. I"m so depressed by the all this and i dont know what to do or if it has anything to do with the hallucinations. I cant help but think about what happened with my mom even after two years. I dont feel i ever received any comfort when she died from anyone. My immediate family, husband and children couldn't be there and my actual family except for my dad and grandma are basically idiots. I had to be strong for my dad and grandma so i couldn't really lean on them. I feel like i'm going crazy sometimes with the hallucinations. I woke up tonight and think there's bugs in my pillows or mice or rats running around and i'm checking out my pillows to see if i can hear anything or feel them moving. Anyone have any ideas for me. I have no medical insurance and my dr that monitors my diabetes only deals with prescriptions that are not a controlled substance. Any advice from a sincere person would be greatly appreciated.. This is my sons account so if anyone has anything they want to send me please send it to salvation4me@suddenlink.net. Thank you,

    • ANSWER:
      I am so sorry for the loss of our mother. My sincere condolences to you and your family. Please get immediate help since you said that you have halluncinations. The local hospital may have 'charity care' available which is funding for those without medical insurance. Most hospitals have outpatient programs for those with a mental health problem and some pharmaceutical companies (such as pfizer and elly lilly) offer discounted or free medication to those that qualify (by income) so that may also be a huge help too.

29. QUESTION:
    Just looking for an outsider's viewpoint...are my husband and I incompatible/drifting apart?
    Or is this normal crap from 5+ years of marriage?

    Breif synopsis:

    My husband and I have been married for about 5 1/2 years now, and at first, we were so into one another and in love. It seems this novelty wore off when we went through a bout with difficulty conceiving our only child together, about 2 years into the marriage. Things just haven't been the same since then.

    Now I realize we have little in common anymore. From music tastes to food tastes, and all points beyond and in between, we are as far apart as two people could have drifted. I daydream of meeting a man with passion, fire and drive. I feel so tapped out in this "arrangement" with him. I feel like I'm his mother and not his wife. I work part time, and he works full time. But, I do EVERYTHING. And, when I say everything, I mean wipe the baby's ass, Cook breakfast, cook dinner, cook lunch, dust, mow the grass, clean the floors, do the laundry, arrange appointments for the kids and pets, remember said appointments and keep them, deal with my combat PTSD, handle own my VA appointments and counselings, vaccum, help my son with his homework, shop, pay bills, deal with contractors and basically I parent both kids alone for the most part ( I have an older son from my previous marriage).

    I feel like a single parent of three kids instead of a married woman with 2 kids and husband. To his defense, he does have severe back problems and sleep apnea. I don't expect him to move mountains up in here, just to help me, and do something more than sit on his ass at the computer playing PC games and twiddling his balls soon as he gets home, and/or watching HOUSE or CSI while I scurry about like a little crackhead doing everything. It's making me so sick. My only true love is gone forever, and his memory haunts me like a ghost...but I just remember that those days are gone. Now I'm stuck with this lazy oaf who makes me so miserable... somedays I just want to run away with all my savings to Canada or Belgium or Japan or something and start over. Then I think about my kids, and it is like a bitter reality. I'm so unhappy.

    He doesn't stimulate my mind. Ever. He is so mundane and predictable and the only things he gets passionate about are WWE wrestling and beer. Ugh. The way he smells even irritates me. I've kept myself up while he's just fell to the wayside and when I try and wear sexy things he's rather rendez-vous with the Serta and the mink blankets and start calling the hogs. I haven't got any good rest in years because of his sleep issues and his snoring, even the night I had the baby in the hospital, he slept on the guest pullout and SNORED all night. Ok, now I'm rambling but I'm so at my wits end.

    I cry in the shower and bathroom every day almost and probably drink more than I should. I don't know i something like this can be fixed. What do you think??? Honestly, if I could give my force to another so that they could live, like some poor kid with leukemia whose parents pray for them to recover daily...I would. And I would expire in their place, because my life just sucks so bad. I'm not even scared to die anymore.
    Let's think..you can shove off and troll someone else.
    He just (praise the heavens and stars) got a CPAP machine a few days ago, and so far, things are well on that front.

    • ANSWER:
      You need to get out of the house... get into a career or at least start taking some courses towards an associates degree at the community college. Do something to give you a break and give you more of a feeling of accomplishment.

      Right now, you need that stable platform to work from. Just do your own thing, and ignore him, and leave the kids with him when he gets home. He can babysit from 7-10 PM while you are in class.

      The more you do towards your independence, the better. Let go of the depression. Heck... get yourself a "power tool" from the lingerie store, and some "holy basil" capsules from the health food store (mood lifting).

      See about marriage counseling... since you are doing it all, you need a professional to tell him that he needs to step up to the plate. It worked for me.

30. QUESTION:
    Shortness of Breath When Sleeping, Lightheadedness . . .?
    Okay, for a few days now I've had trouble sleeping. Usually I go to sleep really early, but recently, because of issues I'll get to soon, I've been staying awake until 12:00 or 2:00 or have gone to sleep at about ten and woken up at 4-ish a.m.
    So . . . 'issues'. This summer, I've been having dizzy spells where everything turns sort of light brown and there are weird moving patterns sort of like TV static. It last something like a few seconds, but it's not a good feeling and it happens now almost every day. I also get sharp pangs in my head when I get up quickly. I THINK this is from low iron levels since I've looked it up and it seems to fit, especially since I'm vegetarian. But that't not all . . .
    For the past three days I've had irregular sleeping patterns that I've talked about. The scary part is, I think this is something else . . . as far as I'm concerned, this is not a symptom of low levels of iron (I HAVE been making a conscious effort to consume foods with high levels of iron even though it's unbelievably difficult because mostly it's found in mussels and other meats). The REASON I can't sleep and am concerned, is that whenever I try/am drifting off to sleep, and I suddenly end up gasping for breath. This happens even when I try to breath faster. A weird feeling abruptly comes over me and I feel the need to breath fast even I haven't been holding my breath or anything. I can only get to sleep if I stay up longer and THEN try to get to sleep.
    I've searched this up as well but the only thing that comes up is "sleep apnea" or something, but it says people usually get it they smoke (never have in my life--I am a young teen) or are obese (I'm very skinny for my age but I don't TRY to be skinny--I eat normally). I'm not depressed/suicidal or have had any previous medical issues (besides being allergic to wasps). I don't have asthma. Nobody in my family has died and I'm not stressed . . . so if you guys know anything about it I'd really appreciate your input. I'm going to go see the doctor soon if I don't sleep well tonight.

    -misty

    • ANSWER:
      Could very well be the iron, my mother has a similar problems, you have to take an iron supplement or eat meat.

      The Blink 182 drummer even had to give up vegetarianism when he was burnt badly in a plane crash so sometimes u have have to eat what your body needs.

      irregular sleeping pattern is nothing to worry about. The gasping for breath sounds like panic, you really seem to be stressing out

      It really sounds like anxiety and your freaking out stressing your heart rates going and you are getting worried. you can get pills to treat it.

      You need to be excercising even if your skinny
      -gets the blood flowing, less chance of fainting
      -make you more tired easier to sleep
      -releases feel good emotions
      -and keeps your mind occupied

      Think about going to see a doc and have him diagnose you, describe the symptoms should be anxiet but he will do a physical just to check id say.

      By excercise I even mean something as little as walking the dog for 40 mins or so, try to relax

31. QUESTION:
    How long does it take to get used to walking/exercising?
    I started walking some paper routes about 2 and a half weeks ago. First I started a shorter one that takes 25 minutes to walk. I did that one for 2 weeks by itself and I only got just a bit tired from it. I just started a second one on Monday and it is taking me close to an hour to walk it. I am getting really tired from doing it. I am out of shape and overweight by 40 pounds. I used to walk a lot but not since we moved and live along a highway. My activity level was and is somewhere between "sedentary" and "light" other than this walking. I have to do these routes 7 days a week, carrying bags of papers which on some days can be very heavy. Monday and Tuesday I thought I was going to "die" I was so tired. So I came up with a plan, first I do the shorter route and then I walk about half of the longer route and then drive the van (I live in the country and have to drive to my route) up to where I left off and take a short breather and then finish it up. It helps, but I am still pretty tired when I get done. Not out of breath as in can't breathe, but my legs are real tired. I don't know how many miles this is but it's probably not more than 2. I eat breakfast in the morning and have been taking some crackers with me so it isn't that I don't eat first.

    About how long should it take to get used to walking an hour and a half carrying bags of papers and also some stepping up onto porches? I'm already thinking about ditching the shorter route if I keep ending up so tired. I have diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, anemia, sleep apnea, and restless legs syndrome and I want to improve my health. So far I have not lost any weight at all and in fact I have gained one pound. I have heard that at first you gain weight as you gain muscle tone. I do watch my carbs and have lost 20 pounds by doing that but the weight loss stopped at a certain point. I probably could make more improvements in my diet yet. I have a treadmill here at home that I'm not making full use of- I used it over the winter a little bit. I don't know whether to work out on it a little bit in the evenings to help me get more in shape for doing the routes or just drop the short route. Or just be patient. At this point I am feeling depressed thinking I am going to be tired every evening for the next few years or however long, just from working for an hour and a half. The paper routes sounded like a good idea. I used to do some about 10 years ago and I have a hard time working around a lot of people/being under a boss because of anxiety and I thought it would be a good choice but I wonder if I am overdoing it.

    • ANSWER:
      If walking is all you can do, then you should do it and be patient because it will take a very long time to acclimate yourself. You need to do something that will get your heart moving faster. The treadmill may not be practical because running on it will have too much impact. An important thing which is supposed to happen with this kind of exercise is weight loss and you are just not moving enough to cause that. A stationary bike or elliptical would be better. You need to work with your heart rate in the range of 65-85% of (220 - age). In the beginning, about 10 min at 65% would be good and work up slowly.

      You should look at the diet angle as well. I am a vegetarian and did 500 situps on my 63rd birthday and I never have to worry about things like cholesterol.

      Good luck to you. It is always a good choice to improve yourself.

32. QUESTION:
    i dont know what to do?
    First of all, i am not crazy, im just a little worried about my health. i guess what spurred it all is some of my family members dying, becoming self aware and being a constant thinker.

    I think i might have sleep apnea (mildly), because i keep waking up in the middle of the night with an anxiety feeling and having the slight memory that i couldnt breath for a little while. its been going on for about less than a year or so. Im 16, Im a little overweight, im a girl, 5'1 and weigh at 135-139 , it goes back and forth A LOT.

    I take supplements because i know im deficient in things like iron, vitamins, all that neat stuff.But my close family and best friend think im weird and makes me slightly self concious, but i know they eat like crap and dont get what they need, so thats why they complain all the time about feeling crappy. everyone im mostly around are way to confronting and immature(including myself, but atleast i notice it) and they judge every thing i say and do. when we think someone is wrong, we go out of are way just to prove them wrong, even if we end up being wrong anyway.

    I told my mom i thought i might have apnea, and she said,

    "are you meaning the scared feeling you get when you wake up in the night? thats not apnea, cause i had it too, so i just dont sleep on my back. mert (my step grampa who is past away) used to get when id watch him at the hospital. its when you snore really loud to where you cant breath. but if you *think* you have it bad, i'll take you to the doctor."

    i just told her nevermind. :-S worried she makes it difficult to be curious. why does it have to be either really bad, or no go? insurance covers everything...

    im worried cause i read up about how it can affect memory, stamina, etc. because the loss of oxygen that can occur up to hundreds of times a night.

    it kinda make sense because i always feel tired in the day, i dont sleep long, and i forget just about the most obvious things.

    Another couple of things ( im sorry this might be terribly long)

    im self concious about certain things like my acne, i usually have a flushed face, oily yet sensitive skin, coarse dry hair that does not work well for me, being overweight (bmi is 26)

    and not being goodlooking without makeup( i really dislike it).i know everything on how to fix all that, but i lack the energy to care, or maybe stop caring that is.

    I've noticed i dont smile a lot, and come to think of it, i've probably been depressed since the day i was born... yah i know melodramatic, but even though i dont get abused at all, i feel lonely, angry and sad all the time. i feel the only thing i have in common with these ppl (family and only close friend) is humor. other than that, i argue just about everyday with anyone of them. i feel im using my friend as a drug of sorts, because im only happy when shes around to keep me laughing, waving off some of my stress. I mostly keep to myself, but if anyone talks to me, i usually always put up a smile. im slightly bashful.. but when the time comes, i take charge.

    Last subject ( i swear!)

    i almost think i have hormone problems or emotional problems, because i sweat like crazy, sometimes for no apparent reason.sometimes cause i am hungry or nervous, not sure if thats right though.

    when i think about everything thats wrong with me i feel sadness creep up. but when i actually tell someone ( which is often), i feel like im going to burst in tears for just saying it.

    my docotr said i have dependent edema, where the extra fluids in my body stay at my feet during the day, but then when i go to sleep and lay down for a long time, my face swells, mostly eyes and lips, i can never tell if its my nose cause i always had a puffy looking nose. im supposed to shy awa from salts, and it helps but i just need to drink enough water a day( i usually get around 2 liters a day).

    i just feel like an emotional basket case, although i know its irrational, and that im blabbering. I just cant wait to live my own life, and not have to deal with my dads family guilt tripping me about child support. there is nothing i Can do! Both my parents have anxiety issues, and because someone put acid in my moms drink when she was younger, she overdosed, and caused her to have even more problems, and now shes addicted to a substance, has a really anoying boyfriend who is rude to my friend and doesnt work or do anything . he is nice, and scrony, but the guy is dumb as a doornail and very sarcastic. i think my mom has attachment issues, and thats why she stays with him. shes easily flabergasted (lol) and is the type of person ude like to visit, not live with.

    please a little imput would help, thanks =)

    • ANSWER:
      Most likely you don't have sleep apnea at your age and weight, but it is possible. Ask your mom to listen to you while you sleep and that is one way to check it. If you do have sleep apnea, most likely you snore very loudly. If you don't snore, most likely you don't have sleep apnea.

      With regard to the sweating, at your age hormones often fluctuate which could affect the sweating. However, it is possible you could have the disorder called hyperhidrosis, in which case the doctor could prescribe a special antiperspirant that might help. In fact, everything you have mentioned could be related to the fluctuating hormones of puberty.

      The best plan might be to talk to the counselor at your school and ask for help to work through some of these issues and stop worrying about them.

      Something else you could do is find somewhere to volunteer. It will help you take your mind off yourself and you might be surprised how few problems you seem to have when your start helping other people.

33. QUESTION:
    Is this article True?
    1) Less may mean more. For people who sleep under seven hours a night, the fewer zzzz's they get, the more obese they tend to be, according to a 2006 Institute of Medicine report. This may relate to the discovery that insufficient sleep appears to tip hunger hormones out of whack. Leptin, which suppresses appetite, is lowered; ghrelin, which stimulates appetite, gets a boost.
    2) You're more apt to make bad food choices. A study published this week in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine found that people with obstructive sleep apnea or other severely disordered breathing while asleep ate a diet higher in cholesterol, protein, total fat, and total saturated fat. Women were especially affected.
    3) Diabetes and impaired glucose tolerance, its precursor, may become more likely. A 2005 study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine found that people getting five or fewer hours of sleep each night were 2.5 times more likely to be diabetic, while those with six hours or fewer were 1.7 times more likely.
    4) The ticker is put at risk. A 2003 study found that heart attacks were 45 percent more likely in women who slept for five or fewer hours per night than in those who got more.
    5) Blood pressure may increase. Obstructive sleep apnea, for example, has been associated with chronically elevated daytime blood pressure, and the more severe the disorder, the more significant the hypertension, suggests the 2006 IOM report. Obesity plays a role in both disorders, so losing weight can ease associated health risks.
    6) Auto accidents rise. As stated in a 2007 report in the New England Journal of Medicine, nearly 20 percent of serious car crash injuries involve a sleepy driver—and that's independent of alcohol use.
    7) Balance is off. Older folks who have trouble getting to sleep, who wake up at night, or are drowsy during the day could be 2 to 4.5 times more likely to sustain a fall, found a 2007 study in the Journal of Gerontology. You may be more prone to depression. Adults who chronically operate on fumes report more mental distress, depression, and alcohol use. Adolescents suffer, too: One survey of high school students found similarly high rates of these issues. Middle schoolers, too, report more symptoms of depression and lower self-esteem.
    9) Kids may suffer more behavior problems. Research from an April issue of the Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine found that children who are plagued by insomnia, short duration of sleeping, or disordered breathing with obesity, for example, are more likely to have behavioral issues like attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
    10) Death's doorstep may be nearer. Those who get five hours or less per night have approximately 15 percent greater risk of dying—regardless of the cause—according to three large population-based studies published in the journals Sleep and the Archives of General Psychiatry.

    • ANSWER:
      More (& longer term)studies need to be done, but current studies do indicate a connection of sleep patterns to basic health!

34. QUESTION:
    Night terrors, panic attack, or underlying problem?
    I'm 15 years old. I have severe depression & anxiety. I'm not obese but I'm not skinny. I don't exercise much (my depression keeps me from having energy). Anywho, this has happened like 5 times this month; I'll be dead asleep & I'll just abruptly wake up & I can't breathe. I feel all panicky cause I think I'm dying or something then after a few minutes I fall back asleep. I don't snore, I don't sleep walk, I don't scream when I wake during that time but sometimes I Want to, I don't REMEMBER having a nightmare or something, & I'm scared. I don't know if it could be panic attack, night terror, or something with my heart. (I have a history of panic attacks during the day) I don't think it's sleep Apnea because I don't snore, etc, please help!! Thank you

    • ANSWER:
      Hi, sorry to hear you are having troubles. So, I would approach that with a more scientific method because we people are very easily tricked with these things. What I suggest you do is use a web cam or video camera or whatever similar device and record your entire night starting from when you are awake until you wake up. Make sure it is good quality audio and video.
      Also there are devices which become active when there is a sound, search for sound activated recording devices.

      Then both you can look at the video and see exactly what kind of an attack you are having and exactly how many seconds or minutes it lasts and if you snore or not and if you sleep walk or not and also this is invaluable to a doctor who would be able to MUCH more accurately diagnose what is going on with you.

      Please do that because living the way you are is not really living. Give yourself a chance!

      Also if for whatever reason you don't want to record yourself then sit down and look at the tape you can go sign up for a sleep study at whatever nearest clinic there is where doctors will watch over you the whole night observing all these things.

      The following articles I wrote may help more:

      title "Sleep Apnea Depression | Snoring Depression" url: http://sleepdisorders.dolyan.com/sleep_apnea/sleep_apnea_symptoms/sleep-apnea-depression-snoring-depression

      title "Sleep Apnea Studies" url: http://sleepdisorders.dolyan.com/sleep_apnea/sleeping_problems/sleep-apnea-studies

      title "Chronic Sleep Deprivation" url http://sleepdisorders.dolyan.com/sleep_deprivation/chronic-sleep-deprivation

35. QUESTION:
    Has being poor been a good thing?
    I am 29, 3 months married, wife is pregnant & a millionaire. As you can see i also have sleep apnea lol. I grew up poor. We had a very small home & i was #4 of 5 brothers. We always ate but sometimes not much. Every month or so we would have to pick a bill to not pay. When i was 13 my sister was born & things started to work for us. We sold Marijuana, the 5 of us, & made enough cash to eat well, pay bills, & have some extra spending money. Being poor taught me how far a dollar could be stretched. This skill still helps me today. I feel that being poor made me a better person. However, i wish it on no one. My dad died & my mom & sister live in a nice 3 bedroom, a decent neighborhood. I give about 0,000 away to charity every year. Growing up i hated the rich & now i realized that with money comes responsibility for your fellow man. I didn't hate those people, i wanted to be them. I want my children to be spoiled, rich kids because i never was. I was reduced to crime just to make it another month. For me a new pair of shoes was a yearly event & if they broke i had to earn enough to pay for them, i want my kids to be able to ask me for a 60 inch TV & i just hand it to them. Poverty created a lot of problems. Some more well off kids would pick fights with me just because they knew i didn't have much. That wouldn't happen to my kids, they wouldn't be drug dealers either. I want to spoil them & my wife to death. So on one hand i'm excellent at finance & on the other i'm going to have unappreciative monsters for kids. So any body else have this type of situation?

    Also-I will make sure my kids know where their dad came from & how lucky they are. I just hope they look to God & say "Thanks for letting this crazy dream come true" like i do every night & day.

    • ANSWER:
      well im the kind of person that believes that everything happens for a reason, people run late for a reason, people decide to go to the store for a reason, and it all connects.if that person was not late, maybe there would have been a car accident and someone would have died that was gonna lead us to our next president, who know right?you had that life style for a reason, and you may or may not know why yet, you may never find out, but it was for a reason.i'm not saying it's a good thing and that i would wish that life style upon any one either, it does have a lot of negative qualities, hard life.BUT at the same times it teaches one of the most valuable things in life: how to work for what you want and how to appreciate every single little thing you have, from the 60 inch tv in your house, to the piece of bread you have in your hand, and life its self.you learned how to do all that, AND you thank God for it which is great. so i think that YOUR life was your life for a reason, and it IS very important that you install in your kids that your life was not easy and they are one of the luckiest kids in the world. i'm only 16 and i could only dream of having a life like that. but something that might help your children be better people is making sure that they also work for what you give them, like if they learn the alphabet lol, reward them with what ever, or the typical, like if they listen to you and go to bed on time, in the morning give them something.teach them that things don't just come that easy.because they will have to learn it in life anyways, it's your job to prepare them for lifes absticals. don't forget kids are like sponges, whatever you install while they are young STICKS in thier brains forever. you are a very good person giving to charity like that, i have always wished that when i'm older i could win the lottery so i could put it away for years to make more off of the interest and help my family, and the rest i would give it all to charity, it's hard to believe and you may not belive me but it's the truth, i don't believe i need any for myself, people need food way more than i need cloths and stuff, i plan to work for everything i get in life.and you should teach your kids the same, because if you do spoil them to much and they act rich and stuck up the truth is, people will use them for the wrong reasons, like friends, and they will be fake to them. i know from experience, from a specific situation.
      So if you install these good qualities in your kids lives then i'm 99.99% they will not be unappreciative little monsters, but you have to be strong about these rules(LIFE PREPARING LESONS) don't think of them as rules.
      i hope to God that you don't think any less of this advice because of my age, because a lot of adults don't pay attention to strong voices just because they are young.
      i hope this helped, i hope your kids turn out great

36. QUESTION:
    infant apnea? adenoid problems?
    I have a 7 week old baby who sounds like he is having trouble breathing... i have read alot of posts but my situation has a few more issues..during sleep and bottle or when he has his dummy, he gasps for air and sounds like he has a clogged up throat or something.. it even wakes him up and even he sometimes starts screaming and wont go to sleep for hours! he cant take his bottle properly without having to stop for air..he sounds wheezy and he makes grunting noises all the time and also he snores and his breathing cuts out when he takes a breath.. its hard to explain...you would have to listen for yourself... its hard to settle him and often he does NOT sleep until 2-3am...when he does, its usually after couple of hours of screaming!... i dont know what the problem is, i took him to 2 doctors and to the hospital twice with a letter from the doctor asking them to monitor his breathing overnight.. and still both times got refused saying that its normal, after waiting 5 hours both times beause i was so concerned!....

    on his 6 week checkup the doctor told me they had another baby come in with the same problem and they got refused at the hospital too because apparently its normal! after that the mother was in royal childrens hospital with her baby because he stopped breathing and nearly died! so now that doctor i saw is watching out for this more carefully...so i dont know what i can do, obviously the hospital is no help and wont run any tests...

    has anyone had this problem and solved it?
    also when i am feeding him he has a go for a few seconds and then starts screaming... could this even be reflux? what are the symtoms?

    • ANSWER:
      my daughter had apnea but she was born prematurely.the breathing pauses were that long that you could actually see her face going blue.we have the angelcare monitor matt under her mattress so the alarm goes off if she stop breathing for longer than 20 secs.thankfully it never happened.

37. QUESTION:
    Would this be a good way to combat Food Abuse?
    Using government's already available information, take the number of people in a household and calculate the recommended number of calories they should consume in a week.

    When food items are purchased, they will be recorded (like cold medicine purchases currently are).

    Once your weekly limit is reached, you can not purchase anymore food.

    The possession of more food than your family needs would be grounds for immediate arrest.

    Of course, items purchased at restaurants would count toward your weekly calorie allowance.

    Given that almost four times as many people die from Food Abuse as from Drug Abuse, it is obvious that something needs to be done to protect citizens from their poor choices.

    The health care costs of obese people is a burden we all share (just like when people have a wreck on a motorcycle and aren't wearing a helmet, or in a car and aren't wearing a seat belt).

    Also, obese people suffer from narcolepsy (sudden irresistable drowsiness) which can be brought about by sleep apnea (an abnormality of sleep almost exclusive to the obese), which causes daytime sleepiness and the inevitable automobile accidents that sleeping while driving causes.

    Can you think of other ways to protect people from themselves?

    Please talk to your children about the dangers of Food Abuse.

    Obesity destroys lives.

    Obesity is a KILLER!
    Those of you who are against protecting people from themselves, are sounding like the potheads who want to legalize marijuana. Next, you'll want to use steroids or something, I suppose?
    KellyS: Thes Food Pushers are KILLING people. Just liek the Drug Pushers are killing people, and, actually, MORE people than the Drugs Pushers are. Preventing needless deaths is NOT ridiculous.
    Professor: It works for Drug Abuse. Why is it silly?

    • ANSWER:
      Food policing, what a wonderful idea! As if people already don't have enough regulations and restrictions. Shall we appoint one family member to see to it that everyone eats their allotted amount and no more? Or should we spend money stationing a food cop in every home? What should be the punishment of the people that violate these new laws - no food for a week? hahahaha, lol

38. QUESTION:
    Would this be an effective way to combat Food Abuse?
    Using government's already available information, take the number of people in a household and calculate the recommended number of calories they should consume in a week.

    When food items are purchased, they will be recorded (like cold medicine purchases currently are).

    Once your weekly limit is reached, you can not purchase anymore food.

    The possession of more food than your family needs would be grounds for immediate arrest.

    Of course, items purchased at restaurants would count toward your weekly calorie allowance.

    Given that almost four times as many people die from Food Abuse as from Drug Abuse, it is obvious that something needs to be done to protect citizens from their poor choices.

    The health care costs of obese people is a burden we all share (just like when people have a wreck on a motorcycle and aren't wearing a helmet, or in a car and aren't wearing a seat belt).

    Also, obese people suffer from narcolepsy (sudden irresistable drowsiness) brought about by sleep apnea (an abnormality of sleep exclusive to the obese), which causes daytime sleepiness and the inevitable automobile accidents that sleeping while driving causes.

    Can you think of other ways to protect people from themselves?

    Please talk to your children about the dangers of Food Abuse.

    Obesity destroys lives.

    Obesity is a KILLER!
    anarosa: It's for your own good. It's for the children.

    • ANSWER:
      I assume this is sarcasm. If not, yikes! We need less government, not more. Now you want the government to dictate what people can eat and how much? The Founding Fathers must be doing back flips in their graves.

39. QUESTION:
    Would this be a good way to combat Food Abuse?
    Using government's already available information, take the number of people in a household and calculate the recommended number of calories they should consume in a week.

    When food items are purchased, they will be recorded (like cold medicine purchases currently are).

    Once your weekly limit is reached, you can not purchase anymore food.

    The possession of more food than your family needs would be grounds for immediate arrest.

    Of course, items purchased at restaurants would count toward your weekly calorie allowance.

    Given that almost four times as many people die from Food Abuse as from Drug Abuse, it is obvious that something needs to be done to protect citizens from their poor choices.

    The health care costs of obese people is a burden we all share (just like when people have a wreck on a motorcycle and aren't wearing a helmet, or in a car and aren't wearing a seat belt).

    Also, obese people suffer from narcolepsy (sudden irresistable drowsiness) brought about by sleep apnea (an abnormality of sleep exclusive to the obese), which causes daytime sleepiness and the inevitable automobile accidents that sleeping while driving causes.

    Can you think of other ways to protect people from themselves?

    Please talk to your children about the dangers of Food Abuse.

    Obesity destroys lives.

    Obesity is a KILLER!
    You people who oppose the idea, are sounding like the potheads who want to legalize marijuana. Are all of you FAT?
    TimeTraveler: I wasn't aware that communist countries had helmet laws and seat belt laws. Thanks for the info.

    • ANSWER:
      Very funny.....