My Father is 65 years old, he is about 5'10, probably well over 270lbs, and has Multiple Sclerosis (he has trouble walking, basically). Since he had a heart attack about 10 years ago, he sees his cardiologist regularly. His cardiologist has prescribed him a sleep study FOUR times, but he persistently ignores the prescription.

About four years ago I started to notice he had Sleep apnea. I have written him reports with printouts about the symptoms and how he displays the symptoms. I've photographed him asleep at birthday parties, dinners, and doing regular everyday activities. I've videotaped and recorded audio of countless hours of his apneatic sleeping.... I even had the chairman of the board of the local Sleep Apnea Association come to talk to him one on one at his home; he was falling asleep during the talk.

Since he's had OSA, I've met about 50 other people who have sleep apnea and are successful CPAP users. I know this disease inside and out, and I know its very common, commonly untreated, and yet SO easy to fix...

Unfortuntely my Father is himself a physician, and a VERY stuborn old-fashioned guy. He was already a very stubborn guy before his OSA started, but his lack of sleep is definetly making it MUCH MUCH worse.

I have tried ALMOST everything and he will not admit it. I've talked to him many times a week about it for the last 4 years. He vehemently denies he has it, despite all the CLEAR evidence (he has every symptom in the book!)

WHAT DO I DO!?

Please help
-Daniel

sleep apnea didnt exist officially when your dad learned medicine so perhaps he refuses to accept any new fangled diagnoses
have you considered home sleep studies, in some cases they will come and hook up the equipment and he can sleep in his own bed

Thanks for the reply.

I just took him to his regular heart checkup and, once again, the doctor prescribed him the sleep study. I will try to call the sleep center to see if they can do an at home sleep study so that he doesn't have to deal with the inconvenience of walking around to get it, since its difficult for him. Maybe I can get them to show up without him knowing it ahead of time, because then he'd be more obliged to do it.

Any further ideas would be appreciated.
-daniel

Hi Daniel,

Lynn's advice was smart.  I would only add that you might also contact his doctor with the same suggestion, because he may have to be involved with the ordering of this home study anyway.  He may well say that the full sleep study is preferable and balk at a home study, but I have a hunch the doctor will recognize how more important it is to get your father started on any treatment, no matter what the testing.  I'm sure he will help you.

You've got a difficult situation on your hands which I do not envy.  You've done so much already, from providing information to getting some outside help.
You said he was a phyician.  My mother was a nurse and she recently died after numerous visits to the  hospital.  On one of  her last visits they wanted to put her on a respirator but she vehemently refused.  (she died from other causes later, not from any respiratory issue)  I suppose that as a nurse she knew that often ventilators mean the end, and also they are painful things to endure.  Instead they put her on something different which was basically a cpap.  I say all this because he may well view the cpap as a respirator and feel that it means the beginning of the end.  It does not, for it is NOT a respirator.  You breathe on your own, it doesn't do the breathing for you.  He may not think of it that way (instead thinking it's a ventilator) but you never know.  But if he is already aware of the cpap therapy, maybe he needs convincing that it's not a respirator.

His age is not so high, in that I've known many who started cpap at about his age and are doing well.  Many actually look forward to the feel of it and the good sleep they get.  

Regardless of what  happens, just be sure his doctor monitors his health situation and keep an eye on his respiratory health.  I'm sure they will anyway since they are confident he has sleep apnea and because of his other health issues.    Before there was cpap therapy, the only option when the sleep apnea symptoms got worse enough was a trach procedure.  No one wants that, but better that then the ultimate result of untreated sleep apnea.  If your father continues to refuse sleep apnea therapy, just continue to make sure his doctors are watching his condition on a regular basis.

Let us know how things go.  Many people are faced with the same situation.  And if something works, let us know.  It just might help others too.


Linda

I'm going to have to plan some kind of MAJOR family intervention. He is in total denial and its impossible to talk with him about this. He continues to ignore/procrastinate/disregard/deny any of the prescriptions or the symptoms, or all of us telling him he has a problem.

This is very frustrating for me personally, and on my family.

Any ideas anyone?

I can tell instantly if my son is not using his machine at least half the night because his whole demeanor changes! One of the first signs is that he is very disagreeable. Sounds like this is your father's problem too.  Trying to convince someone with a severely oxygen deprived brain is like trying to convince a drunk that they've had too much to drink. No, I don't mean to imply sleep apnea is like being drunk, but I know from experience that when someone is severely deprived of sleep they are not as open to suggestion.  Lin.

yes, my fathers denial of his condition is being compounded by the condition itself. Its a downward spiral and I don't know where it will end. This is why I have to take ever more drastic measures to combat his problem.

He is constantly yawning, choking on liquids and coughing up a storm, he is mentall just not there like he used to be. Its getting very scary and I think the only thing left is a MAJOR intervention.

Yesterday I asked him point blank that if i got an elephant from the zoo to be brought into our kictehn and poop on his table if that would be a big enough sign that makes him realize how big an issue this is.

I feel as if I'm continually enabling him whenever I'm not getting on his case about sleep apnea. I am very desparate and very very worried about him constantly to the point that its impeding my own life. I've been told that this is probably taking it too far, and I realize that it is, but i don't know where to draw the line when his LIFE is at stake.