Need advice re: my dad (very long, sorry)

My dad is 75. He is in "so so" health. He has high BP, high cholesterol, very bad knees (osteoarthritis - one knee was replaced twice but doesn't work - I think it's the calf muscle that atrophied, and therefore he is scared to get the other knee replaced at all), he's got a hernia in his torso but for some reason the Dr won't operate on it (I forget why, he monitors it though), he's had heart trouble but for the past few years he's been ok with that. And he's about 50-80 lbs overweight. Oh and he's got horrible circulation in his calves and feet, they are reddish/purple from it but he said he's gotten blood tests done and all were negative. He said to me he had a diabetes test done but my sister isn't too sure he's telling us the truth (or maybe he can't remember and just siad he did). Any other blood tests he's gotten say he's got normal blood sugar (under 90) but then again I don't know how long after he has eaten that he's had blood drawn for those tests so they may be inaccurate.

He is a widower and I think suffers from depression within the past few years. Because of his limited mobility he can walk but it's hard, he also gets very out of breath when he walks even a few feet, and he also drives but not very far from the house, I really don't think he should even do it at all but I can't stop him. He's said to me he's been depressed from time to time and I have said to him maybe it's because of his limited mobility and maybe he should try to lose some weight because I'm sure the extra weight puts undue pressure on his knees which are back to begin with.

Here's the situation: we are pretty sure he has sleep apnea. When he sleeps in his bed you can hear him make weird noises, sounds like he's gasping for air or something. Then he wakes up at 12am or so, can't get back to sleep, and goes and sleeps on his recliner in the living room for a few hours. The gasping doesn't happen then. I think this is a classic sign of sleep apnea. He and my sister went to the doctor and the doctor gave him an Rx for a sleep test but when my dad found out what it entailed he says he won't do it now.

So me and my sister think it's a good idea for him to get an adjustable bed. But we think he can get his insurance company to pay for it. In order to do that I think he'll need an Rx from the doctor. Has anyone had any experience in this? I think he'll have to take the sleep test for the insurance to pay for it. He is very stubborn (more scared I think) and doesn't want to do this. Instead he asks the doctor for sleeping pills, and can't understand when they won't work. That is another reason why we think it's apnea. I"m mad that his doctor gave him the pills in the first place, he seems to not question WHY my dad can't sleep and just gives them to him. My dad also goes out to the VFW in town for a beer or two most weeknights. I know I'm not thrilled about that but I do know through his friends and my DH who goes with him sometimes that he has 1 or 2 glasses of beers max over the course of 2 or 3 hours (by glasses I mean equivelent to 1/2 a bottle of beer so really it's probably one bottle he's drinking) and it's down the road so I am not extremely worried and I know it's really his only form of socializing, really.

Sorry this is so long. If anyone has any advice about the adjustable bed, if anyone's parents or grandparents were able to get one paid for by their insurance co please let me know if it was a hard process or not. Thanks!

Re: Need advice re: my dad (very long, sorry)

I am so sorry about your dad

My father has horrible sleep apnea, and I am sorry to say, the adjustable bed WILL NOT help him breathe better. In the recliner, he may still may stop breathing at times, it's just you dont' hear it cause his airways are not constricted by laying down therefore he is not snoring.

Sleep apnea is extremely dangerous to anyone's health, it deprives you of precious REM sleep, which lets your body rejvenate yourself. He has all the classic symptoms, and affects of apnea. Does he fall asleep in the middle of conversations? GO to sleep right after moving around a bit? Fall asleep sitting up? Forgetful?

You dad NEEDs to do the sleep test, once he gets tested, if he does have apnea, they will give him a breathing machine and believe me he will feel like a new man when he gets a good nights rest.

The new breathing macchines have jumped leaps and bounds are very comfy to sleep with, I have tried on my dads and it's very gushy, and the air coming out forces you to breathe so you can sleep without gasping for air, and actually breathing. The gasping for air actually wakes you up and keeps you from getting that good deep sleep.

Please convince your dad to get the sleep test, it's really not that bad, my dad loves them, they treat you like a 4 star hotel!

It's really best for his health. Sleep apnea can cause high blood pressure, heart problems, hard time losing weight and more and more.

Please please get him to that test, he will love getting the good rest he needs when he gets proper treatment.

ONce can get a good nights rest, he may have more energy, he could lose weight, get the diabetes under control and his blood pressure may regulate too.

Please please get him help or find someone who can convince him to go for the test.

Re: Need advice re: my dad (very long, sorry)

FM