Well, my wife runs the sleep clinic at Kaiser Permanente in San Diego, and I have to tell you that I agree…it sounds like obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS). The best cure is, of course, to lose the weight, which will usually fix the problem. However, that’s not going to help you get a good night’s sleep in the meantime.
At Kaiser they will first have you attend a ‘sleep class’ and take the Epworth Sleepiness Test which is basically a survey to find out if your problem is actually OSAS or a more central/ serious neurological problem (although the fact you say you are heavyset leads me to believe it is almost surely the former). Then they send you home overnight with a special diagnostic CPAP machine that monitors your sleep patterns. Assuming you have OSAS, they will prescribe you a CPAP machine for home use which is a little mask that fits over your nose and uses positive pressure to keep your airways open.
From talking to my wife’s patients though, I have to tell you that most complain about the machine saying it is like trying to “sleep in a hurricane” and many give up without giving it a chance. Like any major lifestyle change though, it will take some getting used to. They have another version of the machine called a BIPAP that is supposed to be more comfortable (because you don’t have to exhale against the positive pressure) but Kaiser will not prescribe these because they are very expensive machines (around $15,000 vs. $500 for a cheap CPAP).
Some other advice: make sure your medical coverage includes CPAP machines if you are going in to be seen. If not, you might want to change your coverage before going. The reason? At Kaiser DME (Durable Medical Equipment) is a separate coverage charge that many people opt NOT to get ahead of time, and then they suddenly get slapped in the face with the prospect of having to pay $500 - $1000 out of pocket for their home CPAP machine (depending on quality of machine you desire) when they are already paying Kaiser’s expensive regular coverage.
One other issue, and please don’t take this the wrong way because you SHOULD see a doctor… If you tell the respiratory therapist/ doctor who sees you that you have, or might fall asleep behind the wheel of a car, they are obligated to report you to the DMV and have your license revoked. I argue with my wife about this point all the time, because when sleep apnea people find this out, they sometimes don’t come in to get the treatment they need which is just wrong. So my advice is, DON’T BRING IT UP, but please see a doctor.
And if you are worried about falling asleep at the wheel (a common symptom with sleep apnea patients is to have excessive daytime sleepiness) buy yourself one of those cheap ear alarm things (I’ve seen one called ‘Doze Alert’) that will alarm if your head tilts down because you are snoozing.
Also, if you do end up having to go out of pocket for the CPAP machine, my wife raves about the ones made by a company called Resmed. So I guess I’d recommend one of theirs.
