Could you or someone you know have written the letter below?

Dear Dr. Patel:

I cannot go another day with out asking for help. I have had a long-standing problem with my sleep: My husband snores profusely and makes other noises as he sleeps. I have been married for 30 years and have become accustomed to his sleeping habits, but lately things have gotten worse. He now falls asleep anywhere during the day; he fell asleep at a stop light on the way home from church last Sunday, and I made him get out so I could drive. His irritability has increased significantly, and I felt this was due to him being sick all the time. He seems to be more stressed out with work because he keeps falling behind, but his workload doesn’t seem to have changed. His doctor has told him he must lose weight, as he has gained significant weight in the last few years. He refuses to wear his CPAP machine when he sleeps because he claims “it makes it worse.” His doctor has increased both his diabetes and high blood-pressure medications. I do not know how to help him and would appreciate any advice!

Desperate,

Sleepless in Corpus Christi

As a weight-loss surgeon, I commonly hear about this type of problem. Many patients I see in my office suffer from OSA, or Obstructive Sleep Apnea. First you need to realize that all hope is not lost. There are options that can improve many aspects of your sleep. Sleep disorders can affect your day-to-day actions and personality, but they can also be life threatening. OSA is not something to be taken lightly.

Most individuals suffering from sleep disorders are unaware they are not receiving a good night’s sleep. “Apnea” literally means “without breath.” Patients with untreated OSA stop breathing repeatedly during their sleep – sometimes hundreds of times during the night and often for a minute or longer. OSA is very common – as common as adult diabetes – and affects more than 12 million Americans, according to the National Institutes of Health. Risk factors include being male, overweight and over the age of 40, but OSA can strike anyone at any age.

There is a direct correlation between OSA and your weight. As sleep decreases and medications increase, it only becomes more difficult to lose weight. Sleep contributes to the growth and rejuvenation of the immune, nervous, skeletal and muscular systems. It gives us the opportunity to combat the day-to-day wear and tear on our bodies. Without a good night’s sleep, daytime fatigue is imminent, along with irritability, forgetfulness and even illness, and it increases the chance of accidents or serious injury. Significant weight reduction can vastly improve many sleep disturbances like OSA.

Weight-loss surgery is considered the most effective and long-lasting treatment for morbid obesity. The surging popularity of bariatric surgery can be attributed to the many benefits it provides for individuals who are struggling with obesity and associated health conditions. Bariatric surgery has been shown to help obese patients lose their excess weight and significantly improve their overall health and quality of life. With diet and exercise, average long-term weight loss is less than 10 percent. With bariatric surgery, average long-term weight loss after five years is between 50 and 85 percent, depending on the procedure.

Beyond weight loss, bariatric surgery greatly improves all aspects of health. According to a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, OSA was found to be resolved in 86 percent of patients after weight-loss surgery. The overall quality of life improves by 95 percent after weight-loss surgery.

There is no reason to suffer further. All aspects of life have the opportunity to improve with a sound night’s sleep. Bariatric surgery may be a steppingstone to improving the quality and quantity of your life and your sleep!

Dr. Nilesh Patel is a fellowship trained bariatric surgeon and is recognized as a Centers of Excellence Surgeon by the American Society of Metabolic Surgery and Bariatric Surgery. For more information visit www.BypassDoc.com