Was wondering how you were doing?

Have you gotten your heart checked out? I hope everything is going okay with you.

Heart disease can lead to fatigue and tiredness. With your heart skipping beats I would recommend getting it checked out. Do you have insurance? If not is there a clinic in your area that is on a sliding scale fee system? I know you state you only like to go to the doctor if you are bleeding -- but on the other hand do you want to die prematurely?

If your wife has witnessed you stopping breathing throughout the night, if you snore, are fatigued and tired during the day no matter how much or little you have slept, your heart skipping beats may have something to do with sleep apnea.

Did you realize that there are home tests now? These are cheaper than having a full fledge sleep study done. I have not had one of these done as I had a full sleep study but have heard the home tests are reliable up to a point in diagnosing sleep apnea.

In our area primary care physicians can set up sleep studies and prescribe equipment. I did not go ot a specialist to have mine done. I live in a rural community and only one sleep specialist in this whole area (75 mile radius from where I live).

Surgery rarely works and is very invasive. I would personally never seek it to cure my apnea.

I do know that I will no longer sleep without being masked up. For those that give up on treatment -- usually haven't had the support they have needed to make it work. Doctors and DMEs let the patient down with little follow up care and much in the way of what to expect. Many times the first mask and set up may not be ideal and things have to be tweaked. I went tried several different mask before settling on the current one. Getting a mask that fits is the first step towards good therapy and that is often lacking for many.

I encourage you to keep coming back -- read on the effects of sleep apnea -- ask questions and learn as much as possible about sleep apnea and its consequences. In this way you can make a more informed decision on what is best for you.

If I can be of any help, please let me know.