Scared

[gritzman]

Hello. I am 50 years old, male, and weigh 400 Lbs. Only lately have I started suffering from my weight (I am 6'1)... And I finally decided to get serious about losing. I am a traveling musician, and cannot continue to work carrying all the weight. Well, 2 weeks ago I noticed that when I lie down on my side to sleep, I almost lose all my breath, I cannot breathe for around 30-45 seconds... Then it gets some better. I am up 4-5 times a night with urination, likely due to my type 2 diabetes... So when I lie back down i go through it all over again. Last week it peaked. The next morning I was about to leave to drive a 7 hour trip to perform, and started feeling paniced and very strange. My breathing was getting sparse. I had a massive headache. I went to the ER and stayed 7 hours. 4 days later I was in the hospital. They checked my heart and said it was okay. No pneumonia or other radical lung problems. Checked virtually everything. I am home now, but feel very strange. Lathargic, tired, still have a hard time breathing if I do any light work. They said it was my weight, which is obvious, but I feel there is something more due to the sudden onset and remaining symptoms. I have a continuing "hicup" in my belly, for lack of a better term, that feels like a spasm. It comes and goes. They plan a sleep study, and sent me home with O2 at night. Does anyone have any ideas on this bnesides the obvious that I must lose weight? I am very scared and it almost seems as though the doctors don't even have a clue. Sad to say. Help.

[TawniAline]

you may want to get testing for sleep apnea (which would cause the loss of ability to breathe when sleeping as well as the frequent urination at night-- among other things-- it would also make loosing weight more difficult due to lack of energy during the day)-- they would be able to give you a machine to ensure that you breathe throughout the night and put you under supervision of a doctor that specializes in sleep apnea-- ALSO-- the continual hiccup could be a neurological issue-- i would definately mention that to your doctor-- if they dont listen or think its important-- find another doctor-- because we just discussed that a few weeks ago in lecture how constant/continual hiccups are no laughing matter as it means something is not functioning correctly in the nerves that control those muscles-- but as i am still very much an undergraduate i could not tell you WHAT conditions lead to continual hiccups-- i just know you should get it checked out-- and who knows-- maybe if you see a doctor about the sleep apnea and get that situation cleared up maybe you'll get lucky and the hiccups will go away :)