Would You Let Him Suffer Longer?

hi PA. actually, we have not yet arrived to the decision of doing the operation, we are actually just doing the medication. six months medication was through and our son did better during that period. but after that, just about 2 to 3 weeks without the medicines, his sleeping problem came back, so the doctor recommended to do another period of medication. when this second time of medication seem to work well, he will be taking medicines again but until when? she said it could be necessary for our son to put under sleep study (which is a bit expensive) to determine if the tonsils are really affecting him or should it be removed immediately or when. in short, the operation is not yet being discussed as we still have to do the sleep study, if necessary after one month. i have asked the doctor about the machine. she told me that CPAP is not available in the Philippines and can only be imported, ordered from the US. but even with the machine, will the apnea be cured? will the machine removes the apnea for good? for you reference, here's the link to my previous post: http://www.mylot.com/w/discussions/2351618.aspx

i am pretty sure she knows and saw how larger his tonsils are. she even said, hey look, they seem to be kissing each other. well, of course, not everything is explained or we get to understand everything when the doctors talk about the medicines, etc. at first she said, we take the medication as she hopes it can be cured. she said we take one step at a time. she said let's concentrate first with his allergies. maybe he has his allergies and it was cured, temporarily by the medicines. but the tonsils remain large and never shrink. though they are not swollen as i look at them, they are really large as they are kissing each other the adenoids (the one in the center which looks like a bell or a drop of water). i searched, i read and heard what CPAP is and how it will help the patient. but in our son's condition, personally, i don't see this as permanent treatment or it will ultimately cure his apnea. maybe it helps other patients with different cases, like the ones you mentioned (smoking, overweight). but our son is not smoking and we is even not a chubby kid.

What does the medicine do? What is it for? Do they think that your son's tonsils are enlarged or something and blocking his airway? I read the other discussion, although I did not go through all the responses, but I still do not really understand this particular case. In all the other cases that I have heard of, I do not think that medicine was used only the breathing machine. I do know that there are many different underlying causes of sleep apnea, however, so perhaps the machine is not needed if the medicine and/or surgery will treat the underlying cause of the problem. The CPAP machine will help with the sleep apnea, because it pushes air into the lungs while the person is sleeping, so it helps them to breath. Depending upon the cause of the sleep apnea, the person might have to use the machine for the rest of his or her life. I know some people that have had it as a result of smoking (damage to the lungs from smoking, etc.) and once they had stopped smoking for a while their breathing got better and they no longer needed the machine. I also know people that have had other health issues, such as being drastically overweight, and once the other health issues were addressed the machine was no longer needed. All these people did need to go to the sleep clinic and be monitored to be diagnosed, treated, and cleared when they no longer needed the machine, though.

me too

he really can't sleep well he always to toss turn flip, he always move his body. i really hope soon, soon, very soon if possible.

Must be really frustrating.

really frustrating dawn.

they are possible ways to treat the problem but i wish we can get the ultimate cure as soon as possible. as of this moment, the doctor tries to treat the allergies which she thought might caused the tonsils to get big. but when the medication is stopped, his sleep will go back to bad situation. there are CPAP machines but i don't think it will remove the problem, maybe temporary treatment to make him sleep better. none is available here and the doctor said it will be ordered from the US.

yes my friend, i remember the foundation you mentioned in our private message few months back. i already sent a message, email message to them less than a week ago. but i still have not received a reply. i am still hopeful they will give attention to my email.

They are very responsive my friend. Here is the latest e-mail address where I could contact them: Pleas try again this: Alexis.Cole@Cerner.com

thanks my friend. i will try this one right now. i really appreciate it.

does your wife still have it? or she undergone operation?

ok. but you see, apnea is more scary with kids although i am not saying it's ok for adult to have it.

she still have it, she was suppose to go back for another test but she had a panic attack through the fist one

thanks for watching topffer. i know about the CPAP but our doctor said it is not available in the Philippines. if it is really needed we have to order a piece of it from the US which means a lot of money. you mean you had it too? how old are you now and are you really treated with just the machine? you do not suffer from apnea now that your older?

I am 51 now Neil, and as I said my sleep apnea disappeared when I was 15, and I have never been operated for it -- I had an amygdalectomy when I was a child, with no results, but maybe it can help your son ? --.

what's "amygdalectomy" by the way? it's kinda new term for me, topffer.

I don't mean the doctor won't charge anything (even though he should or at least help in some way being that it's a child) however, he may accept payments. If not, then the parents need to find a way to raise the money or they very well could lose their child. A child can't work so it can't raise the money so it's up to the parents to care for him. I don't mean to be harsh but most parents will scrape, beg and borrow to raise the money as they should because it's a child and even more so, their child.

it's ok and fine with me, i understand. and that is why i never stop working harder. i know it, they cannot work for them, but it's us parents. and are there parents who would like to see their child suffer like this? in the first place, we never asked for this to happen to him, to us. it so happened that we are not rich.

money really shouldn't be an issue. but this is the reality. who will do the treatment for free?

hatley, i appreciate that. i really hope i can get the much needed help from my posts. i have been doing this since the first time i know what could lead the apnea, what could happen to my son if not given the right attention and treatment. it really makes my heart bleed seeing him sleeps.

thanks a lot cream. i know you also have a lot of trials facing right now. and i also feel sorry about it. but, at least we have to thank mylot, as we can share our problems with us and we listen. at least there's someone who listens to our problems.

i will get in touch with you first thing in the morning tomorrow.

hi again best. i have another video posted on facebook. i hope you will find time to watch it too. oh by the way, this is the same video i posted on youtube. thanks again best for the support, as always.

hi tamara. well, i hope i can get some help soon. actually, we had enough money for the sleep test last december. but we were advised not to go on with the study by this doctor and told us to take the medication first. if wish i can tell you everything on here. if you have time, you can read the entire discussion i previously posted, http://www.mylot.com/w/discussions/2351618.aspx

if only the doctor will allow it now, Alice. and if we already have enough funds for the op.

so far, all that i can do is to work harder. but i don't think how long i will have to do this. thanks for always so supportive of me, with zayzay. thanks be to God, Jane.

that's really a good idea, vandy. but when i talked about the machine, even the doctor hesitated and did not recommend using it. i am not sure, maybe because for the fact that the machine is not available in the Philippines and still have to order from the US.

Then I think you could consider using that machine for a while as the kid looks too young to undergo operation. As he becomes stronger, he would be able to cope with it better may be. But you are the parent, and therefore, the best judge more so because you know more about the ailment. I am really sorry. Your kid is really cute! Hope god takes care of him.

hi. thanks for sharing your thoughts, and i respect it. well, i just hope i can get some help by posting the said video. i also find some of those kinds of videos elsewhere so i think it is fine sharing it. one more thing about recording it, it's a sort of documentation for the said ailment. and whatever happens next and along the medication and treatment, we may as well get back to the records and videos. this may as well help others who have similar case, similar problem in their sleeps. i really thank you for having you here. and for the prayers.

sleep study has not been done with him yet. i thought we really have done it before but when we were suppose to do it, this present doctor told us not to do it until she confirms it, or after the medication. she tries to cure the allergies which she thinks made his tonsils larger than it should be for his age. i know about the CPAP machine. i heard a lot of it, i read a lot. but for how long will he use or depend on the machine if he is fit to use one? i want a permanent cure to the problem not temporary or indefinite. they said there is nothing to worry about the health of a patient if tonsils will be removed. then how come they cannot just decide about it. you see, medicine and machine will help the patient. but what will happen when you cannot subsidize anymore and you have to stop medication and using the machine?

thanks letran for thinking about helping us. well, this is really one kind of a painful experience not only for the patient but also for the parents. how can one be happy to see them suffer, instead of having a good night sleep, you see them gasping for air. yes mel, richnai is right, you just don't have the idea what this problem is and how it makes the patient suffer. rich, thanks for making it clear for meluan.

thanks for watching tomi. i really hope it gets positive feedback,