Question:
Can someone please answer a question for me? My husband went for an
overnight sleep apnia test. He came up with a score of 6 which
according to the doctor was normal. Why, outside of him being informed
of the nasal operation, and the pallet shortening operation, was he
referred for narcolepsy to a neurosurgeon?
Answer:
Just because you may have to spell it again, it is spelled apnea. I
understood you, but why give those that would not respect you (for whatever
stupid reason) any ammunition?
you have that exactly backward. Narcolepsy is a disorder where
people can fall asleep at the drop of a hat, and do so uncontrollably. A
psychiatrist is probably more appropriate, but I know only a little about
the disorder, so maybe a neurosurgeon is appropriate.
When your hubby fell asleep so readily, the doctors thought that he might
have sleep apnea. In a nutshell, sleep apnea is when a person stops
breathing in their sleep. This causes daytime sleepiness. While there are
some forms of apnea that are from the brain, most of them are from a
blockage in the breathing path.
Narcolepsy is altogether different. Similar symptom, but definitely
brain-based. Medications can help some. Hopefully your hubby is one of
them. Narcolepsy is almost like epilepsy with sleep (instead of a seizure)
being the manifestation.
I'd expect a neurologist more than a neurosurgeon. However,
neurosurgeons can and do use drug therapies.
