Evaluate the service provided for sleep apnea

SP · Post by SP » Thu May 12, 2005 10:21 am

Hi:
I am conducting an online anonymous survey of patients with obstructive sleep apnea over the age of 20. If you are interested please visit the website at http://www.positiveairwaypressure.com
Thanks
SP

chrisp · Post by **chrisp** » Thu May 12, 2005 7:28 pm

Hey Doc . . We don't get many, maybe none , real live Docs here. Join the forum and be enlighted

Cheers,

Chris

rock and roll · Post by **rock and roll** » Sat May 14, 2005 9:10 pm

well at least he's trying!

Tumbleweed · Post by **Tumbleweed** » Sun May 15, 2005 10:19 am

OK........... I'm a "Doc"........... just not the kind you'd expect for this forum. I'm a veterinarian who just joined this morning, but have been on CPAP for 4 years now.

A big "Hello" to you all and let me know also if I can be of any help with pet problems.

rock and roll · Post by **rock and roll** » Sun May 15, 2005 10:47 am

Welcome Doc!

I had a snauzer that snored worsae than me and I bet he had SA as well

Tumbleweed · Post by **Tumbleweed** » Sun May 15, 2005 11:07 am

Thank you, Rock!

And yes, schnauzers are known to be snorers sometimes, but never as bad as all the brachicephalic breeds ( short nosed ones such as bulldogs and pugs and boxers, etc.) They have a normalsized tongue, but too small a muzzle to keep it in. They also tend to have overly long soft palettes which can block the larynx.

rested gal · Post by **rested gal** » Sun May 15, 2005 1:29 pm

Tumbleweed! Welcome to the board! I have the greatest respect for the medical knowledge of a good vet. More so than for some MD's I've been around. Of course, there are people more competent than others in any profession, so I don't mean to knock MDs in general.

I showed dogs for over 30 years, and American Saddlebreds before that. Never having had health problems myself, my contacts naturally have been with more DVMs than MDs. Have had a lot of MDs as clients though -- training/showing their horses and dogs...so, have gotten an interesting look at how some minds work outside their field of expertise. Anyway, a smart vet is a real treasure, imho.

You may get a kick out of this, Tumbleweed. When I got started down the "I've got to start treating my sleep disordered breathing problem", if the old family GP had not been willing to write me an Rx for an autopap, I was going to ask my longtime vet to write it -- "for a dog". And I'm sure my wonderful vet would have done that for me.

As it turned out, the old family doc did give me the Rx with no hesitation at all. I've had great treatment ever since getting my machine. Hope you're getting the same good results with yours.

Tumbleweed · Post by **Tumbleweed** » Sun May 15, 2005 1:49 pm

nice to meet ya, Rested!

i'm not sure your vet could've gotten away with that, but an interesting thought none the less!i have my own opinion about "RD's"........ (REAL Doctors), but not all are bad. i have had a few baddies myself in the last 2 years, but the one that helped with SA/CA diagnosis was one of the good guys. i am soooo much better off now with the CPAP than i was before it. thought it would be hard to adjust to it, but my body took to it really fast. in fact, i never really knew how dependant i'd become to it until last summer when we had the 4 hurricanes come through Florida and during Jeanne, we had no power for 3 days............. no power, no CPAP! those were the most miserable nights i can remember ever having. before the CPAP i never knew the difference. now though, i can't sleep without it.

thankfully, we are now ready for that kind of stuff since i purchased a small 2000 Watt generator that will not only keep the fridge and freezer going, but will also keep our fans and my CPAP running! and none too soon........ sounds like they're predicting a bad season down here again this summer/fall!

take care all!

sleepless in ny · Post by **sleepless in ny** » Sun May 15, 2005 5:22 pm

Tumbleweed,,,,I work for a veterinarian....we have a saying....REAL Doctors treat more than one species!!!!!!!!
I have to say that our staff gives much more information about procedures being done to their pets than I have gotten from my pulmonary dr. and my sleep clinic combined. I have had to do all of my learning from this message board. I can't believe how nonchalant they have treated my apnea. I guess it's because they see it on a daily basis. I can't tell you how many times I tell a client how to apply advantage or frontline to their pets....it's maybe my 10th time in one day...BUT it's the first time they are hearing it. I feel that my so called real dr. should do the same.

BuffaloAl · Post by **BuffaloAl** » Sun May 15, 2005 7:08 pm

Hello and Welcome Tumbleweed,

While I can't say I have always loved my docs, I have always definitely loved my vets. I now have a goofy 1 year old black lab/ shepard I got from the pound when he was 3 months.

snoozin' · Post by **snoozin'** » Mon May 16, 2005 8:50 am

Hi Tumbleweed,
I agree - vets are usually GREAT! The first time I met him, I told my cats' vet that he was LOTS better than my doctor. He took more time examining, discussed options, explained EVERYTHING to me, took the time to show me a couple of alternate ways to pill my cat, etc. Everytime I go in there now, I ask if he treats humans yet, so I can switch. He just laughs at me, (but I'm serious. If he did, he'd be my doc.)
Debbie

Tumbleweed · Post by **Tumbleweed** » Mon May 16, 2005 9:03 am

HI, Debbie!

Yes........ I can't even begin to count the number of times my clients have told me they'd rather have me as their doctor. Kinda flattering!

I have always felt that the more info an owner has as to what and why I am doing to diagnose or treat their pet, the better things will go 'cuz we're all on the same page with the same goal. Also, as one can imagine, we will get better compliance when owners know WHY something needs to be done. Too many MD's these days, it seems, are either overbooked or something to spend the proper time with a patient. Imagine an MD trying to deal with a problem with a person who cannot communicate ANY info directly to the doctor!.......... That's what we vets face every single day. That, and having to keep all the species differences in mind as to normal parameters, drug dosages, drug tolerances, etc........ to just list a few! Quite the challenge sometimes, but all the more rewarding when a problem is solved and a loving family member is returned home happy and healthy.