On Tonights news

"Haveing untreated sleep apnea is like smoking a pack of cigaretts per day."
Is this a true statement ?

A Dr. said it on TV !

What do you think ?

They might have gotten their quotes mixed up...

Link

The increased risk from not exercising has been compared to the risk from smoking a pack of cigarettes per day.

chrisp wrote:"Haveing untreated sleep apnea is like smoking a pack of cigaretts per day."
Is this a true statement ?

What do you think ?

Well, whether it's the exercising thing or the untreated apnea thing, it's hard to make a comparison.

Both my parents smoked, I haven't. Probably similar in that both ravages the body in their own way. One introduces a foreign substance, the other deprives the body of the air we need to sustain our bodies. Both may have some irreversable affects on the body, yet with treatment the body can recover nicely from both. One is an addiction, the other is purely physical. Don't be fooled into thinking smoking is easily kicked or treated. Cigarette addition can be one of the most powerful additions there is. Still, it's hard to make a comparison.

chrisp wrote:A Dr. said it on TV !

No offense to doctors on TV, but I find that most doctors who go on TV aren't the brightest in their fields...

Plus, I think it's very dangerous territory when we start comparing involuntary diseases with voluntary behaviors.

I mean, I have a coworker whose best friend right now has pancreatic cancer, one of the worst types to get, because it's generally quick to matastacize (I'm sure I spelled that wrong) and usually inoperable. How tasteless, then, to have a doctor say "Having untreated pancreatic cancer is like playing Russian Roulette with bullets in 5 of the 6 chambers." It might be true, odds-wise, but you can always refuse to play Russian Roulette, once you've got the cancer, ...

(Then again, being that right now I'm trying to figure out if there's any worthwhile treatment for my apnea that will work, I'm a bit sensitive to the implication that not treating my apnea (with a treatment that's worse than the disorder, for me) is like smoking.)

Liam, who'll be back after he has a cigarette.

Liam - you kill me. You get on this forum and rant, then end with a great line that makes you laugh. Maybe those docs need to take lessons from you.

Signed, Smoker but going to quit sooooooooon!

bpoe689 wrote:Liam - you kill me. You get on this forum and rant, then end with a great line that makes you laugh. Maybe those docs need to take lessons from you.

Ha!
I see you've found the theraputic affects of Liam...!! Just call him our Dr. Liam. And he doesn't even charge for his services!!



Linda, who is glad Dr. Liam is still in the house! (but god knows what trouble he's getting into while rummaging through all of our closets!)