My Dad is sleeping his life away :-(

[dilemmaaboutdad1]

As the title says really.

My Dad is 75. He seems to be sleeping, what is left of his life away, and it's so depressing to see.

He gets up in the morning at 630-700am, settles into the arm chair, and sleeps until lunchtime. Eats lunch. Goes back to sleep until dinner time. Eats dinner. Then he's back to sleep until about 11pm. Then he gets up and drinks lots of whiskey until about 2am. Then sleeps until 630am. Rinse repeat!

His eyes are watery and glazed. He falls asleep mid sentence. It's like some dreadful half life. He and my Mum can't do anything together, because he falls asleep at the drop of a hat. Like literally, if they went on holiday he'd fall asleep in the hotel bar and she'd be mortified. And once he's asleep you cannot wake him!

He says it's his age, but that is bullshit, he has been like this since he retired some 15 years ago. I can't remember any other version of him.

I don't know what I'm asking really. Anyone known similar? It's driving me mad.

Has he been to the Gp OP he sounds very depressed to me

Has he had a health check lately?

Is he on any medication? Low BP cause relentless sleeping.

Def a health check. Relative who is a bit younger was doing the same and turns out he was developing diabetes

My dad is kind like this, but he's an alcoholic and has MS. Has he seen a doctor?

Sorry to be blunt but it sounds like he's got an alcohol problem.

Did he always drink as much or did that start with retirement?

Is his oxygen level ok? His blood pressure? His diet? Does he have a history of mental illness?

He needs a GP visit and probably bloods. I’d suggest TFTs to be included

He's drank too much for as long as I can remember. I'm 48 now and he's been over drinking since I was a child. He says the doctor says his results are all fine. I don't think anything will fix this now, as he's been like for this for sooo long. I'm angry with him though. He is denying my Mum a full life. My husbands father is only 6 years younger, and is so interesting, vibrant, awake (!) and full of zest and I just feel so sorry for my Mum when she sees him. She must be thinking about how differently her life could have turned out.

The whisky sounds like a problem, but I agree a GP check would be a good idea.

Sometimes when people appear to sleep all the time, they may have a condition like sleep apnoea and be getting little actual sleep. Whatever it is, a GP assessment would be the place to start.