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Mumsnet has not checked the qualifications of anyone posting here. If you need help urgently or expert advice, please see our domestic violence webguide and/or relationships webguide. Many Mumsnetters experiencing domestic abuse have found this thread helpful: Listen up, everybody

He's just not bothered

38 replies

weekfour · 18/09/2022 07:16

My DH is a lovely guy. He's kind and generous with his time and money. We have lots of friends. My friends in particular think he's great. He's intelligent and quick and we bounce off each other well.

There's just one huge problem and it permeates everything. He's fat and he snores. Very, very fat and it affects everything.

He snores so loudly that we haven't really slept in the same bed for years. A decade probably. Earlier in the year, after a particularly shit holiday where he disturbed the whole family he spoke to his doctor and was eventually diagnosed with severe sleep apnoea. He's been given a Cpap machine.

I knew he'd get this machine. I'd told him I thought he had this probably ten years ago. However, he never went to the doctor so we all listened to him snore for another ten years. The only thing that stopped his going to the doctor is lack of planning/actually ringing to make an appointment. I had to nag, nag, nag to get him to the doctor and eventually make the appointment for him.

Thing is, the sleep apnoea affects his whole life. Put a film on- he'll fall asleep watching it. Sit down in the middle of the day-he'll fall asleep. Traffic jam- fall asleep! He's fallen asleep with the kids in the car on the motorway.

The monitoring for the sleep apnoea told his that in his worst hour, he was woken by his own lack of oxygen 40odd times in an hour. He never gets into deep sleep and for all that snoring, doesn't wake up refreshed.

So, now he has the cpap. It's amazing- we can't hear him snore. Problem is he just can't be arsed to put it on!!!

On a personal level, I'd pinned everything on this. I wanted my husband back. I thought we might sleep together again. I was looking forward to having sex more than once a year. He would have more energy. We could go away. We could go on family bike rides. He would lose some weight and be healthier. I don't want a fat husband and I don't want my kids to grow up thinking morbidly obese is normal. And sleep apnoea isn't just snoring- it increases the risk of heart disease and all sorts of health problems. He'll die young and I'll be left managing that with three small kids.

I'm heart crushingly disappointed. He just doesn't get how selfish it is. I've been so accommodating that he doesn't feel he needs to put the effort in. I should have known how this really when I had to book the doctors appointment for him. I'm so angry. He won't listen to me. There's always an excuse. I get that it's uncomfortable but feel that he should persevere.

I don't know what I want. Thanks for listening I suppose. Just for clarity- the doctor has said he'll likely lose weight if he uses the machine due to metabolism changes and increased energy level.

OP posts:
Bedazzled22 · 18/09/2022 07:26

I can relate to this a bit as my DP is very overweight and snores so we sleep separately.

Why do you think he wont listen and is not bothered? You’d think he’d want to feel better….

weekfour · 18/09/2022 07:33

I think he's just so disorganised. He relies on me to tell him what to do. I go to bed before him, he then falls asleep in front of the television and sleep on the sofa instead of coming to bed and putting the machine on.

I know he's found it uncomfortable. It has also triggered allergies (sneezing) for which he has a nasal spray. He doesn't use the nasal spray though because it's run out and he can't be arsed to ring for a prescription. I'd usually nag, nag, nag until he rings for the repeat but I'm not sure if I can be bothered now.

I'm tired too. I'm not a nag. This needs to come from within doesn't it? I can feel myself disengaging and it's really scary.

OP posts:
Fraaahnces · 18/09/2022 07:34

I know your pain. My DH isn’t overweight, in fact he’s very fit. His snoring is due to “flabby tonsils.) It took 17 years of him telling me how unsexy he’d find sleeping with a cpap machine, to me moving onto the couch because I was literally crying tired… recording him, videoing him, hiring something to record his volume which compared to a church which had been fined for antisocial noise because of overly-loud Christian rock music. (Barf!) We eventually went to marriage counselling where he complained about me sleeping on the couch. I lost it. I told him that when he fell asleep in front of the tv, no one else could hear it over his snoring. It was bad enough that he was endangering his own health but I had altered my own timetable so that he didn’t risk the health of the kids if he fell asleep when driving. I told him that his vanity was inconsequential to justify keeping me awake and did not remotely compare to how unsexy I felt when I had been literally exhausted for nearly 20 years as a result. I read the United Nations Charter on Torture - where sleep deprivation was clearly used as an example. I told him that complaining about where I spent my nights was coercive abuse. He refused to believe that he had sleep apnoea.
He had a virtually identical sleep apnoea score (42 x per hour) to your DH when he was finally checked. He got a cpap machine and complained bitterly about how uncomfortable it was, etc and refused to get the thing fitted properly. I threatened to leave. He got it fitted and after a week, suddenly felt better.
Your DH is being selfish and endangering his kids like that is unacceptable. You need to report him to whatever government department issues license (I am in Australia) and report that he is falling asleep on the road with children.
I would also tell your DH that if he didn’t arrange counselling to sort out his relationship with food, diet and exercise, then he would be sleeping by himself in his own home.

Fraaahnces · 18/09/2022 07:35

BTW, there were times (exhausted with baby twins as well as him) that his snoring was just so bad and I resented it so much that I would wish that he WOULD fall asleep and run himself off the road, as he clearly wasn’t hearing my pain.

weekfour · 18/09/2022 07:37

Can you get counselling for stuff like that? I do think that's what he needs to sort out.

It's almost like he's not worth enough.

OP posts:
unflappybelivabubble · 18/09/2022 08:10

Does he know if untreated sleep apnoea reduces oxygen levels in blood that will affect his heart
I have it and was like your husband . Falling asleep , during driving ( my dr didn't want to test it because I didn't fit full profile)

Blood oxygen level was 60% should be 96% . My clinician said I was lucky to be alive .

My heart is not damaged thankfully and have used CPAP for 4 years and feel amazing

Educate your husband , he's walking into an early grave .

weekfour · 18/09/2022 08:22

I try to educate him.
I really have tried.

Is it really my job?

OP posts:
weekfour · 18/09/2022 08:27

I'm sorry if I'm coming across as rubbishing everything. I'm finding this really helpful as it's giving me the right language to talk about it.

I just feel like I've been pleading for so long and it doesn't make a difference.

OP posts:
mycatisannoying · 18/09/2022 09:07

I never, ever, ever tell people on here to leave their partner. But I think you're going to have to SadFlowers
At least temporarily until he sorts himself out. His passivity - and the whole thing really - is just too much of a sticking point.

Seaoftroubles · 18/09/2022 09:13

Yes, you really do have to educate him if he is endangering the life of your children when driving! That would be it for me. If he wants to risk his own health that's his choice but l wouldn't put my children at risk due to his apathy. No more pleading O.P, you need to have a very serious talk and to give him a clear choice. Change, or leave.

weekfour · 18/09/2022 09:24

I know you're all right.
What a fucking mess. Im so angry I can hardly move.

OP posts:
MrsTeaShore · 18/09/2022 09:24

I feel for you. Although we are not at the sleep apnoea stage (but might get that looked into at some point ) I have a husband who snores and keeps me awake too so I know how much it means to you and how horrendous it is to not be able to sleep , and have separate rooms etc! If I come across as angry and accusatory my husband gets all defensive , so I’ve found that if we talk about it like it’s a joint problem then he feels like it’s not a personal attack. You sound so genuinely hopeful and determined and looking forward to all that quality time again - does he know how much it means to you ? When you talk about it do you end up arguing and does he go on the defensive ? Can you talk about it a different way so maybe he feels more able to cooperate ? He is lucky to have you and he really needs to realise that.

glintwithpersperation · 18/09/2022 09:26

I know that people on here always say ‘has he got blah blah’ but I am going to do the same! Some of your points are making me think about adhd. The disorganisation, inability to plan, obesity is significantly more common, struggling to initiate something even if you 100% KNOW that you need to do but somehow you seem unable to do it. Or it may be that his low oxygen levels at night have caused a brain injury affecting his executive function? Does he manage to work?

But none of that means that you need to stay with him and I hope that my comments are not crass as it’s not the question you asked. You sound exasperated and that you have a lot on your hands

weekfour · 18/09/2022 10:09

Adhd has crossed my mind. It was actually mentioned by a colleague at work who's son has a diagnosis who knows a little about him. But that conversation was a spectacular argument!

He does work. It's probably totally outing but he has a very senior Finance position. A brilliant strategic thinker. However, he exists at work by having crazy stints where he'll work until 2 in the morning on some complicated model then does bugger all for two days.

Would finding out it is adhd change anything? Maybe I need to push this more...

OP posts:
weekfour · 18/09/2022 10:21

And @mrsteashore yes, he gets very, very defensive. And if I take a different tack he is very compliant and says what he thinks I want to here. But then doesn't actually do anything.

OP posts:
forgotoldusername · 18/09/2022 10:27

I would give him an ultimatum - lose weight by whatever means (gastric sleeve, drastic diet) or you'll leave him, but be ready to walk away. I'll be honest, I have a problem with obesity (I might have some eating disorders but I can't even look at obese people). My ex husband was about average when we met but he lost 10kg when I told him that I would only marry him if he was fit. I was ready to walk away. Have a new super fit partner today and told him any weight gain is a deal breaker. Could you do that?

MorrisZapp · 18/09/2022 10:37

Can I just clarify, he was driving on the motorway with kids in the car and he fell asleep? This is horrific. If he won't sort himself out he has to at least respect the lives of others. Have you discussed the motorway incident? What was his reaction? I can't believe I'm reading this, assuming he's a normal loving person in other ways that is beyond words, sorry.

Tinytinseltown · 18/09/2022 10:45

It’s easy to gain wait, and despite what people seem to think it’s easy to lose it (unless there’s an underlying health condition). Get him a gym membership, set him up for 1 hour a day on the highest setting crosstrainer and that will burn about 700-900 calories a day. Don’t let him piss around on low settings as there’s no chance he’ll lose weight at a few hundred calories. If he neeee to go lower setting to start with then he needs to stay there till he gets to the goal, even if it’s theee hours. He does that 5 days a week and he’ll be there in no time. If he can’t be bothered then jettison him.

weekfour · 18/09/2022 10:48

MorrisZapp · 18/09/2022 10:37

Can I just clarify, he was driving on the motorway with kids in the car and he fell asleep? This is horrific. If he won't sort himself out he has to at least respect the lives of others. Have you discussed the motorway incident? What was his reaction? I can't believe I'm reading this, assuming he's a normal loving person in other ways that is beyond words, sorry.

He was in stationery traffic in a traffic jam and he fell asleep. I immediately made him pull over and I drove.

OP posts:
Catlover1970 · 18/09/2022 10:51

I think I would go down the ultimatum route too ( and I don’t normally agree with them) This is affecting everyone. My husband is a snorer so i feel your pain. We start off in the same bed and then I go into the spare room. It isn’t affecting everything though as in your situation . Good luck xxx

weekfour · 18/09/2022 10:51

Tinytinseltown · 18/09/2022 10:45

It’s easy to gain wait, and despite what people seem to think it’s easy to lose it (unless there’s an underlying health condition). Get him a gym membership, set him up for 1 hour a day on the highest setting crosstrainer and that will burn about 700-900 calories a day. Don’t let him piss around on low settings as there’s no chance he’ll lose weight at a few hundred calories. If he neeee to go lower setting to start with then he needs to stay there till he gets to the goal, even if it’s theee hours. He does that 5 days a week and he’ll be there in no time. If he can’t be bothered then jettison him.

He has a gym membership. He goes when I remind him to go. He meets a friend who is fit who almost acts as a PT. Friend is there every morning.

I work full time with a significant commute and have three primary aged children. There's no way I can facilitate him to that level. I'm exhausted.

OP posts:
mycatisannoying · 18/09/2022 11:17

forgotoldusername · 18/09/2022 10:27

I would give him an ultimatum - lose weight by whatever means (gastric sleeve, drastic diet) or you'll leave him, but be ready to walk away. I'll be honest, I have a problem with obesity (I might have some eating disorders but I can't even look at obese people). My ex husband was about average when we met but he lost 10kg when I told him that I would only marry him if he was fit. I was ready to walk away. Have a new super fit partner today and told him any weight gain is a deal breaker. Could you do that?

Umm no, I doubt she could do that. The OP sounds like a nice person, and not a total control freak Confused

mycatisannoying · 18/09/2022 11:19

OP, you sound so weary of it all. I really feel for you. At the end of the day though, you need to ask yourself: is it an equal partner you want, or to be someone's mother?

hewouldwouldnthe · 18/09/2022 11:21

Honestly I couldn't be bothered with someone like this. Someone so unattractive, so obese, so unhealthy and uninterested in doing anything about it would be too much. You do know that you are likely to spend many years of your later life as a carer for someone who's weight catches up with him and he has a stroke? Or other health issues.

Selfish I know but so is the person who disregards their health in this way.

Pinkbonbon · 18/09/2022 11:25

Tbh op, he DOES know its selfish. He just doesn't care because he's selfish.

Also, if he is so big he has sleep apnea then I'm surprised he has lived this long already. Snoring is the least of it. He's too lazy to even try to prevent heart attacks, diabetes, strokes.

I'd be going him an ultimatum. He sorts himself out (and always sticks on his machine at nights in the meantime). Or you leave him. It's not your responsibility to sit around and watch him die.

If he doesn't step up or if he fails to continue a pursuit to getting slimmer, get yourself out of there.