OK. thanks John. Maybe I was being oversensitive. Being obese for a number of years never really caused me any image hastle but I do know people who have been driven to tears and worse by throwaway comments like "I would strongly recommend investigating losing weight as a far better, healthier way to deal with apnea". Do you not think they have tried already? As to whether CPAP (Continuous positive airway pressure - Easy to find!) is regarded as normal in the US, I have no idea. It should be regarded as a normal course of action everywhere as far as I am concerned and suggesting it is abnormal and should only be used as a last resort helps no-one come to terms with it :-(