Sleep apnea treatment without CPAP with Audrey Wells MD
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 5 มิ.ย. 2023
- In this video, sleep medicine physician and founder of Super Sleep MD, Audrey Wells MD, is discussing sleep apnea treatment without CPAP and alternatives to CPAP treatment…and sharing a “show and tell” demonstration of the different options that are available. Physicians can get CME credits for watching this video.
Dr. Wells has a free informational group and online courses for people with sleep apnea.
Website: www.supersleepmd.com/
- Get her FREE sleep apnea guide here: www.supersleepmd.com/cpap-alt...
- Check out her course, 21+ CPAP Alternatives: www.supersleepmd.com/cpap-alt...
- FREE guide on 9 Factors that Contribute to Sleep Apnea: www.supersleepmd.com/osa-cont...
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Im a nurse of 30 years, and have lost complete faith in our modern medicine -
I get a sense after a lot of my own research, many companies and some physicians are exploiting sleep apnea treatments, not unlike the pharmaceutical companies and drug therapies. Do your own research and find your own solutions and don't believe everything you hear.
At 65 I am being fitted for a CPAP device tonight.... due to severe sleep apnea. However, I don't use a single prescription drug and have no desire to use this device the rest of my life. I have been doing breathing exercises and research techniques to help me reverse the condition. I definitely need to lose weight, but I don't want to use this device the rest of my life. I agree because to me it seems more like a (non-drug) prescription.
Are you currently using a device?
A few years ago, I started CPAP. As much as I hated it, I used it every night for 6 months. Then I read that my CPAP machine and cleaner combo was being recalled for causing cancer so I stopped it. Though I had registered my products, the sleep center care providers, CPAP store, and manufacturers never contacted me. I lost all trust and never used my CPAP again. I lost 90 pounds and my snoring completely stopped. I year after I met my weight loss goal I began regain the weight and it is back and so is my snoring. I used my phone app to monitor my sleep. I know that my apnea is active, but I would never trust the hospital’s sleep center, the machine provider and manufacturers, the FDA, my insurance company, again. I need an alternative. Trying again to lose weight.
You may like to put a wedge shaped pillow under your mattress. It slightly raises your upper body. It has stopped my snoring.
I must be extremely fortunate. When I saw the c-Pap, I thought, “Oh, no way!” Then I put it on and thought that I never wanted to be without it. I had sleep issues beginning in junior high when I weighed 125. That was 1968, and there was no such thing as sleep studies or understanding of sleep problems. I could never maintain any regular pattern of attendance or consistent mental performance. It was extremely frustrating. From my first night with my c-Pap, my whole life changed. I had a great doctor who was frustrated by my use of my c-Pap anytime that I needed a nap as well as for my night’s sleep. He wanted regular hours, but I was struggling with extreme exhaustion after bad sleep and untreated sleep apnea for 38 years. He also was frustrated by the fact that I did not lose weight, having become obese over those same 38 years. I didn’t care that my body didn’t do what he wanted. I was functioning for the first time. After multiple failures in my attempt to get a college degree, I was able to attend regularly and think without that mental fog. It’s just been an amazing gift in my life.
Horrible conditon, isn't it? I mean, sleep deprivation is listed as a torture in international law.....
Congratulations on your success and improving your health. I think I also may have had sleep apnea since childhood and am 56 yrs now. Thank you for sharing your encouraging experience!
My Mother died at 86 in 2020 (from a stroke). She LOVED her CPAP. Really couldn't even think of not using it.I , her son -- just cannot cannot cannot tolerate it. Love it sitting on a sofa watching late night TV -- but when I fall asleep something happens and I wake up like a drowning man ripping the tubes out. I've done CPAP, BIPAP, full face mask, nose pillows, tried it FOUR sleep studies at a sleep center. I now use a side sleeper pillow and sleep on my left side. I know I get a good sleep when I wake up and remember very vivid dreams. This happens more often than not.
l know what you mean. However, it is appatently indisputable that slerep apnea, at certain stages, eventually causes real damage to the cardiopulmonary circuit in particular, which increases all risks for heart attack, stroke, dementia, cancer, arrhythmias, sudden death, heart failure, and just about every other disease caused by chronic metabolic syndrome induced by oxygen desaturation.
My parents both have diagnosed sleep apnea, my father developed heart disease from sleep apnea, and my sister has been using a CPAP to sleep. About ten years ago I also started to develop sleep apnea, and would wake up during the night choking. It was so debilitating, I was getting more and more exhausted. I then read about people who had great results from an anti-inflammatory diet and exercise, which I decided to try as I was so desperate not to have surgery or use a CPAP. I went 100% cold turkey on the following - alcohol, refined sugar, processed foods and wheat products such as bread etc. I also began walking daily. It wasn't easy, and some days I wanted to give in to the food cravings, but I was really determined to give it a go. I noticed gradual improvements in my sleep after a couple of weeks, and within two months my sleep apnea was gone, completely gone. Whole food and exercise really is medicine, and today I still sleep through the night and the whole food diet and exercise regimen is now just a daily habit, it's no longer a chore.
Awesome!! Good to hear there are non-medical options 👏👍
I haven’t heard her mention taping your mouth shut. Possibly because it’s not lucrative? I’ve been taping my mouth with a little piece of 1.5 inch athletic tape for three months and the results have been life changing! I snored so loud my wife often moved to the couch, would wake up gasping, severe dry throat and wake up with headaches.
Taping has worked fantastic for me I sleep 6 straight hours, no symptoms I mentioned.
Please talk with your doctor before you embark on trying this because I’m about as far away from a doctor as you can get! I have no problems with breathing through my nose. Sleep studies and all these other options doesn’t appeal to me but I wish everyone finds an option that works for them!
Andrew huberman mentioned mouth taping. Not for apnea but I did wonder if it would help apnea.
I’ve tried this so many times and I can’t seem to do it. It’s not for everyone
I have obstruction issue & CPAP at every level & every mask & would wake up feeling like my intestines would rupture do to swallowed air. Now I use mouth tape, sleep left side/stomach (I arrange pillows & wedge so I can't roll onto my back anymore), & use snorelab to measure events. Went from 30+ events an hour to 2-3 per night!
Thanks! I'll try the tape tonight!
I tried a chin strap. It didn't work, I would wake up and it was pulled off. I guess I just had too much obstruction.
Sometimes a CPAP (or bi-pap or ASV) causes lots of central apneas. My OSA was nose based rather than tongue based. Supplemental oxygen was a more successful treatment. But boy did I have to fight for years with the "you need a cpap" and "maybe you just need a different mask" zombies at my provider.
Can you say more about supplemental oxygen treatment? I have never heard of it and also think my sleep apnea is related mostly to the nose..
@@sarahmuschel4812 I knew it was my nose because even during the day I would take a big "catch up" breath thru my mouth about once a minute - even while at rest. First you have to have a "sleep study". These days most places give you a monitor to use at night in your residence. Then they dx a C-Pap. Then it doesn't help. Then you have to get them to do a sleep study in an actual facility that assesses the impact of the C-Pap, but also just oxygen for part of the night. Regarding treatment to improve the nose : rule out allergies causes insufficient airflow. Rule out reflux as causing nasal airflow insufficiency due to constant post nasal drip & nasal crusting. If crusting is a big problem, try nose oil. Rule out nasal valve collapse or septal deviation as cause of airflow insufficiency. After all that Maybe a doctor will prescribe an oxygen concentrator that you can use at night. I really did spend YEARS having to be very "assertive" with doctors to eventually get the correct nasal surgery (to fix collapsed internal valves) and then the rx for supplemental nocturnal oxygen. Hope that helps. I am not a Doctor, am not dispensing medical advice, just passing along what worked for me.
@@jblackjack But then I get air in my stomach :(
When I was hospitalized for a week my oxygen level kept dropping to low setting off the alerts. After they put me on supplemental oxygen it didn't drop too low the rest of my stay. Discussed this with Cardiologist, PCP and Sleep doctor. They were in agreement that putting me on supplemental oxygen would make me be dependent on it. I haven't been able to use the bipap for csa and osa. My ex-husband tried to smoother me several times. The masks all cause PTSD symptoms. The doctors all keep insisting many of my medical problems would be solved by going on bipap. So now they have me trying a new treatment for PTSD that evolves eye movements. I slept better than I had in years with supplemental oxygen.
Those who think their oxygen levels may be dropping too low could purchase a finger oxygen recorder. They sell on Amazon and many other sites. My records my oxygen level and pulse rate for up to 10 hrs straight. The results can be transferred to your computer, phone or tablet. You can then share the results with your doctors. Hopefully they will be open minded enough to listen to your concerns. Unfortunately, mine haven't been. Don't get me wrong. They are fantastic but it's difficult for them and myself due to autonomic dysfunction / autonomic neuropathy.
I LOVE my cpap!! My pressure level is low and I’m able to use a nasal mask with ear loops. Doesn’t mess my hair up. Been using one for many, many years.
I’m glad you can tolerate it. I can’t stand stand the nasal pillows
@@beckymigdal517 I can't use the nasal pillows, either. They chafe my nostrils and rub them raw. My nasal mask is a little triangle that covers my entire nose. Works like a charm!!
I tape my mouth shut because the cpap shoots air in my eyes, and loses suction on my cheeks etc, it dries my mouth and throat so bad my throat sticks to itself, the silicone causes cold sores where it touches! I have tried everything and adjusted all ways, tried different masks, chin slings, and paid for lots of these things myself! Including climate control tubing! Nothing works but my cin drops open so the NexCare tape keeps my chin from dropping open and keeps lips closed! That works!
Used a CPAP for 3 months to try to sleep with moderate sleep apnea. I tried 5 different masks, several different positions, and several different air compressions but found the mask too uncomfortable to tolerate. My sleep doctor’s staff set the air pressure based on their “rules” and the pressure was so extreme it woke me up numerous times every night! Although it’s not strictly allowed, I found out how to change CPAP pressure and the activation schedule to make it more tolerable, but after using it for months I found it didn’t help my sleep at all.
I was TIRED of being tired every day and really had high hopes for the CPAP process but finally gave up when I started getting MORE sleep when I started pulling off the mask at about 4 am to relax and sleep uninterrupted for a few hours!
I also found the whole process of reordering masks etc. from the medical supply store to be more concerned with payments and insurance company coverage than really helping me sleep.
I am a senior and have recently been diagnosed with AFIB and am about to launch into a new process to see if I can overcome my apnea. I intend to work with my doctors to examine my nasal passages to see if I can improve my breathing and am going to check into using a dental device.
I thought I had written your comment! That's exactly how I felt. Fortunately I was able to test a dental device and I have been using it nightly for the last 6 years. I wish there was a dentist in my area to service it though. It needs adjustment, and I m ight need a new one, since my puppy chewed one side of it years ago... I ground it down to not cut my gums ... But in short, I love my device. It works for me.
Same issue I’m going through now looking for to consult pulmonologist to check my nasal passages because it’s always gets blocked due to sinusitis I hope if they can do something for me if they prescribe dental device and help for my apnea.
I hate my cpap SO much!!! I’m about to give up. It is making my quality of life worse. Who wants to live longer if you’re miserable?
I used a cpap once and my head fell off, so,I don't use it anymore. But seriously, sleep apnea can be dangerous- maybe an alternative might work better for you?
I tried mine one time and absolutely hated it because not only was I wearing this silly nose thing but I had the tube hanging off onto my bed my cat sleeps with me and she was a little bit unnerved by that. I fell asleep with it on surprisingly I didn't realize that my mouth was open when I was asleep so I'll that you're rushed out and scared me and scared my cat! I ripped it off oh, and the next time I tried it I couldn't breathe because I felt like I was suffocating. So after two tries and went back to the Homecare place and I have not investigated further because oral appliances have giving me problems and I'm not going to try to fit a CPAP to do the Inspire and I don't want surgery anyway.
Look up Dr Abel Veets he has some interesting hints
I feel exactly the same. CPAP is absolutely horrible. I tore it off while sleeping, I'm severely claustrophobic. I too sleep with my cat, and aside from how terrible CPAP is, we couldn't cuddle at all. I don't know what to do, because I can barely stay awake anymore. Also, I had a stroke at 26, and a heart attack at 44, and I'm sure my sleep apnea was the cause.
I with you. And the Inspire implant is so expensive
I have used on of those mouthpieces since 2015 (not that one: mine is an interlocking 2 piece, with no spring) and it was life changing ... Like I became an entirely different person because my brain started working right after I stopped nearly dying in my sleep every night.
Would you please be able to link to the one you use ?
Would you please link the one you used?
@@angiekowalczyk4440 "ProSomnus"
@@zee7635 "ProSomnus"
I’m 70 and have using the Cpap since I was 50 when I was diagnosed with moderate apnea. It is a lifesaver! I got use to the mask (over the nose only) then a couple of years ago, I discovered the nasal mask. It is great and so less restrictive. I can sleep on my side too.
I am 65 and being fitted for a CPAP device tonight. I have been diagnosed with severe sleep apnea, but am looking for ways not to spend the rest of my life on this device.
I’m 60 and i was diagnosed with Sleep Apnea. Im feeling dizzy and on top of my head feeling weird always nightmares too. I’m weighing 123lb I hate CPAP so much, I never want to put it on, it’s so uncomfortable, I’m using ResMed mask for nose only and with strings around the ears but I can’t aje this and always looking for permanent solution for Apnea not having CPAP please help.
Took me a few years to get comfortable with my CPAP. Took experimentation with about 5-6 different masks. Full face (hated those)…. Used a nose pillow which fit into the nostrils and that worked better but would have sores in nostrils… finally found a nose pillow (Fishel Paykel Evora) which rested under the nostrils but didn’t not go into the nostrils and this is what I’ve been using for the past two years - this mask has been great as it is small, allows me to sleep on my side and doesn’t create nose sores. I also use a mask & tube disinfect device to reduce bacteria.
I’ve had the pillow in the nose mask for the past 3-4 months and I keep getting sick with a cold and y able to wear the mask because I can’t breathe thru my nose. How do you keep from getting sick?
Very informative Doctors...
Thank You
The information was very informative, thank you.
Thanks for this ….very useful and insightful information ….the best I’ve absorbed on social media …thank you ladies much appreciated .
Many of these sound like ideal devices for medical device companies and care providers to capture revenue streams. It doesn't seem like there is much attention to how to make lifestyle changes to avoid or reduce apnea.
You are absolutely right !!!!! It is about insurance and selling devices worth nothing. Not about the patient at all !!!!!!
Your comment is the most accurate one in all of these comments! Thanks for saying it like it is. ❤️
You are right! I have afib. The doctor insisted I go on a blood thinner. After reading the "Black Box Warning," I knew I had 2 conditions that explicitly say I shouldn't be on blood thinners. I found out about 2 devices, a Watchman and an Amulet. These are placed in your heart and prevent 98% of blood clots with no side effects. They don't have batteries so don't need to ever be replaced. The surgery is done and you go home in a couple of hours. I asked the surgeon why all patients weren't having these implanted instead of being put on blood thinners. They are expensive and risky to take. He replied that the surgeons couldn't keep up with the number of patients needing one. I remarked that the health systems would lose money and big pharma would lose mega bucks. He said you didn't hear this from me, but you are are so right.
@@tomkatishereHow do you possibly "get used to" the Afib? I believe the latest research shows that losing 10% of your body weight will, in 85% of those studied, eliminate Afib altogether. Sleep apnea is clearly correlated with Afib and many other illnesses, conditions, and premature death. But none of the providers ever work together to holistically determine the precise causes of YOUR apneas, and CURE them. For example, if you have significant OSA, it is plausible that lifestyle changes, weight reduction of ten percent, and surgery (removal of tonsils, avoidance of all toxic substances 8n foods that promote Afib) would prevent sleep apnea, AND sequalae like Afib, heart disease, diabetes, cancer, dementia, stroke, and many other "standalone" conditions.
I think you hit the nail on the head, I just got my CPAP 2 days ago and I don't see myself using it very long at all, I'm fully invested and trying but so far I cannot keep it on, and when I think back to when the guy was doing the demo for me how he seemed so much more like a salesman than anything and he pretty much was! I wish I had done my own reseach beforehand, I usually do, I didn't for this, why didn't they even offer to show me the mouthguard thing before a CPAP machine?? Why not go over alternate methods before just jumping on that bandwagon!
Thank you for teaching people on this subject. I have had sleep apnea for many years & have had bad experiences with anesthesia during surgeries. Even the smallest surgery, the anesthesiologist insists to lay me flat. I have instructed them that I cannot breathe when I am flat on my back & request to be elevated at least 30 degrees. I have had many surgeries, major & minor and only 1 anesthesiologist listened to me. I have had a palatopalatophangealplasty years prior to my CPAP & deviated septum repair. I use my Resmed CPAP nostril insert every night for many years with no real gratification. I am now going on 76 y/o & starting to have short term memory loss & am concerned that my CPAP treatment is not totally helping me. My Dr. does not really assist in much education since he is an Internal Med. I never spoke to a sleep specialist & only have been tested over the years twice with results of "severe sleep apnea" . I live in Southern CA & unable to find an expert in the field. It would be helpful to announce in your wonderful video ways to find a good specialist in Sleep Apnea. 🥴
I sure feel for you! Sleep apnea is debilitating. I've had trouble with various masks. but, I do like the nasal mask that shoves into my nostrils. Seems to work the best. Right now, I have the sniffles so I'm back to the full face mask again. Iy yi yi!
Apologies for the late reply! My colleague Sahil Chopra MD is a wonderful sleep doctor in Southern CA, I often refer my patients to him. Here's his practice info: www.empowersleep.com/
Dr Ken D Berry makes a good point about Sleep Apnea, you can lose weight just dieting or you can Keto or Carnivore you can lose weight in the right places, the liver, the tongue and the body! There is a difference in just dieting cutting back or salads and such will help lose pounds but Keto and/or Carnivore you lose weight in the organs and places that really help sooner!
Carnivore, does that mean you eat people to lose weight, lol. I'm not eating the organs of any animal. That's gross.
Inspire seems reassuring to me not only because it is with you every night but it is also with you if you take a nap!
Not all Sleep apneas are the same. I have Hypopnia,in simple terms the sleep center in my brain does not work properly and i simply don't breath once i am asleep, The first sleep study i did showed that i stopped breathing 127 times in the first 60 min. It didn't get much better for the remaining time of the study, but after 5 hours the air pressure was titrated up to a 14 psi to keep the airways open and me breathing properly.
Good video with lots of good info on options. She did not include 3-D expansion w/ dental appliance that addresses the root cause which most often is related to the underdevelopment of the maxilla and mandible coordinated w/ myofunctional therapy to address the soft tissue imbalance. Another non-surgical procedure is the Nightlase which is a Non ablative procedure to reduce the soft tissue in the back of the throat. We have experienced great success and eliminated the need for lifetime wear of a CPAP or a mandibular advancement appliance.
Could you please send me more info about these options you mentioned? I have severe refractive trigeminal neuralgia, anesthesia dolorosa, hemifacial spas and other cranial neuralgias so I can't even wear a mask to prevent viruses like COVID and flu much less a CPAP mask! TIA
I would be appreciative to find out more about this therapy you mentioned of 3-D expansion, etc. Could you forward that to me? Thank you!
Tried 3 different masks, side sleeper, spent more time waking up & adjusting the mask as air rushed over my face waking me every 30 minutes. I was worse off with it. Gave it 6 months. Now have a long pillow at my back & sleep normally. CPAP not for everyone.
@@bazabollox can you be more specific about the pillow that helped you? Thank you!
Thanks for this vid Ryan
I should have performed a basic experiment to test the air compressor before exposing your lungs 🫁 my ears, and my throat to an aggressive level 10 air blow.
If I plug the hose into a balloon at level 10 🎈 and press it with my hands to simulate the natural exhale 😮💨, The balloon would have bursted eventually because there’s more volume of air getting in than getting out. I was told to breath normal as when you are resting. But I was wrestling with the air flow instead. 😤
Good morning sir excellent exercises thank you so much 🎉🎉
Great interview, learned a lot. Thank you
Glad it was helpful!
It took me months and several different styles. Now I use the nasal cup and 2 InstaClear nasal strips. I actually look forward to my breathing machine! If I am stuffed up and can't breathe, that forced, moist air opens my sinuses up. I am no longer tired during the day and wake up refreshed! I am now able to nose breath during the day.
I have a stuffy nose and am concerned a CPAP will worsen the condition, with the turbinates swelling to "slow down" the extra air to moisten it, causing the CPAP to increase in pressure again. I saw a video about this.
th-cam.com/video/LNbPhogMTzM/w-d-xo.htmlsi=1zAGeRsvFnNEjt6N
Minute 4.00 about a congested nose.
@@jenniferkimaustin I used to be a mouth breather because my nose was always stuffed up. One of the tricks I used was putting on the nose cup and letting the machine push air through my sinuses and out of my mouth for several minutes. The daily use of the breathing machine has turned me into a nose breather.
Tried a cpap multiple times, i have sinus issues and its always running down the back of my throat, so im clearing my throat constantly in my sleep, and every time i do i open my mouth so the pressure forces out my mouth. Most uncomfortable thing ever and causes panic attacks and anxiety
set the minimum pressure to something higher (it helps with the suffocation feeling, which is related to a lack of air flow). with 2-4 cmh2O between your lowest pressure and your top 95th percentile value, i.e. 5cmH2O to 9cmH2O
if your nose is playing up, either use daily nasal steroids and saline washes, or get your nose fixed by an ENT.
Have you tried a full face mask?
I understand the panic attacks caused by the cpap system. My ex-husband tried smoothering me multiple times. The mask caused PTSD. I am hoping the newer no machine, just in your nose plugs work. They aren't covered by most insurance plans but aren't really expensive. There are at l3ast 2 different brands. You just don't suck it up and start wearing the cpap mask. Panic attacks are extremely scary. Best wishes to you in finding something that helps with you.
I couldn’t handle Cpap because I have Hydrocephalus and a Vp shunt so the Cpap created to much pressure. I was at the beginning of the mouthpiece so it cute the sleep apnea by 50% but at the same time ruined my bite since it was before the day piece was invented. I ended up getting an adjustable bed with really helped along with the mouthpiece at the time. A few years ago I had another sleep apnea test and it greatly improved so now I just have mild sleep apnea which I just use my adjustable bed to treat that. Their are wedge pillows you can get that also elevate the head while sleeping.
So I am back here after a month and a half wearing a mouthpiece. I think it’s working somewhat. I do think it needs an adjustment. But I feel like I’m not waking anymore with brain fog.
I had one adjustment and I may need another one. My doctor said I have to do another sleep study to see if it’s really working. My husband has reported I am snoring less. If any.
Superb! Thank you so much
I had an oral appliance, and I think it was working, but I had a bad case of tmj pain with it. It took a long time to resolve the tmj pain. Is there a % of patients this happens to?
The oral appliance will not work if people do not have all their molars. Dentists wont make them for you if back teeth are missing. They dont want to change your bite and ruin your other teeth. The TAP Device definately changes your bite. I didnt test after I got mine, but I could tell it worked b/c I was not tired anymore. 😊 If you have severe sleep apnea, the mouth devices do not work as well.
My nose gets stuffy during the night and I can’t breath. The CPAP doesn’t worth if my nose is plugged
This is my husband's problem. It was great for a while, but now he always has sinus issues. He has given up on his CPAP completely now, snoring is worse than ever, & he's exhausted all day again. Really wish we could find a good solution for him 😕
Try Breathe Right nasal strips and/or a humidifier.
Flonase really helps open the nasal passages. That being said I still hate my cpap.
I tried two machines and couldn't use either one. I went back to the dr on the second one and his assistant did not follow through with me, even though I called and called and called. I tried. She wasn't interested in helping me. She just sent me to the place that gave me the device. I had to share the meeting with another patient and I had no privacy. So they were not really interested in helping me. I tried a third time to go back... the air flow was so high that it felt like it was blowing out my ear drums and I think it actually hurt my hearing because I woke up with ear aches. I can not force people to do their jobs. This is what you find in the medical system... Just give me the money and go away.
That’s awful! Sorry you had that experience. Hope you don’t give up on treatment and can find a better clinic to help you.
There are ways to lower the pressure. You tube😊 can show you. Also, I've found that not using the ramp-up, where it gradually increases pressure, but just starting and staying at a lower pressure was more comfortable. You can adjust the settings even though they make you feel like you're doing something unlawful.
Use auto cpap
If you are on Medicare, file a complaint with the Medicare office near you. You pay premiums every month. We all need to file complaints if we aren't getting the cars and respect we deserve from our doctors and medical staff. If enough people start demanding our health systems change, eventually it will.
You know how EMTs pull your head back to get the airway clear before CPR? Why wouldn’t sleeping with y9ur head off the bed work? I’ve tried it & it’s perfectly comfortable to ME. I only sleep on my back. I can’t find anyone to answer this.
Also is sleeping in one’s stomach an alternative?
I also try cpap for two years but didn’t like to use. I had mild sleep apnea
How do I get the links why on U-tube ?..
I had challenges with initiation due to getting Covid and cough, then mask fit issues. Finally got everything working good and using it all night and insurance is making me give it back because I didn’t meet the 4 hours a night consecutively for 30 days in a row.
I was told I had sleep central sleep apnea, and that I would stop breathing often and gasp for air often. Was given a cpap and found could not use it due to bloating which aggravated a medical procedure I've had. Years later I wondered if I had apnea, and if so, would it be caught on a recorder? so I downloaded a recording app for phone and put it on the bedside table. Recorded all night long, several nights, and never once did I stop breathing, and didn't gasp for air at any point.
Concerning the oral treatment, what if you have dentures?
I've been on full face CPAP for 6 years now. My Dr says I'm her rock star lol. I wear it every night. I wear it because it made a drastic difference in the tried feeling I had all day. I've lost 40# in the last year. I've gotten my air turned down. I'll have to still wear it. I was told after my study that I had a small airway. I still have my tonsils. Unfortunately everything sags when you are elderly .🙁
Been using a cpap for 5 years but in the last two years I've developed teeth splaying and now my teeth don't come together at the front or back. My dentist says this is from tongue thrusting. What would cause a 60 year old woman to develop tongue thrust? Is it from the cpap? I also have TMJ which kind of complicates things and my sleep apnea is mod to severe so the dentist says I should stick to a cpap. I'm not happy that my teeth are going to continue to get worse but what do I do about it?
I hate wearing mine and now with the ever rising cost of power, I can no longer afford to even wear it!
When they did my sleep study, my oxygen SATS were at 60% and I NEVER entered REM sleep.
I wake up every day so tired, with a raging headache and I'm tired ALL DAY!
All because my ex husband broke my nose so many times - HE SHOULD BE FORCED TO WEAR THE BLOODY THING 😭💔
Boy, you asked for some common sense way too late in life. Karma is a bummer next time around. A hard hard life you did. Better choices, next time. Keep on learning!😊
I am getting the dental device in a couple of weeks. Also getting the septum fixed. I can't use the machine due to a bad septum.
Your fortunate
Acupuncture treatments & changing foods during the day & meditation thoughts before 😴. Many other ways !!! ❤❤❤❤❤
I have been using CPAP for many, many years. The mask/nasal pillows make falling asleep difficult. Once asleep CPAP is good. My OSA is due to a short mandible. Would the air lift surgery be a good fit for someone with a shortened jaw bone? I was very thin when I started CPAP so weight wasn't an issue. Also, dental appliances may be an issue since I have severe TMJ.
I have bad allergies as well so I often block up more when I use my CPAP.
Thank you for your video. I am learning since last week I was told I have Sleep Apnea. I need other options 🙏.
The air compressor was a terrifying experience for me.
I tested it for the first time at the Clinic. The physiotherapist gave me different nose applicators. I struggled with full mask and went for what they call pillows (plugged to my nostrils).
At the clinic, the air flow was low and gentle however I still struggled and couldn’t tolerate it but I took it home hoping I was going to gradually get used to it. My shock was when at home the air pressure was too strong, actually it was a sudden, totally unexpected aggressive blown. It was controlled remotely to pump in and continuously a volume of air that I could not exhale, my lungs, my ears, my mouth kept inflating to a point I felt my lungs were going to burst. I gave it up because sleep is about not feeling stressed or uncomfortable.
I only used it for few seconds and 4 days have passed and I have an uncomfortable sensation. This compressor left my upper lungs, throat, and ears feeling like I just had a accident.
I bought a new bed to raise my upper body and my sleep has improved. I sleep side ways so the weight of the tongue’s muscle won’t collapse the traquea.
th-cam.com/video/hJajkK2PuMg/w-d-xo.html
Omg as I read your story I thought I had written it myself. This is exactly what happened to me however when I came home the air pressure was insane! I became dizzy and my vision was blurring left me so anxious. I received mine a few days ago so when I have time I’ll call during the week to get someone to help with pressure or to see if they can help me but this seems to be very difficult to use. I was barely able to breathe when I tried it out at the place with the respiratory therapist but it was more manageable but not long term. In my case I gained a lot of weight these past two years so I know what I have to do to get rid of this because I did not have it before it’s just so difficult
@@mjhmr8get the CPAP pressure lowered to the lowest pressure to start, take it off auto adjust, set the epr to the lowest setting to start for pressure when exhaling, adjust your tube temperature and humidity level to the temperature and humidity level most comfortable for you then you may be able to get used to CPAP treatment. I had to have the pressure lowered to 4 (lowest pressure for a resmed 10 air sense machine, the epr at 3, the temperature set to 70, and the humidity level for the tube set to 1. Good luck with getting your machine settings adjusted and getting used to CPAP treatment, it's all possible! Also, find a comfortable mask. Insurance companies will pay for a second mask if you call the CPAP company within the first thirty days and let the CPAP company know that the first mask isn't working well for you. Wishing you good luck!
I have severe sleep apnea and am not using anything at the moment, I tried CPAP, I hated it. Never slept one night with it, I really couldn't get used to pushing back against my breath. Plus I can't sleep well on my back AT ALL, my side I can somewhere. I don't want inspire either as I don't want an implant in my body, plus it doesn't stop all episodes. I want a mouth guard/mouthpiece that can hold it open, or the DNA appliance, I can't find anyone in my area who accepts my insurance who will give me one of those. Are any of you on them?
Also, is there any option that does for your throat what braces do for your teeth? Whereas braces eventually straighten your teeth, is there anything I can use that will eventually widen my throat?
It seems everyone i know who did the sleep evaluation needed the machine. I think its a damn scam. No.test or machine for me. Its been a good run on life & when i go. I go.
Ironic that people usually only do a test if it is strongly suspected that they need a machine. But you do you buddy.
I have used to CPAP more than 15 years. I find it I need to wear the CPAP even when I’m not sleeping because I can’t put it on because it wakes me up if I’m sleepy. So it registers eight hours sometimes but when I look back at my heart rate etc. on my watch it shows that I was awake and I know I was awake because sometimes I’ll be watching TV for an hour and a half and it will say I’m asleep because I’m still. I know you say the tongue isn’t an issue most of the time but my tongue is huge it doesn’t fit in the bottom of my mouth and I don’t know if that’s because of braces or the fact I have small teeth and small jaw. Who should I go to for all of these weird things I have going on?
Very informative. I have a pulmonary appointment coming up and partially will be reviewing my sleep study that puts me at a 7 where previously I was at a high normal of 5. I know he will be pushing for a cpap but I am resistant for these reasons: 1) I have some instances where all of a sudden while sleeping I can not exhale through my nose and air is forced out through my mouth. It wakes me up immediately. If I can't exhale, I think the cpap will make matters worse. My ENT doc thinks I am crazy :) 2) I know partially what the problem is with some obstructive issues is that i like to sleep with my pillow scrunched up under my neck. If I just push in on my throat as a test I can replecate the same thing. I think it is more of a pillow placement thing. For those reasons, I am going to kinda push back on getting a cpap and see if I modify my sleep position if that will help and do another sleep test in a year. What do you think?
Consider that the CPAP will increase the air pressure in your nose helping to clear it whether the air is moving in or out. You might also improve from some nasal clearing procedures to physically have more room to breath.
@@cadenrolland5250 If you use a humidifier bottle with a CPAP, the humidified air alone is helpful for a lot of people.
I had the same problem with Cpap pushing air out thru my mouth and waking me up. By "7", do you mean "events per hour" ? If so, that is nothing compared to people that get 60 or 100 events per hour. in my non-doctor opinion, 7 is not a level of "you MUST use CPAP".
@@justsomeguy5490 Thx for response. No... the 7 and 5 numbers refer to the overall score they give you, not the number of events. 1-5 is considered normal; 7 is mildly abnormal but not concerning.
I already have a sleep problem. Could not sleep with the CPap the hose was a big problem. I am awake with the slightest interference. I sold my machine. My friend has been threatened by his doctor if he doesn't wear it 4 hours a night he will have his driver's license taken. So he is in a trap. Nothing else has been offered to him. Now he can not sleep at all.
Sorry to hear that! You or your friend could try www.empowersleep.com/ or www.sliiip.com/, both are reputable online sleep clinics that can help people find other treatment options.
I like my CPAP, I wear the nasal mask, and it does work well; but I don't like anyone seeing me wearing it.
I had an oral device and I woke up energized! But my dog ate it. Dentist said they are now $2000. No way!
What was the name of the device? I need that!!!
I wake up feeling dizzy and it last all day when using ny cpap machine. I'm not using it anymore. I am going to look into the oral device. Feeling disoriented and dizzy is no fun.
Cpap isn't necessary for folks who have and live with sleep apnea. 1. Control your weight. if you're over-weight, Get down to your proper natural Weight. 2. Elevate the head of your bed to keep any acid reflux or digested foods, in your stomach. 3. have the medical Comunnity study your Esophageal Flap function. without an esophageal flap, Your digested foods in your stomach migrate back up your esophagus and if your bed isn't elevated, will lodge in your throat. When you start to snore, You'll inhale the digested foods thus cutting off your airway. These 3 steps will make sure you wake up the following morning to live yet another day.
We suggest our patients place elevation devices under the bed frame at the head of the bed or a wedge under the mattress…the idea being that you don’t have elevation cushions that you can push aside while sleeping.
not in ALL cases, though you may be right in MOST. There are people, like someone in this thread that says he had it all his life, nobody is BORN fat are they? By esophageal flap, you mean SPHINCTER muscle don't you?
Thank you very much for your fact experienced, it's helpful. Thanks again.
@thesnare100 i was guessing 'epiglottis' was the intention?????
Hi. I have been suffering from sleep apnea since 4 years. I use Cpap and mad device every night. I used to take my sleep videos regularly. What I observed is that even if I use Cpap and MAD, I would have disturbed sleep on my back but side sleeping was ok. I also observed that when I sleep on my back and fold my knees upwards I would breath better. Is there any device which folds my knees when I sleep on back? I also used slumber bump to avoid back sleeping for 3 years and now may be bcoz of that sleeping with that on my left side has become a problem for my heart. Can you tell any device which lifts my knees up when I sleep on back?.
This CPAP Masjine, if it is not the mask, it's the strap that breaks, my husband, sleeps with this mask and air escapes, more than he sleeps, I keep waking him up, he still snore with the mask on, and it's so irritating for me, to keep waking him up, or asking him to turn on his side, to prevent him from choking, thank you for your video,
Is there a certain side you sleep that can help sleep apnea?
How about Nightlase?
I seem to need my mouth closed to not snore. I have used a cpap but my mouth dried out. I tried to wear head bands aroundy chin and head to close my mouth. I bought mouth pieces, to pull my lower jaw forward, but it couldn't keep my mouth closed. I finally tried a neck brace and tape over my mouth. Those both work so much i don't need my cpap anymore. But the tape makes me nervous if i threw up unexpectedly. So the meck brace has worked best for me. But it has to stiff enough to be able to push my jaw up.
What does the neck brace do?
@@barbsinclair7352 it is tall enough to hold my jaw up, so my mouth stays closed.
Info on sleep apnea
Severe sleep apnea can require higher air pressure than a CPAP can apply. At that point, CPAP machines cannot work as the only medical treatment for sleep apnea. Successful CPAP treatment requires more than a sleep study and requires sleep training and support consultations. Childhood sleep apnea can be triggered by nasal congestion/inflammation or asthma due to an immune response to air pollution/allergens
No link to paper of 9 different causes of s/a in the video description
drive.google.com/file/d/1sW11FDPL3PNIF_4QgA_9wyOqI5SzZbu4/view
Cpap stops my snoring but I still wake up tired what could that be?
What MD’s should be doing is obtaining a Sleep Induced Endoscopy to find the specific problem, as it may be different for everyone. So she’s absolutely incorrect, CPAP IS NOT THE GOLD STANDARD. It’s the easiest treatment under the Rothschild medical management. We absolutely need more functional and holistic medicine doctors in this world.
Drug-Induced Sleep Endoscopy can be helpful, but not recommended as a first-line diagnostic tool. It is helpful, however, for people who can't tolerate PAP therapy or who need a more detailed airway examination to determine treatment. Per the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) guidelines, CPAP is the gold standard treatment. I am a functional and holistic medicine trained physician, in addition to being board certified in sleep medicine, and agree with you that there are lots of options available and personalized care is the most important. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
@@IntraBalance That’s the problem. Everyone follows Rockefeller medicine. Go figure
I suffer from.massive hypersomnia but mild sleep apnea no.snoring. im 130 pounds. So far no answers. Cpap did.nothing but giving me bloating. Could it be central?😢
Sorry to hear that! Worth talking to your sleep doc to see if they can change the CPAP settings. Or you could try Empower Sleep, they're great at troubleshooting sleep issues and coming up with creative solutions: www.empowersleep.com/
21+ CPAP alternatives is over $500, is there anywhere I could get these treatments described elsewhere?
Unfortunately it is not about YOUR health. It is a business and you are just a number .
@@vt7814 I don't mind paying for a "good good(product)" or service if I feel it's worth it and meets or exceeds my expectations, $500 is NOT worth it, however.
I breath through my mouth so I need the full face mask. I'm having a hard time finding the right CPAP settings. It's been almost two weeks. I don't feel any better than before I started even though my numbers look better. The first week I felt way worse.
Same with me! Not looking good for me to continue this thing, I'm aggravated they didn't even tell me there were alternatives, I would have rather tried a mouthpiece first, shame on me for not doing my own due diligence first! I usually do, ugh!
Well I am 52 and I have always had sleep apnea. Even as a kid I was always sleepy in school, never could remember things and teachers just thought you were being lazy. When I got older, everyone said, oh you need to lose weight and that will solve but when I was a kid I was skinny. I weighed 135 pounds and 5 foot 9 when I graduated high school. So I know weight has nothing to do with it. I always had a nose issue as it was always congested. But I use a nasal mask but I still don't get enough sleep and still forgetful. I even used a full mask and it didn't help. I don't know what to do and my sleep doctor not sure either. If it is my deviated septum, I'm not sure that Inspire would even help??.
Do you have a deviated septum? I have a deviated septum and getting surgery soon.
I have heard similar stories from a lot of people with sleep apnea. It seems to me that sleep apnea is actually what causes weight gain for some people, so telling a person to lose weight without knowing the cause or removing it is unhelpful.
I’ve had a sinus surgery and it didn’t help. Glad I did it though it was a life changer. Just didn’t do any thing for sleep apnea. Some dr’s say it can be due to the brain.
@@asahisagoiboi3517 Please do your research on ENS ( empty nose syndrome ) before you go under any nose surgery !!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Dr's usually "forget" to mention it to patients ! I decided NOT to go through my surgery. I have OSA and I can't tolerate CPAP.
@@asahisagoiboi3517 Could be that, or several other nose (or throat) issues. In my case, collapsed internal valves in my nose. Which is Rhinoplasty ("spreader grafts"), not septoplasty. A lot of ENT's only do septoplasty, so tell all their patients that they need septoplasty & coblation.
I have central sleep apnea. Is there anything I can use?
I have central sleep apnea too. People don't understand it's caused by the brain not sending the signals to the lungs and diaphragm to breathe. We wake up gasping for air or can't get a good night's sleep because of it. There is a newer device similar to the Inspire for both csa and osa. Sleep doctors continue to push the cpap / bipap machines even though they really don't help with csa. If you have csa, you'll almost always be diagnosed with mixed sleep apnea even if your sleep study says it's csa. Why? Because the doctors can then continue to insist you go on cpap. It's financially beneficial to the health care systems to have you on a cpap machine.
@@tomkatishere People also dont understand how physical and mentally exhausting this central sleep apnea can be
Muscles so tight in morning and the pain from DDD disease in back. Makes mind afraid to go to sleep? Deep anyway from the stree of low oxygen at times.
Room temperatures affect my breathing at night. Colder is always worse and my husband always😮 turns it down!
Where is the PDF for the 9 different causes of sleep apnea?
Will check with Dr. Wells and post the link shortly
Here it is: drive.google.com/file/d/1sW11FDPL3PNIF_4QgA_9wyOqI5SzZbu4/view?usp=drive_link
I can’t sleep without my clap. It took me a while to get used to it but now it’s working fine. Full face mask is the best because your mouth doesn’t dry.
Been fighting for years fighting with my mask. I don't sleep well. Get up still tired.
They have a newer device where you stick a plug in each nostril. Nothing else. No machine, mask, headgear, hoses and humidifiers. With 1 kind, you replace it every 90 days. It is FDA approved and you need a prescription. The other device works the same but isn't FDA approved and you don't need a prescription. You replace it once a year. Both are available through Apria, a medical supply company. I think both of them cost under $500 per year. Check first, you can probably use your FSA / HRA caed to pay for it.
Could you be more specific about the plug device you’re speaking of ? You mean it’s a plug in the nostril, but is it attached to a machine or whatever? Thank you, I’m interested.
The plugs that go in your nose for the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea are not connected to a machine. If the plug seal is tight enough in your nose, no headgear is needed. The plugs don't help with central sleep apnea. The FDA approved product is AirAvant Bongo RX and needs to be replaced every 3 months. A doctor's prescription is neeeed. Optipillows is not FDA approved but only needs to be replaced once a year. It doesn't need a prescription. The starting costs of Optipillows are much less than Bongo and since it is only replaced once a year, it is significantly cheaper. Both are EPAP devices.
I am in my 70s, not overweight, no pets, no alcohol, eat healthy, sleep on my side and now I've developed sleep apnea. I wake up with a very dry throat and feel sleepy during the day though I am in bed for at least 8 hours. What noninvasive treatments have given people success? No way I'd place that Inspire device in my chest!!! Thanks
I am no expert but it sounds like you are breathing with your mouth open at night. This could be from habit or it could be from having trouble breathing through your nose at night. You might want to look at a layperson book called "Breathe" and there's also a doctor called Stephen Park who goes over noninvasive treatments and also ways to determine if your nasal breathing isn't so great, and how to tell why it isn't so great. Good luck 🙂
Hopefully one day CPAP pumps will be the thing of the pass.
Do these women even wear a Cpap? I struggled for a year and finally gave up. I learned to clean my nasal passages before sleeping and changed to a carnivore diet. I am now at an ideal wait and now get 6 to 8 hours of sleep a night.
I don’t see the links
Here it is: www.supersleepmd.com/osa-contributors , it is also now available in the video description. Hope that helps!
B1 deficiency
Thanks! My poor sleep quality improved dramatically after correcting a vitamin D deficiency. I'll look into this, too!
I’ve been monitoring my sleep with the Apple Watch and it looks like I probably have sleep apnea. I can’t get to a doctor until next year. I hope I don’t need a cpap machine because I have super sensitive skin and I know the mask will probably make my face itch like mad. Wearing the mask during Covid also made my face itch.
It amazes me how long it's taking people to see a doctor. I'm in Louisville, KY and I got an appointment with the Sleep Medicine Center within three days and did my sleep study within the week. Now, one week later I'm being fitted for my CPAP machine.
@@pbaker0514 I don’t know about other people, but in my case it’s because I’ve been off work and therefore I won’t have insurance again until a few months after I go back.
😅 6:19 ❤ 6:25 😊I am not over weight😮😂❤🎉😢😅 WHAT ABOUT Central sleep Apnea which i have?
I have a nasal mask. I tried many. Full face , you could breathe by your mouth - not good
I forget to breathe at times when I am awake as well as asleep.
I have a friend that believes his sleep apnea is due to the fact that he had a frenectomy of his tongue when he was a baby. Can a frenectomy cause sleep apnea? So far I haven’t found any information on the subject. And can a frenectomy be reversed? 🌹
Interesting question! Most studies have shown that frenectomy actually improves sleep apnea.
@@IntraBalance I'm wondering about this as well. I had one as an adult patient (have an open bite and my dentist thought this might help). I regret the decision because not only did it not help, it created more problems and I noticed significant changes to sleep quality (worsened symptoms). Now I feel more sleepy and get morning headaches and this started right after the "tongue tie" surgery.
My theory on this is now the tongue can fall back in the airway during REM sleep. I feel the frenulum and that tissue is "protective" especially during REM sleep when we lose muscle tone. Any thoughts would be appreciated. Thanks
Bacteria trap... And I have no budget for 😢 any treatment!
If I don't use my cpap machine I can't breathe if I use my cpap machine I can't sleep
Same here
Does nothing for central apnea.
I got a cpap and wasted a lot of money buying it. I didn't care about the masks but everyone of them dried my mouth and throat so badly after an hour that I thought it would start bleeding from cracking. I just use a little supplemental oxygen and it helps a lot.
How do you get supplemental oxygen?
What CPAP alternatives do you recommend to your patients? Let me know in the comments!
A lot of the oral appliances available are garbage. If they don't "clamp" onto your teeth they tend to fall out when your mouth opens. Most are the plastic type that you put in hot water to shape to your teeth but that just makes a mold, there's nothing grabbing onto your teeth.
There's a naturopathic doctor who has had success with RNA tablets.
Could you give more information please. What are rna tablets?
My cpap is my best friend. But it HAS to be a full face. Nothing is going to touch my nose.
Anyone find they have slowly gained weight since starting CPAP therapy?
The Apnea 'testers' would not test me using the 'boil and bite' device (only without it) , so I can't get a definitive answer.
I sleep more comfortably without the CPAP on my side, until my snoring and choking wakes me up. I need CPAP, need to pull my big boy pants up and wear that Darth Vader mask.
I just want to Live, live... NOT Bite, BARK, or Get a Ruff with Rusty 🐶✌🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏