Hubby has just been diagnosed with severe sleep apnoea. Anyone else have this? What treatment worked for you? He has been advised to buy a CPAP machine but prices are around $2000 without any rebate from medicare. Of course if this helps then we will have to buy one but thinking of maybe renting one instead of having to find $2000 straight up.
There is a little plug like thing I see on FB ads that pop up that supposedly treats this, but I've no idea how well it works. I googled "sleep apnoea simple fix" to see if I could find it and found several things you could try before going the whole CPAP path. Of course, if he needs the machine, then he needs the machine, but I sometimes wonder if these simple fixes work. I do know several people who have machines, but find them so intrusive and uncomfortable they don't actually use them.
You should rent one for a couple of months and see if your husband gets used to it over that time. Then you could buy. I've used one for 9 years. It's certainly given me much better quality of sleep. However, I'm fortunate I breathe through my nose while sleeping and this is much easier than a full mask. Some companies will put the rent or part of it towards the purchase price. You can often get second hand machines as well.
Mainly, there is only one treatment, to use an APAP machine (Auto CPAP). If the hubby is obese - weight loss (of epic proportions will help with the apnea). Many apnea machine users I know just order it from the US and costs under a thousand AUD. But to know which model to order you may want to try a few machines out by renting them. A great resource for this is Apnea Board Forum
Yes this is one of the concerns I have. We could purchase the machine and it might be too uncomfortable to use. Renting one could be beneficial here.
Thanks for the link. Lifestyle changes is the first port of call but he is no way over weight. He's tall (6"6) and very slim. He does enjoy a beer or two each night so we will cut that back and see if it helps.
Be VERY carefully with this. Being referred by your doctor for the test can result in suspension/cancellation of your drivers license! (As you are seen to be a risk) Secondly, the breathing machine records everything, so don't lie to the doctor Thirdly, Google adjusting the air volume if you find it uncomfortable, yes it is adjustable, most are set too high ! Mostly, use it. (my father recently went thru all the above, he went from 100 episodes an hour down to 1 an hour after the first two weeks, seems better rested and happier for it now. Best part, the reinstated his drivers licence)
I was diagnosed with this about 9 years ago. Take it seriously. It is a killer if not treated. I had severe sleep apnoea aged 34, I wasn't over weight...just small windpipes that collapsed in my sleep. I mentioned my story on somersoft at some stage. The machines are hard to get adjusted to. Wear ear plugs as your breathing is amplified...like snorkelling . Its not so much the machine itself you need to get adjusted to but the mask. Full face, half face or just nose coverage is what you have to determine . Mine covers my mouth and nose . Think Maverick in top gun. Well that's how I like to think I look when I slip on the mask and lay on my tontine pillow with dangerzone playing in my mind. You can be my wingman anytime. I have had the same machine since diagnosis. It has a sim card that records all your apnoeas , sleep time, leaks etc. Insurance companies will want this information if you need to take out life insurance or income protection . It is harder getting insurance unfortunately . But the positives is I feel heaps better. Feel free to message me about this subject as I am a Top Gun.
Hi @Ems , sorry to hear you got diagnosed. I've got a mild case of sleep apnoea for about 4 years now. Use a CPAP machine nightly - maybe skip when I have a bad cold because it's unbearable or if I'm away on short trips. A CPAP machine is a huge cost up front but its worth it compared to the price of a longer life. Finding the right mask type is important too -there's a few types - nasal cushion, full face if you're a mouth breather etc. I've got an older model Resmed One with a full face mask (Resmed AirFit F10 RRP ~$220) - pretty comfortable and works regardless of whether you breathe through your nose or mouth. Renting here makes sense but I'm not sure if anyone does this, given the hygiene issue of masks... Your machine has a SD card which you can plug into a computer and check your stats via a program called Sleepyhead. Handy in between doctor's appointments. Last point - there's forum for Apnea you can tap into for expert advice and tips. Apnea Board Forum
