It was very painful. The worst surgery I ever had as far as pain. I woke up on a morphine drip. I couldn’t push the button enough to help. But in the long run it was well worth the pain.
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Sorry for the pain but 100% - absolutely worth it.
Best to you!
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You took my quote out of context. I was referring to breathing from the mouth causing the CPAP to not work properly. I did not mean to say that CPAPs don’t work. If you see the rest of my posts, I am very pro CPAPs.
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This is why CPAPs are underutilized. People refuse to use them for some reason. They won’t even consider it.
Not to mention, they take time for adjustments and to get the right mask with the right fit. Many give up too soon.
But…if you read my post in it’s entirety you will read I did everything correctly to not require to have to wear one. That is where a lot of people do not follow through on. I have had sleep studies afterwards and do not require one now.
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Inspire seems to be successful and a great option for those who don’t want to deal with masks, retests etc.
Insurance usually does not cover it, it IS an invasive procedure but it works.
Happy for 1Goodbye - its rare for a patient to successfully complete the work around.
OSA is often hereditary and may have nothing to do with weight, etc.
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True. Everyone I know who has it is thin.
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My mother had sleep apnea and snored like a freight train. She was 4’ 11" tall and weighed 100 lbs. She never had a cpap and lived to almost 90. I still wouldn’t have worn one if the procedures I endured had not worked. I would probably have gotten an inspire even if I had to pay for it, but I don’t need it thankfully. I think having been a smoker was the biggest factor in my sleep apnea. Best thing I ever did was give up that nasty habit along with drinking. I don’t even smoke green anymore but sure like my brownies…lol
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Why? CPAPs make a world of difference in quality of life. I woke up every morning at 8am exhausted. Took a 2-hour nap at 10am and was still sleepy. Could fall asleep at the wheel at any time. Haven’t had that problem since starting the CPAP.
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The mask and all the hardware on I couldn’t sleep anyway. I would drink myself to sleep every night, probably one of the reasons I drank too much. I haven’t had a drink in many years now and sleep well without the sauce now. I could never wear that mask every night. If it works for you…great, but it didn’t for me.
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I would agree that for the first 6 months, I wondered which was worse, waking up from choking or waking up from the machine. However, persistence paid off. I went through many mask types and CPAP gadgets to find the right setup. My child also had the same problem, so I had all the tools for him and the advice on what worked for me, so he benefited almost immediately.
For anyone else struggling with the machines, I’d say a hose hanger is essential. For those who don’t have the full face mask and breathe through their mouths, the mouth tape works (I recommend the ones with a hole in it so you don’t suffocate if you need to get air). However, mouth tape makes the skin crease in unnatural ways. I did not want to end up with weird wrinkles in my old age, so I gave up on mouth tape.
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Neither did I, dadgummit.
Despite never having used any of the products being discussed here, Life, somehow or t`other, nevertheless found a way to ensure that I didn’t get my druthers…
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I tried different masks and configurations, even 2 different machines. I could not sleep with any of that hardware hanging off my face. I tried the CPAP route for about 2 years before going through all the procedures. Luckily it worked for me, I went in to it knowing it might not work, but I think what worked the best was quitting smoking and drinking…lol
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It’s such a lifesaver for so many.
Most patients don’t realize how exhausted they were until they’re not.
It’s an adjustment. The right pulmonary team makes a huge difference.
Masks are individual and do take time for a proper fitting and adjustment
but I’ve seen so many positive outcomes.
I was also blessed with good genes. Very few wrinkles, and just found 2 gray hairs to my dismay…
no CPAP involved.
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If 2 gray hairs were found, oh how happy we would be … They could be gray … They could be brown … They could be black … They could be blonde … They could be red …
If only … if only … two hairs could be found …