sleep apnea--temporary solution while waiting for CPAP

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11-05-2019, 10:53 AM
tompaynter

sleep apnea--temporary solution while waiting for CPAP

I've been experiencing a lot of daytime sleepiness despite sleeping 8+ hours a night. I've always been a heavy snorer and I think it has developed into sleep apnea (pretty sure my dad had it too, which reinforces my belief). I've been using an anti-snore nightguard for years, which used to help but isn't doing it anymore.

I've got a referral to a sleep clinic with an appointment in a few weeks, but having reached this conclusion, it bothers me to just wait and suffer in the meantime. I don't know how long after the initial consultation it will take to get a sleep study done.

I am looking for ideas on how to mitigate the problem during the weeks or months until I get a proper CPAP setup. I'd rent a CPAP machine myself in the meantime, but they require a prescription (I guess CPAP cartels are a big problem, not to mention domestic biker gangs cooking up hillbilly CPAP machines in backwoods labs).

Any ideas? Thanks.

Tom
11-05-2019, 03:28 PM
Robert Santana

I have no idea. What problem are you trying to mitigate?
11-05-2019, 04:41 PM
tompaynter

Quote:

Originally Posted by Robert Santana

I have no idea. What problem are you trying to mitigate?

The daytime sleepiness I am experiencing that I believe is caused by untreated sleep apnea.
11-07-2019, 08:17 AM
Str8shutr

Tell the place doing the sleep study you work an odd schedule (night shift or whatever) and tell them you want to do a home sleep study. This should also allow you to get the study done sooner. You go in in the afternoon, they show you how to hook up the machine. Take it home, do the study, they interpret the results. Also will save you mucho dinero. In my case, about $300. Good luck. If it is apnea, a CPAP will change your life.
11-07-2019, 10:10 PM
Jeff Erickson

Get the sleep study as soon as you can. In the meantime, try sleeping on your side if you can. Some people, myself included, have fewer events on their side compared to on their back. I've heard of people sewing tennis balls into the back of their shirts to make back sleeping uncomfortable. I haven't tried that.
11-08-2019, 12:54 PM
tompaynter

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jeff Erickson

Get the sleep study as soon as you can. In the meantime, try sleeping on your side if you can. Some people, myself included, have fewer events on their side compared to on their back. I've heard of people sewing tennis balls into the back of their shirts to make back sleeping uncomfortable. I haven't tried that.

Thanks for the suggestions. I tried the tennis ball thing back before I got a nightguard...did not seem to help my snoring. I did snore even when on my stomach or side, and also I think I still wound up on my back even with the tennis ball.
11-11-2019, 05:47 PM
emhart

See if sleeping on your side AND tucking your chin down to your chest will offer a small benefit. It helped a little bit when I forgot my cpap machine on vacation. Good Luck!