what are some alternatives to cpap for sleep apnea?
May 3rd, 2011
im on cpap. presure 8 . not enough . going to do third sleep study. 4th mask now. m 44
I would need to know the severity of your sleep apnea to give you all the possible treatment options. But from what you have provided, it sounds like you feel that CPAP at 8cmH2O pressure is not enough. Another CPAP titration (“3rd sleep study”) sounds like what you are having and hopefully they will be able to tell you better if the CPAP at 8 is enough to control your apnea. CPAP can go up to a max of 20, so they have room to work with. If 8 is no longer enough, weight gain or aging could cause you to need more pressure over a period of time. I assume they have you on CPAP fixed at 8 because a previous sleep study (CPAP titration) showed that 8 was good for you. I also would try to get one on one help with mask fit. Getting the right mask if half of the battle.
Options instead or in conjuction with CPAP:
1. A mouth piece to keep lower jaw forward at night (given to you by a trained dentist in sleep apnea mouth pieces)
2. weight loss or bariatric surgery
3. ENT surgeon consult, since a large uvula, high arching palate, or large tonsils can increase apnea
4. if your apnea is mostly on your back, you can try a device like the Zzoma that keeps you sleeping only on your side (http://www.zzomasleep.com/about.htm)
I hope this helps some, Good Luck!
And props to you for treating your sleep apnea, it is a serious disease and CPAP can extend and increase your quality of life!!
May 2nd, 2011 at 7:11 pm
There are surgical procedures that remove the excess tissue that is blocking the airway. Ask your doctor if you are a candidate for surgery.
References :
PA
May 2nd, 2011 at 7:48 pm
I would need to know the severity of your sleep apnea to give you all the possible treatment options. But from what you have provided, it sounds like you feel that CPAP at 8cmH2O pressure is not enough. Another CPAP titration ("3rd sleep study") sounds like what you are having and hopefully they will be able to tell you better if the CPAP at 8 is enough to control your apnea. CPAP can go up to a max of 20, so they have room to work with. If 8 is no longer enough, weight gain or aging could cause you to need more pressure over a period of time. I assume they have you on CPAP fixed at 8 because a previous sleep study (CPAP titration) showed that 8 was good for you. I also would try to get one on one help with mask fit. Getting the right mask if half of the battle.
Options instead or in conjuction with CPAP:
1. A mouth piece to keep lower jaw forward at night (given to you by a trained dentist in sleep apnea mouth pieces)
2. weight loss or bariatric surgery
3. ENT surgeon consult, since a large uvula, high arching palate, or large tonsils can increase apnea
4. if your apnea is mostly on your back, you can try a device like the Zzoma that keeps you sleeping only on your side (http://www.zzomasleep.com/about.htm)
I hope this helps some, Good Luck!
And props to you for treating your sleep apnea, it is a serious disease and CPAP can extend and increase your quality of life!!
References :
May 2nd, 2011 at 8:07 pm
I have fitted several hundred apnea patients with an Oral Appliance for Sleep Apnea. Studies have shown people with apnea overwhelmingly prefer these devices over nCPAP. In fact, on February 1, 2006, the American Academy of Sleep Medicine issued "New Guidelines for the use of Oral Appliances…" They said if someone has mild to moderate sleep apnea, they should be given their choice of which they prefer. This indicates the OA’s are as effective as CPAP for these degrees of Apnea. In addition, they said if someone has severe Sleep Apnea, they should first be tried on CPAP, and if they cannot tolerate it (50% can’t), they should be put on an Oral Appliance.
References :
Online at the website of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine
May 2nd, 2011 at 8:51 pm
If you keep having to do sleep studies to adjust the pressure to your changing needs, why not consider an Auto-CPAP. That will adjust with you, the pressure simply fluctuates according to your needs. It’s auto-titrating so you don’t have to bother with repetitive sleep studies.
If you have obstructive sleep apnoea due to excess fatty tissue in your throat, loosing weight may result in no longer needing therapy. As the other answers suggest, a mandibular advancement device may also be a good alternative. Surgery like maxillomandibular advancement surgery, laser surgery etc. could also be an option but all depends on how exactly your OSA came about.
So first try and get the right pressure, be retitrated or get an auto-titrating machine. Once the sleep apnea is under control, you can sit and down and consider what to do long term. You may have to be examined by an ENT or jaw surgeon in order to get the full picture about which surgery options are available. Or consider weight loss, if weight is the issue.
References :
http://www.oral-sleep-therapy.co.uk/a-cpap-alternative.html
http://forums.cpap.co.uk/showthread.php?t=1425