I am currently considering what my options are for relief from a sleep disorder. About 15 years ago, I went to an ENT doctor and was diagnosed with a mild case of sleep apnea. I feel exhausted most of the time from not getting a good nights sleep, I don't remember dreams at all. I had a sleep study done, I was wired up with sensors and watched by a technician all night. My body tried to wake up 120 times the first four hours, I slept like a baby the last four hours when I was hooked up to a C-PAP machine, which basically is an air pump that forces air into your lungs.
I had the throat surgery done, which basically was cutting out my tonsils and other stuff. The doc swore that I would feel great and feel like a new man with all the extra energy I would get, but it didn't happen. Sleep Apnea is caused by your jaw relaxing when you fall asleep and your tongue blocks off your air passages. Your brain makes your body wake up to breath, so you don't get a good nights sleep. I have a mild case, some people have it a lot worse. My options are to be hooked up to a C-PAP machine, where you wear a mask and air is pumped into your lungs while you sleep. The doctors make a lot of money off of this, my wife just had a sleep study done and they billed insurance over $6000. The other option is to have an oral appliance made. A mold is made of your teeth and gums, then a mouthpiece is made by a lab that keeps your lower jaw in line with your upper, hopefully this will keep your tongue from falling back to block air going to your lungs.
I didn't like the ENT that did my original surgery and I didn't appreciate the sales tactics that were used in my sleep study to get me to go with the C-PAP machine. I was told I had a mild case, so I passed on it at the time. Now, I am tired all the time from my age and the increased work load. I know a lot of people that use a C-PAP machine and love it, but I really don't want to be hooked up to a machine. I was talking to my dentist the other day while delivering to his house, he would love to make a mouthpiece for me. Right now I don't know if our insurance will require another sleep study to be done.
Anybody with my same problem?
I had the throat surgery done, which basically was cutting out my tonsils and other stuff. The doc swore that I would feel great and feel like a new man with all the extra energy I would get, but it didn't happen. Sleep Apnea is caused by your jaw relaxing when you fall asleep and your tongue blocks off your air passages. Your brain makes your body wake up to breath, so you don't get a good nights sleep. I have a mild case, some people have it a lot worse. My options are to be hooked up to a C-PAP machine, where you wear a mask and air is pumped into your lungs while you sleep. The doctors make a lot of money off of this, my wife just had a sleep study done and they billed insurance over $6000. The other option is to have an oral appliance made. A mold is made of your teeth and gums, then a mouthpiece is made by a lab that keeps your lower jaw in line with your upper, hopefully this will keep your tongue from falling back to block air going to your lungs.
I didn't like the ENT that did my original surgery and I didn't appreciate the sales tactics that were used in my sleep study to get me to go with the C-PAP machine. I was told I had a mild case, so I passed on it at the time. Now, I am tired all the time from my age and the increased work load. I know a lot of people that use a C-PAP machine and love it, but I really don't want to be hooked up to a machine. I was talking to my dentist the other day while delivering to his house, he would love to make a mouthpiece for me. Right now I don't know if our insurance will require another sleep study to be done.
Anybody with my same problem?
