Other alternatives to CPAP (no surgery or oral things)

[NJsharon]

So I used a cpap machine & love it. Helps a lot.

But honestly I think hubby needs the cpap more than me. He snores loudly, will stop breathing then do the gasping thing. Counted last night & he did that about once very 3 minutes. Annoying & worrying to lay next to that. I told him he needs a sleep test & he refuses as he said he would never wear/use a cpap (he hates it enough that I have to wear one, no way would he wear one himself).

I told him I was trying to get back to sleep last night, listening to his erradic breathing & just kept imagining him stopping breathing. Me freaking out, calling 911, trying to adminster CPR (I have no idea how to do it), meanwhile hollering for my girls to wake up to open front door for EMT crew, but they weren't waking up & I was freaking out how they'd get in & his lips were turning blue.

I am so scared & still he says he will not use a cpap & doubt he would use any oral appliance either. I had surgery too, the UPPP, surgery recovery was a bitch.... worse than twin pregnancy I had! Got thrush as a complication, was on highest pain meds available, still in pain for weeks. And it did nothing to help. So doubt he would go for that either.

I did google & saw something called "Provent Sleep Apnea Therapy". Is that something you stick to your nostrils? Has anyone tried it, has it helped? That might be a possibility.

I could maybe persuade him to do an overnight sleep test, but the cpap or most other things, he would refuse. So worried, scared & running out of ideas.

He mostly lays on his side too, so the body support things wouldn't work, he is not on his back & still snoring/having the apnea issues.

Help!!!!

[The Latinist]

Aside from weight loss, which helps some people, and the things you've already ruled out, *PAP therapy is about all there is.

[LSAT]

Tell him that you want him to take out additional life insurance in case he is not here to support you and the kids. Maybe that will wake him up.

[Pugsy]

The Provent therapy is indeed something that you stick in your nose and you have to exhale against it. Exhaling against it creates sort of a back pressure in the airway and supposedly that back pressure helps hold the airway open.
It's supposedly something that has about a 50% chance of reducing the AHI about 50%. You have to keep the mouth closed though. If someone mouth breathes it won't work.

I tried it once just to see what it was like. I never could get the damn things to stay in my nostrils well enough to even give it a good try.

Despite the limitations....it would be better than no therapy at all.
My husband would be like yours. Fortunately I don't think he has OSA. He won't even touch the nasal pillows I use....says he will get OSA cooties from it.

[NJsharon]

Darn, doubt it would help then, he kind of mouth breaths too. Ugh.

yeah I am not working right now due to mental health issues so couldn't take out life insurance out on him & he knows that. So that would be his answer. lol

I will keep trying to chip away at him. But probably not going to work. I worry so much. He is soooo much worse than I ever was before cpap therapy.

[ChicagoGranny]

Other alternatives to CPAP (no surgery or oral things)

He probably won't go for this either - https://www.inspiresleep.com.

[Pugsy]

Here's one idea but it's a real long shot.

Maybe get one of those overnight recording pulse oximeters so you could at least know if his oxygen levels are dropping significantly or not and if they are it might put the fear of God in him.
An in lab sleep study would also be checking oxygen levels.
The down side to doing the recording pulse ox at home is that not everyone will have significant desats...but it will at least let you know if his oxygen levels are being impacted or not.
Sometimes when faced with a real threat people will relent and decide to try to fix the problem.
It's a long shot though but might be worth checking out.

[Okie bipap]

I had the same problem with my wife. When we had our last doctor visit, I mentioned it to our doctor who made her a referral to the sleep clinic. Turned out her AH I was 48 which is just as bad as mine was. She used to complain about my breathing when I slept. Have your husband watch the Resmed video on sleep apnea. It does a pretty good job of explaining what your body is going through when you have an event.

[avi123]

May be he dose it on purpose because you don't give him enough of what he wants. The CPAP and air hose are in the way.

[SewTired]

But honestly I think hubby needs the cpap more than me. He snores loudly, will stop breathing then do the gasping thing. Counted last night & he did that about once very 3 minutes. Annoying & worrying to lay next to that. I told him he needs a sleep test & he refuses as he said he would never wear/use a cpap (he hates it enough that I have to wear one, no way would he wear one himself).

This is absolutely true. I just got a fabulous deal on a cpap for my backup. It was never used. The guy simply refused to use it so wife finally sold it. All you can do is lead someone to a solution. It's up to them to take it up or not. Make sure the life insurance is paid up and move on. To reduce YOUR awakenings from anxiety, run a fan or white noise at night so you don't have to listen to it.

I agree about trying the pulse oximeter. That MIGHT help. I have a family member who clearly needs a cpap and refuses any form of testing at all since she won't use the cpap ever.

[NJsharon]

Thanks all. I brought it up & ended up in almost a shouting match between us with me storming upstairs crying my eyes out.
His response was he hasn't died in 52 years (his age) & doesn't plan on doing it now. And there is no way he is going to wear a cpap, so point in getting tested. I said there were other alternatives & he just shot me down & didn't want to hear.

He did come upstairs soon after I stormed up crying, said he will make an appt with my sleep dr in town. So hopefully he will get a sleep test & be open to alternative therapies.

Thank you, just so scared. Last night he was so bad & I think he is selfish to not think of me & our 2 young girls by avoiding getting tested & getting help. So glad I made slight progress.

But still sad.

[Jay Aitchsee]

Many smart phones have audio/video recording capability. Maybe a short video of him snoring and gasping would help him understand why your are concerned.

[chunkyfrog]

I agree. Seeing himself struggle to breathe might make a dent in his mush.

[NJsharon]

Many smart phones have audio/video recording capability. Maybe a short video of him snoring and gasping would help him understand why your are concerned.

Good idea. Maybe I should take my iphone to bed one night, then when I hear him during the night try to video with sound. Even if it doesn't have vision he will hear it. Then he can hear why I am so scared. Good idea.

[49er]

Has he said what his objection to pap therapy is?

49er