Miss. woman says new device for those suffering from sleep apnea will 'change your life’

[kempo]

By Summer Tadlock | January 20, 2020 at 10:57 PM CST - Updated January 21 at 10:22 AM
JACKSON, Miss. (WLBT) - If you suffer from sleep apnea, there is a new treatment out there that can help you to finally get a good nights rest.
An implanted small device is designed to provide long-term relief addressing the root cause of sleep apnea and giving patients hope.
Susan Walters, 77, has lived with sleep apnea for years.
“I thought everyone had the problems I had,” she said.
After countless sleepless nights, Walters realized it was time to finally make a change.
Sleep specialist with the University of Mississippi Medical Center found her condition was more serious then she could have imagined.
“They realized my brain wasn’t resting sixty-one times an hour. Almost once a minute. That’s considered to be pretty severe.”
Just when she gave up hope of ever getting a good nights rest, she learned about a new treatment.
That’s when Dr. Andrea Lewis, a sleep medicine specialist and associate professor in the Department of Otolaryngology, came into play.
“So, it’s a small implanted device that delivers a gentle impulse to the tongue and upper airway muscles," Lewis explained. "It works at the root of the problem and opens the airways while you sleep.”
“I went to see Dr. Lewis, an ENT doctor, and she said ‘Well, we can do the surgery if you’re ready’ and I said 'Oh, I am ready. I want to get rid of this mask,” Walters said.
Since the 80s, the number one treatment for sleep apnea has been the CPAP.
“The problem with CPAP is that a lot of people can’t tolerate it,” Lewis said. “Anyone who has ever used a CPAP mask will tell you there are so many things about it that is so uncomfortable.”
Here’s the benefits of the procedure: it’s an outpatient procedure, FDA-approved, provides long-term relief, and has a battery life of 11 years.
Dr. Lewis says insurance will cover the cost of qualified patients and breaks down how the procedure works.
“Patients have a remote where they can turn on the device at night before bed. When they go to sleep they get a gentle impulse that coordinates with their breathing and opens airways so they can breathe!"
“It is so much better and now I feel so rested in the mornings,” Lewis said. “I think going under the knife is completely worth it because this will change your life."

https://www.wlbt.com/2020/01/21/miss-wo ... 9gQDV6tsds

[kempo]

I haven't posted here in years but someone sent me this article and thought it might be of interest to some of you. Have a nice day.

[zonker]

“The problem with CPAP is that a lot of people can’t tolerate it,” Lewis said. “Anyone who has ever used a CPAP mask will tell you there are so many things about it that is so uncomfortable.”

if only sleep doctors would HELP their patients get used to cpap, THIS WOULDN'T BE A PROBLEM!!!

[D.H.]

“The problem with CPAP is that a lot of people can’t tolerate it,” Lewis said. “Anyone who has ever used a CPAP mask will tell you there are so many things about it that is so uncomfortable.”

if only sleep doctors would HELP their patients get used to cpap, THIS WOULDN'T BE A PROBLEM!!!

There are some patients who take to it right way, some that can't tolerate it no matter what, and folks in the middle. The medical profession needs to help the middle group adjust to CPAP and the can't stand it group to find alternatives.

[Pugsy]

I just love it when some reporter writes an article about a "new" device that has been around since essentially I started cpap over 10 years ago..
Someone clearly hasn't really done their homework.

[Goofproof]

AD's, don't require any homeworks, just Suckers! Jim

[Miss Emerita]

Just want to clarify: Miss Woman is not related to me. But she might be Florida Man's sister.

[D.H.]

I started CPAP in 1999. Implants and dental devices are newer, so they were not an option at the time. The only alternative as that time was tracheostomy! CPAP seemed tame by comparison!

[zonker]

Just want to clarify: Miss Woman is not related to me. But she might be Florida Man's sister.

but how are either of you related to miss america?

[palerider]

I haven't posted here in years but someone sent me this article and thought it might be of interest to some of you. Have a nice day.

Sounds like this gadget: viewtopic/t178202/My-personal-experienc ... pneas.html

[Pugsy]

I haven't posted here in years but someone sent me this article and thought it might be of interest to some of you. Have a nice day.

Sounds like this gadget: viewtopic/t178202/My-personal-experienc ... pneas.html

Yeah, it's the Inspire.

Remember 49er?? She looked into it but apparently the criteria for getting it done is very specific and her airway obstructions were in an area that the electrical stimulus wouldn't help so they turned her down for it.
A person doesn't just go in and say "I want that gadget implanted because I hate cpap" and you are scheduled for surgery the next day.
Lots of very specific criteria needs to be met before they will even consider a person for it. Lots of testing is done as part of what is done in consideration for the implant.

49er didn't hate cpap but she just never got the relief that she felt she needed from her unwanted symptoms and that's why she wanted to maybe try it.

[chunkyfrog]

Just more support to my long-held contention that most of the good positions
in journalism are earned while on one's KNEES.

[palerider]

Just more support to my long-held contention that most of the good positions
in journalism are earned while on one's KNEES.

begging?

[chunkyfrog]

Just more support to my long-held contention that most of the good positions
in journalism are earned while on one's KNEES.

begging?

Maybe . . .