Sleep specialist feedback on Rematee belt...

[MoonBear]

I wrote my pulminologist about the Rematee belt. He is the head of pulminology for my HMO locally. He wrote me this:

"Lora,
Yes, position-restriction therapy can help reduce the severity of all Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome, and sometimes eliminate it. If you want to wait till your rematee device arrives before testing for OSA, that is fine with me. I had not yet seen the Rematee device. I will have to see how much it costs. There are other devices that do the same thing:

These are two position restriction devices to prevent sleeping on your back:
The Sona Pillow (sold on-line at http://www.sonapillow.com, cost ~$125).
The Zzoma Positional Sleeper (sold through http://www.zzomasleep.com, cost ~$70).

All should help prevent the supine position and therefore help reduce the severity of snoring and sleep apnea."

I thought people would be interested in this because the counsel comes from the pulminologist and is not anecdotal. Personally, this entire site is anecdotal so I have no problem with empirical data, but if you only want to take a doctor's word for it, there you go.

Namaste,
MoonBear

[Janknitz]

Moonbear,

Keep in mind that there is a difference between "reducing the severity of obstructive sleep apnea" and eliminating it. Your pulmonologist points out that only sometimes will such a device eliminate obstructive sleep apnea.

Your post touting this device is entitled "Effective alternative to CPAP . . . " It's only an alternative if it eliminates the need for CPAP, otherwise it is merely an augmentation.

For some people with very mild positional sleep apnea, reducing the severity by preventing positional apnea might be enough to eliminate the need for CPAP. But for the majority of people with moderate or severe apnea, while it might (or might not)reduce the CPAP pressure needed to keep the airway open, it isn't likely to eliminate the need for CPAP. And not all OSA is positional. Some people have very narrow airways to begin with, and the relaxation during sleep, regardless of position, causes the obstruction. Other's have apneas partially caused by neurological factors that will be unchanged with sleep position.

I repeat, until YOU (as you promised) have objective data from a sleep study showing your need for CPAP was eliminated by using a positional device, you don't have any business making claims about that this device is a viable alternative to CPAP, surgery, and dental apps. for you or anyone else. You're just a free infomercial for the company that manufactures the device in the meantime, and have about as much credibility.

[Janknitz]

I would add that your doctor might be appalled if he knew you are using his words to try to claim that the Rematee belt was going to be a viable alternative to CPAP, surgery, and dental devices for everyone.

Too many times we have seen people on this list post things like "I am using this device and sleeping better, no longer snoring, so I'm cured and I don't need CPAP". These are people who don't have a confirming PSG to determine if their apnea is really "cured" by the device, they are just taking their chances that it is. If their posts persuade others to stop or never start CPAP, it's highly irresponsible.

[chunkyfrog]

My sleep study says my snoring and apneas occurred in all sleep positions, with little or no preference for position.
Apparently, this is not uncommon.

[Slartybartfast]

My sleep study says my snoring and apneas occurred in all sleep positions, with little or no preference for position.
Apparently, this is not uncommon.

Same here. I wish it were that simple for me. Pressure requirement doesn't seem to change for me while sleeping on my back vs. my side.

Everyone's different.

[elena88]

Everyone's different.

thats for sure!


It is nice that the subject is brought up, because some of us who turn out to have positional apnea would never have thought

they had it.. especially if someone has a crappy sleep study and a crappy titration..

(I know, Im a weird case)

[MoonBear]

This time, I did NOT title it as an alternative or cure for cpap. Or the need for apnea treatment. I posed it without his name because I felt it was viable information to put out here. Ignore i not relevant, but for some it maybe. MoonBear

[Junebug999]

Deleted.

[cathyf]

My sleep study says my snoring and apneas occurred in all sleep positions, with little or no preference for position.
Apparently, this is not uncommon.

Ditto here. My supine AHI is only a shade higher than side. Also I have Hashimotos and a goiter, with a thyroid about twice as big as its supposed to be. When I lie on my left side, which puts the larger lobe of thyroid on top of my windpipe, I get a tiny bit of airway collapse while awake. I also sleep with a husband who snores just as loudly on his sides as his back.

So I don't expect that a device forcing me to sleep on my side is going to do much. A device that helps you sleep sitting up leaning forward -- now that might be useful!

[Paralel]

Everything that anyone needed to know about the guy making the subsequent statement was "...head of pulminology for my HMO..."

Anyone involved in the hierarchy of any HMO is most likely not to be trusted. They generally sup on the blood and souls of other sentient beings for sustenance.

[chunkyfrog]

I avoid HMO's, having narrowly escaped what passes for treatment in one.
--at least twice.