Is anyone using physical stents to keep the airway open?

Hi,

It seems like every time I hit REM the violent apneas wake me up, no matter what CPAP pressure I'm at.

I'm looking into alternative therapies, and I have a gut inclination towards a physical stent which could just stop the airway from collapsing at all! I've read about a few:

https://nastent.sevendreamers.com/en/

http://www.alaxo.com/alaxostent_eng.html

Also, most of the literature on the stents seems to be positive:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26525882

Does anyone use these? Particularly, I'm interested in a prescription in the US—or some alternative OTC item, or, even, something I can buy somewhere online. I think this + CPAP treatment may suppress my frequent arousals + wakeups.

What of the gag reflex?

Doug_Nightmare wrote: ↑

Thu Jul 05, 2018 10:04 am

What of the gag reflex?

Anything is tenable in hoping to achieve a real night of sleep.

I cannot imagine these devices used successfully on anyone NOT comatose.
Ack!

chunkyfrog wrote: ↑

Thu Jul 05, 2018 12:26 pm

I cannot imagine these devices used successfully on anyone NOT comatose.
Ack!

Well for you, CPAP treatment must be working. Imagine how desperate you can get if you haven't slept for the last several months

Good point.
Cpap SOLVED my sleep deprivation.
Sadly, cpap is the best, and usually the ONLY solution.
Have you truly tried EVERYTHING to make cpap work?

nikkwong wrote: ↑

Thu Jul 05, 2018 9:58 am

Hi,

It seems like every time I hit REM the violent apneas wake me up, no matter what CPAP pressure I'm at.

I'm looking into alternative therapies, and I have a gut inclination towards a physical stent which could just stop the airway from collapsing at all! I've read about a few:

https://nastent.sevendreamers.com/en/

http://www.alaxo.com/alaxostent_eng.html

Also, most of the literature on the stents seems to be positive:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26525882

Does anyone use these? Particularly, I'm interested in a prescription in the US—or some alternative OTC item, or, even, something I can buy somewhere online. I think this + CPAP treatment may suppress my frequent arousals + wakeups.

nikkwong wrote: ↑

Thu Jul 05, 2018 12:19 pm

I remember a story about someone who vomited while keeping their mouth shut. He died. The safety aspect is troublesome, at least to me. I would love a solution like this though, so I could move from a FFM to nasal mask—but, I don't know if I think it's worth the risk, no matter how infinitesimally small it might be.

Something just doesn't add up for me here....

I guess if you are desperate enough you would try anything. I know my gag reflex would immediately kick in though, let alone the discomfort. I can't imagine trying it but if you do, let us know how you did.

palerider wrote: ↑

Thu Jul 05, 2018 2:32 pm

nikkwong wrote: ↑

Thu Jul 05, 2018 9:58 am

Hi,

It seems like every time I hit REM the violent apneas wake me up, no matter what CPAP pressure I'm at.

I'm looking into alternative therapies, and I have a gut inclination towards a physical stent which could just stop the airway from collapsing at all! I've read about a few:

https://nastent.sevendreamers.com/en/

http://www.alaxo.com/alaxostent_eng.html

Also, most of the literature on the stents seems to be positive:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26525882

Does anyone use these? Particularly, I'm interested in a prescription in the US—or some alternative OTC item, or, even, something I can buy somewhere online. I think this + CPAP treatment may suppress my frequent arousals + wakeups.

nikkwong wrote: ↑

Thu Jul 05, 2018 12:19 pm

I remember a story about someone who vomited while keeping their mouth shut. He died. The safety aspect is troublesome, at least to me. I would love a solution like this though, so I could move from a FFM to nasal mask—but, I don't know if I think it's worth the risk, no matter how infinitesimally small it might be.

Something just doesn't add up for me here....

For example? Is there a reason everyone on this forum is so cynical?

nikkwong wrote: ↑

Thu Jul 05, 2018 3:40 pm

For example? Is there a reason everyone on this forum is so cynical?

The better term, not emotionally loaded, is skeptical. In my case I was trained by my profession to be skeptical.

Doug_Nightmare wrote: ↑

Thu Jul 05, 2018 3:44 pm

nikkwong wrote: ↑

Thu Jul 05, 2018 3:40 pm

For example? Is there a reason everyone on this forum is so cynical?

The better term, not emotionally loaded, is skeptical. In my case I was trained by my profession to be skeptical.

Please enlighten me on what my ulterior motive would be here?

chunkyfrog wrote: ↑

Thu Jul 05, 2018 12:34 pm

Good point.
Cpap SOLVED my sleep deprivation.
Sadly, cpap is the best, and usually the ONLY solution.
Have you truly tried EVERYTHING to make cpap work?

Yeah, I've really tried everything. I've tried every pressure, every setting, EPR, humidity, everything under the sun. It's been a year of different configurations and I'm just nowhere close to feeling better. Granted, I feel better than I did before treatment began, but, not good enough to have a high performance career or really enjoy my life. I always wake up at the ~5hr mark after some very violent breathing (as evidenced by the cpap data). I'm desperate in the most literal sense of the word and just want to resume life as it was.

Only you would know what your motivation is.
We only know what works . . .

chunkyfrog wrote: ↑

Thu Jul 05, 2018 4:03 pm

Only you would know what your motivation is.
We only know what works . . .

This kind of condescension is demoralizing and arrogant. Members of this forum especially should be particularly apt to the notion that sleep apnea treatment is not one-size-fits-all; and that has been particularly true in my case.

If anyone has actual comments for my original post, kindly let me know. If you're here to flame me or question my motives, please keep your feedback to yourself.

Didn't you report a month or so ago that you got a zero AHI with simultaneous MAD and CPAP?

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=171596&p=1251630#p1251630

If so, your residual tiredness issues from that point forward would likely relate to other health issues beyond OSA.

The usual sleep and airway sensitivities that often accompany UARS would likely make a nasal stent less than tolerable for UARS phenotypes.

If, as you posted earlier, MAD helps you in conjunction with PAP as the MAD moves your tongue forward (which is at a much lower location than the nasal and upper throat area of the airway), it is unlikely that a nasal stent is the solution for you, IMO.

Wish you the best.