puresleep

Right...how would I tell? I really don't have a good answer to that, other than maybe the same way I found out I had apnea...my wife. I would imagine that you guys are going to tell me that's not good enough, I and I think I agree...

What about videotaping my sleep?

I hadn't really thought much about how to "prove" I was cured because I assumed that I would just "know" if I was still going into apnea....

Thoughts?

Joe Clark

Sorry for the 2nd post, I just registered and wanted to make sure it "took".

Joe Clark

jrcmlc wrote:Right...how would I tell? I really don't have a good answer to that, other than maybe the same way I found out I had apnea...my wife. I would imagine that you guys are going to tell me that's not good enough, I and I think I agree...

What about videotaping my sleep?

I hadn't really thought much about how to "prove" I was cured because I assumed that I would just "know" if I was still going into apnea....

Thoughts?

Joe Clark

I discussed an oral appliance with two local sleep dentists. Each of them requires patients to sleep a night in the lab with their new appliance to see if it is effective. The total cost of the appliance and sleep studies is $3800 with one of the docs and $5000 with the other. Typical insurance policies will not cover this.

Another possibility is to get your family doc to prescribe a pulse-oximeter study, http://www.pulse-oximeters-info.com/art ... apnea.html, for several nights while you wear the appliance.

Don't trust the wife. Mine never warned me. After I made a sleep lab appointment, she told me that she lay awake a long time listening and that I was breathing fine while sleeping. Later I took a sleep study home that showed a severe level!!

I have a good relationship with my dr., perhaps I can get the pulseox for a few nights. My wife warned me about it before, she hated my snoring and always said I "gasped" and "struggled for air", of course with the CPAP she doesn't hear that...I was assuming she would hear it again if the puresleep (or whatever thingie I choose) didn't work.

I'll talk to the Dr. and see what he says.

Joe

Hey Rooster, why couldn't Joe wear his new PureSleep device, mask up, sleep, and then read his stats?

Oh, because he doesn't have a data capable machine? That's a thought....

If I was gonna do this, I'd do that - mask up and read my stats after wearing it.

But a pulse ox would be a good thing, too.

As would video tape.

Cheers,
Babs

Babette wrote:Hey Rooster, why couldn't Joe wear his new PureSleep device, mask up, sleep, and then read his stats?

Oh, because he doesn't have a data capable machine? That's a thought....

If I was gonna do this, I'd do that - mask up and read my stats after wearing it.

But a pulse ox would be a good thing, too.

As would video tape.

Cheers,
Babs

Babbie,

Assume he had a data capable machine and used it while wearing the oral device and assume that his stats showed the apnea was under control. He still would not know if the oral device alone would control his apnea.

When I hit the sweepstakes the first thing I will do is drop down $5000 to get a good device and another PSG.

Happy reenacting,

Yeah, I guess you're right on that one. I wonder if my machine is set at 11-20 without the oral device, and I look at my stats, then insert the oral device, and drop the numbers to say 4-20, what I might get?

Well, for $60 it might be worth the experiment. I don't think I'd bet my life on it, though.

Cheers,
B.

See also viewtopic/t35455/Call-For-Feedback-Pure ... evice.html

I read that other thread...pretty much everyone hates the idea of the puresleep thing. Virtually everything I read is the same, if it's coming from people with Cpaps or on Cpap boards. I don't know....it seems very clear cut what's causing my apnea...my lower jaw falling back. If it doesn't fall back, I don't feel that restriction, and I feel like I would be "better".

I guess I'm going to have to spend the $60 to try it and see what happens. I definately don't like the idea of playing with my life just to get away from wearing this mask, but I can't seem to get comfy with ANY mask and any setup on the Cpap...something I know others are familiar with.

Thanks for the info guys.

Joe

jrcmlc wrote: ........
I guess I'm going to have to spend the $60 to try it and see what happens. .......Joe

Why not. I blew some money on specialized pillows and a NoseBreathe mouthpiece when I first started cpap. Everybody should throw away a little money now and then.

jrcmlc wrote:...I don't know....it seems very clear cut what's causing my apnea...my lower jaw falling back. If it doesn't fall back, I don't feel that restriction, and I feel like I would be "better"...

Joe, have you used a boil-and-bite device before? There's nothing holding the teeth into the plastic. While I haven't tried this device, I have tried other boil-and-bite mouth guards during sleep. It's likely that if you wear the device alone, your jaw will slack during sleep. Then the device will either float with your upper teeth or your lower teeth - or somewhere in between. The only way to assure the b-n-b device stays put is if you use a chin strap. And the only chin strap worth anything is the papcap. And even the papcap is designed to leave some room for movement.

The electrodes they put on your chin during the PSG are recording how slack your jaw is. Everyone's jaw goes slack during sleep certain stages of sleep - most prominently during REM. I cannot see how this device can stay put without exterior support during sleep. So if it only works to stop snoring, having the device in your mouth probably wakes you up just to make you aware enough to clench your teeth together so you're forced to breathe through your nose. Therefore, for all we know, this device actively exacerbates sleep apnea or may even cause improper sleep hygiene in people who don't actually have OSA. The only person getting real sleep will be your spouse - because you're not snoring anymore. Maybe.

Hmmmmmmmmmm....... Joe, have you looked into a TAP? Sounds like it would be a MUCH BETTER alternative for you than the $60 boil and bite.

Check out this site for info on cpap alternatives, and look into the Thornton Adjustable Positioner.

http://www.ihatecpap.com/

http://www.ihatecpap.com/oral_appliance.html

The manufacturer's site:
http://www.amisleep.com/

Cheers,
Babs

RE: boil n bite and teeth floating....I agree, I wondered how well it would hold things together after I relaxed. I use a higher-end mouthpiece when I play hockey and it of course works because you are constantly keeping pressure on it. Good point here.

RE: TAP...I have looked into it just enough to know that I don't want to spend the money without knowing if it will work, and I can't get a clear answer from my ins. co whether they'll pay for it.

I do hate my cpap though.

Joe

Well, why not go the cheap route and test drive a different mask?

HYBRID – by pjwalman
viewtopic/t33434/Hybrid-TestDrive-Continues.html

LIBERTY – by fortomorrow
viewtopic/t35474/ResMed-Mirage-Liberty-Test-Drive.html

NASAL AIRE II – by Babette
viewtopic/t30639/The-Return-of-the-Grea ... Drive.html

Good luck!
Babs

Babette wrote:Yeah, I guess you're right on that one. I wonder if my machine is set at 11-20 without the oral device, and I look at my stats, then insert the oral device, and drop the numbers to say 4-20, what I might get?

Well, for $60 it might be worth the experiment. I don't think I'd bet my life on it, though.

Cheers,
B.

And what if the video showed gasping, choking, etc - would it be a result of swallowing all that extra saliva the device causes or an event : )