Would you use CPAP just to treat snoring?

I'm 34 years old. Slightly overweight, but not obese (6'1", 215 pounds).

Apparently I snore pretty bad even on my side. So bad that I can't sleep in the same room as my wife anymore. Spending the last 18 months sleeping in the basement is getting to be kind of a drag.

I had an overnight sleep study. No sleep apnea. But doc will give me a prescription for CPAP to stop snoring. I've tried the pregnancy pillows, etc. And I'm working to shed some pounds...slow going...I've bike-commuted > 1000 miles in the past 6 months and they are very slowly coming off.

So question for CPAP users-- would you use it just to treat snoring?

As far as I can tell, my options are 1) CPAP, 2) accelerate my weight loss in hope it eventually stops snoring, 3) a $2000 dental mouth piece that may or may not work, 4) sell my home and get one with an extra above-grade bedroom so I can stop sleeping in the basement! I'm not really considering surgery options.

You might like to read Lazer's story here. viewtopic/t77203/First-night-on-CPAP-di ... kthru.html

Borderline OSA diagnosis but heavy snoring and the usual daytime fatigue that comes with OSA...and finally last few nights is seeing considerable improvement.

Do you have any of the other symptoms of OSA besides the snoring?

Would I use cpap machine just for snores? If the snores were disrupting my sleep and I was feeling crappy..you bet I would.

It doesn't disrupt my sleep. Only the sleep of my partner (which can be solved by sleeping in different rooms).

Then the other question I asked....do you have any of the other symptoms that we might see with OSA?

pgg677 wrote:

So question for CPAP users-- would you use it just to treat snoring?

As far as I can tell, my options are 1) CPAP, 2) accelerate my weight loss in hope it eventually stops snoring, 3) a $2000 dental mouth piece that may or may not work, 4) sell my home and get one with an extra above-grade bedroom so I can stop sleeping in the basement! I'm not really considering surgery options.

Yes. It would have saved my relationship, many relationships do not survive this. And when I started snoring I was 5'3" & 112 lbs - The only fatty tissue was in my bra, so don't expect a few pounds to make a difference.

Pugsy wrote:Then the other question I asked....do you have any of the other symptoms that we might see with OSA?

Sleep study showed I didnt' have apnea. I believe I have RLS. My sleep study showed some leg kicks, but the doctor said it didn't really disrupt my sleep. And I generally bounce my legs half the day when sitting at the computer.

I'm not sure what other symptoms. My energy level is generally pretty good. I sometimes crash for a 10-15m cat nap around 7-8pm and then stay up til 11pm (waking at ~ 7am). My 2-3 cups of coffee a day might contribute to that.

Well we know that not all people with sleep apnea snore and not all people who snore have sleep apnea.
There is more to the symptoms than just fatigue...headaches...nocturia...high blood pressure..
Of course you may not have these symptoms but your partner might have the high blood pressure and headaches and fatigue from lack of sleep listening to you snore.

Tough call if you don't have any of the usual symptoms. Do you snore badly enough that you have a sore throat? I know I sure did.

I definitely would consider cpap if I were you, if your doctor wants to prescribe it and if it puts you back in bed with your partner. The intimacy of sleeping next to your partner is often a sad casualty of snoring; sleeping apart ends up making both people feel guilty and "separate." 34 is too young to be banished to the basement.

Try cpap and in the meantime lose the weight after which you could experiment without cpap to see if the snoring is still an issue. I am a bit skeptical of oral appliances; many seem to have jaw pain after using them for a period of time.

Good luck

It sure would be interesting to me to read the exact info in your sleep reports including everything said about your movements and your sleep stages. Although I know I had OSA years before it was diagnosed, my limb movements rarely allowed to me get to deep sleep or to REM sleep, when OSA is likely to manifest if present. So, it was my 3rd sleep study before there was even a glimpse of mild OSA. Years later during a study when my limb movements were fairly quiet it was shown I have moderate to severe OSA. As you can tell, I'm probably a bit jaded, but I just never accept that one study in a lab guarantees real world answers - unless it definitively rules out a whole lot of variables.

But more specific to your question, if snoring was my only reason to use cpap and my snoring was affecting relationships as well as my quality of life (basement sleeping), yes, I'd use cpap.

Yes I would. Come out of that basement!

Yes, I absolutely would. I have a good friend that has been utilizing cpap for several years to conquer her snoring. It's kind of funny to think of this petite lady snoring her head off! Fortunately, no OSA, but she's prepared if it ever crops up.

Suz

Without CPAP, I cannot sleep quietly.
My sleep study says "loud snoring during all stages of sleep"
Imagine waking up in a motel with your entire family sitting around LAUGHING and looking at you.
I used to doze off at my desk; but somehow my boss always KNEW! Go figure!
My dad could rattle the windows.

Pugsy wrote:You might like to read Lazer's story here. viewtopic/t77203/First-night-on-CPAP-di ... kthru.html

Borderline OSA diagnosis but heavy snoring and the usual daytime fatigue that comes with OSA...and finally last few nights is seeing considerable improvement.

Yep! and Yes, I would most certainly give it a try, especially since your doctor is on board with the idea. It took a few nights initially for me to accept the mask on my face all night and stop blaming it for waking up but once I got over that, within a week I started to feel improvement in both my sleep quality and energy level during the day. I had very mild OSA indicated on my sleep study but with heavy persistent snoring and although I personally can't remember the snoring waking me up, apparantly it did or kept me out of the later stages of sleep and any REM because I am now staying asleep most nights and if I do wake up, I'm quick to get back to sleep. I'm having some dreams finally which I haven't had in years.

So I say try it and give it a chance

Personal opinion- i would try an oral appliance first. These can be very effective in many cases. You are correct in that these appliances are expensive, and there is no guarantee that it would work. But if it does work, an oral appliance would be so much simpler that being connected to a hose the rest of your life. Find a dentist that deals with sleep apnea and oral appliances. Spend some time educating yourself on the different appliances available. Have a look at the TAP 3 device. It will cost you $1000. This is where I would start. If you fail the appliance then I would look into CPAP. FYI there are no guarantees with CPAP either. CPAP is the gold standard when worn properly and consistently. Compliance and failure rates are very high, probably over 50%. Keep this in mind as you make your decision. hope this helps.