I have heard that this works for some people. Much depends, I am told, on the exact structure of the throat and mouth.
On Tue, May 11, 2010 at 8:27 PM, Zaphod Beeblebrox <zaph0d.b33bl3b...@gmail.com> wrote: > > IANAD, but I was diagnosed with sleep apnea about 6 years ago. I used the > machine for about 1 year before I finally got fed up with it. I started > using a 'bit' that would hold my lower jaw forward (I have a slight > overbite). Anyway, that cleared up my apnea just as well as the CPAP did. > My CPAP has now been stored on the top shelf of my closet for 5 years. > > The original bit that I got came from a dentistry outfit in Canada that sold > it as a specialty bit for apnea. When it got here, I realized it wasn't much > different than a teeth grinding bit you get at the local drug store for $20. > > Actually, nowadays, I don't even need to use it. I guess my lower jaw has > been trained to a more forward position now. > > > On May 11, 2010, at 8:01 PM, Dana wrote: > >> >> 133, wow. Mine was described as very severe at 55. Amazed you didn't >> drive into anything. >> >> On Tue, May 11, 2010 at 12:29 PM, William Bowen <william.bo...@gmail.com> >> wrote: >>> >>> I'm sorry for your brother's condition, but let me offer a >>> (admittedly-anecdotal but personal) counter-point. >>> >>> First, I have insurance, it is very good insurance, it is very >>> expensive insurance. Everything I will speak about below is completely >>> covered by my insurance. >>> >>> So, my wife tells me that she's been concerned for some time that I'm >>> not breathing right when I sleep. Between the loud snoring and the >>> stopping thereof, gasping for breath, etc. it's literally keeping her >>> up at night--not to mention worrying her. >>> >>> I called my local clinic for an appointment, wait a couple weeks for >>> the schedule to clear, go see my doctor, tell her about my symptoms, >>> she recommends that I see a sleep specialist. I go with my referral to >>> the appointments desk and find that they can schedule me for a consult >>> with a sleep specialist in a month. 1st available appointment. My >>> insurance doesn't play a part in making doctors more available. >>> >>> So I go to the appointment, describe my symptoms and my doctor says, >>> "we will schedule a sleep study as soon as possible." >>> >>> So I go to schedule a sleep study. It's a month out, first available >>> time slot. Again, having insurance doesn't get me to the front of the >>> line... I go to my sleep study and they hook me to the machines, lots >>> of wires and whatnot. >>> >>> My sleep study goes pretty well but I have to wait another three weeks >>> to get my results/follow-up consult. Again, insurance is no help >>> getting my results quicker. >>> >>> At my follow-up, my doctor my doctor informs me that 5 apneas an hour >>> is considered "dangerous". My count was 133 observed apneas per hour >>> over the course of the 7.5 hour sleep study. My oxygen levels went as >>> low as 50%. I am (according to my doctor) at high risk for >>> heart-attack, stroke and possible plain-old suffocation. >>> >>> So. I get fitted for a mask and take it home to start using it. The >>> settings are generally set, so I am getting airflow, but not optimal; >>> for that I need another sleep study and a follow-up. >>> >>> The 2nd sleep study was performed three weeks ago. My follow-up >>> appointment at which my mask will finally be set to optimal "dosage" >>> so that treatment can actually begin is June 11. Once again, great >>> insurance doesn't help me go the the head of the line. >>> >>> So six months later I will finally be able to begin treatment for >>> something that has been slowly killing me. This is the best on-demand >>> healthcare can do? How is the availability of and my possession of >>> insurance helping me get the treatment I need when I need it? >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> On Mon, May 10, 2010 at 6:22 PM, Sam <sammyc...@gmail.com> wrote: >>>> >>>> My bro-inlaw in the UK was told he needed to be tested for kidney and >>>> prostate cancer six months ago. Three months later he got the tests, >>>> Last week he got the results. He needs surgery for both and is now >>>> going on the waiting list. He's only 50 and we're very afraid he won't >>>> make it. >>>> >>>> >>>> On Mon, May 10, 2010 at 11:44 AM, Eric Roberts >>>> <ow...@threeravensconsulting.com> wrote: >>>>> >>>>> From talking to actual Canadians who use the system every day and talking >>>>> to >>>>> actual Brits, and talking people who live in a few other countries where >>>>> they have socialized medicine...while it may not be perfect (what system >>>>> is?)...it is far better than what we have now in the US. When you have no >>>>> more barriers to getting preventive care, you detect issues earlier, which >>>>> also means, in most cases, it's also a lot cheaper to treat and it also >>>>> reduces the amounts of people going to ER's for issues that should be >>>>> getting retaken care of in the doctors offices. Plus, with a single >>>>> system >>>>> of payment, it removes the layers and layers of complexity that doc's >>>>> offices have to deal with for payment. There are a lot of cost reductions >>>>> in socialized medicine that do offset a lot of the increases in costs that >>>>> the government picks up by sponsoring health care. >>>>> >>>>> I think the biggest deception in this whole issue is that opponents of >>>>> healthcare have convinced the teabaggers that there is a difference >>>>> between >>>>> paying a premium to them and paying your premiums via taxes. The only >>>>> difference there is who is getting paid. So if you taxes go up and you no >>>>> longer have to pay an insurance premium (in the case of single payer), >>>>> there >>>>> really is no logical difference in what is happening with your money. >>>>> With >>>>> single payer, there is a good possibility that because this would be >>>>> spread >>>>> out amongst a much larger pool of people, that what you are paying may be >>>>> considerably less. So meanwhile the dumbass teabaggers, who have been >>>>> duped >>>>> into bitching about resultant tax hikes form this, keep screaming about >>>>> taxes, the insurance company is laughing at their rubes all the way to the >>>>> bank. >>>>> >>>>> Personally...I would rather pay the government and know that I can get >>>>> treatment without going bankrupt than deal with the insurance companies >>>>> and >>>>> hospitals, knowing tat I will have to declare bankruptcy to deal with all >>>>> my >>>>> medical bills since I don't have access to insurance(which is something I >>>>> am >>>>> facing right no >>>> >>>> >>> >>> >> >> > > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~| Order the Adobe Coldfusion Anthology now! http://www.amazon.com/Adobe-Coldfusion-Anthology-Michael-Dinowitz/dp/1430272155/?tag=houseoffusion Archive: http://www.houseoffusion.com/groups/cf-community/message.cfm/messageid:318214 Subscription: http://www.houseoffusion.com/groups/cf-community/subscribe.cfm Unsubscribe: http://www.houseoffusion.com/groups/cf-community/unsubscribe.cfm
