this is true. I'm not sure what the chances are that it will work, probably under 50%. For $20 it's probably worth a try. It is a lot more portable than a cpap :)
On May 12, 2010, at 5:46 PM, Dana wrote: > > 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:318302 Subscription: http://www.houseoffusion.com/groups/cf-community/subscribe.cfm Unsubscribe: http://www.houseoffusion.com/groups/cf-community/unsubscribe.cfm
