[Mahler9th]

I have a loved one that tried an oral appliance a few years ago and it did not work.

Sleep apnea can be a very challenging condition. In addition to my loved one, I have many friends that have been diagnosed and treated with CPAP. Even fellow Porsche racers.

It can be very challenging indeed... one of my racer acquaintances has had to quit racing because of sleep apnea.

I have worked in the medical device and equipment field for 30+ years. When I set out to learn about any condition, I am pretty relentless.

Here are a few things I learned about sleep apnea:

1. If you think you or a friend or loved one has sleep apnea, action is warranted. There is a lot of confusion about the relationship between snoring and sleep apnea in the lay public. Not all doctors understand sleep apnea well. Even ENT's aren't all at the same level with this condition. Some study and homework is needed for the best outcomes.

2. There are no OTC methods or devices that can properly diagnose this condition. We have a lot of new wearables and even mattresses now that claim to be able to provide a qualitative and/or quantitative assessment of sleep quality. This is all absolute rubbish. For those seriously concerned about their health, I encourage you to stay away from this stuff.

3. Sleep apnea can be difficult to diagnose and assess with tests. There are a lot of variables, and one has to understand how to differentiate between good doctors and labs and excellent ones. In my loved one's case, there were two tests that showed very mild apnea, and one that showed borderline severe. That test was administered by an excellent local lab with an excellent doc. Don't take this aspect for granted.

4 CPAP therapy works for more people than one would think. The equipment provider (durable medical equipment business) can make a life changing difference in experience and compliance. I know an excellent local provider and have learned how much of a difference that can make. In my case, my loved one started therapy immediately after diagnosis and the changes were instant. A recent new machine is nearly quiet, so no issues there.

5. There are many surgical procedures that are purported to help with sleep apnea. Results can be very mixed. I encourage anyone considering a surgical procedure to do their homework.

This condition can be challenging to diagnose and treat, but the success stories can be very inspirational. The other side is compelling... left untreated, severe sleep apnea has been shown to correlate with serious morbidity and can significantly shorten one's life expectancy.

I encourage folks to avoid taking this potentially serious condition lightly.