EMA Sleep Apnea Appliance?

[NY65912]

I went to the dentist yesterday for my annual check-up and they have me fill out a questionnaire regarding sleep apnea. Now, I am overweight, 60 years old and sometimes snore, and wake a few times a night to empty my bladder but that’s another story.

The dentist, a long time childhood friend says that she thinks I have a mild to moderate degree of sleep apnea. Hmmm, I never thought so as I think I sleep well and really am not fatigued during the day.

She knows that I would never wear a CPAP and she suggests an oral appliance called an EMA. It looks like a fancy night guard of sorts.

Anyone in the PP BBS have any experience with an EMA or use one?

[id10t]

Nope... but it took me all of one night to get used to my CPAP machine, and now you can have it when you pry it from my cold dead face...

If you think apnea is really an issue for you, ask your physician to order a sleep study and get it done right...

[recycled sixtie]

How would the dentist know you have sleep apnea unless you fell asleep in the dentist chair?! As the above says go for a sleep study and they can find out what you have. I went for a sleep study and found out I have sleep apnea and restless leg syndrome so consequently my sleep is interrupted a lot. I cannot or do want to wear a mask at night. Too uncomfortable.

For reduction of sleep apnea and lessening risk of a heart attack then reducing weight can help.

Also you are supposed to drink water during the night even though you have to go to the bathroom more frequently. This can reduce the chance of a heart attack apparently. I am not a med professional.

[Charles Freeborn]

The fit bit watches are supposed to be able to tell you how restless you are at night.
I've worn a "night guard" (for teeth grinding) from my dentist for years now. Not the same thing as you're describing, but my point being that once you get used to a device at night it's all good.

[bpu699]

See your primary care doctor, get a Home Sleep Test, and you will know. You sleep with an oxygen sensor on your finger, and it records how much you snore.

Or, just video tape yourself with you iPhone and see if you have sleep apnea. Really easy to see...

[ckelly78z]

Luckily, no snoring or sleep apnea here, but have a tendancy snore if napping in a chair, or if on my back.

If your wife isn't annoyed with your snoring, and you don't seem to have sleep problems, I would have a sleep study done to determine if you need any help.

My FIL wears a CPAP, or otherwise he snores like a grizzly bear, and half chokes several times a night. I don't really have any experience with the EMA device.

[sammyg2]

I get the jimmy legs.


eom

[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.

[Mahler9th]

By the way, I encourage folks to also understand the effects of OSA on the brain and behavior. This is not trivial. And to further understand the relationships between ox sat and sleep apnea.

[Tobra]

Brother, you need to lose some weight, lay off the cheesecake maybe

Sleep apnea is no joke. Your brain needs oxygen, or it quits working right.

[Nickshu]

You need a sleep study first. Depending on your AHI score then you can be evaluated on what type of device will work best for you.

Current research is showing lower AHI scores respond well to oral advancement appliances, midgrade AHI scores respond to CPAP better, and higher AHI scores respond to combination CPAP and Oral advancement device.

Without a current sleep study you are shooting in the dark. Any dentist trained in sleep medicine/dentistry should know this. It's below the standard of care to just go around sticking advancement devices in people without a sleep study. Some people even advocate another study after the device(s) to evaluate their effectiveness.

[NY65912]

I'm at my pulmonary doctors office waiting for my check up (asthma). I am going to get his take on sleep apnea and if he thinks I qualify. Thanks so much for the great advice.

Nice cheesecake reference Tobin.

[304065]

You need a Turbo. Very few problems in life cannot be solved through the application of Boost.

[wdfifteen]

Originally Posted by id10t

Nope... but it took me all of one night to get used to my CPAP machine, and now you can have it when you pry it from my cold dead face.

+1000
When my doc told me I should be using a CPAP I was depressed for a week. But I tried it. My wife says she likes going to be with a fighter pilot every night. I sleep better and I'm more rested when I wake up in the morning.
EMA makes some sense, but doesn't sound very comfortable. Breath normally, feel the air in your throat, then jut your lower jaw hard forward and feel the difference. Seems like it might work, but again it sounds really uncomfortable.

[faverymi]

Some work some don't.

Some patients require multiple different appliances.

It's like talking about a motor oil preference in you aircool car.

I leave it to the ENTs doc to tell me what they want

I have no problem making what THEY prescribe. I'm not doing the diagnosis, I just become the technician

[Tobra]

It is a nice cheesecake, melts in your mouth, thanks man.

+1 on the sleep study. If you think you might have an issue, you need to find out.

[scottmandue]

Originally Posted by Tobra

Sleep apnea is no joke. Your brain needs oxygen, or it quits working right.

This explains A LOT!

My wife thinks I have Apnea because I snore... it takes me at least an hour to fall asleep and I sleep on my stomach... pretty sure I could not fall asleep with a bunch of sensor attached to me and cameras watching (sounds like a horror movie to me).

[NY65912]

My doc agreed that a real sleep study is best, but Aetna will not pay. He suggested that I do the in home kit and see what it says. He also believes the mouth/jaw appliance my dentist suggested do work in many cases. He also thinks that by my description my sleep habits and snoring that I may have a mild case of sleep apnea. I'm never tired during the day and I get up feeling refreshed and ready to start my 12-14 hour day at 5am.

Tobra, enjoy the Junior's Cheescake, you deserve it for helping me big time! Everyone needs a taste of Brooklyn once in a while....fugedaboudit!

John, I agree, a turbo helps everything proably sleep apnea too!

[A930Rocket]

I did the take home test and the doc said I had sleep apnea. Scheduled a sleep study and was told I had to pay $3000 because I hadn't met my deductible. Said I couldn't pay $3000 out of pocket and she asked about $1500. I said I'd think about it.

I may call back and offer $500-1000.

I need to do something though. I always wake up at night and am tired during the day. Started riding bikes with my wife to get exercise and lose weight to start with.

[GWN7]

I went to a private sleep clinic here to be tested. Cost $200 to find out I had a mild case of sleep apnea. I lost weight and sleep on my left side. No more problems.