My story of CPAP intolerance starts out much-like many of my own patients’ stories. However, at 136 pounds I am not your typical obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) patient. My Body Mass Index (SMI) is 26 and near ideal, right? So, when my wife and kids told me I snore I did not take them seriously. As a sleep physician I educated my patients about symptoms to watch out for every day. Yes, I felt mildly drowsy in the late afternoon but doesn’t everyone?

Okay, I am guessing you know how this story ends.  Let’s get straight down to it: I had a sleep study and it showed that I have mild-to-moderate obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). I looked at the number and could not believe it. I took my CPAP home and over the next several weeks tried to strap up and relax in bed each night. Except, it didn’t work. I would pull and adjust and toss and turn and find myself struggling for hours. Worse still, the next morning I would prescribe the same treatment to my own patients and give them my talk about how they should use CPAP at least 5-6 hours every night. I found myself asking my most successful patients for tips to help me overcome my own CPAP intolerance:  ”Mr. Olaf, how exactly did you get used to it again?” I envied patients that took to CPAP like a fish to water. I also felt much more empathy for those that struggled with CPAP intolerance, like myself.

I used many CPAP and BIPAP machines and many more masks before I finally gave up and decided to get a SomnoDent oral appliance.  It has been such a relief for me to be able to stick with a treatment that eliminates my snoring and has lowered my Apnea–Hypopnea Index (AHI)  to help me conquer obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).

Three years ago, if you asked me to name a dental devices for sleep apnea I would have struggled to come up with an answer. Since joining the SomnoMed team I have come to learn that most sleep physicians are still not familiar with the evidence supporting Continuous Open Airway Therapy (COAT) for treatment or the practical aspects of how sleep dentists manage patients. I enjoy the fact that in my current role I can hopefully influence physicians to be open to giving our patients more options for treatment of their sleep apnea.

SomnoMed is global leader in COAT™ (Continuous Open Airway Therapy), and our devices are indicated for use for patients who fail CPAP therapy, as well as patients with mild-to-moderate obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).  Since 2004, SomnoMed’s world-class devices have been used to treat over 200,000 patients in 26 countries, and our devices are FDA cleared and manufactured under ISO 13485 quality standards. SomnoMed’s vast preferred dental network provides you with access to SomnoDent trained dentists in your area. Learn more by clicking here, or call 1-888-447-6673.