I moved the appliance all the way back to the starting position. Since you mentioned discounting the bad night sleep when congested I noticed right away that I wasn't breathing all that well through one side of my nose. With that in the forefront of my mind I have stopped to notice that it seems like 100% of the time, night or day, I don't have unobstructed breathing on one side of my nose or the other. I saw an ENT specialist for an ear issue years ago and I remember him offhandedly mentioning that I have a deviated septum. I assumed because of how casually the ENT mentioned it that it wasn't a big deal but could this be worse than I'm assuming? Could it be the source of my problem? I probably should have mentioned this earlier but I am 6'0" 175lbs, I think not your typical sleep apnea patient.
At this point I haven't moved the mouthpiece forward from the start. I'm thinking I shouldn't mess with it until I get a resolution on this issue.
Once again thank you for your advice and Happy Thanksgiving to you and your family.
The TAP by amisleep.com
I really appreciate your responses here. I should clarify that when I said experimental I was not referring to the effectiveness of the mouthpiece overall but the effect It has on me. My doctor lead me to believe that it may or may not work depending on the person. Also, he never had me try a mouthpiece, he said it was up to me weather to use the CPAP or mouthpiece.
As far as setting the mouthpiece I was told to start with it all the way back and bring it forward a little at a time until my symptoms diminished. I did this but each time the symptoms resurfaced I continued to move forward until I now have no room left.
I have noticed recently that it is getting harder to get my bite to go back into place in the morning with the realigner. Sometimes now I feel like I need to use it again during the day because, by dinner time, my jaw is spread apart again. Could this be, as you suggested, evidence that I have it too far forward? I think I will try to back it off a bit and try to move it slowly forward again in hopes to find a better sweet spot. Do you think this is a good idea?
Once again, thank you so much for your replies.
I did not. After I received the bill for the visits, the first sleep study and the mouthpiece I decided that I couldn't afford to keep pursuing these experimental solutions and I am glad I did not. Within the first few months I do think it was working as I was sleeping through the night without waking, wasn't as drowsy during the day and not quite as irritable as usual.
However, when I started to experience the symptoms again I cranked the mouthpiece out farther and the symptoms went away only to return. Now it is out all the way and symptoms are returning in full. Example: I watch my kids during the day and cannot read even one book to them without dosing off. "Daddy you are asleep again!" Is a frequent complaint I hear.
Hello Dr Tony,
I have been using a dental appliance to treat sleep apnea for just over a year now. While it has eliminated my snoring I do not believe it has done much, if anything, to eliminate the other symptoms of sleep apnea. Is there anything else I should be doing in addition to the mouthpiece?
