Help!  After much begging, Got husband as far as sleep study.  He left early and said this study is over!  He told me that it felt like he was drowning.  The Dr. has called the house and left a message he did not return.  His next appointment is next week-how can I make him understand that this is for his own good and that there are many options besides the CPAP mask?

pathbunny wrote:

Help!  After much begging, Got husband as far as sleep study.  He left early and said this study is over!  He told me that it felt like he was drowning.  The Dr. has called the house and left a message he did not return.  His next appointment is next week-how can I make him understand that this is for his own good and that there are many options besides the CPAP mask?

Its not common, but the office needs to let him see the data and recorded video. If they sit with him and explain what the heck it is that they are looking at, it MAY have a profound effect. I tend to do this every morning with the "severe" patients or the patients who are downright grumpy. It works most of the time, but not always. The physicians HATE when I show them studies, so I have to be semi-private about it. ;)

Your husband was there because of the drowning feeling and if he hates that feeling, then treatment WILL help. The office should bite the bullet and spend more than 15 seconds with him (slight exaggeration).

Rather drastically, tell him if he doesn't want to do this for himself, or for you, then he needs to get you a good life insurance policy on himself, for you, cause you're gonna need it!

Now, this may sound harsh, but sleep apnea is nothing to play around with, and if he doesn't get it treated, then he's gonna eventually die prematurely from it!

Calmly re-inform him that there are many options for treatment out there, but most us us would agree thet the xPAP is the best form, due to its' adjustment under monitored conditions. In other words, they can prove it is working. However, some people can't adjust to using the xPAPs, in which ever form you need. But with many options for masks/nasal pillows, etc., there is bound to be a method that should work for him.

Also, keep on loving him, and remind him to address this with an open mind about it.  From my encounters, I think that is the one reason I did not need an adjustment time for mine. I WANTED IT!! I went for it! I got it, and I've had it for over 12 years. The only times I don't use mine at night is when there is no power and it won't run, or when I'm up doing surgery at night. Either way I'm not sleeping at those times.

Bottom line for you, though, is to keep loving him, and ENCOURAGING him, WITHOUT NAGGING him, and eventually he should come around to it. You might also check with the sleep lab to see if they have a local chapter of A.W.A.K.E., or some form of support group. Get him to go, or you go without him.  Maybe they can offer some help.


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painless

Sleep Apnea is a Killer! Get it Tested!
Get it Treated! Use the Treatment!

Well, firstly he deserves some sympathy... it is often a miserable experience to have a sleep study. Try to make the appointment combined with some fun event to make it easier and maybe tip off the docto before taht your husband may not yet be ready fo the diagnosis.


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Arthur
Sleeping with a curvaceous blonde autoPAP (Resmed autoset). Hope springs eternal.....

This thread is old, so maybe he's already given up.  But now that I've been through this and have my machine, I can say that the sleep study was the most traumatic night of my life!

He should try either a full face or a hybrid mask.  Those will deliver equalized pressure to both the nose and mouth.

My sleep study used a nasal-only mask and whenever I opened my mouth, the air came rushing out and was very disconcerting.
I hope your husband went back and gave it another try.


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ResMed VPAP Auto 25 w/heated humidifier
ResMed Mirage Liberty Full Face Mask (nasal pillows and mouth enclosure)
BiPAP pressures: 14/10