Two Years into My Sleep Apnea Treatment: An Update

April 2009 makes two years since I began using an oral appliance to treat my sleep apnea, and I thought I would bring you up-to-date.

Let me begin by thanking the many News Channel 7 viewers, friends and other caring people who inquire frequently about my sleep apnea. I often receive news releases, comments and other e-mails from the community that begin by asking how I'm doing. I appreciate this so very much.

I'm doing just fine. I wear my TAP-3 dental appliance to bed every night. I'm so used to it, I barely notice it. I get a good night's sleep without the cumbersome tubes, straps and noise of the C-PAP machine I used (endured!) for all of three months.

My dental appliance pulls my lower jaw forward and creates more room in the back of my throat for air to flow. It also holds my mouth shut (but not completely) so I don't get into the wide-open snoring position. The only maintenance the TAP-3 requires is a nightly washing with liquid soap (rinse thoroughly!) and an occasional adjustment that I do myself.

My wife tells me I hardly ever snore when I wear my appliance. And believe me, she endured satan's symphony listening to me snore for years. My wife convinced me to go to the doctor. My irregular breathing in bed scared her. She would watch and listen to me, fearing I wouldn't take a breath.

When I fall asleep in a chair without wearing my TAP-3, the sounds I make are horrible. I wake myself up. I sleep, but I don't sleep soundly. I don't get the restorative sleep we all need in order to be healthy and productive.

The medical community is catching on increasingly to what I discovered in 2007: a dental appliance is a far more comfortable option than a C-PAP machine for treating sleep apnea.

I'm seeing ads for various oral appliances on TV, web sites and other advertising venues. Tonight I googled "sleep apnea oral appliance" and got tens of thousands of hits.

Some of the do-it-yourself appliances I've seen are ridiculously cheap compared to the cost of my TAP-3, but I have no idea if they are comfortable, if they last or if they are effective.

I still recommend you begin treatment of your sleep apnea with a visit to your doctor. A do-it-yourself treatment may not address your condition properly. Let a trained medical expert do an assessment and determine exactly what's wrong with you and exactly how it should be treated.

Sleep apnea can cut years off your life and reduce your quality of life tremendously.

Good health begins with good sleep.