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Inspire?
#11
RE: Inspire?
Thanks for the info, but I won't be get it now.  I went into get the pre-surgery sleep study and I no longer have sleep apnea.  Anyone else ever have it go away on them?

I've  been using a CPAP for about 13 years since I was originally diagnosed with it and was moderate to severe at that time.  Weight hasn't really changed all that much if anything I've put on a few pounds.  So lately when I travel I don't use the CPAP, but I've continued to use it at home on a very low setting just so I don't snore and bother my wife.

Grady
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#12
RE: Inspire?
I had the inspire device implanted in late June of 19. I am 53 and I live in Michigan. I had a hard time adjusting to the mask and I kept taking it off when I slept. I had the surgery where they put you in twilight sleep to see how your throat collapses. I was a good candidate so I went ahead with the surgery. It was about three hours long and the scarring was a bit more than I expected. My speech was slightly slurred for a few months but it returned to normal. There are three incisions. One just below the jaw line, one for the device itself just below my right clavicle, and a third one near the bottom of the rib cage on the right side as well. The incision near the rib cage was not fun for about a week (like a cracked rib). that is where the sensor for the diaphragm goes. The jaw line incision attaches a sensor to the hypoglossal nerve. Each breath it moves your tongue forward. You have a device that activates it each night and gives you 30 minutes to fall asleep. You continue to adjust the intensity until it bothers you. One level per every three nights is what they recommend. I like it so far. If you move the setting too quickly you may be a bit sore in the AM but I've moved it up quite a bit since I first got it and it seems to help. I had my surgery at the Univ of Michigan.
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#13
RE: Inspire?
(07-25-2018, 11:29 AM)suttonwt Wrote: I had the Inspire device implanted almost 3 years ago and I've basically given up trying to use it. I wake up in the night and have to pause the unit (as designed) to go back to sleep. But when it comes back on, it comes on at therapeutic strength and is like an alarm clock going off in my mouth; it just keeps waking me back up and I always resort back to CPAP. I have repeatedly asked Inspire to modify their code to slowly ramp the stimulation up over several minutes so I will sleep right through the un-pausing but they have so far been unwilling to do so. In fact they have stopped following up with me all together. In my experience it does not work and is not yet ready for prime time. I hope you have a better experience.

Bill Sutton
Canton, Mi

Good info. to know.Thanks for posting.
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#14
RE: Inspire?
(12-07-2019, 04:52 PM)Buffalo66 Wrote: I had the inspire device implanted in late June of 19.  I am 53 and I live in Michigan.  I had a hard time adjusting to the mask and I kept taking it off when I slept.  I had the surgery where they put you in twilight sleep to see how your throat collapses.  I was a good candidate so I went ahead with the surgery.  It was about three hours long and the scarring was a bit more than I expected.  My speech was slightly slurred for a few months but it returned to normal.  There are three incisions.  One just below the jaw line, one for the device itself just below my right clavicle, and a third one near the bottom of the rib cage on the right side as well.  The incision near the rib cage was not fun for about a week (like a cracked rib).  that is where the sensor for the diaphragm goes.  The jaw line incision attaches a sensor to the hypoglossal nerve.  Each breath it moves your tongue forward.  You have a device that activates it each night and gives you 30 minutes to fall asleep.  You continue to adjust the intensity until it bothers you.  One level per every three nights is what they recommend.  I like it so far.  If you move the setting too quickly you may be a bit sore in the AM but I've moved it up quite a bit since I first got it and it seems to help.  I had my surgery at the Univ of Michigan.

Holy crap......that sounds invasive as Hell. I've seen the commercials on tv and I was curious.

I'm not any longer............... Oh-jeez
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#15
RE: Inspire?
Buffalo66,
Thanks for posting.  We seldom hear feedback from anyone who has had this procedure.

A couple questions.... Can you tell us how bad your apnea was before the procedure?  
What was your untreated AHI?

Ok, one more question.... how do you know it’s working?  I assume you go by how you feel.

Again, thanks for the information.   Smile
OpalRose
Apnea Board Administrator
www.apneaboard.com

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#16
RE: Inspire?
(12-07-2019, 10:09 PM)OpalRose Wrote: Buffalo66,
Thanks for posting.  We seldom hear feedback from anyone who has had this procedure.

A couple questions.... Can you tell us how bad your apnea was before the procedure?  
What was your untreated AHI?

Ok, one more question.... how do you know it’s working?  I assume you go by how you feel.

Again, thanks for the information.   Smile

OpalRose,

My AHI was 58 per hour.  It was on the high side for the procedure but we went ahead since the other factors were good (the way my throat collapses and weight - they prefer BMI below 30).  It is going well but it is a process.  When you are activated one month after the surgery, they set the initial intensity and you have control to raise the intensity at your own rate.  You have a "remote" that activates the device each night. You then get 30 minutes (adjustable) to fall asleep.  Since activating in June, I have raised the intensity quite a bit.  I also use an app called SnoreLab to track what it sounds like when I sleep.  It keeps the actual audio and does a good job of showing me my rate of breathing and if I am snoring.  If I record during the initial period before it starts the device (say I fall asleep in 15 minutes), you can see the exact moment that the device starts since my snore all but stops.  I did do a home study for my doctor last month and my AHI had dropped to the the high 20s.  It is still too high but I have recently (within the last week) gotten to an intensity that I can handle that makes me feel a lot better when I wake.  I am happy that I headed down this road but it has been a journey.  It has taken about 5-6 months to get everything dialed in.  I learned that nasal congestion is a big problem.  I am using Azelastine (nasal spray) and it really helps too.  The combination of the nasal spray and the higher setting seem to have done the trick.  I am scheduled for another study in 4 months to assess my O2 level and events per hour.  

If anyone has more questions about the device/surgery, I'd be happy to help.  I really like not having a CPAP anymore.  I travel a lot and it was a hassle to travel with the machine.  This solution is not for everyone.  The insurance approval process is lengthy, the surgery is more than they make it seem in their marketing, and it takes a while to fine tune after you have the surgery but knowing what I know, I would do it again.
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#17
RE: Inspire?
I would think twice—no, make that three times—before implanting the Inspire device. I wish I had. Immediately after one was implanted in me last summer, most of my body shut down. I was in critical condition with acute pulmonary edema and many other serious problems. I was on a respirator for about a week and in the ICU for three weeks. After-effects continued for at least five months. I missed work for the entire second half of 2019. Implanting the Inspire device is not the minor out-patient procedure that the company suggests. Beware.
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#18
RE: Inspire?
Thank you all for sharing your experiences. I had just posted questions and was searching for just this kind of information.

Good Luck to you all. I am still searching for a blissful nights sleep as well....
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#19
RE: Inspire?
No, I don't have that.
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#20
RE: Inspire?
I am considering the inspire, my doctor thinks I am a good candidate, doing a sleep study in a couple weeks to further examine. I like to hike and do overnight float trips on rivers. Hauling a machine and battery is a pain, in addition to fighting masks...... But watching this thread closely. Thanks for your inputs
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