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AHI update - Printable Version

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AHI update - pogosix - 05-01-2017

Good Morning All,

I have had some success with my AHI index. This may not work for everyone but it has for me. 

My AHI ranged from 15 to 32, I stopped have a beer or two in the evening and started to eat dinner before  6 pm.
This really didn't do much to lower the events per hour. I tried everything to keep my mouth shut as I think when I went to sleep my mouth came open causing dry mouth ( I use Biotene ) and the jaw drop caused the mask to leak. I tried every chin strap I could find without finding one to work. They all seemed to end up tangled with the mask and they were more trouble than they were worth.

Here is what I did to reduce my AHI index to an average of 6.2 for the last 5 days (range 9.9 to 3.6):

I took a block of foam about a four in. by four in. I cut out a place for my chin and jaw area to rest in. I took a velcro strap, from one of my old headgears, and made a strap to go behind my neck. It does a pretty good job of keeping my mouth closed ( not 100 percent) but my jaw doesn't drop. If I go to the bathroom, at night, I don't have to take it off. I looked on Amazon and a soft neck brace looks like it might do the same for $11. I was not wanting to add another piece of hardware to my mess but I am getting good sleep now. I'm now going to experiment with the beer again in the interest of sleep science haha!

Does anyone have any experience with this? 

Merle
Edwardsville Illinois


RE: AHI update - OpalRose - 05-01-2017

Hey, good for you.  Anything that keeps the jaw from dropping is good.  

Many of us here are using a soft cervical collar.  This not only keeps the jaw from dropping, but helps keeps the neck aligned.  

And no point in giving up beer if you don't have to.   Grin


RE: AHI update - pogosix - 05-01-2017

Thanks


RE: AHI update - trish6hundred - 05-01-2017

Hi pogosix,
It’s good you are having such great results with your makeshift cervical collar, let us know how the “other” part of your experiment gose, (Ha-Ha-Ha.)