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Apnex Hypoglossal Nerve Stimulation System - Printable Version

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Apnex Hypoglossal Nerve Stimulation System - andrwoo - 05-09-2012

Hi. I was diagnosed with OSA about three years ago. I have only been able to use my machine every once in a while. I hardly ever made it through a whole night. I usually wake up, pull the mask off, turn machine off, and then fall back asleep without ever realizing I did that. About 8 months ago I just quit using my machine all together.

I recently found this clinical study called HGNS system. I have made it through the first two screenings. It looks like i will qualify, still have a couple more screenings to get through then I will get the system. I am so excited about this i cant hardly take it. The thought of this working,, being able to go camping, backpacking, and traveling and not having to worry about a cpap or a mask on my face. Sounds like heaven. I'll post more about my experiences if anyone is interested on updates about this. I go in for my next physical on the 16th. This will be awesome if this passes FDA. Will be another way to treat OSA. It has already been trialed and passed in Australia. Here is the link to the Apnex site that tells all about this system. sleepapneatrial.com/home.htm

Andrwoo


RE: Apnex Hypoglossal Nerve Stimulation System - PaulaO2 - 05-09-2012

Wow. That looks....invasive. But, hey, if it works, go for it! Good luck and keep us posted.

If you have the time, tell us why CPAP didn't work for you before. Maybe we can help.


RE: Apnex Hypoglossal Nerve Stimulation System - JJJ - 05-09-2012

That looks really interesting. I filled out the questionnaire and I qualified for the study, but I live too far from their closest place for them to consider me.

The pic in the video looked like the device is in the chest with wires running up to the tongue. Surely they wouldn't dig a tunnel all the way from the chest to the tongue. Maybe it works by radio.

I'm pretty sure my OSA is due to tongue collapse from the muscles having stretched. I am scheduled for eyelid surgery in June for the same reason - and I already had the same eyelid surgery 15 years ago. Definitely saggy muscles here.

HGNS may be a godsend for me. Please tell them to hurry up with their study! Big Grin


RE: Apnex Hypoglossal Nerve Stimulation System - andrwoo - 05-09-2012

(05-09-2012, 06:00 PM)JJJ Wrote: Surely they wouldn't dig a tunnel all the way from the chest to the tongue.

Heh, no. No tunnel digging. There will be a small incision along the lower part of the jawline, an incision on your chest where they put the machine (like a pacemaker) and an incision on the lower part of your chest. They pull the wire from the machine up to your jaw and do the same for the lower part of your chest. Once it's all done you will have three small incisions. They said from the 50 devices they have already done in the US and the 32 they did in Australia that the scar on your jawline is not noticeable at all because of the way they cut following your jaw.

Once it is in there is a remote, about the size of a tv remote that sends the signal to come on while sleeping. The lead by your lung reads when you are about to breathe in and sends the signal up to your tounge to move forward so you don't get collapse.

Man I can't wait to get this.

Oh, and it is a five year study. They are pretty sure right now there will be no problems because it has already been tested 3 years in Australia with no issues.



RE: Apnex Hypoglossal Nerve Stimulation System - PaulaO2 - 05-09-2012

So your tongue will be twitching with every breath???

That's going to take some getting used to.


RE: Apnex Hypoglossal Nerve Stimulation System - zonk - 05-09-2012

Are you really saying you rather prefer to have a device implanted on your body than using CPAP which is just air blower
and the only side effects are positive ones
Please consider and as Paula suggested, "tell us why CPAP didn't work for you before. Maybe we can help"




RE: Apnex Hypoglossal Nerve Stimulation System - andrwoo - 05-09-2012

Yes I would rather have this than a machine. Several reasons; cpap didnt work for me. I have to have a full face mask, tried positions, chin straps, nose things, adjusting pressure, blah blah blah, not to mention I look like an octopus when I sleep, can't take it backpacking, all around a big hassle.

I guess people have a different tolerance level of what they see bad. I don't see this HGNS system as bad at all. Uses same type technology as pacemakers which have been around for years, it's not as serious as a pacemaker, a small surgery which could easily be reversed if you don't like it. I would be able to backpack again. I'm already planning my Appalachian trail again.

From what the doctor has told me, (he is the lead doctor who specializes in sleep disorders) what this is doing is moving your tongue forward slightly, which normal peoples tongues move forward anyway (it's our tongues that are messed up and collapsing on us), and you don't even really feel it. There is no electrical shock. All it feels like is your tongue moving forward, just that you didn't do it. Now this happens when you sleep, so you don't even feel that.

Please don't turn this into a bashing thing if you don't agree with this. From what I see this is a Sleep Apnea board, not a CPAP board. I would think that everyone should be a little excited about this as finally they are working on other ways to treat osa. This will give people options instead of the leaf blower strapped to their face.

Don't get me wrong, I don't think anyone has bashed me yet, I just get a feeling that it could go this way. Just asking people to be open. Feel free to ask me questions and such. I don't think I've really scratched the surface of information they have given me yet. There has been a lot of it so far. Oh, and I got my sleep study for the 27th. After that I have to go to a nose doctor then I will be cleared for the HGNS.

I'll check back later. Love the discussion.


RE: Apnex Hypoglossal Nerve Stimulation System - PaulaO2 - 05-09-2012

I can see how some people just cannot tolerate the CPAP. I guess I use so much adaptive equipment that I see the CPAP as being the least intrusive I have!

Please keep us updated on your progress. I look forward to hearing about it!


RE: Apnex Hypoglossal Nerve Stimulation System - JJJ - 05-09-2012

(05-09-2012, 06:32 PM)andrwoo Wrote: Heh, no. No tunnel digging. There will be a small incision along the lower part of the jawline, an incision on your chest where they put the machine (like a pacemaker) and an incision on the lower part of your chest. They pull the wire from the machine up to your jaw and do the same for the lower part of your chest. Once it's all done you will have three small incisions. They said from the 50 devices they have already done in the US and the 32 they did in Australia that the scar on your jawline is not noticeable at all because of the way they cut following your jaw.

Once it is in there is a remote, about the size of a tv remote that sends the signal to come on while sleeping. The lead by your lung reads when you are about to breathe in and sends the signal up to your tounge to move forward so you don't get collapse.

Oh, and it is a five year study. They are pretty sure right now there will be no problems because it has already been tested 3 years in Australia with no issues.

So the wire from the machine in your chest goes outside the body up to the jawline?

Also, if it's a five year study, do you know when they started? Or when they might get more locations in the western US?


RE: Apnex Hypoglossal Nerve Stimulation System - JJJ - 05-09-2012

(05-09-2012, 06:49 PM)PaulaO2 Wrote: So your tongue will be twitching with every breath???
That's going to take some getting used to.

I'd be very interested in comments and interviews with people who have undergone the procedure. And I mean real people on a public forum like this where people can ask questions and get answers, not snips cut out of context for a press release.

I'd also like to see some scientific data on the efficacy. There are so many causes for sleep apnea; does this procedure work better for some than others? Thinking-about