Another Snoring Question

Hi L.,
My husband just had is deviated septum operated on at Newton-Wellesley hospital by Dr. Rounds.

The snoring is GONE!! I can't remember when he didn't snore it was horrible!! His surgery was two weeks ago today and he can't ever remember being able to breathe so well. He did stay over a night last month for a sleep study that showed he had slight sleep apnea.

He'll be able to get back to exercising later this week and can't wait to see the difference in how it feels being able to breathe out both nostrils:)!!

Good Luck,
K.

1 mom found this helpful

My mother had sleep apnea. She had to do an overnight sleep study to confirm first. She stopped breathing over 500 times a night!!! There are masks your husband can sleep with, that gently blow are up your nose all night. Ive heard they are uncomfortable and noisy. My mom is claustrophobic and couldn't stand it being on. She opted for the surgery. It removes everything in the back of your throat.... EVERYTHING. I'd say she 99% cured. She snores very rarely and very lightly if she does. No where near as bad as she was! Recovery was a little rough for her, but i think it was worth it. Now we can all sleep! I wouldn't jump to conclusions though. Her case was extremely severe. Have him go to the doctor and check it out first. Good luck!

1 mom found this helpful

I have asthma myself. I also never learned to breath through my nose as a youngster as I was always sick (born 6 & 1/2 weeks early, severe tonsilitis and ear infections until I was 7 and had my tonsils removed and tubes put in my ears). I find that my snoring seems to be dependent on the position in which I am sleeping. I tend to sleep on my side with my head elevated to help me breath better. Any other position, and I used to keep my hubby awake snoring until he would nudge me. I would grumble and then roll over to a position where I wasn't snoring. The doctor also put me on a second inhaler almost a year ago and I do that one right before bed as it helps keep my chest clearer; hence easier for me to sleep. Maybe these are tips that would help with your hubby. I agree about the breathe rights! Had a friend staying with us who snored worse than me. He went out and bought some and they didn't help at all. If anything, he snored worse! Good luck!

Insist he go get a sleep study! It took years of first asking nicely, then nagging, and nine months on the couch while I was pregnant, for my husband to finally go. He now has a CPAP machine and it is wonderful! He even said he felt great with it, because now he gets a good nights sleep, where he wasn't before and didn't even realize it. Good luck!

Although to simplify life we tell people my husband has sleep apnea, he really has difficulty breathing while lying down when he sleeps due to the diameter of his neck. The deal is his physical make-up partial blocks his airways when in a horizontal position. Prior to the CPAP, he would sleep great not snore while sitting up on the couch, but that bothered his back after awhile.

Anyway, he leanred this about himself after going through 2 sleep studies. The first was to diagnois his problem, the second was to try the CPAP machine and compare the two nights. Since having the CPAP machine, he has a more complete night of rest and I am sleeping more soundly too.

I would have your husband bring it up to his PCP and go from there. Good Luck!

I sleep with a fan next to my head to help drown out the snoring noises, and when it's too bad, I sleep somewhere else. even a quiet night on a couch is better than not sleeping in the bed. the thing I keep hearing about snoring is that it would help to lose weight and to not drink (much) alcohol.
good luck!

I had responded to the other gal, too, about buying these inexpensive risers/cups you use to elevate the headboard end of the bed. Cheap thing to try, if you've tried everything else.

I do transcription for a doctor and I know even with asthma he will send people for a sleep study. so there might be hope to resolve the snoring. does he ever stop breathing while he sleeps?
I would recommend he follow up with his doctor and discuss some options. some people do very well on a C-PAP machine.

good luck. snoring can be horrible!

My husband DOES have sleep apnea, he sleeps (most nights) with a machine (CPAP), but on the nights that he doesn't (they can't use the CPAP if they have a cold and sometimes, he just doesn't want to - it's not the most comfortable thing to have to sleep with); I use ear plugs! The soft ones that expand in your ears that they use in hospitals for MRI's! They sell that at the drugstore and have literally saved my sanity, my sleep, and possibly my marriage! :-) They don't block out all sound, but they do get the job done. Good luck!

I have asthma. That has nothing to do with breathing out of the nose. If he has allergies and is stuffy, then that would be a problem, but asthma affects the lungs, not the nose. He may just be a mouth breather, which is the case with most snorers. Try a breathe-rite nasal strip and see if that helps. If not, try a doc or roll him onto his face. Try not holding down the pillow too tight!! :>)

It sounds to me that the next step would be getting him to an ear, nose and throat specialist. I have asthma and have NO PROBLEMS breathing through my nose! Hopefully he is on preventative asthma meds that he takes daily. Maybe he has a deviated septum or another type of problem with his nose/sinuses that is preventing him from breathing from his nose. I wish you luck and I hope he gets the medical care that he needs to correct the problems he's having. I think both of you will sleep better! Take care!

Does he sleep face up? If he does have him sleep on his side. If he's overweight he might want to loose some weight. There is also surgery available, however, I'm not sure if this is only for people with sleep apnea. Speaking of sleep apnea chances are he may not have it unless you notice that he stops breathing in the middle of a snore and then seems to be gasping for breath. The best way to find out is for him to have a sleep study done. Otherwise you'll have to sleep in separate rooms if it bothers you that much or continue to put up with it. Also, you may want to try to sleep with earplugs.