My Husband has a Machine
but Doesn't Use It

by Maureen
(Iowa)

I am SUPER FRUSTRATED! First the incessant snoring...then the sleep test...the the machine. Hooray?! NOPE - he might wear it for 1-2 hours per night. I am so frustrated. We have spent so much time and money. He's tried a coupe of masks and has one of the best bpap machines.
He is so stubborn and resistant -what do I do? I am at my wit's end.

Answer

Maureen, you didn't tell me why your husband doesn't use the CPAP machine. He doesn't want to use the CPAP, or he can't use the machine because he has some problems with that?

Your husband's situation is very common in patients with sleep apnea; however, many of the patients doesn't know very well what will happen if they stop using CPAP machine.

In your husband's case, I think he already knows what side effects can appear from an untreated sleep apnea. Nevertheless, he still doesn't want to use the CPAP.

Although the CPAP is a relatively simple therapy, it can be intimidating and problematic for any patient with sleep apnea.

Your husband may have some problems from CPAP that you probably don't know, such as:

• claustrophobia and anxiety,


• irritation or drying of the nasal passages,


• congestion,


• sore throat,


• epistaxis,


• or he can suffer from painful pressure in the ears caused by air in the Eustachian tubes.

Can YOU discover what is the problem? Why your husband doesn't want to use the breathing machine?

Is your husband one of the patients which have the following "problems"? Read the dialogues:

The doctor says: Not using CPAP may increase the risk for a stroke.
The Patient:I'm young. I'll take my chances.

or

The doctor asks: Why don't you want to use the CPAP?
The patients says: It's not very romantic.

If the machine and the mask is perfect for him, and he just have this type of "problem" - which is not a big issue - then you should convince him to use the CPAP.

How? The video recording method is very effective in many stubborn sleep apnea patients with CPAP. If you have an infrared camera it will be perfect, because you can film in the dark.

You'll be surprised how many patients resolve their "problems" when they see how horrible is their sleep.

I hope it helps!

Remy