Shaving notes of the MaineYooper

I went through this too. Years of living with bad shoulders forced me to learn to sleep on my back which led to sleep apnea. After ten years or so of cpap therapy I lost 30 pounds and decided I didn’t have sleep apnea anymore. I got retested and the results showed that when I slept on my side I didn’t have sleep apnea but when I slept on my back I did have fairly severe sleep apnea so, I’m sleeping on my side now. I can’t sleep the whole night in either side do I start on one side then switch to the other about halfway when I get up to pee (that’s another issue. Agingf I get to the point that both hips are sore then I either get up or I’ll sleep on my back and crank up the head of the bed to the point where the sleep apnea is only mild. I hope it goes well for you.

Pillow between your knees might help your hips a little Mark. Ain't aging grand......

Thanks, Eric ewk, for the input. I am actually getting excited to try this device. I don't remember the last time I slept really well or woke up without grumbling about not enough sleep.

Hope it works well for you and you can get some good rest.

I went through this too. Years of living with bad shoulders forced me to learn to sleep on my back which led to sleep apnea. After ten years or so of cpap therapy I lost 30 pounds and decided I didn’t have sleep apnea anymore. I got retested and the results showed that when I slept on my side I didn’t have sleep apnea but when I slept on my back I did have fairly severe sleep apnea so, I’m sleeping on my side now. I can’t sleep the whole night in either side do I start on one side then switch to the other about halfway when I get up to pee (that’s another issue. Agingf I get to the point that both hips are sore then I either get up or I’ll sleep on my back and crank up the head of the bed to the point where the sleep apnea is only mild. I hope it goes well for you.

Pillow between your knees might help your hips a little Mark. Ain't aging grand......

Yup, do that. I found some toddler pillows on Amazon complete with tiny pillow cases that do the job just right. I had a hip replacement three years ago and once healed sleeping on that side was no problem but over time it’s got so it gets uncomfortable after a few hours. I had an X-ray and it showed a calcification building up on outside. Apparently not uncommon but they won’t treat it unless it causes more serious problems.  Then there’s the other hip which is developing mild arthritis too and I get discomfort on that side after a few hours. I only resort to sleeping on my back when I can’t lie on either side. We got one of those electric up down beds a while back which helps. I don’t get actual pain in the hips just discomfort but enough to interfere with sleep. Yup, aging. Remember when sleeping was the easiest thing you did? I won’t say I miss basic training, but man I could fall asleep standing up or when you loaded into the back of a deuce. Everybody would be squeezed in shoulder to shoulder weapon between your feet and heads would all drop onto the shoulder of the guy beside you and immediately asleep even if the drive was just ten minutes.  I won’t say good times but the sleep. I guess that’s what sleep deprivation does.

Eric, I hope you get the sleep you need.  I assume you’ve looked at your lifestyle from a sleep hygiene perspective.  Dark cool room, maintaining consistent bedtime/ getting up times, no screens for an hour or two before bed, no caffeine after noon and so forth but one of the things that can mess up your sleep is alcohol.  Even a little bit consumed within six or so hours of bedtime can mess up your sleep.  You’ll still sleep but it won’t be quality sleep because the alcohol stops you from getting into the REM and the slow wave non rem deep sleep.  Yeah it’s a kick in the nuts for sure.  I learned about this a number of years ago when I was still working. I’d come home and have a bite of dinner, rest for a bit then head to the gym about seven when the crowds had subsided.  I’d leave the gym at closing at 10:30 go home and have a beer or a glass of wine.  Just one.  I had accepted that I just felt tired in the morning because that’s life.  Then I read about “studies” (not recommended) on effects of alcohol on sleep.  I figured ok, I’ll try not having any alcoholic beverages after my workout and see.  I felt ok in the morning but you know, it’s hard to compare but after a couple of weeks I said, I’m having that post workout beer and the next morning I felt really tired and thought, man, there is something to this.  My next thought was dang, when am I going to drink!?  Breakfast?? Beer on my cereal! Beereal   Seriously I’m not drinking at breakfast because we all know where that leads. I know lots of people say a nightcap helps them sleep and it might help them fall asleep and even stay asleep the whole night but it won’t be quality, restful sleep.  In any case fast forward to now and I am very aware of the impact of alcohol on my sleep quality and I drink very little and when I do I make a conscious decision fully knowing that I won’t be having my best sleep that night.  As I’ve got older I’ve come to appreciate a good nights sleep more and more.  We’re pulling for you Eric.

Thanks, Marko for the insights!

FWIW my heart goes out to everyone with sleep problems.  I myself tolerate the CPAP equipment I have, but there is an alternative, called "Inspire Therapy", that uses an implant and does not require any masks or CPAP, PAP, etc equipment.  Personally, I don't like the idea of an implant, but you might want to check it out.  Shakespeare knew what he was talking about when he wrote that sleep is nature's soft nurse. 

And Eric, all that aside, I am glad you are looking into solutions.  A good night's sleep is a precious thing to waste.


Finally, I apologize if Inspire has been mentioned.  I'm going a mile a minute at the moment.

FWIW my heart goes out to everyone with sleep problems.  I myself tolerate the CPAP equipment I have, but there is an alternative, called "Inspire Therapy", that uses an implant and does not require any masks or CPAP, PAP, etc equipment.  Personally, I don't like the idea of an implant, but you might want to check it out.  Shakespeare knew what he was talking about when he wrote that sleep is nature's soft nurse. 

And Eric, all that aside, I am glad you are looking into solutions.  A good night's sleep is a precious thing to waste.


Finally, I apologize if Inspire has been mentioned.  I'm going a mile a minute at the moment.

Not mentioned yet Mike and a good option I was told is only an option if the CPAP options fail. That may be the insurance talking but what I was told. I'm still trying other changes for a solution before I look into that more as I'm not keen on an implant that may not help either and you can't just turn it in like a machine if that's the case.

FWIW my heart goes out to everyone with sleep problems.  I myself tolerate the CPAP equipment I have, but there is an alternative, called "Inspire Therapy", that uses an implant and does not require any masks or CPAP, PAP, etc equipment.  Personally, I don't like the idea of an implant, but you might want to check it out.  Shakespeare knew what he was talking about when he wrote that sleep is nature's soft nurse. 

And Eric, all that aside, I am glad you are looking into solutions.  A good night's sleep is a precious thing to waste.


Finally, I apologize if Inspire has been mentioned.  I'm going a mile a minute at the moment.

Not mentioned yet Mike and a good option I was told is only an option if the CPAP options fail. That may be the insurance talking but what I was told. I'm still trying other changes for a solution before I look into that more as I'm not keen on an implant that may not help either and you can't just turn it in like a machine if that's the case.

I was told this as well, Dave. And last option was surgically "shaving down" something in the throat.

FWIW my heart goes out to everyone with sleep problems.  I myself tolerate the CPAP equipment I have, but there is an alternative, called "Inspire Therapy", that uses an implant and does not require any masks or CPAP, PAP, etc equipment.  Personally, I don't like the idea of an implant, but you might want to check it out.  Shakespeare knew what he was talking about when he wrote that sleep is nature's soft nurse. 

And Eric, all that aside, I am glad you are looking into solutions.  A good night's sleep is a precious thing to waste.


Finally, I apologize if Inspire has been mentioned.  I'm going a mile a minute at the moment.

Not mentioned yet Mike and a good option I was told is only an option if the CPAP options fail. That may be the insurance talking but what I was told. I'm still trying other changes for a solution before I look into that more as I'm not keen on an implant that may not help either and you can't just turn it in like a machine if that's the case.

I was told this as well, Dave. And last option was surgically "shaving down" something in the throat.

YIKES !!!

Yeah, I think that’s where they take a laser and cauterize (ie, burn) away part of the soft pallet at the back of your throat. I’ve heard it’s as painful as it sounds and not that effective. Run above meme again for me!