<p>I finally recorded my H on my cellphone while he was going at full volume and played it back for him (and my kids too, who thought it was hilarious). He couldn’t believe it, but I think I got through to him. Not sure if he has sleep apnea since he’s thin and doesn’t thrash around or sleep lightly. He WILL stop snoring if he is on his side, so I nudge him and he rolls over. I then wedge myself right up against him so he can’t roll back onto his back. In the morning he complains that I’m hogging the bed!</p>
<p>My husband doesn’t snore when he’s on his side, but he loves sleeping on his back. Getting him tested has been on my mind for a while.</p>
<p>DH has the ability to fall asleep any time of the day, any place. He would always fall asleep during college classes and would even fall asleep during important meetings at work. His father is the same way even though he drinks two pots of black coffee a day. I always worried that his job would be in danger because of his nodding off during meetings; apparently, everyone there just accepted that is what he did and even laughed about it. Believe me, it is no laughing matter. </p>
<p>When I mentioned my concern about his snoring and excessive sleepiness, he spoke to his primary care about it. The doctor suggested wearing a pocket t-shirt backwards and putting a tennis ball in the pocket so that he wouldn’t roll over on his back during the night. It didn’t work.</p>
<p>The snoring progressed and I noticed that he would stop breathing for several moments and gasp for air. He was referred to a sleep specialist and had a sleep study. During the study, he experienced over 60 episodes of first stage - where one stops breathing and the brain actually signals the body to begin breathing again. He also experienced 5 episodes of the more severe type of apnea. He was put on a CPAP and began using it. It helped and he noticed a difference. However, he used to wake up with a swollen face and eyes totally swollen shut. The doctor said that was from the allergens in the recycled air in the machine. So, he stopped using it. It has been sitting in the backpack for more than four years now. </p>
<p>He also has high blood pressure, which seemed to present around the same time as the snoring became a problem. However, high BP runs in his mother’s side of the family and it could just be a pre-disposed condition. </p>
<p>He has had another sleep study and things were worse, but he refuses to wear the CPAP. He is miserable, sleeps all the time and is very anti-social. I cannot tell you the toll it has taken on all of us. We all have tried to get him a second opinion, but he refuses to go. </p>
<p>He has seen an ear/nose/throat doctor to assess his sinuses - he is very “nasal”. However, everything was “normal”. He also saw a neuropsychologist who ruled out narcolepsy and also put him on a drug to keep him awake - the same one that fighter pilots take to stay awake on long missions. That did help, but once he discovered that long-term use of the drug causes memory loss, he quit taking it. </p>
<p>All I can say is that this is treatable and it is worthwhile following up with a study if there is reason to believe that one is suffering from apnea. </p>
<p>I do believe that DH suffers from a neurological condition along with the apnea. However, getting him to find someone and take the time for a diganosis is not important to him. </p>
<p>It takes time and patience, but treatment can greatly improve one’s quality of life. Good Luck.</p>
<p>Mine snores on his side…there is no relief! ;)</p>
<p>You’re not going to believe this but let me describe just how bad his snoring can be at night. Our bedroom is upstairs. We have air vents throughout the house (central air in the summer). The air vents are towards the top of the walls where the wall meets the ceiling. We can hear him snoring through the air vents downstairs.
And no, I’m not exaggerating :)</p>
<p>I’m going to have to record him. After 25 years of marriage, I know exactly how he’ll respond. He’ll say, “Sorry, I can’t help it. I don’t really sound like that.”</p>
<p>I’m not one to defend snoring, but my husband has a deviated septum (forever) and does snore only when he is on one side or on his back; I do like YDS idea of a recliner (because it keeps the head elevated) but I have found that he even snores when he falls asleep in a chair if his head leans backwards…</p>
<p>Has anyone tried the snore pillow from the store? I was going to get it for H last year but it is not returnable and he thought it was a rip-off…</p>
<p>He won’t miss a day of work to go to a sleep clinic at this point (but we may be getting there soon)…btw, he is not overweight particularly but does have a few extra lbs around the middle that may or not be affecting this (but has snored since I met him)…</p>
<p>my husband snores constantly. he often ends up in one of the empty bedrooms. he gets irritated because i will nudge him gently to make him stop! he refuses to believe it wakes me up as much as it does. i have asked for him to take this seriously for quite some time, yet he is sure that he doesn’t snore. </p>
<p>the other day, i sneezed and that woke him up–he grumpily asked what in the world was going on! i think i’ll start asking that loudly every time he wakes me with his snoring…it really affects me when i don’t sleep–i don’t know why it seems to make him so defensive when i mention the snoring–it’s not his fault but not taking action about it is!</p>
<p>“i sneezed and that woke him up–he grumpily asked what in the world was going on!”</p>
<p>LOL!</p>
<p>
I was going to say the same thing as teriwtt - set up a video camera and record him. I think some people would be amazed at what’s really happening while they attempt to sleep.</p>
<p>Regarding the weight - not all snorers are overweight but a large number of overweight people are snorers. It has to do with the weight in the neck and inside the throat area. A number of people whose excessive snoring (and apnea - gasping for air, stopping breathing, etc.) was coincident with their weight gain can improve or virtually eliminate it by losing the weight but it has to be a real weight loss improvement. </p>
<p>If the GP doc is too casually dismissive of the condition when you ‘know’ there’s a real issue, I suggest skipping that GP and seeing a specialist anyway. Again, the annoyance factor is one thing but the serious health issues are real and should be addressed.</p>
<p>My DH’s snoring stopped when he was diagnosed and medicated for hypothyroidism. Get tested! Many doc’s still think only menopausal women get hypo. Keep getting tested at every annual if you’re a bad snorer. Heck, get a full endocrine workup. Unfortunately, you have to advocate for yourself. Snoring is a symptom. Find out what it’s a symptom of!</p>
<p>If you love him, get him to get the SLEEP STUDY!!!</p>
<p>When I realized that my DH was NOT BREATHING for 10-15 second intervals between snoring without him realizing it, I freaked out.
He was diagnosed with severe sleep apnea.
Got the CPAP machine, learned to use it quickly and now LOVES it!</p>
<p>He appreciates how bad things really were…unrelated to the actual snoring and not breathing. He had been falling asleep all day long, was pale and listless, forgetful, etc , etc , etc. All the symptoms MAGICALLY disappeared with the CPAP.</p>
<p>He loves how he feels so much that he doesn’t mind lugging it on vacation (a smallish backpack) or talking it up to friends/relatives. </p>
<p>Please find out what’s going on, for him and YOU!</p>
<p>Like others here, after months of nagging my DH finally asked his doctor about his snoring. His doctor said he was fine, so now DH REFUSES to bring it up again. I have no idea what the doctor was thinking. DH is about 50 lbs overweight and snores so loudly he rattles the windows. One nice benefit about having a kid in college is that there is that nice spare room on the other side of the house.</p>
<p>While on a trip a few months ago he used some sort of snoring spray that lasted a few hours in to the night. I managed to get into a sound sleep before the noise got loud and slept through it.</p>
<p>Has anyone tried those devices advertised on TV which shift the jaw and supposedly open the airway? For 40 bucks I’d order one of those if H were still snoring; if it didn’t work I’d chalk it up to research.</p>
<p>My husband recently tried Breathe Right nasal strips for the first time and did not snore at all. I’m completely shocked and never believed such a simple solution would work. It’s worth a try.</p>
<p>I bought the anti-snore pillow from brookstone last winter as a x’mas gift for S2.
It works very well.</p>
<p>
It doesn’t work at all here.</p>
<p>My DH is a terrible snorer too. He snores in the recliner with his head up. He snores when lying on his back in bed. He sometimes will stop when I push him over on his side but then it eventually starts up again. His father was also a terrible snorer. My MIL slept on the couch for as long as DH can remember.</p>
<p>DH is another one who refuses to go to a Dr. I have repeatedly told him he may need to have a sleep study done. I might as well be suggesting a trip to the North Pole.<br>
He won’t go to the Dr. for anything. I can count on one hand the times he has seen a Dr. in our 28 years of marriage.</p>
<p>I was talking to him again this weekend about seeing a Dr. He has quite a few moles that I feel should be removed. He told me to “stop nagging” him all the time.
If it doesn’t bother him, which moles and snoring do not, he doesn’t see a problem with it.
I have not resorted to sleeping in another room yet but don’t really think that would prompt him to seek help either.</p>
<p>My husband says he does NOT snore. He’s wrong. He is NOT overweight, and exercises very well and regularly. He just makes a lot of noise when he is lying on his BACK while sleeping with his mouth wide open. If he rolls over on his side…he is quiet.</p>
<p>A friend’s husband has the machine. She says it’s a more annoying sound than his snoring was (she’s glad for his health…but it’s not improving HER sleeping).</p>
<p>Re: videos…we can’t post to Youtube here but some woman last week posted a hilarious video of her husband snoring…because HE didn’t believe he did! It made the AOL home page.</p>
<p>The only way I know is to loose weight.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>ahem…my husband is 5’11" and weighs about 140. It sounds skinny but really he is very lean (whole family is like that). He snores. I’m not sure he has any weight to LOSE!!</p>