Scott Brown was first diagnosed with sleep apnea in the early 1990s. In the years after learning of his sleep disorder, he struggled with feeling fatigued, even falling asleep on occasion at stoplights or key points of his day. He and his wife, Amy, became increasingly concerned when they met a woman whose husband had died in bed from sleep apnea.
The risks had been weighing on Scott and now he knew he needed to do something. With his first grandchild due to arrive late this summer, looking back, he is so glad that he did.
Scott had tried everything to manage his condition, including a full CPAP face mask, nose pillow, surgery, mouthpiece and even a device to hold his tongue forward while he slept, but nothing had helped. Then Scott heard about a new surgical option, called Inspire®.
Proof is in the implant
Ram Verma, MD, PPG – Sleep Medicine, explains that rest sharing a cabin. When they docked, both were happy to report that their vacation proved successful, and they have been back to sharing their bedroom ever since. The maiden voyage and subsequent restful nights have earned Inspire a ringing endorsement from the Browns. They shared that the device has been a lifesaver for their family.
Is Inspire right for you?
According to Dr. Verma, there are four key criteria for the Inspire device:
1. You must be 18 years of age or older.
2. You must have a BMI of 35 or less.
3. You must have moderate to severe sleep apnea, meaning that you stop breathing anywhere from 15 to 65 times per hour while sleeping. And central sleep apnea events should not be more than 25% of all apnea events.
4. You must be examined by an Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) physician and cleared for the procedure.
It’s important to start the journey by working with a Sleep Medicine doctor, to achieve a proper diagnosis and explore other treatment options prior to pursuing Inspire. If you do not have a Sleep Medicine doctor and suspect you might have a sleep disorder, speak with your primary care provider. If you need assistance getting established with a primary care doctor, call the Parkview Access Center at 877-PPG-TODAY or 877-774-8632 for assistance.
As Scott’s story demonstrates, sleep is such an important piece of our well-being. Give yourself the gift of quality rest and a more energetic life, so that you can enjoy all of the activities and people you love.
