Alternatives to CPAP for sleep apnea

I also have problems using CPAP although mine is mainly due to general discomfort. I recently discovered Bongo Rx. Bongo Rx is a rubber and plastic valve that you place in your nostrils. It is only really good for mild to moderate sleep apnea but works beautifully for me. The pack comes with a range of sizes of devices and includes a carry case and full instructions. I will never go back to a CPAP mask. I sleep through the night now. Hadn’t done that for many months. Sometimes I notice that I need to dry out the breathing device and there is of course a learning curve, as with anything else. Once I got used to it I felt the device was excellent and totally worth it though. If my memory serves the kit is over $200, so not cheap.

You might investigate Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT).

A relative of mine experiences panic attacks in close situations due to cancer treatment where he had to have radiation while wearing a form fitting face mask. You might want to explore hypnosis or Acupuncture to help de rease these panic feelings. I recently started CPAP therapy and the mask gives me that closed in, stifling feeling. I try to focus on the air going in when I breathe. To be honest, when it gets to be too much, I take it off and put it back on after I've slept a few hours. I'm trying to build tolerance because of the benefits of therapy. Best wishes and hope you find a solution that works for you.

Check out Inspire. It is a surgical implant that is implanted in the right side of your chest. When you are ready to go to sleep. You turn it on with a remote control. It moves the tongue forward into the right position. Many insurance companies pay for it. You can go to their website and find a doctor in your area who is trained on it. I don’t have it yet, but I am in the process.

I have gone to a specialty dentist for sleep apnea mouth guard (upper and lower) that holds the jaw jutted forward to allow room to breathe. It may be better for you. I’m a back sleeper. I hate how I have to work all day to get my jaw back in alignment but it’s better than stopping breathing in the middle of the night 19 xs every hour (and making my husband miserable w snoring noise). Btw I’m 53 and underweight …

I could not tolerate CPAP machine because I hated the tubes, I travel a lot, and I constantly worried about getting distilled water, cleaning the hoses and nose pillows and changing the filter. I also developed an eye problem and wondered if it was caused by the pressure.
I slept face down for a while and that seemed to help a lot.
Now I am sleeping on my back and sides with strong neck support and a lower head to encourage an open airway. There are pillows you can buy for this. Seems to help in a non invasive way.

@thirdbird & others
Just saw your message about the %*@^ CPAP machine way back in September.
I had so many problems with the one I tried that I just quit & gave it back after a week. (The problems were both physical & mental!)
Inspire does not seem like an option, but I would try the bed pillow mentioned. A link to where this pillow is available would be great as I really don't think I could tolerate a CPAP episode.

@mermaid7272
These pillows were recommended by a breathing therapist I visited, however I don’t use foam pillows

@mermaid7272
I ended up rolling a soft pillow to make a neck support and was going to buy one of these buckwheat hulk pillows

Buckwheat pillow