Hi,

I use a TAP III appliance and love it.

I have mild (don't have the numbers with me here) OSA, and a 6-year-old who still ends up in my bed quite often, so didn't really want to go with CPAP if I didn't have to.  I had seen the TAP appliance at my dentists office and my pulmonolgists agreed I could give it a try.

So far, so good!

I am still waiting approval for my RNY, so can't give you any guidance on coming off.  I'd guess you'd want to do another sleep study to make sure your OSA has resolved with your weight loss?

Ellen

I tried the Cpap and it didn't work for me so I was switched to the mouth gaurd that moves your jaw forward increasing airflow.  It has worked great for me but I haven't met anyone else who uses it.  I'm curious what the best transition off the mouthgaurd would be...

S

I've been told I must have my CPAP machine with me. 

A cpap machine is a piece of medical equipment that needs to be prescribed.  It requires a setting that is individual to the person needing the equipment.  You need to talk to your primary care physician.

Good luck.

Judy

  I was diagnosed in early '09 with very mild sleep apnea.  The cpap machine was set on the lowest setting, but I still could not tolerate the mask (extreme anxiety and claustrophobia here!).  My primary doc gave me ativan to try and get me to sleep - I would fall asleep with the mask and wake up with it in pieces all over my room.  My pulmonary doc said to try sleeping pills because ativan would depress my breathing more, so I took Lunesta.  I still woke up with the mask either pulled apart  or where I had moved it to set on my forehead (HAHA).  The pulmonologist said if I was having that much trouble with it not to worry about it since the apnea was so mild.

   Now I am scheduled for RNY on 8/16 and sleep apnea is listed as one of my co-morbidities.  Will they make me bring my c-pap to the hospital? I ask because I have no idea where it is, I have moved twice!