DH snoring - what else to try?

[Seaside31]

Please. I’m at the absolute end of my tether here 😔

DH has snored for as long as I’ve known him but it seems to be getting progressively worse over the years. We all had the flu at the beginning of December and since then it has been completely unbearable 😔 We live in a small bungalow so even if he sleeps in a different room he can be heard through the whole house. I’ve had to start putting white noise on in DCs room as they keep being woken by it. I can’t even begin to explain how loud it is.

He has seen the GP multiple times over the years as he’s concerned it could be sleep apnoea. GP is completely uninterested. Eventually sent a referral to ENT just to pacify DH but he’s been on the waiting list 21 months so far with no sign of an appointment.

Questioned the GP as to wether he could use a private ENT for consultation/diagnosis and then access NHS treatment as we definitely cannot afford full private but GP said he’d have to be assessed by NHS ENT to get treatment anyway so “it’s pointless doing that”.

He’s waking himself up with it constantly so is exhausted. And on a selfish note, I’m at the end of my tether 😔 I’ve had a horrendous year of up and down health myself including sleep issues and eventually been diagnosed recently with Hashimotos. I havent had a continuous period of sleep longer than an hour for over a year. I have previous trauma from being in a house that was burgled and I cannot wear any kind of earplugs/headphones - plus, I need to be able to hear preschool aged DC as DH can’t.

We’ve tried:

• every pillow/nasal strip/mouth guard etc on the market
• humidifiers and dehumidifier
• nasal steam before bed
• getting fresh air and exercise before bed
• not eating close to bed
• cutting caffeine
• every sleep position possible

Can anyone think of ANYTHING else we can try?!
He’s not overweight, is active, rarely has a drink (although snoring definitely IS worse when he does), non-smoker. It doesn’t seem to be just nose or throat - it sounds like both to me but I’m obviously not an expert.

I've had sleep apnea 4 years. Where did you get the machine?

@Oreyt

We got it from selfimed.co.uk

It's a Resmed airsense 10, the same one DH and I use (from Sleep Clinic).

Got the mask and hose from Amazon because they're extortionate otherwise.

This sounds like my son!!!! Especially unable to blow the nose part - this is due to enlarged adenoids blocking the back of the nose.

Problem completely solved when he had his adenoids out!!!!!

Call your local private hospital and ask to see an ENT consultant - might be about £200. Then go from there. The private surgeons are usually NHS ones as well, so you can ask them about waiting times. Bypass your GP.

When you say he's unable to blow his nose, this sounds like maybe where the problem is hence breathing through his mouth at night! I agree with others, get a private consultation which you can make yourself and then afterwards ask them to refer you back to NHS. A lot of NHS consultants work privately so if you can find out who your Gp has referred you to and then find out if that consultant does private work

I was diagnosed with sleep apnea privately and then switched to nhs fr my cpap machine, with about 2-3 months wait from diagnosis. So it is possible.

Does he sleep wearing any fitness trackers? I just bought a new (to me) Apple Watch and it will notify me if I have sleep apnea. It also checks my blood oxygen.

Now, I don't know how convinced I am about these things but it might give you data you can use?

Why are some GPs so bloody useless. Mine ignored my chronic anaemia for years which was slowly killing me. I only found out when I referred .myself to a private iron clinic and got my life back after spending 1K on tests and treatment.
You need an AHI sleep apnoea test at your local sleep apnoea clinic. There is no reason why your DH cant be referred. There is no need to ho to ENT first. The wait will be horrendous.

My OH needs an ENT appt and I had a look on line for a local person to go to for a private appt. We could have booked in without a GP referral, so this might be worth looking at near you.
Mine is going to the GP tomorrow but we have a private option already if we need it.
We can afford a private appt and will then see what is recommended and see if we need to wait for the NHS or if we can scrape together the cost of the treatment