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Original poster

Aarrghhh. Dh's snoring is driving me UP THE WALL. Is there ANYTHING you have done about it that has worked? Seriously?

41 replies

foxinsocks · 15/11/2007 19:46

Dh has been to the doctor. He has been given sprays (which haven't done anything). He has seen people who know about snoring. They don't seem to think there is anything that can be done. He could do with losing a bit of weight but he does exercise and is probably a lot fitter than me.

But, and I am being perfectly honest here, I reckon I get about 1 night in every 2 weeks where I sleep through the whole night.

And when I wasn't working, although it was still knackering, I could take it easy and have a nap in the afternoon if I needed.

Now I am back at work, I am dead on my feet. I have a pretty horrid commute, am very busy at work and just cannot survive on a night of sleep where I've been woken up every hour on the hour by someone snorting in my ear .

No spare room, I have tried the couch but I can still hear him, have tried ear plugs but they just end up hurting my ears. I just do not know where to go next.

OP posts:
Buda · 15/11/2007 19:49

You have my huge sympathies.

DH is the same. ATM DS sleeps with me and DH is in spare room at other end of large house and I can still sometimes hear him.

There must be SOMETHING? There is an op afaik.

StrawberryMartini · 15/11/2007 19:49

Why doesn't HE sleep on the couch? IMO a good night's sleep far outweighs any need to sleep in the same bed as dh. Can you buy a cheap fold-out bed? I use ear plugs - have you tried the wax ones?

Original poster
foxinsocks · 15/11/2007 19:52

he has slept on the couch before but we're in a 2 up, 2 down so the couch is in the front room, the stairs come off that room so even with the bedroom door closed, you can still hear him really loudly! Also, on teh couch, he tends to sleep more on his back (because the couch's not that big iyswim) which makes it worse.

The problem with the op is that his father had it done and it made no difference, in fact, it seemed to make it worse and that has put him off (and the doctor did not seem to think any operation would make a blind bit of difference).

OP posts:
tribpot · 15/11/2007 19:52

fox - this cannot be good for you. If his snoring is really that loud, he should push for a referral to the sleep clinic. How does he seem in the day, is he getting restful sleep out of his cacophony of horrendous noise? My dh has sleep apnoea (yes, we have all the fun in our house) and being diagnosed has made a significant difference to both of us.

Keep trying different ear plugs and put dh on the couch at least every other night. I had some good ones that make white noise, expensive jobbies from America (dh bought them for me!).

This sounds desperate, but see if your local Travelodge (if you have one) does any 15 quid a night jobbies. Every now and then this might be enough to sustain you. Needs to be booked in advance.

There are lots of other things out there on t'internet to try, start with the British Snoring Association - I jest not, it really exists!

Original poster
foxinsocks · 15/11/2007 19:53

aah now which EXACT ear plugs do you use.

I used those fluorescent ones that expand - they were great at cutting out the noise but they really hurt my ears.

Problem with the wax ones that I tried was that they didn't block enough of the sound out but maybe I didn't use the best ones?

OP posts:
whatajoke · 15/11/2007 19:53

I find that if I stick my nails in DH's back he stops.....

Sorry I can't offer anything else but it drives me mad too!

Original poster
foxinsocks · 15/11/2007 19:57

Hi trib!

Yes, I suspect he has some sort of sleep problem. He is VERY tired during the day. I think excessively so. But he puts it down to a demanding job and a busy life but I am convinced it is more than that. All he has to do is sit on the couch at any time of the day and he'll be asleep in 5 minutes (he's not like that when out and about, say driving or at work - he's not tired at all then he says).

On the weekend, he can go to bed at midnight/1am (when he finishes work) and sleep right through to after lunch, even if we are all making a huge noise. He doesn't wake up easily at all and he's impossible to rouse if he's in a deep sleep.

He went to the doctor and they didn't seem to think there was a problem though (arrghhh).

I wonder if I can get him referred privately?

OP posts:
littlerach · 15/11/2007 19:59

Another sufferer here.

I find poking him works temporarily!

He has trued all the sprya too..
I do find that if dh goes to the gym and drinks a lot of tare then this makes some difference.

Alchohol make sit unbearable.

NotQuiteCockney · 15/11/2007 20:00

Sleep clinic sounds tempting.

Otherwise, would a noise machine be an option? I use one to cover general noises, and it does help.

Probably wouldn't work wonders on loud snoring, but might help a bit ...

Ecmo · 15/11/2007 20:00

this would work

tribpot · 15/11/2007 20:04

fox - that definitely sounds like potential sleep apnoea. I'm trying to remember how we did it. I think my GP is resigned to me turning up and saying things like "one of my mates is a respiratory consultant and we stayed at her house and she recommended we get referred for a sleep study" and just gives in and does it.

We had the sleep study done on the NHS and then obviously were told it was going to be 900 years to get the results made available and anything done about it (note: dh has the worst sleep study results anyone in Leeds has ever seen - to the point where they asked if we would be prepared to repeat the study on any night where dh couldn't use the breathing machine, so they would have some more results to use for teaching purposes. They could not ask us to repeat the study under any other circs as it would be clinically unsound). We asked if we could go private and lo and behold, it was action stations literally - and I mean literally - the next day. BUT we did wait for that sleep study initially as that is megabux to do privately.

Definitely go back to the GP and explain the symptoms and explicitly ask for a referral for a sleep study. If the GP says no, ask for a private referral to the sleep consultant. It is honestly worth it, and cheaper than moving to a house big enough to be able to get away from the snoring!

Original poster
foxinsocks · 15/11/2007 20:14

thanks for the sympathy everyone. It's good to know I'm not alone (and strawberrymartini, I'd love to know which wax ear plugs you use if you have a minute).

I haven't thought about white noise - that might work you know. I've noticed I sleep better when the tumble dryer is on. I wonder if it's a similar sort of effect. Where do I get white noise ear plugs or a white noise maching?

yes, I think next port of call will have to be a joint visit to the doctor (grrr). Perhaps they will take it more seriously if I am sat there with him looking like death warmed up with my triple black bags under my eyes!

OP posts:
paolosgirl · 15/11/2007 20:20

Def. ask for a referral to a sleep clinic. DH could snore for Britain - earplugs were no good, because the snoring was so bad the bed shook, and so loud that you could hear him outside in the street. NOT funny.

Was got a referral to the sleep clinic (which took ages) and he has sleep apnoea. He now has a airflow machine, which is fantastic - about the size of a toaster, and we're both now getting a good night sleep. Good luck.

PrunersOfEight · 15/11/2007 20:20

I hugely sympathise, fis.
I didn't maek him do this, but DH did practically stop snoring each time he'd had a general anaesthetic. We have no idea what the mechanism could be. First noticed it after two consecutive bits of surgery. Over about a year, he crept back up to normal levels of snoring (the sleep deprivation is awful), then had another op, and back to quiet breaths again. No more surgery planned so I am having to deal with it.
It wasn't nasal surgery, btw - abdominal.

paolosgirl · 15/11/2007 20:20

We - not was

Scanner · 15/11/2007 20:35

Is he a drinker? My dh snores badly, but recently he stopped drinking for a while and I realised that the snoring stopped too. Whilst I wouldn't say dh has a drink problem, he does tend to have a few bears most nights.

tribpot · 15/11/2007 21:03

paolos, lucky you! As dh as what's termed central sleep apnoea rather than the typical obstructive, we're stuck with a big old-fashioned machine. Wouldn't be without it, mind, and he recently had a change of mask that has made a big difference.

will look out info about the white noise ear plugs and let you know, fox.

Fireflytoo · 15/11/2007 21:14

I have allergic rhinitis which means i snore . It also means i never get a good night's sleep. It also means my bf won't sleep with me anymore....

....BUT once when i had some money i had a 3 week course of acupuncture and it WORKED!!!!!

alkar · 15/11/2007 21:20

Same problems here, DH had the op last year and it hasn't worked if anything he is now worse. Only thing that works for us is seperate bedrooms.

Best earplugs I've found are called bioears - like blue tack that mould into your ear, they drown out all the noise if he's in the other room.

paolosgirl · 15/11/2007 22:26

Tribot - what's central sleep apnoea? I thought it was all one and the same..?

lilolilmanchester · 15/11/2007 22:31

My DH snores like a train. He recently got some "breathe right" strips which go across the bridge of his nose. They're not cheap but they have helped him, and if he does snore it's much, much quieter and bearable. Guess it depends what's causing the snoring as to whether they'll work for your DH. My DH knows that if he's got a bit of cattarh or on the rare occasion he's had too much to drink, he will snore, so he uses a strip. Very sexy!

choosyfloosy · 15/11/2007 22:38

GPs should use the Epworth sleepiness scale (online version here, don't know if it's any good). It might help identify if there is an apnoea problem; if it suggests he has, perhaps he could take it to his GP?

DH got a mandibular device from his dentist (a kinky looking thing that pulls his jaw forward, reducing the vibration of the soft palate). It does work to some extent but he loathes wearing it, I can see it must be uncomfortable.

Most effective for us was weightwatchers - losing 1.5 stone made a difference. But I snore too, and sleep like the dead, so i'm a lot luckier than you

Can you fit in a visit to your gP too?

vole3 · 16/11/2007 03:50

I find that a large pillow placed very gently over their face..........

No, seriously, I agree that he could have sleep apnoea which has big implications for his health and safety. Push your GP for a referral to a sleep study unit. A guy I work with went to one and he now has a CPAP (continuous positive air pressure) machine that he wears which blows air down his nose to keep his airways open. Besides looking a bit like Darth Vader, which is OK is you like a little bit of bedroom roleplay, it means his risk of heart attack is less in addition to lessening his risk of accidents during the day (including being murdered by his sleep deprived wife)

SofiaAmes · 16/11/2007 04:42

Same problem with my dh. He snores so loud, I can't hear the tv over the noise. He has recently lost a little weight which helps a bit. Also, it was much worse when he was drinking and smoking....he does much less of the former and none of the latter nowadays and that helps. He uses the Breathe Right strips too (not expensive at all in the usa) and those help a bit. But the thing that works the best is getting him to sleep on his side. Unfortunately this takes lots of nocturnal elbowing from me.
Good luck.

tribpot · 16/11/2007 08:53

paolos - central sleep apnoea is when the brain doesn't send out a signal to breathe. Nice. So dh has a VPAP machine rather than the standard CPAP.

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