Cervical Collar Success story

[Ratchick]

I, too, don't have any kind of positional apnea, but use the collar to stop my head lolling and my jaw dropping to keep from mouth breathing. It's so great fot that. And I'm so glad to hear that you're seeing success. Long may it last.

[richdreher]

Checkout my OSCAR Trace:
[attachment=40081]

Can it be? 
I thought my machine was broken. 
0 AHI !

Min EPAP looks right, so I guess it is a true reading

Now that my (body's) training has had time to learn the collar, Wow!

I thought a sub-one reading was a miracle, but zero; amazing.

My average AHI in the last 30 Days has been 3.09! 

I know AHI is not the only measure of success, but for me it is exciting nonetheless!

Thanks Forum
@Sleeprider, @SarcasticDave94, @Geer1, and many many more

[StevesSp]

I was thinking of trialing a collar to control my flow limits, which persist despite using EPR3. Then I read in this thread that the collars can prevent the mouth opening. That wouldn't work for me, being an obligatory mouth breather. Would a collar that was low enough to permit mouth breathing still work against chin tucking?

[richdreher]

Stevessp,
The first collar I used was way too large and really pushed on my chin to close my mouth. The collar I have now is/was the smallest (lowest) collar I could find ~ 2"

I am a 100% mouth breather (that I know of, lol) fyi

Another member suggested try one, then try another, then try again.  I only had to try twice...

Good luck

Rich

[cathyf]

The collar does not even come close to preventing mouth breathing. My experience was that I slept some of the time with my mouth closed when using a collar, as opposed to mouth-breathing 100% of the time without it.

I tried to use nasal pillows with a collar, and I was mouth breathing about 70-80% of the night. Basically a complete fiasco!

[Sleeprider]

Rich, great news. I hope you will put a review into the reviews forum, or comment in the review of the collar you are using. This helps others to learn that the first collar may not be representative of potential success or comfort of trying until the right size or model is used. Great results! Your AHI is significantly reduced, but also your sleep is no longer fragmented and the pressure is much more constant without the big spikes and jolts you had before.