Discussion on alternate treatments for sleep apnea

[Breathworker]

Hello.

This is my first post. Nice to be here. Anyone here familiar with Patrick McKeown and what he has to say about sleep apnea?

Thanks.

[Deborah K.]

I'm glad you have joined us.  I have never heard of the man you mention.  My posting here will put your question at the top, so maybe someone who knows who he is will respond.  

Mainly, we are here to help other pap users improve their therapy and comfort.  If you need such help, just ask.  Someone here will probably be able to help you.  

[cdplatt]

Breathworker,

Have you been diagnosed with apnea?

[Narcil]

some dude who claims to have cured his asthma by going to ... Russia? and he's using that to sell books? What does he say about sleep apnea?

i'd be extremely skeptical of anything he says. i was unable to find any serious science on him but maybe you have anything? i didn't exactly look very far after that introduction.

[Breathworker]

Thank you, Deborah K, I really appreciate it!

[Breathworker]

Yes, cdplatt, I have been diagnosed with sleep apnea. Perhaps you ask because in my profile to the left or whatever that's called I list no equipment. That's because I evidently have moderate sleep apnea and qualified for COAT, otherwise known as an oral appliance. I read and was told they are easier to tolerate than CPAP machines. If so, CPAP machines must be a bit rough to handle, but I am here partly to find out.

Anyone else on here wear an oral appliance for sleep apnea?

I have good insurance so if I want to try CPAP I can get one, even though I recently got the oral device. I may do just that.

I have been dealing with sleep issues for most of this year. It started out as insomnia, and when I finally got around to doing a polysomnography it revealed that I have sleep apnea. Perhaps there's a comorbidity, maybe I have both, but I can fall asleep much much easier than before (most of the time). The problem is sleeping through the night. I still get up a lot to use the bathroom (nocturia?) and I am always up early. I don't ever feel super well rested, although it's much better than earlier in the year when I was just dealing with insomnia and was sleeping maybe three hours a night.

I will do another polysomnography to see how the oral appliance is working but it will have to wait. Turns out I have a buildup of scar tissue in my right nostril from having a deviated septum repaired over 30 years ago. The scar tissue has built up on the turbinates and have begun adhering to my septum so the nostril is pretty much blocked. So I have a second nose operation to look forward to. Yay! I do look forward to being able to breathe out of both nostrils though. Very much so.

[Breathworker]

some dude who claims to have cured his asthma by going to ... Russia? and he's using that to sell books? What does he say about sleep apnea?

i'd be extremely skeptical of anything he says. i was unable to find any serious science on him but maybe you have anything? i didn't exactly look very far after that introduction.

I understand being skeptical Narcil, especially in these times. With all due respect, you might want to keep it in check with regard to Patrick McKeown, or at least until you find out more about him. Do you do any breathing or breathwork exercises? That's what he's all about, and I'd defy anyone to find a person more knowledgeable about that than him. 

I can't post any links until after this, my fourth post. Then I will. There's plenty out there on him.

He didn't have asthma btw, he claims to have had sleep apnea. And he didn't travel to Russia to cure it, as apparently it was cured prior to him going there. He read an article by or about Konstantin Buteyko, whose advice he followed which led him to be able to cure himself. Then he went to Russia to study with Buteyko.  You can look up Konstantin Buteyko, as there's plenty out there on him as well.

My apologies if anything in this post reads as snarky or sarcastic or terse or whatever. I certainly do not mean it that way.

[Narcil]

according to his linkedin he's licensed in marketing, anyone with an actual medical degree is more qualified than him. he's just trying to sell books.

and no he actually claims he cured his asthma using his dubious breathing method. anyone who writes books titled "the breathing cure" and "asthma-free naturally" shouldn't be taken seriously.

he's a marketing bro with zero actual medical knowledge and extremely dubious claims. to put it lightly.

so again how about some actual science on this? the only info out there are things he wrote about himself...

[Breathworker]

I can start with this, and I can post much more.

https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Four..._348808587

But NOW I really don't care what you believe. You don't need anyone to show you anything, as apparently you have it all figured out.

[Breathworker]

Video from Patrick McKeown about seven years ago discussing sleep apnea. I hope some might find this useful or beneficial. You all can decide for yourselves if you think he's knowledgeable. I think he is very much so, or I wouldn't be posting it here.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C933t2GjAGE&t=1742s