Snoring

[DrunkenMonkey]

So my wife says that every time I smoke a cigar, I snore like a chainsaw for 2-3 nights. As you might imagine, this is a problem. I was wondering if any of you guys have had a similar problem, and/or solutions. I've heard there is a surgical procedure that can stop some people snoring; does anyone know about it and what is involved? I'd rather not go to separate bedrooms, and stopping cigars, well, I don't even want to think about that.

[Nino]

Funny,

never heard of cigars and snoring - I smoke 2-3 cigars a day and sleep like a baby.

My wife smokes a few cigarrettes a day and snores like an earthquake ...

I use earplugs.

[dicko]

no idea. i snore after smoking sometimes, but only because i have had a bottle of red as well

[brazoseagle]

Smoke can irritate the tissues in your body differently from person to person. Some people are highly allergic to any smoke, and some just experience mild irritation, however, mild irritation most commonly means, swelling or inflammation. Anytime raw tissue that is exposed to smoke becomes inflamed or swells, (the tissue that get's the most direct contact, ie. throat, uvula, ect.) It will decrease the air passage and cause obstruction during the muscle relaxation periods of sleep and sometimes even temporary obstructive apnea.

Possible solutions:

-Take an allergy pill or anithisitame (benedryl) before smoking to reduce any reaction and irritation.

-Use the snoring quick dissolve strips you can buy online to help reduce swelling and numb the area while sleeping

-If only experiencing mild snoring, experiment with different pillows and sleeping formations that can help your sleeping posture which will effect your snoring.

- Take a natural Melatonin pill before you go to sleep.

- Try Breathe Right Strips on your nasal bridge

If your snoring becomes severe or apneatic:

- Uvula Laser Shaving Surgery ( 50% success rate, and if successful, usually requires multiple future procedures to remain successful)

- Oral Pillar Surgery ( 50% success rate, and if successful, usually requires multiple future procedures to remain successful)

- CPAP Titration machine ( Most effective, but also most obstructive and uncomfortable)

**** If it's just snoring or even mild apnea, I 100% recommend going to your Dentist and asking him about a TAP 3 Elite mouthpiece

http://www.amisleep....approducts.html

A dentist can make a mold, send it of and in a couple of weeks you get your TAP mouthpiece back and the dentist will make sure it fits and is adjusted right. It is custom molded to your specific mouth, and the science behind how it prevents snoring and mild apnea is accurate. It works, I used one for years. Some insurances will even pay for it, if a Doctor Prescribes it. It's the only proven mouthpiece to work and it's the best on the market. They are expensive, but most insurances will cover some of the cost.

Hope this helps.

[cigcars]

Nobody - I repeat -- NOOOOBODY snores like my stepdad. He was once arrested in his younger days for some penny-annie something and was sleeping in his jail cell surprisingly comfortably. He said the police officers woke him up and released him that night! Want to know why?? We suspect (like he does) that it was because his snores so loud they probably couldn't take it and put him out! He said he was a little miffed about that 'cause he was sleeping really good! Imagine sudden short chain saw buzzes with a snap in between each buzz amplified about 4 times and you'll have my stepdad's snoring sound. Oh - and he DOESN'T smoke.

[Hohenthal]

no idea. i snore after smoking sometimes, but only because i have had a bottle of red as well

And I thought I was unique ...

[CaptainQuintero]

Sleep on your side Tell your wife to give you a kick whenever you roll onto your back and start snoring again

[mazolaman]

Sleep on your side Tell your wife to give you a kick whenever you roll onto your back and start snoring again

Mine has surprisingly sharp elbows......

[jazzbass]

My wife says the same thing about my snoring if I have a cigar before going to bed... Yup, its true..

But........

You then snore like a chainsaw for 2 to 3 days??????? That seems a bit much!

I wouldn't believe her.

[goalie204]

I use a sleep machine

[Orion21]

You may not have a snoring problem, but what might be happening is that the cigars are causing mucus build up in your throat that is causing the snoring. It may take several days for it to clear up and your breathing at night to go back to normal. I snore when I am stuffed up and do not snore otherwise. I think the suggestion of a Claratin anti-histamine is a good suggestion. Try it and see if it solves the problem.

[CaptainQuintero]

maybe have a hot shower after the cigar/before bed too

[tempbond]

Smoke can irritate the tissues in your body differently from person to person. Some people are highly allergic to any smoke, and some just experience mild irritation, however, mild irritation most commonly means, swelling or inflammation. Anytime raw tissue that is exposed to smoke becomes inflamed or swells, (the tissue that get's the most direct contact, ie. throat, uvula, ect.) It will decrease the air passage and cause obstruction during the muscle relaxation periods of sleep and sometimes even temporary obstructive apnea.

Possible solutions:

-Take an allergy pill or anithisitame (benedryl) before smoking to reduce any reaction and irritation.

-Use the snoring quick dissolve strips you can buy online to help reduce swelling and numb the area while sleeping

-If only experiencing mild snoring, experiment with different pillows and sleeping formations that can help your sleeping posture which will effect your snoring.

- Take a natural Melatonin pill before you go to sleep.

- Try Breathe Right Strips on your nasal bridge

If your snoring becomes severe or apneatic:

- Uvula Laser Shaving Surgery ( 50% success rate, and if successful, usually requires multiple future procedures to remain successful)

- Oral Pillar Surgery ( 50% success rate, and if successful, usually requires multiple future procedures to remain successful)

- CPAP Titration machine ( Most effective, but also most obstructive and uncomfortable)

**** If it's just snoring or even mild apnea, I 100% recommend going to your Dentist and asking him about a TAP 3 Elite mouthpiece

http://www.amisleep....approducts.html

A dentist can make a mold, send it of and in a couple of weeks you get your TAP mouthpiece back and the dentist will make sure it fits and is adjusted right. It is custom molded to your specific mouth, and the science behind how it prevents snoring and mild apnea is accurate. It works, I used one for years. Some insurances will even pay for it, if a Doctor Prescribes it. It's the only proven mouthpiece to work and it's the best on the market. They are expensive, but most insurances will cover some of the cost.

Hope this helps.

I'm a dentist and a very loud snorer. Please DO NOT HAVE ANY SURGERY !!!

As previously stated, the success rate is not good and once you remove the soft palate (uvula, pillars) you might snore even more than before or not be able to have a prosthesis made in the future.

First and foremost, you have to go to your doctor and ask for polysomnography test for sleep apnea ( he might refer you to a pneumologist). 50% of snorers have sleep apnea, either obtrusive or central or both. The test consists of having electrodes places on your head, around the eyes, on your legs... and during your sleep at the test lab or in your home, the technician monitors your sleep patterns/phases and your blood oxygen level. If it is determined that you have sleep apnea, you might be woken up during the night and have a CPAP machine given to you to see what air pressure is needed to prevent your apneas.

I have snored for more than 20 years and my wife said that I stopped breathing often during the night. My dad also has sleep apnea and has had a CPAP for something like 20 years. I did the test and found out that I stopped breathing on average 45 times an hour, for a minimum of 10 seconds each time. My oxygen saturation was down to 77% !

I've now had my CPAP ( Res Med Autoset S9) for about 3 weeks and I can already see a difference in how I feel. The strangest thing is that I dream much more then before, having all 4 phases of sleep during the night.

Sleep apnea is a very serious condition, people with severe sleep apnea are two to three times more likely to have automobile crashes. The risk of heart attacks, high blood pressure, heart failure and stroke also increase if you have sleep apnea.

Getting used to sleeping with a CPAP took me about 3 or 4 days and was pretty easy. The benefits outweigh a hundred times the hassle, believe me.

As for dental appliances, and I'm saying that as a dentist, it can work on mild apnea. It positions your lower jaw forward to free space in your throat so it eliminates/reduces obstructions. I have one patient who had such a device placed by her previous dentist and all her upper teeth ended up moving because it's the upper teeth that support the weight of the lower jaw. I refered her to a specialist who told her to stop using the appliance immediatly and that that kind of thing happens often. She was given a prescription for a sleep test and now has a CPAP. Her teeth have returned to normal.

If you have any questions, please e-mail me.

Sebastien

[NMJoe]

I'm a dentist and a very loud snorer. Please DO NOT HAVE ANY SURGERY !!!

As previously stated, the success rate is not good and once you remove the soft palate (uvula, pillars) you might snore even more than before or not be able to have a prosthesis made in the future.

First and foremost, you have to go to your doctor and ask for polysomnography test for sleep apnea ( he might refer you to a pneumologist). 50% of snorers have sleep apnea, either obtrusive or central or both. The test consists of having electrodes places on your head, around the eyes, on your legs... and during your sleep at the test lab or in your home, the technician monitors your sleep patterns/phases and your blood oxygen level. If it is determined that you have sleep apnea, you might be woken up during the night and have a CPAP machine given to you to see what air pressure is needed to prevent your apneas.

I have snored for more than 20 years and my wife said that I stopped breathing often during the night. My dad also has sleep apnea and has had a CPAP for something like 20 years. I did the test and found out that I stopped breathing on average 45 times an hour, for a minimum of 10 seconds each time. My oxygen saturation was down to 77% !

I've now had my CPAP ( Res Med Autoset S9) for about 3 weeks and I can already see a difference in how I feel. The strangest thing is that I dream much more then before, having all 4 phases of sleep during the night.

Sleep apnea is a very serious condition, people with severe sleep apnea are two to three times more likely to have automobile crashes. The risk of heart attacks, high blood pressure, heart failure and stroke also increase if you have sleep apnea.

Getting used to sleeping with a CPAP took me about 3 or 4 days and was pretty easy. The benefits outweigh a hundred times the hassle, believe me.

As for dental appliances, and I'm saying that as a dentist, it can work on mild apnea. It positions your lower jaw forward to free space in your throat so it eliminates/reduces obstructions. I have one patient who had such a device placed by her previous dentist and all her upper teeth ended up moving because it's the upper teeth that support the weight of the lower jaw. I refered her to a specialist qho told her to stop using the appliance immediatly and that that kind of thing happens often. She was given a prescription for a sleep test and now has a CPAP. Her teeth have returned to normal.

If you have any questions, please e-mail me.

Sebastien

I've been using a CPAP for about 10 years now and I'm 43. I call it my device of torture since I hate having to use it. However, as others have said, the surgical options are by no means a cure for most people, and I have heard are extremely painful. I've also had more than one Pulmonologist tell me that you can expect ~50% success rate, and also to lose at least 20 pounds, whether you have it to lose or not because it makes eating so uncomfortable during the healing process.

That being said, I can't sleep without my CPAP, and if I try (like taking a nap), I quickly return to my awful dreams where I'm drowning, suffocating, etc., because I stop breathing. I would listen to the professionals here and if it only happens when you smoke, try the solutions they have offered. If it happens whether or not you partake, ask your spouse if you act like you stop breathing, flounder around in bed, gasp for breath, etc. As the others have said, sleep apnea is serious and the impact it has on your heart over time can kill you.

Good luck!

Joe

[OZCUBAN]

Funny,

never heard of cigars and snoring - I smoke 2-3 cigars a day and sleep like a baby.

My wife smokes a few cigarrettes a day and snores like an earthquake ...

I use earplugs.

Almost the same for me Niño only my Wife doesn't smoke

I wear ear plugs as well ,she says to me you snore as well ,my reply is who said I didn't

But I think that snoring has more to do with physiology and other factors such as weight etc etc

Cheers OZ

[Fuzz]

Totally agree with the no oral surgery route. My doc advised that it by no means guarantees you will stop snoring and it does absolutely nothing for sleep apnea.

I've been diagnosed with both obstructive (only marginal) and central (my main problem) sleep apnea after taking a home sleep trial. In my case, my doc explained it to me that I forget to breath when I sleep. Heck, I sometime forget to breath when I'm sitting around just relaxing. My oxygen saturation has hit as low as 52% . Even with the CPAP, my oxygen saturation can still drop to 90% (still way better than 52%!) and doesn't fully correct my central apnea.

One thing I did find interesting. After the CPAP trial, I went without the machine for about 2 months and found I had re-conditioned my body to breath through my nose instead of my mouth. This reduced my snoring by 90%.

Now that I've fully recovered from my surgery to correct a deviated septum, I think I'll re-take the sleep trial to see if my air ways are less restricted.

[goalie204]

go for a sleep study. You may have apnea, and if not, you may still be prescribed a CPAP machine which is a Continuous Positive Airflow machine that will stop your snoring, and help you sleep better.

[jaylax5]

Thanks for the great info in this thread, especially tempbond...I definitely snore and now would like to know if I have sleep apnea...it looks like I will go for the sleep test.

[NMJoe]

Thanks for the great info in this thread, especially tempbond...I definitely snore and now would like to know if I have sleep apnea...it looks like I will go for the sleep test.

Better safe than sorry. I was so pessimistic until I found out that I stopped breathing for well over one minute during my sleep study. Then I was a bit more paranoid than pessimistic.

I wish you the best in your diagnosis.

Joe

[thechenman]

I suffer from sleep apnea as well, and I can tell you that life is so different after I started using a CPAP machine. Definitely the way to go.

[CanuckSARTech]

I don't have a problem with my snoring. I'm usually sound asleep when it starts.

[DrunkenMonkey]

I want to say thank you to everyone for the great information. I will talk to my doctor about being referred for a sleep study; sounds like the first thing to find out is if I have apnea or not. I doubt that's my problem; I always seem to sleep well and wake up well-rested. Can't say the same for my wife, of course... I do always snore, but it's usually relatively quiet, and the wife has no problem sleeping through it, but somehow when I smoke cigars, it all goes up to eleven. When she first started making the connection to cigars, I really doubted her, and so I set up a recorder to run all night. I was shocked when I listened to it, to think these sounds were coming from me. Anyway, thanks everyone for the responses.

[Guest]

Smoke can irritate the tissues in your body differently from person to person. Some people are highly allergic to any smoke, and some just experience mild irritation, however, mild irritation most commonly means, swelling or inflammation. Anytime raw tissue that is exposed to smoke becomes inflamed or swells, (the tissue that get's the most direct contact, ie. throat, uvula, ect.) It will decrease the air passage and cause obstruction during the muscle relaxation periods of sleep and sometimes even temporary obstructive apnea.

Possible solutions:

-Take an allergy pill or anithisitame (benedryl) before smoking to reduce any reaction and irritation.

-Use the snoring quick dissolve strips you can buy online to help reduce swelling and numb the area while sleeping

-If only experiencing mild snoring, experiment with different pillows and sleeping formations that can help your sleeping posture which will effect your snoring.

- Take a natural Melatonin pill before you go to sleep.

- Try Breathe Right Strips on your nasal bridge

If your snoring becomes severe or apneatic:

- Uvula Laser Shaving Surgery ( 50% success rate, and if successful, usually requires multiple future procedures to remain successful)

- Oral Pillar Surgery ( 50% success rate, and if successful, usually requires multiple future procedures to remain successful)

- CPAP Titration machine ( Most effective, but also most obstructive and uncomfortable)

**** If it's just snoring or even mild apnea, I 100% recommend going to your Dentist and asking him about a TAP 3 Elite mouthpiece

http://www.amisleep....approducts.html

A dentist can make a mold, send it of and in a couple of weeks you get your TAP mouthpiece back and the dentist will make sure it fits and is adjusted right. It is custom molded to your specific mouth, and the science behind how it prevents snoring and mild apnea is accurate. It works, I used one for years. Some insurances will even pay for it, if a Doctor Prescribes it. It's the only proven mouthpiece to work and it's the best on the market. They are expensive, but most insurances will cover some of the cost.

Hope this helps.

[Guest]

So my wife says that every time I smoke a cigar, I snore like a chainsaw for 2-3 nights. As you might imagine, this is a problem. I was wondering if any of you guys have had a similar problem, and/or solutions. I've heard there is a surgical procedure that can stop some people snoring; does anyone know about it and what is involved? I'd rather not go to separate bedrooms, and stopping cigars, well, I don't even want to think about that.

Well, after all the excellent information provided, might I recommend not smoking, if not, try to stop Retro-inhaling. You are experiencing what appears to be a allergic reaction to cigar smoke, since the problem only happens when you smoke a cigar. I don't think you need a ton of tests, if the problem only happens when you smoke, There seems to be no need for a great deal of medical expense if we know the epidemiology of the condition. You may also try to irrigate you nasal passages on a daily bases.

Ben

[DrunkenMonkey]

Thanks Ben. Believe it or not, that was my wife's proposed solution too. I have no doubt that not smoking would solve the problem, but I think the solution would be worse than the problem. I enjoy cigars a lot, and if I can find a way to keep smoking and still let my wife sleep in peace, that would be highly preferable.