Now I’m going to go over some of the comments about the mattress/sleeping situation:
I do wear earplugs. Every night.
Every night for the past I don’t-know-how-many-years-but-at-least-seven.
Actually I wear an earplug because one ear gets protected by the pillow so only the ear exposed gets the plug. When I roll over, I have to switch ears. I’m an expert at stuffing my ears with the plugs. I would even go so far as to say I’m an earplug connoisseur. I’ve tried the silicone ones that swimmers use: sucked. I’ve tried the kind the have little ridges: sucked. I’m only happy with these little foam ones, which indicate they are good up to a decibel reading of 32. Did you notice that they are the "Ultras"?
I did try the little pink ones, smaller for the delicate female ear, but after years of stuffing foam in my ear canal, delicate they are not. You’ve heard the saying, "throwing a hotdog down a hallway", right? Same idea, but applied to my ear canals.
Mr. DD was diagnosed with a slight apnea several years ago, but the ENT didn’t think it warranted a home CPAP machine. Instead, he performed a LAUP (laser-assisted uvulopalatoplasty) or a palatopharyngoplasty (PPP) depending on who you are talking to. If you don’t want to read through the link, here’s what happened:
First they did take out his tonsils, which he had kept all those years. Then the ENT took a laser and enlarged the opening to the throat. Go look in the mirror and open your mouth really wide. See that crazy little goobery thing hanging down? That’s your uvula. Just like any other part of the body, it can get fat, which can cause airway blockage, i.e. snoring.
Mr. DD’s dental hygienist still has to do a double-take since all you see when you look into Mr. DD’s mouth is a cave opening. No stalactites for him. It took months for him to relearn to swallow as your uvula, for the most part, prevents food and liquid from going up into your airway passages.
The snoring was significantly reduced. However, the one thing the ENT couldn’t do for my husband was to enforce the weight loss that was suggested. While Mr. DD isn’t significantly obese, he’s 220 and 5’11". He could easily lose 20lbs without looking emaciated. The freaky thing is is I don’t know how he continues to gain weight when I am the worst cook in the world. Worst meaning: I don’t cook, he does.
So there you go. One of the most boring posts ever on the issues surrounding our inability to sleep together. Maybe if I read through this enough times, it’ll put me into a deep coma and I won’t need earplugs ………….zzzzzzzzzzzzzz…………
Punch Drunk 
Right – haven’t read all the comments before this one, but my husband is a fabulous snorer. I cannot bear it. I too cram earplugs (or anything!) into my ears every night. Could not sleep without them.
Anyway – a couple of years ago he went to this snore clinic where they fitted his extra wide jaws with some sort of tooth guard thingo, which he wears every night. He also complains about it every night, but I am past caring. I do notice when it’s not inserted (he regularly tries to sneak into the bed without it), and I send him back into the bathroom to put them in.
It hasn’t entirely eliminated the problem, but it has quite significantly reduced it.
It was a bit pricey, but don’t let that put you off – it maybe cheaper in the US.
Hope this may help because I feel your pain.
Just checking that a slight apnea was diagnosed from a sleep study? Also- weight loss- huge in dealing with snoring. If he does the cooking then you have no idea how much oil, fat etc he is using. My hubby did all the cooking until he went back to school full time and now I have to do it. We argue about how much oil to use and I know he uses too much.
My doc said the same thing about the surgery – that it’s not worth it, and doesn’t last. I actually have very slight apnea as well, and the doc just put me on the cpap due to a different lung problem. It might be worth having him talk to the doc about it, if he’s willing. The newer machines aren’t that loud (you can hardly hear mine when it’s on – vs. my husband’s old one that is WAY loud). I don’t snore (two sleep studies have proven it!) so it doesn’t help me in that regard, but the hubster’s snoring is completely removed when he wears his. (Also of note -he’s on a bipap, not a cpap, because his is pretty severe.)
Interesting factoid: When they start to use a CPAP machine, they lose weight, due to increased oxygen/blood circulation, extra energy, and a bunch of other benefits. Cricket is right about the laser surgery and the money making. Turns out that over 50% of apnea is brain related and not just obstructive or weight related apnea. That is why so many skinny people get it too.
And the only cure is a machine. I know it sound weird to contemplate it, but every single person I know who uses it is ADDICTED to it. They adore the things, especially it lowers the household budget needs for little blue pills. chuckle.
James has a CPAP machine and when he remembers to use it, it really helps.
Sometimes I sleep alone to catch up though because he is such a nightowl and I am a really light sleeper. I’ve been sleeping on the couch the past week because I’m sick and losing any sleep felt like too much.
The connection between weight and snoring can be seen in my house, too. The mister is 6’2″ so I don’t always see the weight gain, but boy do I hear it at night!
OOOHHH…ohh.
And G. is the cook. He doesn’t loose weight unless HE wants to. I think that it’s harder if the man is the one who cooks.
I’ve been on G. to loose weight for the past three months. He’s currently 230 and 6’2. When he got down to 210, he was happier and the snoring stopped. COMPLETELY! Now that his weight is up again, I’m looking at earplugs.
My father in law had the same surgery you speak of and my mother in law still wears ear plugs to bed every night.
E had pollups in his sinuses, whcih I diagnosed. When those came out, (same day procedure) the snoring was reduced by 85%. Check it out with a ENT!
HahaHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!
I use the phrase “hot dog down a hallway” ALL THE TIME. Seriously, you know the term? You, my friend, are oustanding in my book!
So funny! I’ve had to resort to wearing earplugs the last year or so, too, to ensure a good, uninterrupted night’s sleep. My dh snores — not all the time — but boy when he *does* he raises the roof. I call it sleep screaming. Like you, I’ve I’ve tried all the various types and the foam ones RULE! I have a stock pile by the bed so I can refresh whenever they get dried out.
Yeah, my husband snores. He got the CPAP… which is almost as noisy as the snoring. 😛
When I was diagnosed with apnea recently, I was told to not even consider the surgery, that it is a moneymaker for surgeons. The results only last a year, then a CPAP is needed anyway.
One of my brothers used a BiPap. He’s supposed to using it every night, but he says he feels like Darth Vader with it on.