Shawn B.

Age Range 45-60

Got Inspire February 2023

My name is Shawn Budden. I live in Lafayette, LA. My Inspire implant was done in February 2023. If you are here, I'm sure that I do not need to tell you how obstructive sleep apnea can affect your life and everyone in your household if you have a family or roommate(s). As many others have stated, I would fall asleep at night and think that I was getting "a good nights sleep". On many occasions, I would wake myself up with my own snoring. I found myself wanting to sleep during the day and doze off easily if things were quiet or boring. Not only did it become impossible for my wife to sleep in the same bed with me, it was hard for anyone to get rest in an adjacent room or anywhere close in proximity to where I was sleeping because of my snoring, hard breathing, choking sounds, etc. Since I have begun Inspire therapy, my sleep has improved greatly. My wife is back in the same room with me, family vacations are back on, and no one is disturbed by my sleeping. I no longer need naps during the day and rarely doze off except at the end of the day.

Interests: Spending time with my family, music, woodworking, and cooking

Why I chose Inspire therapy to treat my sleep apnea: I chose Inspire therapy to treat my sleep apnea because I was looking for an alternative to CPAP. I did not feel like I was getting any benefits from the CPAP. Besides that, it was not comfortable or easy to sleep with. I sleep in various positions through the night, so being tethered to a hose felt like being a dog tangled in his own chain (which I would not even submit a dog to). I explored other surgical options, but was not confident in their success return nor was I interested in going through the discomfort associated with them.

In a few short words, I would describe Inspire therapy as: I would describe Inspire therapy as a painless stimulation or sensation at the back of the tongue. I feel a slight pressure pushing forward and towards the roof of my mouth. This is only when Inspire is activated. Most of the time, I go through the night without ever feeling anything. When I do notice that Inspire wakes me, I adjust the setting or request a session with my Inspire technician.

Why am I a patient ambassador? I am a patient ambassador because I want to let others know that they have other options besides being tethered to a machine or a more invasive form of surgery. I have personally experienced the disruptions that obstructive sleep apnea can have on a person's life and well being. I have known others who have suffered more serious effects from the condition than I have. That being said, I am happy to share my experience if it can help anyone experience relief from the damaging effects of obstructive sleep apnea.