My mother had sleep apnea and wore a C-pap mask. I don't know what the difference is between hers and what you have described. With the C-pap, you must sleep on your back.

She had the surgery to remove some obstruction in her throat to see if that would eliminate the need to use the mask and she described the results as the worst throat pain she ever had and she would never go through it again. The operation did not help her either and she continued with the face mask.

gonnamakeit

My husband used the C-pap for a while, but it drove him nuts. He's kind of claustrophobic that way. He ended up having the surgery, and during the recovery he was in a lot of pain.

However, that was eleven years ago. For years after the surgery he didn't snore AT ALL, and now only occasionally when his allergies are acting up. Now he says he's glad he had the surgery.

I know other people who use the C-pap with good success, and it doesn't bother them the way it did Bob.

Incidentally, when he first got it I privately thought, "Oh no, I won't be able to sleep at ALL with that thing going all night." Au contraire. It turned out to be like "white noise", and it didn't disturb my sleep at all. Just in case you were wondering.

A bi-pap is different from a C-pap machine. I'm not sure how exactly as I forgot.

I have sleep apnea, was diagnosed in 2002 I think. I have been using a C-pap ever since. I can sleep on my back and on my sides if my mask is on just right. There are lots of different masks you can wear.

I never slept on my stomach and I don't think that would be easy with a machine like these.

Have you had a sleep study yet? You will need one in order to be officially diagnosed and then given a bi-pap or a c-pap machine.

Good luck with everything,
Weebs37