Have you ever woken up in the morning feeling like you hadn't slept at all? Or has your partner complained that your snoring kept them up all night? For Craig Hock, 45, of Brick, every morning was like this.
For a year and a half, Craig's wife, Susan, noticed that he would choke himself awake at night, gasping for air. He also snored and had gained weight. After many sleepless nights, Craig finally went to his primary care physician, who referred him to Walter Wynkoop, M.D., on staff at Ocean Medical Center.
"Dr. Wynkoop went over my symptoms and sent me for a sleep study to see if I had obstructive sleep apnea," says Craig.
According to the National Institutes of Health, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is the most common type of sleep apnea. Most often it means that the airway has collapsed or is blocked during sleep. The blockage may cause shallow breathing or breathing pauses.
"It can be dangerous," explains Dr. Wynkoop. "If left untreated, it can increase the risk for heart disease, stroke, and other medical problems."
Craig went to the SleepCare Center at Ocean Medical Center in Brick to have his sleep study done. During a sleep study, patients are monitored throughout the night to see what happens to their bodies during the sleep.
"They were great," Craig says. "During the study, I was having a problem with dryness, so they gave me the CPAP machine with a humidifier built in. I was actually able to get some restful sleep!"
The results showed that Craig did have OSA. Dr. Wynkoop wrote Craig a prescription to get a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine at his home to help him breathe during the night. A CPAP machine sends air under pressure through a tube into a mask, allowing air into the upper airways to keep them from collapsing.
Craig called Meridian At Home to order his machine. "I couldn't have asked for better service," Craig says. "They brought the machine right to my home, calibrated it, showed me how to use it, and followed up to make sure that everything was OK."
"Our At Home advisors help our patients determine exactly what they need and have everything delivered conveniently to their doorstep," says Cathy McCudden, R.N., of Meridian At Home. "We are able to provide a full continuum of care at home."
Craig adds, "Now that I use the machine, I am able to sleep better at night. I wake up refreshed, and I have even lost some weight!"
About the Doctor
Walter A. Wynkoop, M.D.
Board certified in Internal Medicine, Sleep Medicine, Critical Care Medicine, and Pulmonology
Brick | 732-840-4200
