From Weariness to Renewal: Andy’s Sleep Story

For over a decade, Andy Lowe struggled with sleep. He snored loudly, frequently stopped breathing and woke several times during the night. Andy felt tired every day and would often fall asleep in front of the TV. He'd written off his constant fatigue and lack of energy as normal signs of aging.

“I didn’t think there was much I could do about it,” Andy said. “When you get to a certain age—and I'm 68 now—you plan on getting up at least a few times every night. I thought it was just the way things were.”

But when he began noticing other problems, he knew something was wrong. His heart would beat irregularly—sometimes fast, sometimes slow, sometimes racing for no reason. He’d feel short of breath if he stood up too quickly. 

Andy turned to Phelps Health CardiologistCurt Morrison, MD, FACC, who recommended a comprehensive sleep study. The study, performed at the Phelps Health Sleep Center, showed that Andy was suffering from sleep apnea, a condition that causes breathing to stop or become shallow at night.

Sleep apnea is scored based on how many times breathing stops or the airway is blocked during each hour of sleep. Andy’s score was 47, putting him well into the severe range. He was prescribed a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine, but quickly realized it wasn’t going to work for him. The mask was uncomfortable, and the hose and wires were hard to manage overnight. 

Then, Andy learned about the procedure that would change his life—Inspire® therapy. Inspire® is a small implant placed near the collarbone that stimulates the tongue nerve during sleep, moving the tongue forward to keep the airway open. The procedure requires only small incisions, and patients typically go home the same day. After approximately 30 days of healing, the device is activated and a simple handheld remote turns the device on at bedtime and off in the morning.

Andy decided to give it a try. Phelps Health Ear, Nose and Throat (ENT) Surgeon Brian Kriete, MD, performed the procedure. 

“It was a very low-impact procedure,” Andy said. “My incisions healed quickly, and I had no pain or complications. Everything was simple and straightforward.”

The results were transformative. Once Andy’s device was activated, his sleep improved within the first week. 

After a few weeks, he was sleeping through most nights. His snoring stopped, and he felt refreshed in the morning. 

The benefits kept coming—after a few months, Andy’s heartbeat irregularities and shortness of breath disappeared. 

“I didn’t realize all the problems that poor sleep can cause,” he said. “I thought my body was giving out on me, but it was just bad sleep.”

When Andy returned to the Sleep Center for a follow-up study, his score had dropped from 47 to 5—within the range for normal sleep. He can track his hours of sleep in the MyChart app, Phelps Health's secure patient portal, to ensure he is consistently getting quality rest.

He credits his providers at Phelps Health for making the process seamless. 

“Dr. Kriete was fantastic,” Andy said. “During my follow-up visits, Candace [Candace Chafton, FNP-C] took excellent care of me, though I’ve had very few problems. I couldn’t have asked for better care than I received from the doctors and staff at Phelps Health.”

He encourages anyone with sleep problems to get evaluated and highly recommends the Inspire procedure to those who may be struggling with a CPAP machine. 

“I’ve been telling my friends about it. The difference in my sleep has been unbelievable,” Andy said. “I sleep all night and wake up refreshed. It’s one of the best things I’ve ever done for my health.”