I dreaded bedtime before new sleep apnoea treatment

Image caption, Catherine Turnbull was diagnosed with sleep apnoea five years ago By Georgia Eadie West of England Published 9 hours ago A woman who used to "dread bedtime" says being one of the first UK patients to be offered a new treatment has been life-changing for her sleeping condition. Catherine Turnbull, from Chippenham, was diagnosed five years ago with sleep apnoea, a common but serious disorder where breathing repeatedly stops and starts. She has now been fitted with a hypoglossal nerve stimulation (HGNS) device, which moves her tongue while she sleeps, after Swindon's Great Western Hospital (GWH) became one of five trusts to offer the treatment. Turnbull said the treatment had stopped her waking during the night and suffering from headaches, adding: "It is amazing because it changes your life." More from Wiltshire Alternative venues to watch World Cup: bowling lanes, cafes and a beach Published 10 hours ago Man 'executed' love rival with sword, court told Published 21 hours ago When will it rain next in the West Country? Published 1 day ago To play this video you need to enable JavaScript in your browser. This video can not be played Figure caption, New treatment transforms Wiltshire woman’s sleep She said: "My life's just started again. I can't wait to get to bed to go to sleep now." Wearing a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine has traditionally been the only treatment option, something Turnbull tried but failed to "get on with". She said: "I would wake up in the night trying to rip it off my face. I felt suffocated. I've tried every single mask going, but no, it's awful." Image caption, The new device is implanted into the patients chest and controlled by a small remote According to the NHS, , external the condition sees people's breathing stop and start while they sleep. Other symptoms include waking up a lot, loud snoring and gasping, snorting or choking. Those who have the condition can often feel very tired, find it hard to concentrate and suffer from mood swings. Having read about HGNS, the implanted treatment for patients who cannot tolerate CPAP, Turnbull said she was "extremely grateful" to have been chosen as one of the first patients to have the device fitted. The treatment has mainly been rolled out in Europe and United States, with about 125,000 people worldwide having the surgery. It involves an operation where a generator is implanted into the patients chest. A lead then goes up to the nerve that pushes the tongue forward so that every time they breathe, the airway is opened by the tongue leaning forward. It is controlled by a small remote, that looks like a computer mouse, which the patient turns on each night when they go to bed. Joseph Sinnott, an ear, nose and throat surgeon at GWH, said the first treatment was still CPAP but if patients were really struggling, then this was a good second option. In Wiltshire, only a few patients a month would be offered the treatment as there was a "very strict cr