Ludwick didn’t smoke like his father. But he suffered from a lack of oxygen to his brain due to his severe obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).

A sleep study confirmed he stopped breathing 75 times per hour at night. It scared him.

He wanted to be alive long enough to see his grandchildren grow up.

That motivated him to look for other options after his Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) machine didn’t help enough. It ultimately led him to Inspire® therapy.

“That was my inspiration, to see if I can do this and extend my life,” Ludwick said. “I no longer wake up gasping for air like I just died and am trying to come back to life.”

Jeff Ludwick first realized he should see a doctor after his friends nicknamed him “The Human Chainsaw” due to loud snoring.

He made a deal with his girlfriend.

She would quit smoking. He would research treatment options for his sleep issues.

He used CPAP first but woke up in the middle of the night. He realized he kept taking his mask off.

He also had difficulty keeping up with CPAP maintenance.

Travel was difficult, and it made it tough for his partner to sleep next to him.

“It was so annoying to my girlfriend, and she would worry about me when I was gasping for air,” Ludwick said.

He read about Inspire therapy and made a doctor’s appointment.

Ludwick received the Inspire® implant in 2023. He began to see results soon after activation.

Ludwick’s follow-up sleep study showed his OSA events decreased by 80%.

“It’s been a life changer for me,” Ludwick said. “I’m getting a better night’s sleep, and I’m more refreshed during the day.”

He also isn’t snoring loudly anymore and feels much better about his health.

Ludwick is excited to spend more time with friends and family without worrying about OSA.