A Good Night's Sleep: Denise McCall's Story of Hope
Discover how Denise McCall overcame sleep challenges and improved her health through better rest in this inspiring MetroHealth story of hope.
You make reasonable excuses for why you feel like you do, why you’re so tired,” said Denise, a lifelong MetroHealth patient who lives in Cleveland. “Life is always life-ing, so I really didn’t notice it.
How Inspire Surgery for Sleep Apnea Helped Denise Get Her Life Back
Years of Exhaustion Without Answers
Denise McCall says she didn’t know she had a sleep disorder until there was a problem.
In the 2000s, when she was in her 40s, Denise was diagnosed with anemia. She chalked that up as the reason she always woke up tired, despite getting what she thought was a good night’s sleep.
The turning point came in 2010 when Denise started having heart palpitations. After months of blood and stress tests, a cardiologist told her he suspected sleep apnea, a condition when breathing stops or becomes shallow during sleep.
A sleep study at the MetroHealth Center for Sleep Medicine revealed that Denise stopped breathing 70 times per hour while sleeping. She was diagnosed with severe obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Untreated OSA can lead to high blood pressure, stroke, heart failure, diabetes, depression and more.
The sleep study was the first of three Denise had over the next 10 years. In that time, she tried several sleep therapies – Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP), Bilateral Positive Airway Pressure (BiPAP) and Adaptive Servo-Ventilation (ASV) machines.
While each treatment initially helped, the benefits didn’t last. Denise found the masks uncomfortable and often woke up feeling hot, restricted and unable to sleep comfortably.
Eventually, she stopped using them altogether.
Discovering a New Option: Inspire Therapy
Several years had passed when, one day in late 2021, Denise was scrolling through Facebook and saw an ad for the Inspire therapy. It’s an implantable device that uses groundbreaking technology to provide relief for people with OSA without the use of a CPAP mask.
A handheld remote allows the patient to turn the device on before going to sleep, and the system works to monitor breathing and stimulate nerves in the tongue that open the airway.
The technology immediately caught Denise’s interest.
“It was the first time I had ever heard of Inspire,” she said. “To be able to sleep and not have the trouble with the mask or hose sounded absolutely wonderful. I had to know more, so I requested information from the ad.”
As she researched the treatment, Denise learned that MetroHealth’s Center for Sleep Medicine had been offering Inspire therapy since 2018 and was certified to provide the procedure. Since then, about 300 patients have undergone the treatment, with 94% experiencing improvement or resolution of their OSA.
Additional testing, including another sleep study, confirmed Denise was a good candidate for Inspire.
A Better Night's Sleep - and More Energy for Life
In March 2022, an otolaryngology (Ear, Nose and Throat) surgeon implanted a monitoring device near Denise’s collarbone and a nerve stimulator under her chin.
Six weeks later, Denise met John Carter, MD, a neurosomnologist and Director of the MetroHealth Center for Sleep Medicine. She told him about waking up frequently and feeling exhausted during the day as a result of her sleep apnea.
Dr. Carter activated the device in the office and Denise went home and started using Inspire that night.
The difference was almost immediate.
Over the next several months, Denise used Inspire every night, increasing the level of voltage gradually to get her body acclimated to the therapy. A couple follow-up appointments with Dr. Carter and the results of another sleep study helped with the fine-tuning of her remote settings.
“MetroHealth is one of the most experienced Inspire providers in North America,” said Dr. Carter.
He added that Denise’s experience highlights the importance of providing patients with multiple treatment options for sleep apnea, especially those who cannot tolerate CPAP therapy.
Today, Denise’s sleep apnea episodes have dropped from 70 per hour to just five when she sleeps on her side. She no longer snores and sleeps through the night without interruptions.
The improvement has transformed her daily life. Denise celebrated her 65th birthday in 2024 with a party filled with Chicago 2-step and line dancing alongside family and friends. She now has the energy to enjoy traveling and spending weekends with her grandchildren.
For Denise, better sleep has meant getting back to the things she loves most.
MetroHealth Center for Sleep Medicine
MetroHealth’s Sleep Medicine team consists of dedicated nurses, advanced nurse practitioners and board-certified physicians who are focused on ensuring that you get a good night’s rest.
- If you suspect you have sleep apnea, visit your primary care provider for a referral to schedule a sleep study. MetroHealth’s established team of sleep experts are available for appointments. Call 216-778-5864 or register online.
- If you have tried using a CPAP without success and are interested in Inspire Surgery, call: 216-778-4391.
Your Questions Answered
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What is Inspire therapy and how does it work?
Inspire therapy is an implantable, pacemaker-like device used to treat obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). While you sleep, the device provides gentle stimulation to the throat muscles, helping keep the airway open and reducing breathing interruptions during the night. -
Who may be a candidate for Inspire therapy?
According to MetroHealth, Inspire therapy may be an option for adults age 22 and older who have moderate to severe OSA and are unable to tolerate or use a CPAP machine. It is not intended for people who are significantly overweight. -
How effective is Inspire therapy?
MetroHealth notes that studies have shown high patient satisfaction with Inspire therapy. Many patients report that the procedure is easier to tolerate than other sleep surgeries, with less pain, and that the therapy can significantly improve—and in some cases even resolve—obstructive sleep apnea symptoms. The device battery typically lasts 10 to 11 years before replacement is needed.
About the Contributor
Name: Denise McCall