What would happen if you leave sleep apnea untreated if it doesn't bother anyone in the house? Can't use CPAP

You could die! You would at the least be depriving your body of needed oxygen and you will suffer the effects; such as groggy and irritable during the day, wake up with headaches, inadequate sleep, heart problems, etc.
Why can't you use the CPAP? I know it takes some getting used to; work with your pulmonoligist AND your home health care company to make sure you have the proper fitting mask and a comfortable system; VPAP and nasal pillows both seem to be well-tolerated.
In many cases a uvulectomy (removal of that "punching bag" at the top of the throat) can help stop the sleep apnea.
Sleeping position is also important, put a few pillows behind your back and adjust them so your head falls back just a little bit into "sniffing" position; just enough so not dropping too far backwards or forward. This helps keep your airway straightened and your tongue from falling back into the pharynx.
You can't tell me that CPAP would bother anyobdy else in the house any more than your train wreck snoring...!
PLEASE go back to your doctor, preferably a pulmonologist, and see what can be done in your case.
Take care of yourself!!!!

I am a respiratory therapist.

Well-the lack of oxygen and the interrupted sleep are the 2 largest contributing factors for the risks of sleep apnea. Heart attack or other cardiac disease are a few of the major concerns. The lack of oxygen also can cause obesity, low O2 saturation rates. You should really check with a specialist on it. It can escalate to life-threaten conditions.

You could DIE - If you can't use a cpap machine then you should try a Bi-pap machine. The deal with sleap apnea is you quit breathing, and sometimes people stop and don't start again, so it is very important that you use one of the 2 machines to assist you with your breathing.

The first problem is usually tireness, you can became a bit moody, easilly irritable because you normal sleep is disturbed by the apnea. If you let is be for too many years you heart and lungs are suffering with this extra effort everyday and you can develop a heart condition called "cor pulmonale", that can lead to a heart failure. There are some things that can be done before thinking about CPAP and probably your doctor have told you that already.

ultimately you can die if you leave your sleep apnea untreated. If you can't use CPAP because it is uncomfortable you may need to try to use it for a month or two. Your body will need time to adjust to the machine. A lot of CPAP machines need to have water added in them so that they don't dry you out. If you can't use CPAP for another reason you need to discuss this with your doctor.

I agree with the first response. I did a sleep disorder lecture a couple of weeks ago for school and there is so many side effects of sleep apnea. Over time, yes, it can cause cardiac problems. But the major thing it does to your body now, is mess with you 'inner clock.' Even though it just a few seconds of lost air, it adds up over night. To put it in another way. Imagine your alarm clock; put it on pause 30 times a night ( that's the average amount of stopped breathing per night). If you did that your alarm clock would be off time.
Another question is, how do you feel when you wake up? Tired, groggy, grouchy is my probable guess. Just go to the doctor, you don't always have to have a cpap, they might suggest some sleep meds to help you get to the deeper sleep, faster. Sometimes that bypasses the snorring or apnea. Hope that helped a lil bit
Shannon

Sleep apnea is very stressful on the heart.