My husband was dx with severe sleep apnea about 10 years ago. They said after his study that he was getting about 45 minutes of sleep per night, and that was it. The very first time he put on the CPAP mask (during a second study at the hospital) he was out like a light within minutes and it's been smooth sailing ever since! The machine he has now is very quiet and his snoring is completely gone - if I can hear any noise at all I wake him up to adjust the seal.
Man, I do not miss those years before his diagnosis. He was so exhausted all the time, but so was I - turns out I was holding my breath in my sleep whenever he stopped breathing, and when I ran out of air I'd smack him so he'd breathe. Very scary. Now that he wears the mask every night and every nap - anytime he sleeps, basically - our lives have completely changed.
For those with noisy machines, have you tried running a fan in the room to cover it with white noise?