Nose surgery - CPAP usage and affect on apneas?

[Kilgore Trout]

I found out I'm a candidate for turbinate reduction surgery and a straightening of the septum. I've had trouble breathing through my nose for most of my life, and I've had one too many Afrin-addicted episodes due to swollen turbinates. Unfortunately when you're just swollen, saline or a neti pot doesn't help

I'm going to go through with the surgery, it's going to be a huge quality of life improvement.

Has anyone had this surgery? I'm a little worried that CPAP might be painful or difficult during the first few weeks of recovery. I have a FFM I can use while I'm healing, so that's a bonus.

If anyone's done his, has there been any side effect on your sleep apnea? My ENT said there's a change my numbers could go down, but she was very clear the goal of this surgery isn't to address my sleep apnea, and any positive effect on it would be a bonus.

[squid13]

I've had the surgery but it was before cpap.They packed my nose at that time with gauze for a couple of days then removed it. Then did nasal rinses 3 or 4 times a day and in 4 to 6 weeks good as new and boy did my breathing improve. Now days it's probably been improved a lot but I'd do it again.

[Kitatonic]

In one of Dr. Park's (NYC ENT) phone call talks, he stated that nasal surgery should be done if the goal is to improve your daytime breathing. It sounds like this is your goal.
However, he warned that if your OSA is severe, you will still need CPAP, as there is likely to be multiple areas of air constriction beyond the nasal aspect.

[chunkyfrog]

Please keep us posted.
I am pulling for you to have whatever good this can bring you.
It sounds like you and your doctor are being realistic; and that's a good thing.

[SleepingUgly]

I had septoplasty and turbinate reduction. It had great benefits to me in terms of being able to breathe through my nose, including being able to use a nasal interface, which is HUGE because I've never met a FFM that I liked. I even have gotten less sinus infections since the surgery. But it did not change my CPAP pressure needs. Make sure you go to a surgeon that knows what he is doing, as too much turbinate reduction can lead to very deleterious results (e.g., empty nose syndrome).

[Dale92]

I had turbinate reduction on my right side and my deviated septum fixed before CPAP in 2004. Before this I was unable to breathe through my nose for most of my life except for periods of Afrin use which caused even more problems. Finally I was able to breathe! I am positive if I had not done this I would never have been able to make a go of CPAP - I would have given up almost at the beginning because of the high pressure I was on and if I had stayed a mouth breather, I don't want to think about it. The surgery was simple, straighten my septum and reduce the right turbinate, he put a small tube up each nostril and I don't recall any packing. All I did was go home sleep off the anesthesia no pain meds needed except what they gave me at the hospital and one Vicodin before I slept which the doc recommended. At this time I was not on CPAP so I did not have to think about that. What I was told to do is use a saline spray in each nostril several times a day to keep the inside of the nares moist so that the tubes did not stick to the blood/tissue inside of the nose. Like I said it was the best thing I had ever done to improve my health. I would have done it sooner if I wouldn't have been so scared of surgery on my nose.

December 21st I had the same surgeon do a turbinate reduction on the right side ( I thought they had done both sides in the 1st operation, I never asked if they did). This time the doctor said the surgery would be so quick and simple they didn't need to use any muscle relaxants like they normally do with normal general anesthesia. I went home after surgery with no pain and did not need to sleep.


The worst part about the most recent surgery was I was told not to use my CPAP for a week because of the surgery. I had to wear a piece of gauze under my nostril periodically because of bleeding that would start up off and on the first few days, kind of like a bad nose bleed. After 5 days of no CPAP I was only getting a couple of hours sleep a night so I was desperate and tried my CPAP that night but still had nose bleeds when I put on my mask. I ended up waiting about 7 days before I was able to use my CPAP for the first night. Once the doctor gave me the OK to blow my honker softly and clear out the mess in there I was finally able to breathe and use my CPAP. Now I can breathe great through both nostrils. My numbers even improved on my software after the slight swelling in my nose went down. I would gladly do the surgery again.

I have to say my doctor was one who really cares about his patients, he doesn't just go in slash and get out, he does what is best for each patient. He took the time to tell me (which I already knew) that he didn't want to do the surgeries that actually reduce the turbinate surface area. What he did was go into the turbinate and remove some of the small bone inside and remove a bit of the interior of the turbinate around the bone and then he also fractured the bone in a few places to position it more to the one side so the opening would be larger for air to move through but yet the surface area of the turbinate would still be there to help moisten the incoming air so I wouldn't end up with headaches from the interior of my sinus' drying out.

The only thing I would have changed is the date of my surgery, which was close to Christmas and we were planning to go on vacation. Between the hotel and shopping areas being so dry I am surprised I didn't bleed constantly.

Dale

[squid13]

The surgery was simple, straighten my septum and reduce the right turbinate, he put a small tube up each nostril and I don't recall any packing.

I had mine done in 1993 before they had all the good stuff they have today. You'd be surprised at how much stuff they can pack up your nose.

[Kilgore Trout]

I'm glad I asked!

I would gladly do the surgery again.

Awesome!

...I'd do it again.

Awesome!

It had great benefits to me in terms of being able to breathe through my nose, including being able to use a nasal interface, which is HUGE because I've never met a FFM that I liked.

This is the only CPAP related bonus I'm looking forward to: I hate having to use afrin just to use nose pillows. Also, awesome!

These are exactly the sorts of things I was hoping to hear! And to be completely clear, my goal is to have better daytime breathing; I truly only view any effect to my sleep apnea as a nice surprise. I really appreciate my doctor making that point stick.

Thanks everyone! I'm going to get myself scheduled.

[Dale92]

Sounds like you have a great doc also and you have a handle on what to realistically expect from surgery.
I wish you well.

Dale

[Namlehse]

I have the same issues, more or less have never been able to breath through my nose. The ENT was unable to run a camera up my right nostril the deviation was blocking far to much. He wanted to see the results of my sleep study as well, before he would really talk options. He said as well that it would help me to breath normally during the day. He also said it would more than likely just lower my setting as well (Currently 18..).

I'm glad I found this thread, I've been wondering if it was really something I wanted to do or not as well. I'm a little nervous about someone doing surgery on my nose.

[squid13]

I did it cause I just wanted to breath better and it was well worth it.