floppy uvula?

[Country4ever]

I've had this problem for awhile, and I finally figured out what it was several years ago.

I had quite a fear of going to the dentist. I would get nervous and my mouth would be dry, but also, when I would have to lay back in the chair, I couldn't breath right out of my nose. I felt like I was suffocating.
Well, one time at home I had that same feeling while I was standing up. I ran to a mirror and looked at the back of my throat, and my uvula was gone! It was actually bent backwards and stuck up in my naso-pharynx area. That's why I couldn't breath very well through my nose at the dentist...........half of my naso-pharynx area was occluded with my uvula. How weird!

Also, sometimes when I blow my nose, something in my naso-pharynx area slams shut and brings an abrupt halt to the air I'm trying to blow with! How weird.
The other night I woke up and was just laying there, and realized that several times on exhalation, that area slammed shut and I couldn't exhale.
I'm wondering if this is why people end up having their uvula removed or the soft palate operated on?
I don't feel like its that bad yet, but still, its VERY strange.
Anyone else ever have this happen?

[snnnark]

Oh yes! I dont think it's my uvula but sometimes if i sneeze that happens. Also when I blow my nose. I can also feel it when i lie on my back. Like a valve closing! Fortunately it takes very little pressure to keep it clear.

[Country4ever]

Hi snnnark,

Yes! Its just like a valve slamming shut. You're right......it doesn't take much pressure to open it, but sometimes when my mouth is dry is sort of gets pasted in place and won't move (like in the dentist's chair). Then I feel like I'm suffocating.
I've heard of people having their uvula's removed in order to help their apnea. Ouch.
(My son, when he was young, would call the uvula the "hangy ball". hahaha

[RoninHouston]

Had my uvula removed to stop snoring. The operation is called Laser Assisted Uvulaplasty (LAUP), essentially you sit in a dental like chair. They numb your uvula, using a laser they burn/cut it out. I was told it would reduce the volume to 30% of what it was pre operation. My wife thought it did a good job of reducing the volume, about 30%, a volume she could live with.

However, I did not think I had Sleep Apnea because my spouse said I did not stop breathing. Eight years later I developed other symptoms of sleep apnea but did not have any of the classic signs of gasping for breath. Finally had a sleep study and have mild apnea.

Note: the doctor who preformed the LAUP said after the operation I would have the worse sore throat of my life. He was right, I put very little down my throat over the next two weeks, then in only small pieces. When I went to see him for the two week post op, he smiled and asked, "so how much weight did you lose?" About ten pounds.