My snoring isn't caused by being fat. I am a normal 145lb person. However, my premenapausal weight of 120 was much better!! That is why I am hoping to lose 20 lbs. I will keep you all informed of how it goes. Unfortuantely, I have never been an ice cream eater, so I guess I will load up on popsicles and learn to like them. I certainly can't snore and continue to sleep with my husband and I seem to take off the CPAP in my sleep. I will admit that the pain aspect of the surgery does scare me. I believe in good drugs, but they don't do you any good if you can't swallow them. My husband said that it was Loritab that he took, but it also had alcohol in it, thus the ensuing pain. Maybe I can get sent home a morphine pump!!
tonsillectomy and uvpp surgery on Wednesday.
-
Barb (Seattle)
- Posts: 663
- Joined: Wed Aug 03, 2005 6:41 pm
Re: follow up on comments
Another poster in another sleep apnea forum said something that makes sense to me about weight loss. You never know when the next pound you lose will do the trick, and make the difference in your apneas.
Editing to say that I LIVED on Ensure. CCCCCCOLLLLD ensure LOL The colder the better Butterscotch was great.
Editing to say that I LIVED on Ensure. CCCCCCOLLLLD ensure LOL The colder the better Butterscotch was great.
-
SLEEPYCD
ljmcd,
I stayed in the hospital overnight with my surgery (approved by insurance). Didn't sleep at all, but had lots of morphine and was on oxygen, (I wish they would have sent some of that home with me)!!!!! Also, at 47 years old I took a big, soft cuddley stuffed rabbit to spend the night with me, should I admit that???? They sent me home with a large ice pack thing, I could tie around my neck. You just stick in the freezer for awhile and boy that helped alot, may sure they give you something like that. If not, go buy some of those freezer bags (you use for lunch bags & camping trips) and keep them in the freezer, until you need them. I didn't drink Ensure, but I drank alot of protein shakes (and yes, the colder the better). Didn't try the popsicles, but hear they work real well. Ate things like applesauce & pudding in the cup and mashed potatoes w/butter. I was not on CPAP then (& no humidifier), so my throat would get extremely dry. My solution, are ready for this? A baby spill proof cup with very cold water, on my pillow at all times!!!! I told my family, friends and coworkers to send me lots of funny emails while in I was in recovery!!!!! It made my days a little brighter, Laughter is the best medicine!!!! I wish you well my friend, I hope some of this works for you. Take care of yourself and keep us posted...
Carolyn
I stayed in the hospital overnight with my surgery (approved by insurance). Didn't sleep at all, but had lots of morphine and was on oxygen, (I wish they would have sent some of that home with me)!!!!! Also, at 47 years old I took a big, soft cuddley stuffed rabbit to spend the night with me, should I admit that???? They sent me home with a large ice pack thing, I could tie around my neck. You just stick in the freezer for awhile and boy that helped alot, may sure they give you something like that. If not, go buy some of those freezer bags (you use for lunch bags & camping trips) and keep them in the freezer, until you need them. I didn't drink Ensure, but I drank alot of protein shakes (and yes, the colder the better). Didn't try the popsicles, but hear they work real well. Ate things like applesauce & pudding in the cup and mashed potatoes w/butter. I was not on CPAP then (& no humidifier), so my throat would get extremely dry. My solution, are ready for this? A baby spill proof cup with very cold water, on my pillow at all times!!!! I told my family, friends and coworkers to send me lots of funny emails while in I was in recovery!!!!! It made my days a little brighter, Laughter is the best medicine!!!! I wish you well my friend, I hope some of this works for you. Take care of yourself and keep us posted...
Carolyn
-
Barb (Seattle)
- Posts: 663
- Joined: Wed Aug 03, 2005 6:41 pm
-
Sleeping With The Enemy
- Posts: 454
- Joined: Tue Jan 25, 2005 11:54 pm
- Location: Minnesota
Countdown...preop dr. visit
My dr said that if there was a candidate to cure, it would be me. She reassured me that it is not going to be as bad as I think it is. The only reason she is keeping me overnight is because I witnessed my husband's botched surgery and she wants me there for them to cater to me. I am cool with that. I loaded up on whipped yogurt and popsicles. She gave me a prescription for Hycet (?) and I will get that filled tomorrow along with Amoxicillin. She said that I will probably experience the most discomfort on day 4, which will be Sunday, so at least someone will be here with me on the weekend. She did say that my o2 sat was 80% and something about 7.5? She did say that as long as I stayed on top of the pain with the meds, I should be ok. She also said that I will be glad I did it. FYI, my dr. is a family friend and a very good dr, so I don't think she is selling me. My husband almost died from complications of overmedicating and dehydration. He had to have home health come and give him IV fluids. He also had the sinus surgery at the same time with bone removal. She came to our resue in the emergency room and got him on the right track. I have faith in her!! One more day to go!
-
sleepyinsunnyvale
- Posts: 121
- Joined: Mon Feb 28, 2005 5:42 pm
-
Sleeping With The Enemy
- Posts: 454
- Joined: Tue Jan 25, 2005 11:54 pm
- Location: Minnesota
I'm pretty sure Hycet is liquid Vicodin. I used both liquid Percocet (needs written prescription) and liquid Vicodin (can be called into pharmacy).
I would ask her to prescribe the liquid Percocet, it seems to be more effective for the throat pain. Maybe have her give you a script for the Hycet, just in case you end up needing it, you don't want to end up where either one or the other doesn't work well for you and you don't have good pain control.
I also picked up a bunch of Chloraseptic lozenges (they have honey and cherry, honey seemed to be easier for me) and used those, they seemed to really help me.
When you do take your liquid pain medication, mix it with a little water or juice or something so its not so nasty. Also, don't try to down it all in one gulp, take small sips. Keep taking it on schedule, don't wait to long or you will be sorry. I started out in the morning with a Freeze or popsicle to numb my throat before I was able to take my pain medication.
I ate yogurt and cream of wheat. You'll be okay for the first couple of days, but she is right...after day 4 or so it is a little rough, just keep taking the pain medication and make sure you have at least some milk or something in your stomach to help with having all the pain medications in your system.
Drink, drink, drink....or you will get constipated from the narcotics. Force yourself to at least sip on something. If it doesn't feel good being ice cold, try room temp.
Good luck.
Heidi
I would ask her to prescribe the liquid Percocet, it seems to be more effective for the throat pain. Maybe have her give you a script for the Hycet, just in case you end up needing it, you don't want to end up where either one or the other doesn't work well for you and you don't have good pain control.
I also picked up a bunch of Chloraseptic lozenges (they have honey and cherry, honey seemed to be easier for me) and used those, they seemed to really help me.
When you do take your liquid pain medication, mix it with a little water or juice or something so its not so nasty. Also, don't try to down it all in one gulp, take small sips. Keep taking it on schedule, don't wait to long or you will be sorry. I started out in the morning with a Freeze or popsicle to numb my throat before I was able to take my pain medication.
I ate yogurt and cream of wheat. You'll be okay for the first couple of days, but she is right...after day 4 or so it is a little rough, just keep taking the pain medication and make sure you have at least some milk or something in your stomach to help with having all the pain medications in your system.
Drink, drink, drink....or you will get constipated from the narcotics. Force yourself to at least sip on something. If it doesn't feel good being ice cold, try room temp.
Good luck.
Heidi
-
Barb (Seattle)
- Posts: 663
- Joined: Wed Aug 03, 2005 6:41 pm
-
Sleeping With The Enemy
- Posts: 454
- Joined: Tue Jan 25, 2005 11:54 pm
- Location: Minnesota
-
New Hampshire
- Posts: 5
- Joined: Tue Feb 21, 2006 1:30 pm
- Location: Peterborough NH
DON'T DO IT.
Hi ljmcd,
I had mild apnea and had the surgery in 1995. My ENT considered me a success--after recovery, I no longer snored and had no apparent obstructions.
But the good times didn't last, and my condition became gradually worse. It wasn't until I was diagnosed with congestive heart failure in 1998 that I realized I had a serious problem. My feet had swollen so much (part of the congestive heart failure) that my shoes no longer fit, a new sleep study showed I had 120 apnea events per hour (about 2 per minute), I couldn't breathe so I was scared to sleep, and I was getting very little oxygen to any of my vital organs.
I cannot prove that the surgery caused my worsening. But no one will ever convince me that it didn't. (I think that the surgery may have allowed other tissue in my throat to become more relaxed.) Anyway, I got a CPAP in 1998, and immediately my health started improving. I no longer have congestive heart failure. I wish that I had started with a CPAP and avoided the surgery altogether.
BTW, my ENT preferred another surgical solution over the CPAP. I said no thanks.
I don't like being the one to offer doom and gloom the day before you're scheduled for the surgery. I only wish that I had read your message sooner. I have never met anyone who had a long lasting success from the surgery. The pain during the two-week recovery period--just a really bad sore throat--was not nearly as bad as the what I experienced during the next two or three years.
I do not offer this advice lightly: At least postpone the surgery until you speak with more people who have had it. The so-called success rate, which is very low anyway, does not even consider long term success. I encourage you to email me, and I will be happy to offer my phone number if you would like to talk about it. Better yet, you can talk with my wife about my experience through her eyes.
--Dennis Allen
Hi ljmcd,
I had mild apnea and had the surgery in 1995. My ENT considered me a success--after recovery, I no longer snored and had no apparent obstructions.
But the good times didn't last, and my condition became gradually worse. It wasn't until I was diagnosed with congestive heart failure in 1998 that I realized I had a serious problem. My feet had swollen so much (part of the congestive heart failure) that my shoes no longer fit, a new sleep study showed I had 120 apnea events per hour (about 2 per minute), I couldn't breathe so I was scared to sleep, and I was getting very little oxygen to any of my vital organs.
I cannot prove that the surgery caused my worsening. But no one will ever convince me that it didn't. (I think that the surgery may have allowed other tissue in my throat to become more relaxed.) Anyway, I got a CPAP in 1998, and immediately my health started improving. I no longer have congestive heart failure. I wish that I had started with a CPAP and avoided the surgery altogether.
BTW, my ENT preferred another surgical solution over the CPAP. I said no thanks.
I don't like being the one to offer doom and gloom the day before you're scheduled for the surgery. I only wish that I had read your message sooner. I have never met anyone who had a long lasting success from the surgery. The pain during the two-week recovery period--just a really bad sore throat--was not nearly as bad as the what I experienced during the next two or three years.
I do not offer this advice lightly: At least postpone the surgery until you speak with more people who have had it. The so-called success rate, which is very low anyway, does not even consider long term success. I encourage you to email me, and I will be happy to offer my phone number if you would like to talk about it. Better yet, you can talk with my wife about my experience through her eyes.
--Dennis Allen
Last edited by New Hampshire on Fri Feb 24, 2006 2:47 pm, edited 1 time in total.
I survived!!
Well, her I am! I had my surgery on Wednesday. Really no big deal. Stayed overnight. That was awful. I had a screamer in the next room, so at 1:00 am I was transferred to another room They are all private, so that was nice. I took the liquid Loritab, which although it is nasty did the trick. Came home this afternoon and am up for my 2:00 meds. The only thing that is bothersome is that I can feel a thread from the stitching and it gives me a gag reflex. I am eating lots of yogurt and trying juice. Oh well, off to bed now that the Hycet is kicking in. I will check back in tomorrow. I am waiting for day 4 though!
-
SLEEPYCD
-
New Hampshire
- Posts: 5
- Joined: Tue Feb 21, 2006 1:30 pm
- Location: Peterborough NH
Great news! Just be patient with the recovery, and you'll feel great in 2 weeks.
Also, I'd like to apologize if my previous post seemed negative. I hope that your long term recovery will be a great success. Please keep us all posted on how you do.
BTW, following the surgery when I was finally able to introduce "soft food" into my diet, finding the right soft food was not easy. My wife found a recipe for a chicken pot pie where all the vegetables are julienned and cooked tender. She says it's easy to make, which means something, because I do most of the cooking. Anyway, it was my first real meal after a steady diet of Popsicles, etc., and it was the only meal that I could eat for a few days that wasn't frozen, liquefied, or pureed. To this day, we jokingly refer to it as the meal that saved my life. If you would like the recipe, I'll be happy to share.
--Dennis
Also, I'd like to apologize if my previous post seemed negative. I hope that your long term recovery will be a great success. Please keep us all posted on how you do.
BTW, following the surgery when I was finally able to introduce "soft food" into my diet, finding the right soft food was not easy. My wife found a recipe for a chicken pot pie where all the vegetables are julienned and cooked tender. She says it's easy to make, which means something, because I do most of the cooking. Anyway, it was my first real meal after a steady diet of Popsicles, etc., and it was the only meal that I could eat for a few days that wasn't frozen, liquefied, or pureed. To this day, we jokingly refer to it as the meal that saved my life. If you would like the recipe, I'll be happy to share.
--Dennis
Once in a while I see a post here that is so interesting I read every post, and every response all the way through.
This was one of those posts. Not only were all the responses remarkably interesting, great arguement was given on both sides.
But having read as many posts on this board as I have about the surgery either not working or not working for long, I know I would never try it.
Easy for me to say because I was able to take to cpap like a fish to water
right from day one.
The weight loss issue is interesting and it seems to me I've never read of anyone curing thier apanea from losing weight, on this board or any other board, Still if we're over weight we should try to lose.
good luck to anyone that trys the surgery, I'll keep my fingers crossed for you .
This was one of those posts. Not only were all the responses remarkably interesting, great arguement was given on both sides.
But having read as many posts on this board as I have about the surgery either not working or not working for long, I know I would never try it.
Easy for me to say because I was able to take to cpap like a fish to water
right from day one.
The weight loss issue is interesting and it seems to me I've never read of anyone curing thier apanea from losing weight, on this board or any other board, Still if we're over weight we should try to lose.
good luck to anyone that trys the surgery, I'll keep my fingers crossed for you .