My sleep apnea cured?

[ThomasJchere]

Dear anyone,
I am 39 yo and have been plagued with severe sleep apnea for about 15 years. I got a CPAP machine when I was diagnosed but never really got used to it so tried several things including turbinectomy 11 years ago, pillar implants 8 years ago and dental appliance. None of these worked and always had to go back to being a slave of the CPAP machine. As my apnea was getting worse I finally decided to go for a UPPP surgery on Nov 4. After 3 weeks I can say my sleep apnea is gone. I still snore a bit but nothing like I use to. I have not used my machine since. I am so happy and hope it will stay this way. There is a lot of debate about the success rate of this surgery but for me it really worked. I guess I was a good candidate, also weight was not an issue for me.

[Julie]

I suggest you wait 3-6 mos and then come back (after a new sleep study or self titration) and tell us if your apnea is still 'gone'. Hope so though!

[chunkyfrog]

Please ask your pathologist to upload your autopsy results for the benefit of others similarly misguided.

[WindCpap]

Please ask your pathologist to upload your autopsy results for the benefit of others similarly misguided.

Not very nice CF

But CF does have a point even if it was expressed in this particular way. You cannot tell how well you are cured simply by your own observations. The placebo effect can be pretty strong, and the consequences of untreated osa are severe. You should have another sleep study to confirm.

The trouble with a surgical cure is that there is no good diagnostic tool to tell you when the sleep apnea comes back other than follow-up sleep studies.

[Lucyhere]

Please ask your pathologist to upload your autopsy results for the benefit of others similarly misguided.

Why say something like that? You don't know him and you don't know his situation. Maybe his apnea is gone. Encourage him to have a sleep study to be sure; that's about all he needs to hear.

[chunkyfrog]

The OP is not registered, not asking for help, or even confirmation.
What does that leave? Bragging? I stand by my comment!

[Lucyhere]

[quote="chunkyfrog"]Bragging? I stand by my comment![/quote!]


That's wonderful -- I stand by mine!

[bwexler]

Some of us just know how to be blunt and to the point.

When a doc talks like that we say he has a poor bedside manner. But in this case you may not even get a first chance to make a first impression. The OP may not stick around long enough to see CFs comments or mine.
I think most of us can agree the OP will need to follow up to be sure his casual observation is valid.

[Heart Jumping]

After 3 weeks I can say my sleep apnea is gone.

Thomas, how did you determine it is gone? Did you do a new sleep test, or some other method?

[Goofproof]

The OP is not registered, not asking for help, or even confirmation.
What does that leave? Bragging? I stand by my comment!

15 years in untreated de-nile, chose the blade over air. Still in De/Nile, just sinking deeper, hoping they can persuade others to jump in and Drown too, no-one wants to drown alone. Many can't even see the shore. Jim

Send me a copy too, I'll post it!

[BlackSpinner]

After 3 weeks I can say my sleep apnea is gone.

Thomas, how did you determine it is gone? Did you do a new sleep test, or some other method?

How could he, he isn't even properly healed yet, the swelling is just going down. Just wishful thinking on his part.

He will probably be back on cpap and having a harder time in a year of so.

[49er]

I love the positive encouragement of this board when someone has the nerve to post that they had sleep apnea surgery, especially since it sounds like this person has tried many things, including pap therapy. Sheesh, if someone posted they had surgery after trying pap therapy for twenty years, you would condemn them to h-ll.

Do agree with the advice to get a sleep study to make sure the surgery was successful. Why anything else is necessary to add just is beyond me. CF, I normally greatly respect you as a poster but what you said was totally out of bounds.

49er

[Wulfman...]

Dear anyone,
I am 39 yo and have been plagued with severe sleep apnea for about 15 years. I got a CPAP machine when I was diagnosed but never really got used to it so tried several things including turbinectomy 11 years ago, pillar implants 8 years ago and dental appliance. None of these worked and always had to go back to being a slave of the CPAP machine. As my apnea was getting worse I finally decided to go for a UPPP surgery on Nov 4. After 3 weeks I can say my sleep apnea is gone. I still snore a bit but nothing like I use to. I have not used my machine since. I am so happy and hope it will stay this way. There is a lot of debate about the success rate of this surgery but for me it really worked. I guess I was a good candidate, also weight was not an issue for me.

Yes, there have been many discussions about UPPP over the years. Just go to the Search line above and do a forum search on it. The success ratio is NOT encouraging. Typically, there's a period of about 6 months to a year where it "works", but then the benefits start to decline and the apnea returns. Most of the UPPP patients are put back on CPAP or more pressure with Bi-Level therapy.
Many who have had it also state that their eating changes.......like they will never be able to eat peanut butter again.

If you still have your CPAP, I'd advise keeping it.
Please report back in about a year AFTER you've had another sleep study and tell us how things are going then.
The problem with "surgery" is that if things don't work out, they can't put things back the way they were.


Den

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[Wulfman...]

I love the positive encouragement of this board when someone has the nerve to post that they had sleep apnea surgery, especially since it sounds like this person has tried many things, including pap therapy. Sheesh, if someone posted they had surgery after trying pap therapy for twenty years, you would condemn them to h-ll.

Do agree with the advice to get a sleep study to make sure the surgery was successful. Why anything else is necessary to add just is beyond me. CF, I normally greatly respect you as a poster but what you said was totally out of bounds.

49er

We all know how poorly the "medical mafia" has been with helping users with their therapy. If this person had found this forum years ago and took control of their own therapy, they may have had a different outcome.
This person had surgery less than a month ago and has now proclaimed himself/herself to be "cured".
If they would have done some searching on this site, they may have been scared enough to make a better attempt with their CPAP therapy.
Sometimes reality can be brutal.
It's like Jack Nicholson's line from the movie "A Few Good Men".......that begins with "You want the TRUTH?.........."


Den

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[chunkyfrog]

. . .
Sometimes reality can be brutal.
It's like Jack Nicholson's line from the movie "A Few Good Men".......that begins with "You want the TRUTH?.........."


Den

.

+1000, Den.
Nothing I can say is worse than what really happens when people can't handle the truth.