Apnea worse after surgery

[mikenrg]

Three years ago I had an AHI of 6. I couldn't tolerate CPAP so Doctor suggested surgery. I had a UPPP, tonsillectomy, rhinoplasty, and tongue ablation. After all of that, my current AHI is 70! Is it common for surgery to make apnea worse?

[SleepyMcgee]

Yikes. What's your doctors take on all of this?


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[D.H.]

It's also possible that the surgery did nothing and your apnea just got worse as it would have anyhow.

I suggest trying CPAP again. Both machines and masks have improved dramatically in the last few years.

[LSAT]

Three years ago I had an AHI of 6. I couldn't tolerate CPAP so Doctor suggested surgery. I had a UPPP, tonsillectomy, rhinoplasty, and tongue ablation. After all of that, my current AHI is 70! Is it common for surgery to make apnea worse?

Did this AHI number of 70 come from a sleep study without a cpap?

[Gasper62]

I've mostly heard of AHI improvement at first, then, an eventual return to apnea trouble. Never heard of worsening before. That sucks, big time ! Might be time to reevaluate your aversion to pap therapy............. Good luck.

[phoebe368]

Sometimes the UPPP surgery if done too aggressively can cause airway stenosis, a narrowing of the airway. There have been many instances of sleep apnea that have been worsened by the UPPP surgery.

[chunkyfrog]

Just be glad you did not go for roto-rooting your turbinates.
Google "empty nose".
They "say" empty nose is rare, but . . . (Who are "they"?)