Josh,
Read about GA here: http://www.sleepsurgery.com/genionglossus.html
UPP Surgery
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GoodKnight
- Posts: 65
- Joined: Fri Jul 29, 2005 9:21 am
- Location: California
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jeepdoctor
- Posts: 173
- Joined: Sun Jul 09, 2006 5:23 pm
- Location: "Green Country" Northeastern OK
Josh, Here is a link that will take you to an explanation of GA.
http://www.sleepsurgery.com/genionglossus.html
http://www.sleepsurgery.com/genionglossus.html
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another_charlie
- Posts: 3
- Joined: Fri Jul 28, 2006 10:39 am
- Location: Jacksonville, FL
just to post my experience with the surgeries (can never have too much feedback)...
back in April of this year (2006) I had the UPPP, turbinate reduction, and septoplasty. I knew going in that the success rate was not in my favor, and that it was to be painful.
As some others have said, it wasn't quite as painful as I had expected (which I hesitate to say, because I'd rather people go in expecting the worst and being pleasantly surprised rather than expecting little to no pain and being in a world of hurt).
The biggest issue for me was that i had developed an infection in my nose which just made it ridiculously much more painful than it should have been. I expected to have gotten more in the way of pain meds, but did not. Just stuff to numb the throat a little and ward off infection there...but nothing to handle just the overall pain...which, once the infection in the nose was in full force, was quite significant.
End rssult 4+ months later is that the surgery wsa NOT deemed a success. One follow up sleep study a couple of months ago showed I was still having apneas. However, they did say that there could still be swelling/scar tissue and that things may eventually get better. Honestly, I'm not holding my breath (pun recognized, but not intended).
Would i do it again? In a heartbeat. In spite of the 40-60% chance of success, an in spite of the pain, it is, IMO, a small price to pay for the chance to be free of the machine forever. I'm still having problems with getting used to the CPAP and would gladly gamble a month of pain to win a lifetime of good sleep.
Just my $0.02. I'm a gambler by nature and having issues with getting used to a machine, so that was my choice (and would be again if i had to do it over again). but if you're doing fine with the machine, or if you have a low threshold for pain, i don't know if it's really worth it.
Charlie[/img]
back in April of this year (2006) I had the UPPP, turbinate reduction, and septoplasty. I knew going in that the success rate was not in my favor, and that it was to be painful.
As some others have said, it wasn't quite as painful as I had expected (which I hesitate to say, because I'd rather people go in expecting the worst and being pleasantly surprised rather than expecting little to no pain and being in a world of hurt).
The biggest issue for me was that i had developed an infection in my nose which just made it ridiculously much more painful than it should have been. I expected to have gotten more in the way of pain meds, but did not. Just stuff to numb the throat a little and ward off infection there...but nothing to handle just the overall pain...which, once the infection in the nose was in full force, was quite significant.
End rssult 4+ months later is that the surgery wsa NOT deemed a success. One follow up sleep study a couple of months ago showed I was still having apneas. However, they did say that there could still be swelling/scar tissue and that things may eventually get better. Honestly, I'm not holding my breath (pun recognized, but not intended).
Would i do it again? In a heartbeat. In spite of the 40-60% chance of success, an in spite of the pain, it is, IMO, a small price to pay for the chance to be free of the machine forever. I'm still having problems with getting used to the CPAP and would gladly gamble a month of pain to win a lifetime of good sleep.
Just my $0.02. I'm a gambler by nature and having issues with getting used to a machine, so that was my choice (and would be again if i had to do it over again). but if you're doing fine with the machine, or if you have a low threshold for pain, i don't know if it's really worth it.
Charlie[/img]
I'm scheduled to have the Septoplasty and UPPP done at the end of October. Hopefully my surgery goes as well as the original poster's did.
I gave CPAP about 15 months and just can't use the machine (I posted early on about the issues I have with it, they never got better). I actually feel much worse after a night of CPAP then without it.
I did ask my ENT about the high failure rate of UPPP. He said that a lot of that is attributed to the fact that a lot of people that have the surgery are in the extremely obese category. With my 20 extra pounds (which I'm still working on losing) he gives me a better then 75% chance of this solving my apnea problems, especially if I lose the weight.
Something I found interesting (and would make a good poll maybe) is that he told me that having more then a 17 inch neck is one of the contributers to apnea (I wear a 17.5 inch collar). He said I would be shocked to know how many NFL players have apnea.
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CPAPopedia Keywords Contained In This Post (Click For Definition): CPAP
I gave CPAP about 15 months and just can't use the machine (I posted early on about the issues I have with it, they never got better). I actually feel much worse after a night of CPAP then without it.
I did ask my ENT about the high failure rate of UPPP. He said that a lot of that is attributed to the fact that a lot of people that have the surgery are in the extremely obese category. With my 20 extra pounds (which I'm still working on losing) he gives me a better then 75% chance of this solving my apnea problems, especially if I lose the weight.
Something I found interesting (and would make a good poll maybe) is that he told me that having more then a 17 inch neck is one of the contributers to apnea (I wear a 17.5 inch collar). He said I would be shocked to know how many NFL players have apnea.
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CPAPopedia Keywords Contained In This Post (Click For Definition): CPAP
Yep. At least that part of it runs in families.
Even in High School, when I was a perfectly average weight, my neck size was 18 - 18 1/2.
My Dad has the same problem. And it looks like my 4yo son and my 6 mo twins are going to have the same problem. All 3 of them end up wearing bigger shirts than they need, simply because the collar is too tight.
Even in High School, when I was a perfectly average weight, my neck size was 18 - 18 1/2.
My Dad has the same problem. And it looks like my 4yo son and my 6 mo twins are going to have the same problem. All 3 of them end up wearing bigger shirts than they need, simply because the collar is too tight.