TBH, I don't really know if my apnea was reduced by the septoplasty because I was not actually diagnosed until afterwards. I do know that I was able to sleep better after surgery. Before surgery, I had to sleep pulling or stretching my face/nasal area to allow airflow through my nasal passages, not terribly comfortable!sleepcrapnea wrote: ↑Sun Mar 28, 2021 2:32 pm@booksfan thanks for your feedback.
Im so pleased to hear that your septoplasty went so well. And amazing even right after the surgery you felt better. I am expecting to feel worse immediately after for the first week. Kind of dreading it. But needs to be done. Although your sleep apnea remained, do you feel that it was reduced by the septoplasty?
It sounds like you got a great mask. Do you mind sharing what brand and model it is?
I have been reading that a deviated septum/ nasal blockage can significantly contribute to sleep apnea. Due to forcing you to breathe through your mouth which puts your tongue in the position of falling back to block your throat airway. I read a test was done with a normal guy who purposefully blocked his nose at night for 10 nights and it had dramatic effects on his sleep quality and blood pressure and caused significant sleep apnea. Also I think my nasal obstruction is causing a lot of sore dry throat, mouth, lip and cough issues which may be causing me to awake in and of themselves.
I think this is all going to be a bit of a journey. Regardless of whether I have sleep apnea, of which I am unsure, I think that septoplasty is going to be a necessary part of the journey. If that doesnt work I will need to focus heavily on weight loss and using a CPAP. At least I will be able to breathe through my nose on a CPAP after that.
Once I was able to sleep on my stomach/side again after surgery, I no longer had to do that and it made sleep much easier, albeit with severe sleep apnea as it turned out.I did try a lot of masks the first 14 months on CPAP but had difficulty finding one that was a good fit. I had issues with fit. Lots of leaks, straps and headgear slipping, etc. Multiple wake ups requiring readjusting the mask. Leaks from mask slips and exhaust severely exacerbated my dry eye. It also made my rosacea worse under where the straps crossed my cheeks...looked like sandpaper across my face! Once the Bleep Dreamport came out, that solved my issues! That is the mask I have used the past couple of years. No head gear, no leaks (unless my mouth drops open), no exhaust into my eyes, my cheeks are clear...love it!
I have a small airway (anesthesiologist comment pre-surgery), and I believe that muscle laxity (due to age
) also contributes to my apnea. But my septoplasty and turbinate reduction now allows me to breathe easily during the day. I have absolutely no problems using the Bleep, which is basically a nasal pillow mask. Pre-surgery, when I got colds, my nasal passages swelled completely shut and I was unable to breathe. That no longer happens, and (I am almost afraid to say this), I have actually had fewer colds. I have not had a sinus infection after a cold since surgery. Used to happen almost every time, because backed-up drainage. Coincidence? Strengthened immune system because better sleep due to CPAP? I don't know, but whatever the reason, I am glad. 