Posted by Captin Cannuck on June 30, 2008 at 12:55:46:In Reply to: Re: Appointment with ENT made posted by exhausted on June 30, 2008 at 11:42:16:
Most people do not look ridiculous. Most probably you would only look slightly different. Many people who see me say that there is something different about me, but they can't put their finger on it. Others say that they think that I have lost some weight (face looks more narrow than before). Wouldn't worry too much about that aspect of it. See blogs for before and after pics. You can see that the people do not look so different.
Surgeons will be able to tell you if you would look different. There is a way they can know by using Delaire's Cephalometric Analysis. It is a kind of road map of the skull in which certian points should line up in normal people. By taking an X-ray of your skull, they can plot these points. They will know how far they could advance you without your looking abnormal.
A good surgeon will not advance you too far. They will know what they are doing. Trick is to get the very best surgeon. You need one who does lots of them routinely for OSA patients.
I encourage you to look into MMA. If I had a severe case as you do, I would most definately investigate this course of action. I would also say that you may want to think of what your goal is. Is it to get off CPAP or to minimize your AHI stat and sleep more comfortably? If it is the first, you will possibly be satisfied (as only some people get off of CPAP). If it is the second one, then you will have about 90% chance of satisfaction. About 90% of people significantly lower their AHI stat. You may end up like me, where you are sleeping much better with CPAP after MMA than you were before MMA. In my case, lots of damage was done to my airway and I only had a 1 mm airway before MMA surgery. Post op, I could sleep without CPAP, but not fully comfortably, but with CPAP after MMA sleeping very well. .... That is something for you to think about.
Best regards,