Posted by sleepy-in-seattle on July 18, 2008 at 09:05:51:In Reply to: Looking for advice on options posted by ahr on July 17, 2008 at 19:52:22:
I'll pile on as well. Don't rush into surgery.
Go for the CPAP. It seems foreign and clumsy and invasive, but if it works for you, it will transform your life.
This particular sub-forum is filled with people for whom it did NOT work - so we will tend to be knowledgable about surgery and not as helpful on CPAP.
Almost every surgery for apnea is VERY invasive and carries risks of permanent complications. It should ONLY be considered when you have tried CPAP and know to what degree it works for you (or not). Otherwise, you are evaluating surgery without having experienced the alternative (bad idea).
Another reason to try CPAP (not for a few weeks, but many months - think a year or more) is that if you hope to have surgery covered by insurance (most of us) then you have to show a medical NEED. Insurance companies will generally not approve surgery until you have explored other options AND they have proven ineffective.
Right now, CPAP is considered the default first line of therapy for OSA. It is non-invasive, completely reversible and virtually risk free.
If your tonsils are enlarged, it might be good to have them out - and it may lessen the OSA, but it won't cure it.
Hold off on the UPPP. Too risky and little benefit.
Another area to check out (while you're trying out CPAP) is your nasal breathing. Many OSA folks have multiple factors (big tongue, tonsils, uvula; nasal congestion or blockage; narrow and/or receding jawline) that contribute - and its worth it to see if there are any things you can do to lessen the severity of apnea.
In many ways, I wish CPAP had worked for me. Although surgery was a success, it was a long and hard road. I certainly didn't have surgery just so I could avoid CPAP!
A tip on the CPAP - you might try nasal pillows (don't know why they're called that) instead of a full-face mask. I hated the full face one myself, but the nasal style worked best for me (for a while).