Posted by sleepyhead on March 02, 2009 at 18:56:35:Dr Li:
I am a perimenopausal woman in my late 40s with moderately severe OSA. An MMA/GA was recommended by my oral surgeon. I am seriously considering the surgery, but am worried about the impact of menopause on surgical outcome. You have mentioned that OSA worsens with age, and I worry that my OSA will only worsen (and CPAP will be less helpful than it is now) as I hit my 50s. All that said, I have had sleep medicine specialists telling me to not have the surgery "because I am now too old." I would like to think that the MMA/GA, might mitigate the impact of menopause on my OSA, but I would appreciate hearing from you about whether this tentative assumption on my part, is indeed correct. Could it also be that if I have the MMA/GA while I am in perimenopause, that the positive surgical results could be reversed once I am actually menopausal? My weight is under good control, I have had a septoplasty, and tonsils/adenoids aren't a problem (although I think the surgeon I saw indicated that my soft palate might be contributing to the OSA (although the tongue base problem is the primary problem). My jaws are a bit narrow, but I was told that an MMA/GA would be more useful to me than the palate expansion procedure. I trust my surgeon's opinion, but am unnerved by the sleep specialist's position, that I "have passed my prime" for the MMA/GA. I know weight control will remain crucial, and I am willing to do whatever it takes to keep a healthy BMI. Any words of wisdom (to aid me in my decision making process) will be most appreciated.
Thank you,
Muki
- Re: For Sleepsurgeon: MMA & Menopause sleepsurgeon 17:11 3/03/09 (0)