My MMA Experience
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My MMA Experience

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Posted by ChuckInCt on February 20, 2012 at 11:43:28:

As a long time sufferer of OSA I finally had enough. On Tuesday, 11/1/2011, Dr KL performed my MMA and Septoplasty at Stanford hospital. The decision to have this done was a long time in the making. Prior to this surgery I underwent allergy tests (1994), nasal surgery (1995), multiple sleep tests, UP3, tonsillectomy and turbinate reduction (2005), CPAP, dental appliance, Nuvigil, two MRIs,… you get the picture. Six months prior to my MMA, a sleep test categorized my apnea as “low/moderate.”

My symptoms primarily were chronic fatigue and headaches, sometimes very serious that resembled “cluster”, “shoot me now,” headaches. This past summer I emailed Dr KL with my history and symptoms, asking if it was worth flying across country for a consultation. Two hours later Dr L called me and basically said, yes, I had the classic symptoms and I must get this addressed. He said the question I needed to ask myself was “can I go on living like this for the rest of my life?”

So, at the end of August my wife and I flew off to Palo Alto for the consultation, just barely escaping hurricane Irene that left my area without power for days. In the waiting room, my wife asked me, “are you nervous?” My response was, “yes, nervous and relieved.” I had one of the best surgeons in the world examining me and it was time to resolve this. After the doctor/patient interview, x-rays and scoping, he determined I was a candidate for the MMA procedure. Dr L was clear to state that there are no guarantees with surgery, he could just show me the data. The odds of a successful outcome were not 90% as with younger patients. (I was age 60). But the odds were certainly greater than 50%, maybe somewhere between 70-80%. Good enough for me. We booked the surgery and a room at the Residence Inn in Los Altos for two weeks in November.

We returned to Palo Alto in late October, just barely escaping a rare intense October snowstorm in Connecticut that left my area without power for over a week. (What are the odds?) Ironically, the day after arrival, I woke up with one of my killer headaches, as if I needed a reminder why I was doing this.

The day of the surgery is just a blur now. After I was wheeled into the operating room, I remember talking to the anesthesiologist, Dr N, about golf. Next thing I know, I was in the recovery room. Pain was not that much of an issue. Nasal drainage was the biggest discomfort as well as some pain outside the left nasal area. I did take Advil regularly after getting off the hard stuff before I left the hospital. Back at the hotel, time flew by quickly. Walking was a must during recovery. Our daily walks up Los Altos Ave into the town of Los Altos were a highlight during our stay. On 11/11, the flight home across country was exhausting. During my stay at home, the only pain worth noting was in my left sinus/nasal area, especially if I laughed. The arch bars were more uncomfortable the further along I got. I confess I was counting down the days until arch bar removal. Still, all this was tolerable.

On 12/1 we flew back to California to have the arch bars removed, a procedure that was much easier than I expected. Currently, my teeth still feel a bit tight, similar to what Seattlebill described years ago as having a retainer in his mouth. But, this has been getting better each day and I am now in the “soft chewing” phase. My upper teeth and gums are still numb. I can see this will take a while. My profile has changed a bit. I’ve actually received a few compliments.

So, the big question, was it worth it? So far, knock on wood, I am definitely breathing and sleeping better. My former fragmented dreams have turned into deeper dreams. My wife says that I am totally silent during sleep. So far, no mega headaches. No more CPAP. For the most part, my daily fog has been lifted. In a nutshell, yes, I feel better. This is looking very promising but I still have a ways to go. I look back now believing I made the right choice. No regrets. Throughout the difficult times, before and after surgery, it was reassuring to know Dr L was my doctor.

One more thing, I would like to thank everyone who has contributed to these forums. This never would have been possible without your generous wisdom. And I would like to give a shout out to Roger for his encouragement in an email months ago. One of the most valuable pieces of information came on his Westernjoe blog. If you make the decision to do this procedure, read very carefully his piece on “Pre-Op Panic.” Right up until my pre-op appointment the day before surgery, I could not believe I was doing this. And a very special shout out to my wife and caregiver through this whole experience. This would have been impossible without her care and the support of family and friends.

Chuck

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