Re: Sleep Apnea Support/Questions Thread
Well like the post above says, Diagnosed 2 years ago, and immediatley tried the CPAP and was not successful. Some of you may know that I am a career firefighter and sleep in at the station on every third day. So combined with the emergency calls and moving from home to the station CPAP didn't work well for me. In addition, the CPAP even at its lowest setting gave me feelings of way too much pressure in my chest. With the results of this brief test my doctor and I decided to have surgery, UPPP, it has worked for me only real side effect has been nose regurg of liquids and some dificulty when swallowing certain things. It has helped my health and definately changed my sleep. I can tell that I have more energy and dont have the exhaustion based sleep episodes. It has been successful for me and now to lose more weight to make the total change.
UPPP resulted in larger airway in back of mouth, Uvulaectomy and tonsilectomy as well.
Still need to have septum undeviated.
Graphic description follows:
Absolutely worse part for me was the tonsilectomy, nearly bled to death when the scabs released 1.5 weeks after surgery. Local ER couldnt' stop bleeding with cauterization and had wife transport two hours by car to surgeon. After 2000 CCs of NS at the first ER, Surgeon came to ER #2 and fixed problem with cauterization and when they got my pressure back up with an additonal 3K cc of NS and LR's they let me come home.
Being an EMT and the wife a Paramedic this was hard for us, I had to during the drive cough up blood and try and maintain pressure on the inside of my throat to lessen the bleeding. My wife said I was white as a ghost upon arrival at ER #2 and they moved very quickly, I dont remember my vitals but they worked quick to fix me.
Last edited by Biglizard1; 10-06-2009 at 02:43 PM.
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