Has anyone had the operation that is geared to fix sleep apnea? My sleep docter gave me this as one of the options that I could choose from. I'm first exploring the Dental Adjustable Mandibular Appliance. I'm waiting to see if BC/BS covers it. Until then, if anyone has had an operation that fixed your sleep apnea, please reply. Thanks !

I just mentioned this in another thread...I had my tonsils, uvula, and adenoids removed, and it did nada.  I'm now on CPAP, and that helps me just fine.


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"You may only be one person to the world, but you may also be the world to one person."

Ooops! I just saw a post about an operation. I must tell you, this operation does not insert screws. The operation constites of the removal of the tonsals and tighting of the soft tissue in the back of the throut. Anyone ?

aishel wrote:

I just mentioned this in another thread...I had my tonsils, uvula, and adenoids removed, and it did nada.  I'm now on CPAP, and that helps me just fine.

Thanks for the reply. I would hate to go through it without any results.

Look, every person is different.  I'm telling you how it was for me.


_________________
"You may only be one person to the world, but you may also be the world to one person."

Hi Clamhead!

Surgery has a very low success rate while compliant CPAP therapy is 100% effective at opening airways.   Go to the dental devices thread for info on dental devices and here for more info. on surgery:

Surgery links for OSA

Also, you can find more info. on these topics in the Sleep Apnea FAQ to the left of the forum topic titles.

Why you don't view a CPAP as your first option?

Vicki



Last edited by Vicki on Sat Nov 12, 2005 5:53 am; edited 3 times in total
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That which does not kill you makes you stronger-Friedrich Nietzsche
Friedrich must of had apnea.

It eliminated 3 of the 6 or so worst side effects of my apnea, but not the apnea itself


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Everything, but green

Clamhead wrote:

Ooops! I just saw a post about an operation. I must tell you, this operation does not insert screws. The operation constites of the removal of the tonsals and tighting of the soft tissue in the back of the throut. Anyone ?

Hi,

If you check my post under UPPP, there is a list of surgical options.

Daniel


_________________
The untreated Sleep Apnoea sufferer died quietly in his sleep.......
Unlike his three passengers who died screaming !!!!!!

(Anon)

This link to a prior thread about UPPP, including a study showing as little as 10% effective rate on followup sleep study.

http://www.apneasupport.org/viewtopic.php?p=6415&highlight=#6415

Vicki wrote:

Hi Clamhead!

Surgery has a very low success rate while compliant CPAP therapy is 100% effective at opening airways.   Go to the dental devices thread for info on dental devices and here for more info. on surgery:

while compliant CPAP therapy is 100% effective ...I'll have to put that some of the best Yogi Quotes.  

Is there any good numbers for CPAP?  The last research I looked at said 80% of all patients can tolerate CPAP,  of those after two years 50% are still on CPAP treatment.  So overall CPAP is 40% effective as a long term treatment.  Which ideally is not very good but its the best that treatment we have.

[quote="Bob42"]

Vicki wrote:

Hi Clamhead!

Surgery has a very low success rate while compliant CPAP therapy is 100% effective at opening airways.   Go to the dental devices thread for info on dental devices and here for more info. on surgery:

while compliant CPAP therapy is 100% effective...I'll have to put that some of the best Yogi Quotes.  

Is there any good numbers for CPAP?  The last research I looked at said 80% of all patients can tolerate CPAP,  of those after two years 50% are still on CPAP treatment.  So overall CPAP is 40% effective as a long term treatment.  Which ideally is not very good but its the best that treatment we have.

Ok, lets put it this way, when someone uses CPAP, it treats OSA near 100%.  40% is not due to the method of treatment, its due to the lack of sticking to the treatment.  (like many other things in life)  The effectiveness at best for surgery is 25% and that is when you look at the optomistic numbers.  

At least with CPAP, you don't have to worry about fluids squirting out your nose...  

[quote="Bob42"]

Vicki wrote:

Hi Clamhead!

Surgery has a very low success rate while compliant CPAP therapy is 100% effective at opening airways.   Go to the dental devices thread for info on dental devices and here for more info. on surgery:

while compliant CPAP therapy is 100% effective...I'll have to put that some of the best Yogi Quotes.  

Is there any good numbers for CPAP?  The last research I looked at said 80% of all patients can tolerate CPAP,  of those after two years 50% are still on CPAP treatment.  So overall CPAP is 40% effective as a long term treatment.  Which ideally is not very good but its the best that treatment we have.

Compliance rates seem to vary from country to country. Lowest rates of compliance appear to come from those using private as distinct from public medicine.

Compliance rates in the US appear to run at c.50%. UK (unconfirmed) at c.60/70%, this is a reflection of a run down underresourced health sservice. Ireland are at 80/85% (confirmed) while countries in Europe such as Holland, Belgium, France, Spain & Germany appear to run at c.80% +. CPAP therapy itself is reckoned to be 95% + effective in the treatment of OSA.

Excellent public health systems (when working) in France, Belgium, Spain, Ireland contribute to the high compliance rates because after patients are diagnosed and put on CPAP they are 'followed up' by way of regular clinics attended by sleep specialists, sleep nurse specialists and technicians. I also believe that DME suppliers play an active part in ensuring compliance mainly by keeping in contact with their customers and support groups. They also engage in supplying compliance data to the sleep clinics (with patient agreement) by way of data cards.

While this may paint a rosy picture, it doesn't always work perfectly........but in my 11 years on cpap I have seen a massive improvement in back up services to help with compliance and have heard similar reports from various centres throughout Europe.

A study some years back, carried out in Edinburgh (Scotland) proved that the first 6 weeks on cpap are cucial for long term compliance. Failure to become compliant during that term leaves an uphill battle with a higher than average number of patients opting to 'drop' the therapy. Unfortunately this study did not take account of those who 'dropped cpap' in the early stages, but subsequently went back and tried again.

As with any set of stats it's hard to get a like for like from each country.

Daniel.


_________________
The untreated Sleep Apnoea sufferer died quietly in his sleep.......
Unlike his three passengers who died screaming !!!!!!

(Anon)

[quote="Bob42"]

Vicki wrote:

Hi Clamhead!

Surgery has a very low success rate while compliant CPAP therapy is 100% effective at opening airways.   I'll have to put that some of the best Yogi Quotes.  

Huh Bob?  Glad you liked it  

Vicki


_________________
That which does not kill you makes you stronger-Friedrich Nietzsche
Friedrich must of had apnea.