Surgery vs. CPAP Machine

[agiannetta]

Hello.

I have very recently been diagnosed with severe sleep apnea. My doctor suggested a few options for treating this - surgery or the use of a cpap machine. According to my doctor, the surgery is relatively minor and will definitely cure my snoring, although the success rate in treating sleep apnea is 40% to 50%.

Has anyone had surgery for this? What has your experience been? Does anyone know anyone that has had the surgery? I wouldn't mind having the surgery (just be done with this health issue rather than having to use a CPAP machine for the rest of my life), however I am a bit concerned that I will still need a cpap machine after the surgery since the success rate for sleep apnea is only 40% to 50%.

It would be great to hear from anyone who could shed some light on this issue.

agiannetta

[Tigers Fan]

Last resort

Hi agiannetta

Our expert James is home for the holidays, I expect.

As far as I know, surgery is regarded as the last resort for OSA - the success rate as well as the risks suggest this.

We have a forum member who underwent surgery to lose weight, which he did - and came off CPAP.

CPAP is not necessarily for life - just a temporary solution whilst life style changes are put in place and have effect. Getting BMI within a range is first up, dietary changes,then exercising, singing, playing the didgereedoo .....

If you are not over-weight, the throat muscle strengthening exercises may help. A good justification for a trip to Oz if you need one!

Tigers Fan

[Steve Harper]

Hi,

It is highly recommended that doing certain changes in your lifestyle so that sleep apnea devices will be more effective. If you are obese, there is a great chance of snoring regularly simply because the fats will tend to block the air paths which triggers a person to snore. So, better loss weight if possible.

[threewheelweave]

Very Valid Concerns!

Hi agiannetta

You are right to be concerned - case histories of those that have surgery show that the majority even if helped need CPAP post the operation.

Tigers advice is sound - do all you can to make the situation better but the benefits of CPAP outweigh the minor disadvantages by a significant amount! As the condition comes on slowly you will not realise what even one "good nights" kip is like anymore - it can be an amazing experience after six weeks feeling 15 years younger and alive again!

Do your research / trawl through this forum; You Tube / Web etc and then weigh it all up with an informed choice

Keep us posted - all the best

Cheers

TWW
UK

[James @ Intus]

Hadn't spotted this thread before, sorry!

We always look at it this way. Surgery may well be irreversible. Cut something out, or burn something away that won't come back. CPAP is not irreversible. If it doesn't work or you don't like it, you can go back to square one, no harm done.

So in general, the advice tends to be:

1. Get CPAP (or MAD if not severe OSA) first so you get some more energy.
2. Use this energy to try and better your lifestyle. Most benefit form loosing weight for example so you'll need energy to exercise.
3. Now you're in a better mental and physical shape, consider your long-term options. Can you stick with CPAP or a mouth splint? Or do you want to try surgery, even with its low success rate and high cost and sacrifices?

The order is important because having untreated OSA will cloud your mind as many here can confess. Making rational decisions isn't as easy when you're not sleeping well and you don't want to regret surgery later.

[tallishbloke]

Hi agiannetta

It depends on the type of surgery that has been suggested to you. Surgery to remove a section of the soft palate at end of the throat often known as a UPPP is generally very painful and unpleasant. It can provide some temporary benefit, but there isnt a lot of clear evidence that long term it "cures" sleep apnoea, although ENT specialists may try to persuade you otherwise. It can lessen snoring, and change the pitch of the snoring from a lower to higher frequency. It can also make subsequent CPAP therapy more effective.
If you have some nasal blockages, perhaps caused by nasal polyps it may well be worthwhile having these looked at and possibly removed. It may help with the sleep apnoea and could well help with CPAP therapy by making it easier to breathe through the nasal passages. Correction deviated septum may also help witrh CPAP therapy.
The other form of surgery which may seem rather extreme is bariatric surgery in people that are clinically obese. You can either have a gastric band or a gastric bypass (usually more complex) - these are designed to help the individual to lose significant amounts of weight, which may get rid of sleep apnoea. This is fairly radical and requires big commitment from the person with accompanied lifestyle changes, but the gains in terms of health benefits can be huge, not least in reducing sleep apnoea, but helping high blood pressure, lessening diabetes, easding arthritic joint problems, reducing cancer risk to name but a few.
Hope this is as clear as mud lol.
TB

[threewheelweave]

Updated Link

Hi again

As tallishbloke says you could have surgery and still need CPAP

There is an interesting account of exactly that happening to an American patient who relates his story on You Tube - trawl through the CPAP stories and you'll find it if you add 'surgery' to CPAP on the search engine - well worth reviewing

The very best - keep posting - cheers
TWW
UK