snoring/sleep apnea

[Guest guest]

I think this article summarizes the concerns around snoring and apnea. It's

obvious from reading the parent lists and blogs that families of kids with

dwarfism are strongly encouraged to get certain tests done of their little ones

early on, and they carefully track sleep issues, oxygen, neuro symptoms, etc. I

feel strongly that adult dwarfs should do this as well.

My snoring was legendary in my family and girl scout troop as a kid, even post

adenoid/tonsil removal. When I was in my late teens and 20s I roomed with

bunches of other young women, as 20-somethings do at regional and national LPA

conferences, and earned a reputation to snore worse than anyone else in our

circles, worse than any other achon (guess there are worse reputations for a

college coed to earn at LPA conferences), this even though I was 4' tall and

size 0-2. I had a sleep study, was diagnosed with significant obstructive sleep

apnea and had UPP throat surgery where they removed my uvula. This surgery is

kind of controversial these days, doesn't always work, but it worked for me.

Now at 50, I snore somewhat more than I did a decade or two ago, have put on a

little weight and basically got scared this summer so had another sleep study.

I still have no significant apnea, had minimal # of episodes. The sleep

specialist did encourage me to sleep on my side as much as possible to minimize

episodes even more. I prop myself up against cushions etc., to keep me from

rolling onto my back which is my preferred position, which like water going

downhill, my body gravitates towards when unconscious.

The article below mentions alcohol exacerbating the snoring as do pain-killers

(relaxing tissues) and extra weight (extra tissue). This is my concern in our

adult population because we don't have obsessive parents watching over us like

the kids do and many of friends drink, use pain-killers and put on weight,

further crowding or compromising our dwarfed ENT passages. Even if you don't

have daytime sleepiness (a key sign of sleep apnea), if you are known to snore,

I encourage you to consider getting a sleep-study, for your health and

longevity.

http://pagingdrgupta.blogs.cnn.com/2010/12/14/get-some-sleep-no-snoring-is-safe/\

?hpt=T2