Shirley

[Guest guest]

Hi June buddy,

Glad to hear that your sleep apnea is now completely cured and you

are finally getting a good night's sleep!! I am so so happy for

you. How's the eating going? Are you up to a steak yet?..(haha) Any

idea how much longer in braces?

Update me when ya get a chance,

--Caboose

> Hi Sandy, Hope this will help. I had surgery for sleep apnea

three

> mos ago.

>

> > I have sleep apnea due to a bottom jaw that sits too far back and

> > closes off my air passage at night (normal air passage is 10mm,

> mine

> > is 2mm).

>

> I, too, had a narrow airway. Before surgery my airway was to 3mm

> but now it is about 18mm. The sleep apnea is cured and for the

> first time in years I can sleep on back without waking up choking.

> I was in braces for 2 years, but ready for surgery at 18 mos. But

> had back problems that delayed the surgery until June.

>

> > I've had the braces for 18+ months to straighten my teeth, now

> > it's

> > almost time for the surgery – Nov. 2nd and I'm starting to

> > get REAL

> > nervous. I can usually handle pain pretty well, but I'm having

> > this

> > fear of not being able to breathe and panicking, also of vomiting

> > with my mouth banded shut. Is there much swelling of the throat,

> > because as I stated mine isn't very big to begin with? Also, are

> > there a high percentage of patients that vomit during the

recovery

> of

> > this procedure?

>

> To answer some of your questions:

>

> I didn't have any problems with vomiting. I told the

> anesthesiologist that I've had previous problems and they made sure

> I didn't have any problems afterwards. I didn't have any problems

> with swelling of the throat, but problems were more related to the

> gunk from the intubation & pain meds and after I was released from

> hospital. Remember after surgery your airway will be much larger.

> I am assuming you will be having Lefort I, BSSO and genio.

>

> They did leave the nasogastric tube and airway tube in until the

> next morning. (And all night I was telling them to get it out-

> writing on my whiteboard). The next morning they pulled the tubes

> and life was much better. I could talk right away (I wasn't wired

> shut, just rubber banded). In fact I called my 5 kids to tell them

> I was doing good. I also was able to drink from a cup. They

wanted

> me to use the syringe and tubing and I said just give me a cup!! I

> may not have been too tidy, but it was a lot easier than the

syringe.

>

> I did, like I said, have trouble, after I was released from

hospital.

>

> I woke unable to catch my breath two nights in a row which was

> probably a result of crud in throat from intubation, anemia (from

> blood loss) and pain meds. On Day 5 I discontinued pain meds and

> went to Tylenol. I really wasn't having bad pain, just feeling of

> pressure. I finally got a blood transfusion on Day 7, started

> drinking pineapple juice to loosen mucous crud in throat ( & hack

up)

> along with stopping pain meds seemed to do the trick. By day 8-9

> the worse was over. Codeine, etc. decrease respiration and I think

> that coupled with the other problems was why I was so short of

> breath.

>

> Plan to have some help the first few days at least. Remember that

> everybody's body reacts a little differently. I had very little

> swelling, others have quite a bit. I was black blue especially

from

> lower jaw and down chest. By week 4-5 most of the numbness was

> gone. I have very little numbness left a this point. If you have

> any other questions feel free to ask them.