[Symptoms] Possible sleep-onset central apnea. Desperate for help.

[sheepless]

I think there are others but somnoplasty and the pillar procedure are two that I've read about in the past. I wouldn't be surprised to find out that typical insurance doesn't cover any of them but I don't know that. whether any of these will help you is something you and your doctor will have to determine.

[scaredandtired]

Fantastic data sheepless, thank you so much.

Phew! So just did another run on reading some medical papers and it really does seem that uvulopalatal flap (UPF) is one of the safest options available. If my hospital cannot provide it I will ask them if there are any in Japan that do. I only wonder, it will certainly alleviate the uvula issue but will it take care of the descended soft palate?

Just thinking out loud but if there's anyone with experience I'm all ears.

Going to check out somnoplasty now, sheepless!

Edit: Oh my gosh, that looks great!!! My uvula is so huge now I'm afraid it might not be effective but I'll definitely talk to my doc about this as well once I have a diagnosis!

[MyronH]

I had the same issues several months ago you are describing with sleep onset CA's. Every time I'd go to sleep, I'd have CA's immediately happen. I wore an Conte oximeter that recorded my oxygen and has an alarm. My oxygen kept dropping to low 80's%.

I believe this was all caused by a couple of other health issues I had. I had found out I had blood clots and a DVT/PE back in May. Even after being on blood thinners, the issue continued for a few weeks after that. I also had my gallbladder removed which fixed an awful "unwell" feeling I was getting.

The sleep onset CA's eventually resolved themselves for now but I still get a couple CA's during my sleep each night where I quit breathing from 10-30 seconds.

In October I'm planning to have my deviated septum fixed, turbinate reduction, and possibly Uvula trimmed. There is an ENT here in Austin, Texas that does an alternate "UPPP". It's not a real UPPP. He does it in his office. Outpatient procedure. He cuts the Uvula and injects a liquid to Scar the tissue to make your palate retract over time.

My other ENT thinks that the ENT that does the procedure out patient in his office is a quack. But these doctors are competing with each other. I wish I could get a truthful answer from any of them.

[scaredandtired]

The sleep onset CA's eventually resolved themselves for now

Oh my gosh, if just that could happen I'd be the happiest person ever.

I've always had startled awakenings in the night from time to time and that's ya know, whatever. It happens. Sometimes you struggle to get back to sleep and sometimes you don't but it's not

every

single

night

every

single

time

you try to drift off.

I never had morbid thoughts about life before but this past week is the first time I was shaking with fear over a life of this.

Okay, so, sorry about the drama just helps to get that out.

*deep breath*

It's really great to hear that your onset CAs resolved for now. Gives me a lot of hope. Also good to know that there may have been related issues causing the events which I'm hoping is my case as well. Again, I go from being fine to having severe onset apneas in a day after a major anatomical change. Coincidence? ^o^

At this point I'm breathing just dandy through my nose despite a deviated septum BUT (amusingly enough) before all this struck but after my tonsillectomy I discussed coming to see my ENT to get my deviated septum fixed next. So for the time being, that's taking a back seat.

What Sheepless has described, 'Somnaplasty' sounds ideal as a means for retracting my soft palate. My only concern is whether it can be performed in Japan.


Finally, I'm sure this may frustrate some members because all I'm talking about is surgery.

I'm not discounting the benefits of machine use and I may be begging everyone for info on them down the line, but at this point it really looks like there was a major change to my body and my body is (unfortunately) reacting adversely to that change so if I can undo it, I would prefer that method if at all possible...for now.

I've also read many accounts from people whose situations have worsened by surgery (GEE, KINDA LIKE STUPID ME WHO THOUGHT IT'D BE A GOOD IDEA TO GET HIS TONSILS OUT) so I'm trying to get educated on the in's out's and percentages of what's available.

Thank you all, you're such a comfort. Aside from my amazing wife I feel very, very alone in all of this and you're a great help.

And whaddya know! My at-home test kit just arrived! Big night tonight!