Dr. wants to try Uvula surgey to help with my BIPAP

My doctor wants to trim or remove my Uvula to help me use my machine. I cannot use the machine and I've had it for a year now. I have a deviated septum so the nasal mask would not work. She suggested this procedure to help cope with the full mask. I know this isnt going to cure the apnea I just want something to help me get some sleep. Has anyone had this surgery and if so could you give me some pros and cons.

Thanks

My dentist had this surgery, and now he gets food up his nose.
He does NOT recommend it!

Why?
If you breathe normally during the day there is no reason not to be able to use a full face mask.
It would be better to see a therapist first to deal with the mental / emotional issues before slicing into your body in the hope that would make you feel better about using a mask.

I don't think it helped any, and it took awhile to learn how to eat without getting food up my nose and down my throat. turns out i needed an ASV machine. jack the knife promised salvation and neither of us knew what I really needed.

Had a UPP and septoplasty both done a few years ago and it worked great for a while. But as I aged those muscles in my airway were losing tone and I had to go on cpap anyway. I only use pillows and not a full mask with great success. I would recommend the surgery but ask about a septo as well to open your nasal passages. Drop your weight even by 5 lbs and it makes a world of difference.

See this about Uvulectomy:

search.php?keywords=uvulectomy+

If my Uvula was removed then I would not be able to pronounce these important words:
Chamor-donkey.
Chacham-smart.
Channukah- holiday.
Channah- my grand daughter's name.
Beith Lechem-near Jerusalem.

armachunga wrote:My doctor wants to trim or remove my Uvula to help me use my machine. I cannot use the machine and I've had it for a year now. I have a deviated septum so the nasal mask would not work. She suggested this procedure to help cope with the full mask. I know this isnt going to cure the apnea I just want something to help me get some sleep. Has anyone had this surgery and if so could you give me some pros and cons.

Thanks

"That's not logical, Captain Kirk."

Wouldn't having nasal surgery for the deviated septum be more logical than taking out that little bitty "hangy thingy" in your throat?

Here's a link to the discussions about it on the forum.

viewtopic/t112237/search.php?keywords=UPPP

Good luck with your decision. The vast majority of people having the UPPP surgeries have regretted it.


Den

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I had the uvulaectomy surgery along with correcting a badly deviated septum, turbinate reduction and my sinus cavities removed in 1996. It helped for a few years. but I ended up with a bipap machine last year. I would recommend having the deviated septum fixed. It will help with your breathing when you are awake and sleeping both. I don't know about the uvula surgery. That is a decision you will have to make for yourself. The biggest thing I noticed was I could not eat spicy foods for a long time. Every time I did, it felt like my mouth and throat were on fire. I still can't stand as much spicy foods as I did before surgery, but that might just be age related.

If you do decide to have the uvula surgery, I recommend you get something similar to chloroseptic spray. It will help numb your throat after your surgery. The pain medication I was given was a liquid that contained alcohol. The first time I used it, I thought I would never exhale, it burned so much. After that, I would spray my mouth and throat before taking the pain medication.

avi123 wrote:See this about Uvulectomy:

search.php?keywords=uvulectomy+

If my Uvula was removed then I would not be able to pronounce these important words:
Chamor-donkey.
Chacham-smart.
Channukah- holiday.
Channah- my grand daughter's name.
Beith Lechem-near Jerusalem.

I've never had the urge to pronounce those words, but I've also not wanted to cut out any living body parts. Jim