Well, the results of my recent sleep study are back. Though I felt I slept rather peacefully that night, my doctor says I have sleep apnea. I’ve got the mildest case, apparently, but its there.
My options now are
- Wear a CPAP mask during sleep (noisy and uncomfortable)
- Wear a mandibular advancement splint during sleep (quiet and somewhat less uncomfortable)
- Have my tonsils removed (short term pain for long-term gain. Solves problem.)
- Do nothing
I don’t want to go the CPAP route because it may disturb Kelly and I’m considering the tonsillectomy, but the easiest route may be the oral appliance. This appliance will gently keep my jaw forward so that my tongue doesn’t block my airway. Doing nothing isn’t an option for me anymore:sleep contributes too much to my quality of life.
I was told today that adult tonsillectomies are not particularly fun (are any?), though the procedure is exactly the same for adults as it is for children. Adults apparently take longer to heal and so the pain and discomfort takes about a week: twice as long as a kid’s recovery. Its also the most expensive option, so insurance companies may go out of their way to put that option out of reach.
My ENT, Dr. John Garside, is fantastic, by the way. He and his staff go out of their way to give their patients his card. Yes, he actually wants to hear from patients after they’ve left his office! He is sharp as a tack, personable, and treats you like a partner in your health rather than talking down to you like some other doctors do. Out of the doctors I’ve had over the years, Dr. Garside tops my list of doctors who truly value their patients’ health and well-being, not just their wallets. I wish I had a primary care physician as good as him.
Should I choose to get my deviated septum or tonsils done, Dr. Garside is the man to do it. If anyone’s going to be poking a knife inside my head, he’s the guy.