Considering Surgery: AS Considerations

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I'm considering a major surgery for my sleep apnea. I cannot tolerate cpap due to sensory issues. However, the surgery itself will be hard to tolerate. The thing is.. if I get it done, I won't have to deal with it anymore.

PROS: longer life, 1/3 less chance of heart attack or stroke, better quality of life, better concentration and memory, less depression, fewer to no migraines in the morning, no morning sore throats, no chance of dying in my sleep like my BF's good friend who died of sleep apnea in his 40's. Chance to lose weight and get a sharper chin via the surgery. Better chance of keeping weight off since new research indicates that sleep apnea CAUSES overweight via poor metabolism, not the other way around!

CONS: They are sawing off the upper jaw and then moving it forward and hooking it to the rest of the skull with brackets and screws. This REALLY bothers the crap out of me, although I'll be knocked out with anaesthetic when it happens. I will wake up with a bloody nose that is congested and possibly throwing up blood. These things are common after the surgery.

Some people have said this is a very extreme way to treat sleep apnea. I have real problems with nausea and I cannot sleep at all when congested. Also, I will have to go 6-8 weeks on a liquid and eventually soft food diet. This will be hard for me to endure. I think anyone would find this hard to endure, and I am autistic on top of it. I wonder constantly if I have what it takes and try to prepare myself for it because I think it is the right thing to do. However, I'm not sure.

Success rate: 95% via re-constructing and expanding the airway.

Is it worth it in your opinion?

I can't make a decision for you, and since I don't have sleep apnea I don't even have experience to relate it to. However, should you decide to go for the surgery, you may also be able to discuss your discomfort with the post-op effects, and find out if there are any ways to make them less bothersome. You can also start lookign for liquid/soft foods tha tyou find tolerable, for when you need to go on the diet.

well goodluck with that, ive only had two surgurys in my life. i was supose to have shoulder surgury but i losed my insurance

Well, my family seems to be against it. My dad called it "horrific" this morning.

At least my BF is supportive.

The CPAP thing would be an alternative if you could somehow get used to it; have you only tried it all at once? Maybe there are multiple aspects of it, like you could get used to the sound first without having anything on your face, then try adding other parts?

There are other treatments for sleep apnea beyond just CPAP and surgery, though, aren't there? Have you tried those, and might one of them succeed?

Re. Surgery: It sounds like a net bonus at the cost of a few weeks' misery. It's your choice. I would go for it, personally, once other options were exhausted.

Well, I tried the Cpap for 2 months, with 6 different masks. None worked. Also, there is a dental device you can get which pushes the airway open in about 30% of cases, but again, I would be spending the rest of my life wearing such a thing and the sensory toll is too much.

I'm leaning towards the surgery. I just hate it that my family isn't more supportive. BF is very supportive, though. My dad called it "horrific" this morning.

I had a similar surgery, but on the bottom jaw. My problem was an overbite so bad I couldn't even bite into a sandwich. All my food had to be cut or torn up so I could eat. They sawed thorugh it and moved it forward and used all kinds of screws and crap to hold it back together while it healed. It wasn't too bad for me. I dunno if it actually wasn't that bad or if I'm just so disconnected from the going-ons of the world that I didn't notice it as much as I should, but I was fine. I did loose a ton of weight from the liquid diet like you said you think you will. I was only really out of commission for a couple months, then I was all healed up and could do whatever I wanted again. I say go for it.

I know someone who went through this surgery, and though found it very difficult, was ultimately extremely pleased he did it. He was not on the spectrum, however. And he had several friends help him through the recovery phase.

I also have a friend who has both types of sleep apnea, and must have the surgery. He is a physician himself, as is his wife, and they both are ready for it. But he has managed to delay having the surgery for over 18 months. It is clearly not an easy choice even for well-informed NTs.

Having heard my friend talk about the process of diagnosis and treatment options, it seems the surgery is the only realistic choice. On the other hand, if there are other options, I hope one proves useful for you.

Thanks everyone, for your encouragement!

My BF had a good friend who was the president of the local chess club. He was in his 40's and had sleep apnea and bipolar disorder. Well, he had a manic episode, he was hospitalized, a doctor sedated him and he died. I'm bipolar too. It could happen to me!

I talked to my dad again and he said he didn't mean to dissuade me from the surgery. I told him how the drs someone posted about took 18 months to decide about it and he said, "That just shows you how serious this is," but he didn't try to talk me out of it.

I'm getting more comfortable with the thought of doing it and everyone who has posted has been helping.

I think it's a good idea. It could really improve your life, and even though post-surgery will be tough, you'll pull through it