British Snoring & Sleep Apnoea Association

Dear i'matechy,

Will you tell us which splint you think has alot of clinical evidence? Dont think of it as commercializing your comments, think of it as saving me a lit search. Im not really that keen on them, but reversible is definately good! I am also a mouth breather so if it obstructed my mouth it would be a no go! I think it is good to know these things as I'm sure the one you are offered in clinic is usually the one they have gotten the best deal on!

Thanks,
Jo

Hi Jo,
firstly how did you accertain you are a mouth breather? I'm not sure thats of great relevance, when having a device made. Anyway, as I said there are lots of different devices, and you are quite right, some clinicians will be willing to offer you something that they have managed to get hold of cheap, so they have a greater profit margin.
But there are lots of very good Dentists too and will offer you something based on Clinical Evidence. To date the best paper I have read is by Maree Barnes et al, using the MDSA device, it is a very strong paper published in Australia. They tend to be a few years in front of us over here in the UK when it comes to sleep problems.
I was told by a colleague that there are dentists who make it in the UK and its called Sleepwell. Have a look at some other postings on this forum I think they have listed a website solutions4snoring.com where you can find a dentist in your area.

Again, I work at a NHS hospital and we don't have the luxury in providing that type of splint as we are very restricted from a budget aspect.

Best of luck, be sure to be well informed should you choose surgery, I have seen a hell of a lot of patients who have had splints after their unsuccesful surgical treatment.

Dear Tas et all,
well, I go in for my uvulopharyngopalatoplaty (as It seems it is acually called) TOMORROW!!!!!!!!! ( removing my uvula and taking off a small strip around my soft palate and lasering the area) I have to say I am quite scared about this but am hoping that it will work. So, if you read this before tues 8th nov, lunch time spare me a thought as I go in mid afternoon. So till wednesday night when I get home then .......

Wish me luck******

Fi x

HI everyone - my first time on here, but at my wits end with this bloody snoring. My wife has told me that she can't and won't spend a night away with me ever again, as she just can't sleep when I'm there this is not a good state of play really.
I have tried plasters, strips and having read some of your replies - I am NOT having surgery.
I am sure many of you are in/have been in the same boat. I really need some gudiance/advice here - I don;t want to be one of these couples that has their own bedrooms and everything that goes with that
Would love to hear from fellow desperate people.

Try a MAD first, seriously. But don't buy a boil in the bag jobby. Have a custom made one from a dentist or hospital.
I have a number of years as a Lab Technician within various hospital labs, and many of the CPAP/Surgery patients were going onto having a dental device made.
Try your dentist first, or look at one of the websites listed on the forums.
I have seen good comments about the www.solutions4snoring.com people.

Surgery has very poor short lived outcomes usually, be warned.
Best wishes
The Techy

Hi all,
Well it has now been 8 days since my op, (uppp, see last posting!) and hey it's worked!!!!!!!! I don't snore any more, Hoooorrraaahhhh.
I was VERY nervouse on the day of the op and only really got to the theatre by thinking about anything but what I was about to do but I went through with it. I was sick when I first came around but that only lasted a few minutes so was not too bad, was then wheeled back to the ward and was really suprised by how good I felt.I have a friend who works in the hospital who popped up to see me a couple of hours after I got back to the ward and his first comment was "so when are they taking you down then!!!!" so I guess I can't have looked too bad. I even ate tea that evening. Pain wise, it was uncompfortable but nothing more.
the next morning I had some pain killers but it was still not a 'bad' pain on a scale of one to ten I'd put it at a two to three. Went home at 9.30 am and apart from feeling a bit dodgy from the tablets and sleepy still from the GA it was ok. Most pain is felt when you swallow so while you are not swallowing it really isn't too bad. over the weekend was probably the worst pain wise, taking the pain killers was quite hard as it really did hurt to swallow them. pain on swallowing at its worst on the one to ten scale probably reached an 8-9 but at least it wasn't a constant pain. The pain when I was not swallowing was not too bad really,the NON swallowing pain was at it's worst just after eating or taking pain killers but only for 20 ish minutes. I have been woken up at night with pain when I swallowed in my sleep but that is better now. I haven't eaten an awfull lot this last week nor have I drunk as much as I should (so yes, the diet is going brilliantly) Today though, a week and a day after the op I had fish and rice for lunch and chicken and boiled potatoes for tea, (the most I've had for over a week!!) so I really am feeling a lot better. The pain now is like a normal sore throat when swallowing and bearly noticable when not swallowing. I'm not saying surgery is the best option by far but I guess If you are a normalish weight and don't smoke or drink too much it is definaltly worth considering. I am now just hoping that that is the end of my days of waking up alone in my bed because poor Lee has walked home again in the middle of the night to get away from the noise!!!!!

Take care

Fi

Hi Fi

I'm really glad your surgery has worked for you and that you were home the next day to recover in your own home Unfortunitly for me things didnt go quite so smoothly I had my op and was very sick afterwards was on a drip for 5 days no food and morphine for the pain i had the back of my nose broken some bone taken away and recet some scar tissue taken away from previos surgery and a skin graft in the roof of my mouth they finally aloud me home after 12 days and when id been home for 3 days I woke up in the morning to find the stitches in the roof of my mouth and graft breaking down so i ended back at the hospital was told yes it is breaking down and was put on antibiotics and got to go back to see if i need more surgery to take the graft away or replaced like you said this is a great way to loose some weight I've now been on liguidized food for 3 weeks and will be for another 2 but i really havent got the weight to loose anymore and am feeling very tired and week all the time

Anyway I'm glad things went very well for you

All the best Tas

Hi Fi,
Glad your operation went smoothly and great to hear some positive things instead of all these negative remarks about surgery from some users of this forum.

I was in Hospital waiting for my procedure when it was cancelled at the last minute. I have now had a chance to think about wether i was making the right decision, and yes as of today decided that i had! After reading your post i feel a lot happier!...Thank you

Scott