British Snoring & Sleep Apnoea Association

OK, so approximately 5 years ago, I had a Sagital Split Osteotomy.. Its an op where they move your jaws around to make your teeth line up..

All is good, and teeth are now great! However, once I had healed up, I did notice that my soft palate does tend to block off my nose rather easily.. for example, if I blow my nose too hard, I can actually feel it blocking off my airway..

I snore. Always have. But my other half has been getting increasingly worried about the fact that I stop breathing for periods when I sleep..

To paint the picture, Im a fat git, 28 stone.. but most of that has been put on since I had the mouth op..

Anyhow, I bought a pulse/ox monitor and have some graphs.. I obviously have a level of OSA, but Im not sure how bad it is. Im always knackered, but then I have a pig of a job and work silly hours..

Anyone on here fancy taking a look at said graphs and telling me how bad or good things are..?

Hello and Welcome,

If you have the graphs and they are showing signs of osa im thinking why are you not going to your gp with them ???

You need a referral to a sleep clinic for proper testing that's the way forward for you .

Regards,

Agree with Nuneatonman37.

Please go to your GP/sleep clinic - it may just save your life!

Surely self-diagnosis could just be a little risky???? !!!!!!

Michael

You definitely need to return to your GP and push for a sleep study, either at a centre or at home.

Don't be too hard on yourself .... even thin people suffer from OSA and all types of people respond well to correctly prescribed CPAP therapy.

Go back to your GP - and bring the completed Epworth Questionnaire with you to back up your case. All the best.

OSA is recognised as a treatable illness on the nhs now so take your info to your gp and ask to be referred to a sleep clinic.

I took maybe 6 months to get used to the idea of CPAP - but at the time I had to go private to get any treatment - without any exaggeration as soon as I got it it literally changed my life, if I'm honest it probably saved my life, as at the time my weight was going up and up and I had nothing in the way of energy at any time of the day or night, I was drinking a lot and in hindsight I think it was partly as a way of staying awake - if I stayed in the house I fell asleep! if I stood at the bar I stayed awake! I'm still too big but have come down by 4 stone and trying to continue downwards.

CPAP is not the most attractive of medical equipment, I doubt you will find any "specialist" websites catering to people who find it a turn on - but it is as important as dialysis or insulin etc as a treatment for the condition.

Sorry for rambling but in short - its a shock to be told you may need to wear a mask every night but you will feel the benefit if you get the treatment.

Hi Mr sleepyhead,

You must be a big guy at 28 stone.
Swallow your pride and go to your GP.
Yes, we know you will get the lecture about being overweight, but you do need to get checked out for O.S.A. If you know you stop breathing during your sleep and are always tired, you want to insist on a sleep test.
Take your graphs, and take the results of the Epthworth test with you as well when you go to your GP.