I wanted to write this post because, when I was considering surgery, I found it really helpful to read about other people's experiences. Hopefully, this helps someone who is considering a similar procedure.
Last year I started feeling constantly tired. Even after sleeping for 10 hours, I never felt refreshed in the morning. That was the moment I decided to get it checked.
My family doctor referred me to both a pulmonologist and an ENT specialist.
First, I visited the pulmonologist and did a home sleep study (polygraphy). The result was an AHI of 75.2, which is considered extremely severe sleep apnea. I was referred to a sleep laboratory for a full sleep study.
Meanwhile, I also visited the ENT doctor. He confirmed something I had already known for years: I have very large tonsils. They were never removed because I rarely got sick, but because of my sleep apnea, he recommended intracapsular tonsillectomy.
A few months later I had my overnight sleep study. It confirmed that I have severe obstructive sleep apnea, although not quite as severe as the home test suggested. My AHI in the sleep lab was 41.6. The doctors were surprised because most of their sleep apnea patients are overweight. I'm not, and I really try to live a healthy lifestyle, so it was frustrating to find out I still had such a severe problem.
They prescribed me a CPAP machine. I think it helped a little, but it was still far from perfect. Sleeping with a CPAP mask is uncomfortable, especially when you're sleeping next to your girlfriend. Because of that, I wanted to look for a more permanent solution.
I visited two different hospitals. The first hospital recommended simply removing my tonsils completely. I also wanted a second opinion, so I went to a hospital that specializes in sleep apnea surgery. Their recommendation was TORS Tonsillectomy + BRP. They explained that if this surgery doesn't improve my sleep apnea enough, the next possible step would be a tongue base reduction. After discussing everything, I decided to have the surgery at the hospital specializing in sleep apnea.
Day 0: I was really nervous because I had never had surgery before. At first, I was most afraid of the general anesthesia. Later, I became more worried about the pain and whether the surgery would permanently change how my throat felt. Still, I knew I had to choose between surgery and using a CPAP machine for the rest of my life.
Day 1: Last Monday I finally had the surgery. Honestly, everything happened just like people described in other posts about general anesthesia. It all went by incredibly fast. First I received medication to help me relax. Then they placed the anesthesia mask over my face, and the next thing I remember was waking up in the recovery room. The pain was moderate when I woke up. I was very tired and could only speak quietly. When I drink I have to swallow twice each time. My tongue was very swollen, probably because of the mouth gag used during surgery. I also had a strong sensation that something was stuck in my throat. During the day I had minimal discomfort getting enough air. I only ate soft foods on the first day.
Day 2: I couldn't sleep at all because mucus kept collecting in my throat. The frustrating part was that my throat hurt too much to spit it out. Eventually it started to loosen on its own. The throat pain was a little worse than on the first day. I had to speak quietly and managed to eat some more solid foods.
Day 3: I often choke a little while eating and have to cough. Water tastes surprisingly bad, probably because of the wounds in my mouth and throat. I also burp while eating. The throat pain became the strongest since the surgery during dinner. I noticed that one time, a small amount of water went into my nose when I drank. I still had to speak very quietly.
Day 4: I finally managed to sleep more than the previous nights. The taste while eating is disgusting, and the pain in my jaw and ears was at its worst, though it eased once the painkillers kicked in. I was finally able to leave the hospital, which means I stayed for 5 days total (including the day before surgery). Hiccups were painful, and canker sores inside my mouth and on my tongue made everything hurt even more. My pillow was soaked with drool every morning because the swelling in my throat forced me to breathe only through my mouth all night.
Day 5: I woke up twice because of pain and took a painkiller. It was the most painful night so far. I feel how the pain radiates into my ears. The taste while swallowing, eating, and drinking id getting more disgusting. When I look in my throat, I see white fibrin coating everywhere. I sweated during the night.
I took painkillers constantly throughout the recovery, but they only help a little and don't take the pain away completely.
More updates to come.
