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Hello, I've been dealing with Severe Obstructive Sleep Apnea for as long as I can remember. It finally got diagnosed about 3 years ago. I was given a CPAP and have been using it on and off since. I hate the thing and I cant get more than 3 hours on it and I feel even worse when I do use it. It's a Resmed s9 autoset with the humidifier. But this isn't about the machine. I work in Aviation, and I decided that I was going to finish up my private pilots license, I started flying, I was ready to solo, but before I could do that, I had to get an FAA Class 1 Medical. I decided to get a class 1 because I applied to become an air traffic controller as well so I knew to just go with it. Little did I know that you can't have untreated OSA and hold an FAA medical certificate. Ive been putting off the surgery for as long as I can and this is it. some background on me: I'm 26, I have gigantic tonsils, I feel them choking me, I constantly have tonsilitis and uvulitis, when I'm sick, my tonsils almost touch. Ive gone to 3 doctors now and I found the doctor I trust and want to do my surgery with. One doctor said tonsils and tongue base reduction, another said tonsils and full UPPP. The doctor I'm going with decided that my tonsils and adenoids will be coming out, as well as doing a partial UPPP. he said my palate really isn't too bad, but my uvula hangs very low, and a partial UPPP will alleviate that. I don't want people to comment that its a waste or anything like that because you don't know my situation, you haven't looked down my throat, and you're probably not an ENT. What I'm looking for is for people that have been through this to tell me how the pain is, and how long i need to take off from work. the doctors surgical coordinator told me 2-3 weeks, a friend that just had it done last year at the same age as me said 4-5, but he only had his tonsils taken out. also, you can calm me down about going under general anesthesia that would be great too.
Hey, so I am a private pilot, looking to continue and either be a controller, or a commercial pilot. I'm 26 years old. I was diagnosed with severe OSA about 3 years ago. I went 4 days ago to the flight doctor to get my FAA Class 1 medical so I can solo, and I may as well get a class 1 because I'm waiting to hear back from the FAA for ATC. I told the doc that i have severe OSA and did not know that this basically disqualifies me from a medical if i dont use a machine, dental thing, or surgery. So right after I decided that im going for the surgery, cause i just cant get used to the cpap. now, if i get the surgery, i need my tonsils and adenoids out, the UPPP, I should probably get a tongue base reduction, along with a septoplasty and a turbinate reduction. my tonsils are absolutely gigantic, and i gag on a tic tac. ive been to doctors and ive been putting this off for so long. I never knew this would disqualify me from my dreams. getting back, I started using the CPAP last night, its a resmed s9, and it does a pretty good job, I use the nasal pillows but im a stomach sleeper and a mouth breather. i bought a mouth mask about 2 years ago but it was horiffic. I just wanted to put my $.2 in on this since we're kind of in the same boat, except i think im going to go through with the surgery with hopefully the best known doctor in NYC for this. I think itll change everything for me.
