First Post - MMA - Scheduled, Locked and Loaded

This is the beginning of my blog and MMA adventure. The date is set for early May, 2009. For those of you not so familiar with the MMA, it stands for maxillomandibular advancement surgery. In a nutshell, MMA treats obstructive sleep apnea by advancing both the upper and lower jaw to enlarge the airway. Many others have already published so much on the procedure. You can find out more with a simple Google of "MMA Surgery."


My blog has two objectives:

1. Detail the journey that led me to the MMA decision
2. Provide updates and ramblings on the recovery

Most of my entries will be short updates.

Bits of Background

A bit of my sleep history and background. After all, this blog is all about me. I've never slept well and have always been a "morning person." As early as high school, we scheduled all my academic classes in the morning. Classes after lunch might as well have been naps.

I don't recall having any major sleep issues in college, or the years following. My only sleep "problems" for most of my twenties was that I just didn't sleep that long, and would never sleep late, regardless of the time I went to bed.

Around 1995, I developed chronic sinus problems and ultimately had four functional endoscopic sinus surgeries. After the third surgery (and probably the first and second), I was always tired. I would describe the tiredness as being just as tired in the morning as when I went to bed at night. My doc sent me off for my first sleep study which indicated that I snored (which was news to my wife) and possible upper airway resistance syndrome. With the possible UARS diagnosis, I had a second sleep study with a esophageal pressure monitor (Pes). The second sleep study showed a negative pressure of -20. The sleep study report indicated "mild UARS." My doctor prescribed a CPAP trial with a pressure of 5 cm H20. Needless to say, the CPAP didn't work, and I abandoned the treatment and my pursuit of a good night's sleep.

After hearing more complaints about being tired, my ENT (who did my fourth surgery) sent me off for my third sleep study in 2002. The sleep study showed many, many unexplained arousals, possible UARS and an RDI of about 10. I followed up the sleep study with a sleep doctor. The doc tried many treatment options: sleep deprivation therapy, tennis balls to keep me from sleeping on my back, medication, medication, medication, medication, and other medication. On another blog, I'll comment on the drugs. Let's just say, if they made it, I tried it.

With no progress and many therapies, I had another sleep study with a daytime sleep test to rule out narcolepsy (which they did), and ultimately tried my second stint with CPAP/APAP.

I'm out of time, but will add to my story soon.