pillar procedure scheduled questions

waker · Guest

I'm scheduled for the pillar june 3rd and have a list of things for surgery that I should avoid for 10 days prior to surgery ie aspirin alcohol etc. Is this applicapble to the pillar or are they thinking about other procedures that might cause signifigant bleeding? I'm thiniking I got their standard surgery kit. Just wondering I was going to have drinks with a friend but didn't want to screw anything up

Guest · Posted: May 24 2005 Post subject:

anyone

chriscase · Guest

Doctors are paranoid- especially if it doesn't cost them anythng to be 'cautious'. Much of there reccommendations are related to 'worst case scenarios'- IF something goes wrong, IF they need to stick in a breathing tube, IF you ate within 6 hours, you COULD vomit, and MAYBE choke to death. So skip dinner, skip the aspirin, etc....you CAN survive without caffeine for 1 day....humor the guy, it's small additional cost to you...

Sleepy Stoboy · Joined: 23 Jan 2005 Posts: 449

I had the procedure done in November and did nothing to prepare. Had a normal dinner the night before, had a normal breakfast the day of. It was similar to a trip to the dentist. Except they give you about 8-12 shots of novacaine to the pallet.

My only pre-advice is to anyone who has a gag reflex. I do, and I've always been a pain to dentists when they need to get back there. My gag reflex made for a challenge to the ENT who put the pillars in. We made it through it OK, but at one point he asked if I wanted to come back a week later after having taken some valium. I soldiered on, but thought that others with a gag reflex might want to get a pre-visit prescription for a relaxer so that you'll have an easier time with the pillar insertion.

I actually went to work after the implants and just had a nasty sore throat all day.

So, no, I think you got the standard surgery packet. Good luck with your implants.

waker · Guest

I actually pick up valium, lortab and I think some antibiotics the day before at the Pharmacy and take them before I arrive for the procedure. I thought the valium might be for the gag reflex. I didn't want to have a few drinks the weekend before and him say its a no go you have to wait. I'm ready to get these things today.

Sleepy Stoboy · Joined: 23 Jan 2005 Posts: 449

Yeah, good bet the valium is to calm you down so the doctor can do his work without any gagging or flinching. The placement of the implants is critical to avoid any complications with the implants emerging at a later point.

Not drinking is probably good advice. Although a minor one, it still is a surgical procedure and you want your body to be in good position to heal and recover after the surgery. My doc was very thorough and had me on antibiotics the day before the surgery up to two weeks afterwards. In addition I used a gargle rinse to keep the area clean and clear.

Best of luck on the surgery. If you have the ability, have a post 90 day sleep study completed so you can see the results and determine if additional treatment may be needed. (For most of us it does require a treatment to address the tongue obstruction as well).

waker · Guest

I will have a 90 day sleep study in the mean time I'm trying to get a septo/turbinate reduction done and wisdom teeth removed so I can be fitted to the TAP. I wonder if I could have the septo and wisdom tooth extraction at the same time.

Guest · Posted: May 26 2005 Post subject:

This post may be advice but also a question. When I had my pillar the Dr went straight into the pallet with injections. When I saw the ENT who did my nasal somnoplasty, he was surprised they didn't put something on the pallet to numb it BEFORE the injections.

Since you do get 6-8 of them, the first few hurt. While this ENT had no interest in doing the Pillars, he said that if he did that procedure, he certainly would numb the pallet before any injections. I thought his made sense and would reduce the pain, even if the pain only lasts a few seconds, why not take the time to make the procedure as pain free as possible.

So if I were having the procedure done again I would ask for them to numb the pallet BEFORE they start with injections.

To those who've had the procedure did they do that for you?
Rick

Sleepy Stoboy · Joined: 23 Jan 2005 Posts: 449

Wow, Rick....no injections to numb the area?

a) wouldn't this hurt way more than a novacaine shot?
b) wouldn't you flinch a little, thus maybe risking how well they're implanted?

You the man! Of course, I think he gave me 10-12 injections (a little overkill, methinks) and I got a little tired of those pokes.

Paul · Joined: 09 May 2005 Posts: 217

Hey all,

The ENT who did my implants first sprayed the palate with a numbing spray, then gave the local anesthetic injections...then the pillar injections. Rick - it indeed helped to numb the area before the anesthetic injections....and those in turn number it even better for the actual pillar injections.

I didn't feel a thing after the spray except pressure while she was inserting the anesthetic needles - only slightly more pressure for the actual pillar injections.

Definitely get sprayed first!

Guest · Posted: May 26 2005 Post subject:

Stoboy,
You misunderstood my post. Yes I did get injections, but there was no spray given prior to the injections. The injections themselves hurt quite a bit, I had a feeling after speaking to the other ENT a spray would have really helped, and as Paul said, he hardly felt the injections. That only took an extra few minutes and in terms of comfort I'm sure it was worth it. Everyone who has the Pillar should insist their pallet be numbed with a spray before they get the injections.
Rick

Goofy · Guest

I am going to possibly have this done, I just want to know if 1. did it work for your snoring, and what everyones insurance. I have to have mine predetermined, and I work for the facility!!!! Otherwise it will cost me $1500.00
Let me know anyone, if it works. Dr. here said 80% success.

Less Sleepy · Joined: 07 Aug 2004 Posts: 3333 Location: Northern Virginia

There are a number of people posting to the dental medicine board who have had this done, so you need to repost your question there.

Have you had sleep apnea ruled out? If snoring is enough of a problem to warrent a procedure, you really should have a sleep study to rule out sleep apnea. People have reported good results, confirmed by before and after sleep studies, of having the pillar procedure and then using a dental device. It appears that the soft palate is only part of the issue with sleep apnea, and the tongue is usually also an issue that needs to be addressed, and a dental device can do that. What ever you do, if you have sleep apnea, you need to have a follow-up sleep study to make sure your treatment resolved the problem, or you could be blissfully not snoring while unaware that your body is being ravaged every night by the effects of sleep apnea.

The news on insurance coverage is unfortunately not very good.