QI ’ ve had visits to my sleep doctor and my regular doctor after a scary experience I had last week when I awakened gagging and it wouldn ’ t stop . Then I began to spit up blood . I went to an emergency room , where the examining physician said I had an inflamed uvula and very large tonsils . He and my regular doctor both recommended seeing an earnose-throat specialist . The sleep doctor scheduled a new sleep study — I was diagnosed with OSA five years ago , but haven ’ t been using my CPAP lately even though I am no better . Now this gagging thing has cropped up . My question is , Should I take the referral to the ENT ?

AIf you get a little more insight into what is causing your apnea , cool . Apnea could stem from issues along the entire airway — from the nose to the throat . Your sleep doc likely won ’ t know , or care , what is causing your issues . An ENT might be able to give you a pretty good idea . Armed with that info , you can decide if there is a better treatment than PAP therapy for you .

I found one study regarding tonsils and apnea on pubmed . Probably more , if you care to look . http :// www . ncbi . nlm . nih . gov / pubmed / 22498953

Adapted from an exchange on the ASAA Apnea Support Forum , www . apneasupport . org . The answer is by themonk , a Forum regular .

BOARD OF DIRECTORS M . Elizabeth Johns , Chair of the Board

Michael P . Coppola , M . D ., President and Chief Medical Officer

Nancy Rothstein , Secretary Burton Abrams , Treasurer

Richard Bren , C . P . C . U ., C . I . C . David Rapoport , M . D . Ann Pickett Croft

Tracy Nasca Rochelle Goldberg , M . D . Michael Simmons , D . M . D .

Kathe Henke , Ph . D . John Sotos , M . D . Judith A . Owens , M . D ., M . P . H Vicki Thon , Ph . D .

Kingman Strohl , M . D ., Director Emeritus

Wake-up Call From The American Sleep Apnea Association

Fall 2012

Published by The American Sleep Apnea Association

Edward Grandi , Executive Director Kalimah Ashby , Director of the A . W . A . K . E . Groups Network William R . MacKaye , Director of Communications and Editor of Wake-up Call J . R . Melvin , Grunt Advertising^Design , Designer

This newsletter provides general medical information about sleep apnea . Individuals with personal health concerns about sleep apnea , or other sleep disorders , should seek advice from a doctor who concentrates in sleep medicine .

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The WAKE-UP CALL Fall 2012 | Page 4