Answer: I've not had the procedure done (yet) but one of my coworkers had it done and it improved her whole life so much. Now that it's been 10 years (she's gotten older, plus she's gained weight) she started to have difficulty staying asleep again so badly that she asked her doctor if she could have a second procedure but instead he has her on one of those ventilating machines--which she detests (but maybe her condition hasn't progressed far enough to suggest surgery again yet). If your condition is bad enough your doc is recommending surgery, you ought to think about it--maybe get a second opinion. Surgery recovery may be painful but if it'll allow you to breath (and avoid developing other health problems related to oxygen depravity), then it is well worth it--and whatever pain there is is transitory, it'll go away once the incisions have healed and you['ll feel so much better.