Sleep apnea :(

Thank you Wayne! I have to admit I was real nervous about this diagnosis but knew my snoring was getting out of hand and I do wake up frequently. I guess I just had "blinders" on to it possibly being sleep apnea. I just don't understand why, if it's severe, they wouldn't have gotten me in sooner to be fitted for a machine (Im supposed to be meeting with the specialist April 10 but hopefully I can get that changed).

No matter the timeline, it will all be worth it in the end to be able to live again.

Before I started my CPAP Inwould wake up soaking wet from sweat and would walk around with a handful of rolaids in my pockets. Both stopped once U got the machine. Sadly I do still wake up through the night but every now and then I get those real nice deep REM sleeps.

You're so right. One of my major flaws: Extreme overthinker. I just need to relax and take each day as it comes. I can't wait for a good nights rest tho!

It's not always resolved with weight loss. There are a few of us on here that still need CPAP even after losing the weight. My pressure is lower but never low enough to get off it. My apnea is mostly allergy induced so unless they miraculously go away, I will be on it for life. Some have rented the machine in hopes theirs was resolved with weight loss but it's a chance that only people can make for themselves. I have no idea what the rental cost is but considering I just paid $215 for an auto-pap just last week, I'm guessing that a few months rental would easily be that.

Yea I'm not sure what the outcome will be for me in the future, but I'm just going to buy the machine and not risk it :)

Hi, and I'm sorry that your feeling frustrated over this. They should have been able to diagnose this when you tested in January. I have not had my WLS yet, not until April. I have had another surgery and the hospital usually provides a machine with the mask for you while you are recovering. Unless you know ahead of time you might be able to bring yours with you. This will help you sleep so much better. You will wake up feeling rested which will actually help you feel better through out the day. This should not affect the timing of you surgery but of course confirm with your Doctor. I hope this helps in some way.

Hi!

Yea, I think I was more frustrated with how long it took for this result to come out than anything. I specifically took the test ahead of time (before my first appt technically) so that I wouldn't be "set back" in terms of the time line. So to find this result out a few weeks before my surgeon appointment kind of angered me. But I've had time to process this and I realize that even if I got a last minute cancellation for the surgeon appt tomorrow, it's not like I'll be having surgery next month so there is time to get this all resolved! I actually got a last minute cancellation with the sleep disorder doctor, so I'll be seeing him /her on Monday instead of April 10!

Great! I'm glad everything worked out. Just keep your surgeon informed and advise him of any medication they may provide that way there are no surprises. I love my machine. I sleep much better, I use it everyday. I'm not sure how close you are to your surgery. Just make arrangements or ask what the hospital policies are on bringing or providing the machines when u get close to your surgery. :) Wish you the best!

Hi,

Sorry I'm late to respond, I was having surgery last Wednesday. I'm not sure my experience will help you any further, since you got some responses, but I love from hearing from everyone, so hope this helps.

My experience in away was like yours except I wasn't surprised I had sleep apnea. I would have been surprised if it wasn't for me having an episode of waking up from a deep sleep not being able to breath. It was like being able to breath from a straw. It scared me. After about a minute, I was able to breath normally again. I had just started new meds, so I talked to the pharmacist about it, and that was not one of the side effects. So, I saw my family doctor, and she suspected sleep apnea. Which to be honest made a lot of sense, after I researched it.

For the past years, I've napped a lot, and seems like how much sleep I got , never felt rested. However I had seen a huge change in the last year leading up this event, that I was sleeping so much. I'd sleep 8 to 10 hours, a couple hours of getting up I was tired and could go back to sleep for another four hours. I guess the onset of my sleep apnea was so slow that you almost get used to it and think its the norm.

I got my orientation in Windsor two weeks after she referred me. So when I came back to her with all the tests I needed, and she hadn't heard anything from the hospital for her original referral to have a sleep study, she said she was going to ru**** through a different sleep clinic here in London.

I got an appointment in the beginning of May. Had my test. I only found out about my results as my gp called me for an appointment at the end of May ( I was told at the clinic it could take 4 to 6 weeks to get the results). I was told I have severe sleep apnea as well. She told me that the sleep clinic would call me for an appointment to meet with the sleep specialist.

Well, I didn't hear from them for two months, and got an appointment at the end of August to see the doctor. But once you do it moves pretty fast.

The doctor said he didn't even know how I functioned day to day, have over 100 events per hour. I agreed I don't know...that's why I sleep so much.

After the visit you pick a respiratory place (I picked Breathe Easy), and set up an appointment usually takes a couple days to get an appointment, and you'll get fitted for a mask, and take home a CPAP for a month trial. For the doctor to fill out ADP paperwork (covers 75% of the cost), I had to be 70% compliant...meaning I had to use the machine at least 4 hours a day.

Also in that trial, I had to do another sleep study test, near the end of my trial...to see if the air pressure the doctor presribe is a good prescription for you. So be prepared for another sleep test.

It didn't affect my process, as long as they know you are doing what you are suppose to be doing, ei following up with the sleep specialist, getting your cpap you will be fine.

I don't know TWH process, if meeting the surgeon, means getting a surgery date, I know some sites you meet the surgeon early on in your process. If meeting the surgeon is about a possible surgery date, I could only guess that they might delay slightly or wait until you get your cpap machine. If you have sleep apnea, you have to have a CPAP machine, and bring it with you to the hosptial to use during your stay.

Some hospitals want proof of compliance as well. Mine didn't, or rather I didn't have to show proof of compliance, but not every hospital is like that.

In my humble opinion, I would buy the machine instead of rent. My surgeon said of all the ailments that weight loss surgery can cure or improve on...sleep apnea is usually the last thing to go. He explained to me that as you lose weight, the musles in your neck/throat also lose weight, and become lose(just like skin I guess lol) and it takes time for the muslces to firm up.

Unfortunately there is no gurantee weight loss will cure sleep apnea, probably improve it. So renting a machine for a year or more doesn't make sense when it will probably cost mid 200s after adp covers it.

Again my opinion, you don't have to listen to me lol

Hope this helps even a little bit. Good luck to you, and be patient with the CPAP took a couple nights to kinda get use to the air blowing into my throat, just relax, it gets better.

Any other questions please feel free to ask or personal message me.

amanda

Thank you! No, this helps alot! It confirms what the doctor told me today. My appointment to be fitted for the trial cpap is on Thursday and then my second sleep study is April 1. I do plan on just buying the machine and waiting for that good night's sleep :) Did you require another meeting with your sleep doctor after the second sleep study?

(Also, I hope you're healing well after surgery!)