Finally My Last Test!!!

WoW Three months of jumping through hoops to have all these tests and I am finally done. I can't wait for my next meeting to get a date. I was dissapointed however at my first meeting to find that all of my test results had not made their way back to my doctor yet. I had to call three of them twice to make sure that they were sent and will even follow up again before my next meeting. I was really good and I only told one Dr. where to go and how to get there. I am not wearing that sleep apnea machine even if it means no surgery. I made it through the Thanksgiving holiday only gaining one pound and have lost 7 so far on my journey. I thought it would be a good idea to get familliar with some of the products I would be using after the surgery so I switched to Splenda for cooking and to crystal lite for drinking and I really like the lifesaver sugar free popsicles. I would welcome any other suggestions. I am down to one cup of coffee 1/2 regular and 1/2 decaf and hope to be cafeen free by next week. I may be nuts but I have done a lot of " One More Time's" of my favorites but I am ready to go forward now. I gave up alcohol and ice cream when I started and I don't miss either of them at all. I am hoping for a date right after Christmas of after the first of the year. I told Dr. Giovanni to " Bring it on" and that I wanted to get on the loosing side now. Thanks for listening I am just so excited I had to share with someone. Tom

wooohoooo!! congrats, Tom! isn't that the best feeling, ever?? it's quite a relief to have finally jumped through the last of the hoops [or we hope so, anyway!] i've got a question, though - how come you won't use the cpap? i know it's ridiculous looking and takes awhile to get used to.. but trust me- you will come to love it. The sleep you get after wearing it is phenomenally better than any sleep you've had in years! You may not even realize how badly you sleep now, until you get a good nights sleep with it on. Not only that - but if you don't wear it - all of the testing and hoops you jumped through could be for naught. Most bariactric surgeons will not operate on you if you have untreated sleep apnea. it's too big of a risk ont he operating table and through recovery. The last thing you need while under anesthesia is to constantly stop breathing. Really, it's not that big of a deal - so just jump through this last hoop - you won't regret it!! But you did say you were okay with not having surgery.. so i guess you are aware that it won't happen? I don't know, i guess i just don't understand why you'd come this far, only to not go through with it because of a dumb cpap machine? lol Hopefully you weren't being serious!! good luck to ya! Keep us updated! Kristen

Hi Kristen! I have sleep apnea too and I was wondering if blue cross would pay for it..any info on who pays? I have to meet with my pulmonologist for further info but if you can provide me with info i would be happy

YAY Tom!!!! It feels like forever to get through everything...now you have something to look forward to in the new year!! I have had my CPAP machine for about 3-4 years and have used it maybe a dozen times. I found myself ripping it off in the middle of the night and throwing the mask..tried all different types but couldn't do it. I am not sure if they will not approve you because you don't use it. I was very honest with my surgeon about it and he was ok with it. I guess it may depend on how severe it is because you are going under anestesia (sp?) You are already doing so well..good god, giving up coffee and ice cream?? EEK!! I drank decaf for a while just to get the coffee taste. I am back on caffene but limit myself to one cup in the morning to get my fix. Keep that mindset and you will do well!! Keep us posted on when you get a date!! Good luck and I know you will have a great holiday seeing you have so much to look forward to in the new year!!! Kristen

Thanks for the encouragment. I am really excited and can't wait for next week to get my date. The cpap machine really bugs me but even more the testing bugged me and freaked me out, a real bad experience. After my initial visit to the dr. they showed me the testing room. Not bad for a lab room double bed. Comforter, TV bath and shower and a bad decorator. They gave me written instructions to arrive at 8 go to bed at 10 and get up at 7 shower and drive back home. Not exactly a night at the Ritz Carlton but I felt I would be OK. When I arrived it was 8 and then they attached all of the stick on terminals and wires pressing them into my head and " hooked me up" I brought my own pillows cause I use tempurpedic three high for hernia. The room was warm and dusty and I have severe dust alergies. I could not get to sleep to save my soul. Not to mention this room had camera's above the bed and microphones so it was aware of itching or passing gas if necessary. I went to bed with no mask and I could not sleep. I asked to take a tylenol. and she came in and gave me water. She said I was sweating duh and insisted on turning on a fan that was mounted to the wall. Well lets just stirr up the dust in a room that had not been dusted since it was built. Half way through the night she came in just after I had fallen asleep and woke me up to say I had to wear the mask. Sorry I appologized to her but I am not too friendly in the middle of the night. I could not take the mask, the restrictions freaked me out, and she left. She came back a few min later and said I had to do it or I could go home then. I managed to do it and I think i got about an hours sleep. All of a sudden 5 am comes and it is get up and disconnect and go home. Bad eneough the bathroom was a shared bathroom with the next room but Ice cold water and NO Shower. They had my bed stripped before I was dressed. A 5 am ride back to Newport with no shower sucked. Then next week I met with the doctor. He told me that I slept 90 per cent of the night ( I don't think so!!!) and that I stopped breathing 160 times in the first hour alone and nothing after I had the mask on. ( 160 times in 60 minutes makes me think I would be dead?) He showed me a read out 5 inches long of 10 minutes only and It showed some spikes for all I know it could have been a cough. I don't buy it. When I met with Dr Giovanni she told me that as long as I use the machine for a week or 2 before surgery and at the hospital it would be ok. But that if I did not want to she would work with me. They never called back to deliver the machine so I never called them either. I think the bad nights sleep was just dust and aggrivation. At home I sleep in a sensational Tempurpedic bed with climat control and an Orec air purifier and I sleep great unless I have a cold. I won't risk not having the surgery and I thing the Bypass is serious eneough for me and will probly be an open so I don't want to mess with it but I do have a problem with the "business machine" of that doctors office and I still don't buy it. Thanks again for the encouragement I will force myself if a have to but afterwards that machine is toast!