Concerns about sleep apnea and surgery!!

Hi all, Well, I just came back from Dr. Stanchina's office and it's been determined that I have severe sleep apnea. He said it was pretty bad. This was my last test and I have to admit, with the results he gave me, I am worried about respiratory failure due to problems with sleep apnea. The study showed that my throat was closed off 127 times per hour and my lowest oxygen saturation was 74%. Is this bad?? Is anyone out there post-op that had results like this?? I would love to hear from you, to set my fears at ease. I am just worried that the breathing tube will be taken out too soon in recovery...I know, I maybe paraniod, but I am worried just the same. I didn't think in a million years I would have sleep apnea. I sleep like a log and I am always rested and alert. I'm so concerned and worried....

Dee, I had severe sleep apnea before my operation, but I had known it for several years and been on the CPAP machine. I don't remember my numbers specifically, to know if your's are similar. I seem to remember being told that I had over 120 sleep disturbances in an hour and a half or two hours! That was my main worry about the operation - that something would go wrong because of this and I'd stop breathing. I had no problems and when I woke up the breathing tube had already been taken out, thank God. Because of my sleep apnea I was automatically put in the maxicare unit at Roger Williams hospital so that my breathing and oxygen levels would be monitored continuously. I did another sleep study a year after the operation and was told that I still had borderline sleep apnea when I slept on my back during REM sleep but that the rest of my numbers were much better and I could go off the CPAP. Actually, I had ceased using a few months before and that was really a crutch for me because I was NOT alert and rested without that machine prior to losing weight

Dee, Hi! I too was diagnosed with severe sleep apnea prior to surgery. I also was very worried about respirations and anesthesia, etc. So much so that I tried as hard a I could to get used to the C-PAP machine before surgery so that I could continue its use in the hospital. Well, just before the procedure (I had Dr. Harrington at RIH), in the holding area, I discussed my fears with the anesthesiologist on duty. We talked about the apnea, my fear of waking up still with the breathing tube in place and he attempted to do an epidural, explaining that with this the pain meds don't affect your respiratory status. Despite the fact that they were unsuccessful at placing the epidural -- they instead opted to give me a bolus of morphine into my spine -- I awoke in the step-down unit. I have no memory of awaking in recovery, I awoke rested, comfortable and totally in awe of the fine job that was done in providing me with a comfortable experience. My surgery was on October 29th of this year, I am now four weeks out and again so thankful of the care I received. So Dee don't hesitate to share you fears with anesthesia, they really listen and take the time to make your experience as easy and comfortable as possible. Good luck, if you have any more questions just give me a holler, I'll be glad to share with you. Jackie