Did you have to delay surgery due to...?

Hi all,  I have my first appointment with a surgeon tomorrow to discuss my case before sending it in tothe insurance.  I'm told that after this appointment they could schedule surgery as soon as 6-8 weeks from the first appointment from this office. I have been tested for Sleep Apnea and have been diagnosed with Sever Sleep apnea.  My appointment to get the machine and learn how to use it is not until February 14.   I have read that they like you to take the CPAP with you to the hospital, and that they like you to be on the CPAP for a month.  Has anyone here had to delay their surgery due to getting adjusted tothe CPAP first? Thanks for imparting your wisdom.

I was also under this impression but my surgeon just wanted me to have and be on the cpap before surgery (he said oh, at least a week I guess, when I asked him how long I needed to be on it ).  I didn't even have to take it to the hospital, just my mask, they had a bipap.  That being said, the sooner you can get your cpap the better off you will be since getting some decent sleep will help your health, strength, immunity, healing ability etc.  It takes a little getting used to, believe me.  The most important thing about the sleep test in my opinion, is to determine whether you have apnea or not so that you can be properly managed in the hospital.  Anesthesia and pain medicines both depress your breathing, so if you have apnea they are more dangerous.  Knowing you have apnea allows the staff  to be mentally prepared for any trouble (and have the proper equipment on had in advance).  In my case, my apnea meant I was almost fully awake from anesthesia before ANY pain control was administered because morphine depresses your breathing.  My oxygen was also low after surgery so I was on oxygen for 24 hours, and they kept a pulse ox monitor on me with the alarm REALLY loud whenever my O2 dropped below 95% (and that was annoying because it fell EVERY time I dozed off).  They are (or should be) careful with everyone, but my respiratory therapists were extra cautious with those patients who had apnea. 

Oh wow! I had no idea bout the stuff at the hospital and the anesthesia.  I just knew that A. I  have not had a good nights leep in years, and B. that its a co-morbidity looks for when deciding if I  can have surgery.  It's nice to know there is a fix for the poor sleep, and that ven though it means I'm sick it can help me get well too.  Since it is easier to qualify that way. Thanks for your help!

Hi Natalie, I was what you call a healthy obese person or smo actualy, at 392 I had no co-morbodities and I qualified for the surgery on my bmi only!   not even a question from my insurance company. Hope yours goes as well , Good Luck!  Estelle

Hi Estelle,  Thanks for your reply and your well wishes!  I don't think I'll have any trouble qualifying.  I hope not.  It's funny i was just making up a list of questions to ask the Dr and his staff tomorrow and I just finished a question that you so answered. I've been studying up quite a bit on the surgery and stuff so I am fairly up on how it works and waht to expect afterwards, what questions did you have for your surgeon?

Well I gotta tell you you sound way more informed than me, I wasn't a big question asker before my surgery but I wish I was it would have saved me alot of anxiety after words, Your doing good asking questions before and getting educated about it all.  :)  my biggest decision was open or Lap and I chose open for my own neurotic reasons lol Estelle

I'm normally not a big questioner either, I  figure they are the experts and whatever. And really I have only come up with 2 questions, the same ones I asked here.  I'm more of the casual observer, jsu****ching what other people have done and then decide based on what I  see.

Hey, I know where Bluffdale is!  I went to high school in SLC (all hail Highland High) back in the 70s when the only thing out in Bluffdale was the prison.  I understand that entire area is all built up now. With severe sleep apnea, I'd think getting you a CPAP is a priority.  Why is it taking two weeks?  They really aren't that hard to learn, what takes some adjusting is getting used to having a vacuum hose strapped to your face every night.  Without boring you to tears telling you my incredibly long story, at my fattest, I weighed nearly 600 lbs and I was diagnosed with sleep apnea while in the hospital for CHF.  I had to adapt to hospital CPAP since I was in for two weeks.  It was hell, and when I was released and was given my itty bitty CPAP, it was so easy to use and very quiet.   The best part is finally getting a decent night's sleep.  Woohoo!  I still use mine, but not every night. I need to get retested to see if I can finally give it up for good. If you have to adjust your WLS due to the CPAP, it's only a couple of weeks, and that's not so bad.   Good luck, and welcome to the Hoseheads' Club! Kix

Hey Kix,  Yea its crazy how this side of the valley is growing.  I grew up in Idaho but would travel I-15 on the way to Provo every few months to visit my aunt there.  I remember  Draper being nothing but where the prison is and dead space, now if you go to Draper there are houses everywhere including on the hill at point of the mountain. and looking  west  there are city lights everywhere.   They had appointments open this week to get the cPAP machine but  there are some huge changes going on at my workplace this week and next week , my schedule at work was full, so I opted for the first day in my schedule that is free.  They say my appointment will last 2-3 hours to make sure ewverything is right before they  let me take it.  I slept so much better the nights of my sleep tests. despite all the electrodes strapped to seemingly every part of my body.  I think it might be that the matress was better there in the sleep center too. I am excited to actually get machine and have a good rest for once.   I saw the dietician about 2 weeks ago for the first time, a requirement of my surgeon and the insurance, and she told me about the vitamins we should take  after surgery.  I  went and got some and started them the following day.  Wow! Even a good dose of B-12 in my system has changed my life.  I  must have been vitamin deficient.  They say this surgery is life changing and I can totally tell it will be.  I'm so looking forward to the new and improved me!

I was diagnosed with sleep apnea also about  a month before my surgery. By the time all the red tape was handled, I got my machine barely a week before my surgery. Nothing was mentioned about how long I needed to be on it BEFORE surgery.  You should be fine timewise without surgical delays. According to my doctor, they just want to know IF you have it so they are prepared during surgery and make adjustments accordingly.  Good Luck to you & keep us updated on your situation.  Jeanine