Surprise ... you are now the proud owner of a CPAP machine.

I'm going to post my experience as another point of reference for those who follow after me. I've applied for WLS - and one of the pre-requirements from the surgical office is a sleep study. If you don't have apnea - great. If you do - you need to get on a CPAP machine. The nurse explained to me that keeping enough oxygen in your system is really important to your healing process. So in keeping with spirit of going forward with a positive attitude - when called by the Sleep Center - I scheduled by study. I picked a Saturday night - (although next time I might ask for a Friday ) ... good news to me that you can do this on a weekend and not have to do a full day of work afterwards. I brought my own pillow - decided to sleep in my comfiest undewear and sweats, and packed along some magazines to read. The technician at the center explained every step - and chatted away as he used gel and tape to stick the electrode plates to my face, head, shoulders and calves. The room that they had me sleep in was very similar to a typical hospital room (maybe a little smaller). When it was time for lights out (I got to pick a time) - they run you through some exercises to make sure all the little monitors are working. For me it was a little uncomfortable knowing someone was watching me sleep - and all the wires and tape made it difficult to toss from side to side (one time a piece of tape on my face stuck to the pillow). You know - come to think of it- it might have been fun to watch that part afterward... I'm sure I made a fun face in the dark when I realized my face was taped to the pillow. They got me up - unhooked and out the door early. The techician was able to confirm I had episodes of apnea and would likely need a machine. By Monday they called and asked where to send the prescription. On Tuesday I picked it up and the technician fit me for a mask and showed me how to use it. Slept with it for 7.5 hours last night -and while I had moments of awareness of the tubes.. for the most part - I am better rested and less sleepy today than I've been in a long time. I was given a mask that has the nose pillows that attach to a soft tube that sits on your upper lip. I was afraid that I'd be breathing through my mouth... but the few times I opened my mouth last night - it was like a wind tunnel - and I just shut it right back up. I will say I have a few features on the machine I like... a flex start - it starts at a lower pressure for the first 10 minutes until I get comfortable with it.. the machine adjusts when I exhale, and then a warm humidifer. The machine is very quiet (softer than our ceiling fan). I admit to being kind of a grumpy pants about this whole thing -even though it's been a relatively smooth process. But here's what else I've learned in the last few days... a lot of symptoms that I'd been attributing to aging or peri-menopause over the last few years are symptoms of sleep apnea. And when I see the list of symptoms - and realize how my primary care physician had been treating each symptom as an indepedent issue - I'm amazed that no one made me get tested earlier. I hope your journey is as good as mine. Jody

So you are using the Bipap right? I am and wow I understand when you say, what a difference.-Kitty

What is the difference between CPAP and BIPAP ? I have sleep apnea and had my test 2 weeks ago. No problem is I can;t sleep at night. The best sleep I get at is 5am to 12pm. I told the doctor and sleep study place that it would be a waste of time. I said I need to have the test start at 5am to 12noon to get a good study done and no one listened to me. I had surgery in 2002 for severe sleep apnea now it is mild but I do not go in to REM sleep and a wake up all night long.Some days I am up for 72 hours than crash a good 24 hours to get caught up. They could not get a accurate test and wanted me to do it another. But my insurance only pays 1 a year The sleep center would do another for free aftermy revision of my gastric bypass on July 1. My polmonoglist (sp) has cleared me and I am set to go. I had a few operations this year and tell them I have sleep apnea and thats the end of it. But this time they seemed real concered and I have no clue why. All my surgerys this year have been under a general. So I wonder why the worry ? Do you have any thought to this issue I am having. Thanks, Dawn

The difference in cpap and bipap is cpap only helps with your oxygenation (O2 oxygen level) and bipap helps boyh oxygenation and ventilation (oxygen and CO2 carbon dioxide levels). If you have trouble with both then you should be placed on a bipap. An ABG (blood gas) can be done to determine if you have a problem with O2 and CO2 levels.

Susan thanks for your good advice. I am going to as my doctor about have ABG's done while I am in the hospital. Thanks, Dawn