Just found out I have sleep apnea

During my work up for WLS they asked me to have a sleep study.  Guess what.. I have sleep apnea.  He says it's moderate but severe during REM sleep.  I can't believe it.  Now they want me to get the CPAP.. I have two small children.  How am I going to work this out..

Kelly

What exactly are you worried about ... the cost?  wearing it? 

I would do some further checking.  What type of WLS are you going for?  My post-op instructions were to NOT use it after having Lap-Band.  So getting one a couple months before surgery would have been a huge waste.  I also haven't needed it since.  I was on that CPAP machine for 5 years.

How far out from surgery are you?  IMO - I would talk to your doctor about his post-op recommendations and use that info to help determine what to do.

I am worried about all those things.  And being able to sleep with something on my face.  I hardly sleep already =)

I should talk to my surgeon.  The neurologist told me I wouldn't be able to loose weight with out wearing it.  Something due to metabilism.  He said I should wear it until my BMI is 25 then I should do another sleep study.  But I wonder if my surgeon says not to wear it .. then I would be stuck with the expense of CPAP for just one month.  (I hope to have gastric bypass in June)  Thanks for that information.. I will put a call into my surgeons office.

Thanks,
Kelly

You'll sleep better once you get your machine. Your waking yourself up when you stop breathing but your not aware of it.

I had to play with different masks before I found when I liked but once I got use to it I loved it!!

Now I no longer need it

Donna

Hi there

I have had diagnosed sleep apnea for about a year now.  I had my RNY on March 13, 2009.  Even -75 lbs i still use it.  I will have to have a sleep study to see when i can be rid of it.  You mentioned you barely sleep now, that is probably because of the apnea.  Believe me, once you get, and get used to it, you will not want to sleep without it.  Sleep apnea is very serious, it causes heart damage, etc.  I would get it, chances are you will need it for a bit especially since they said you were moderate to severe which is what i was diagnosed with.  Good luck with that and your upcoming surgery.


Louise

I had my surgery 6/30. I didn't use it in the hospital but I have used it for some of the night here at home.  I haven't yet kept it on all night.  But I am at least getting 4 or 5 good hours a night.  I can see a difference.  I wish I didn't throw it off but it's so annoying.

Kelly

Dear Soon2bfine,
Just wondered why they do not want you to use it after Lap-Band.  I mean you are not instantly cured from sleep apnea.  Maybe once the weight is off, but not immediately.   I'm got the cpap 3 months ago, lap band 18 days ago.  I'm on the cpap and just wondered why they are telling you to not use it. 

I had trouble with my ears getting stopped up last night as well as my chest is hurting but I think that is from swollawing meds.

Your thoughts??

I was told not to use it post-op because of the air it forces into your abdomen and that it would cause pains in my chest and abdomen and could possibly damage the pouch create by the band.   Every surgeon is totally different, and I've seen so many post-op protocols that are very different too.  You'd think for the most part the instructions would be standardized across the board, but after coming to this site I'm shocked at how different some surgeons' recommendations are even with the post-op diets.

I've heard of doctors allowing CPAP machines right after surgery even for the overnight hospital stay, but mine told me "absolutely not".  I told my surgeon, "But I haven't gone without it for 5 years and I can't sleep without it.  What if I need it?"   She said that if I thought I still needed it at my 6-week check, they would send me for a sleep study.

I know Lap-Band is not an instant cure for sleep apnea and I was really worried, but I did fine.  I slept and I wasn't snoring.  I didn't wake up off/on all night because I quit breathing, and I was dreaming.  I hadn't had a dream in YEARS.  That really freaked me out, but maybe it was the pain meds.  LOL   The headaches were gone too.  When I went for my post-op appt, the surgeon asked me a bunch of questions (the list of "how to tell if you have sleep apnea")  and all my answers were "no" this time instead of "yes".   I fully expected to be put back on it after that appt, but I was pleasantly surprised.

IMO - If you've been using your CPAP and your chest is hurting, I would definitely talk to your doctor's office and let them know.  It made sense to me about the air getting forced into my abdomen, so I didn't doubt it and readily complied.  I'm just surprised it's not that way everywhere.  Maybe even tell them that you heard from someone who was told not to use CPAP right after surgery and why.

PM me - I'm curious to see what your doc says, if you talk to him.

I had to bring my CPAP with me to the hospital. I had the bypas not the band.

Hi Kelly,

I was diagnosed with sleep apnea about 1.5 years ago. I had a full face mask and couldn't get used to it. I have a nose mask now and I wear it most nights. I take nighttime asprins and it seems to put me to sleep. The CPAP will actually help you sleep though the night. It could be you are waking up because you aren't breathing!

It's a PITA  and getting rid of the damn thing is one of the reasions I'm having WLS!