Help Re: Sleep Apnea BEFORE surgery...CPAP?
So I have a situation. My friend and I are getting the surgery on the same day (9/14) by the same surgeon. I know, we got lucky. The problem is that she was JUST diagnosed with Sleep Apnea and supposedly needs to get a CPAP machine even though surgery is less than one month away.
In the seminar, our surgeon had said that sleep apnea goes away in over 90% of the surgeries his group has performed almost immediately. BUT on the paperwork we recieved from the surgeon it said to "bring your CPAP machine" to the surgery and to "make sure you have been using it for the preceding 2 months".. Uh Oh. She is avoiding calling the surgeon to ask about this because she doesn't want it to cancel her surgery until two months from when she gets the machine. She is thinking to buy it and just take it to the surgery and "pretend" that she has been using it.
What are your thoughts? Does anyone have experience with this? It seems like such a waste of hundreds of dollars to get a machine that you will most likely only use for a few weeks...And I do want her to have surgery with me but I more importantly really want her to be healthy and not at risk of anything by lying. Does anyone have experience in this department?
Thanks for reading and possibly responding!
I have it now, and hope I can get rid of it when they analyze my data next.
A couple of things---
----First, sleep apnea is very dangerous (deadly to a relative of mine who didn't use his machine). I would go for the machine---allot of ins companies pay a large portion of it.
----Second, they snapped that mask on as soon as I woke up in recovery. No machine = no surgery for me.
----Third, since she was just diagnosed and the date has been set, I wouldn't think the 2 months is a problem but I would check with the surgeon asap.
----Finally, I hope she will be in that 90% that can dump the machine. I hope that someday I can too but my Dr. isn't very positive about it. Weight can be a cause and/or an aggravator. There are physical reasons other than weight that can cause it. In my case, I'll probably be able to reduce the setting and maybe even change mask-types but get rid of the machine....????
Really nice to be able to do this with a friend. Good luck.
i guess it depends on how bad it is.. they said mine was only moderate. if you have more severe sleep apnea, the machine may be a good diea. id suggest asking the surgeon.
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Please tell your friend to be honest with Dr. Taller's office. As a surgeon, he needs to know how to address a situation if it comes up.
Good Luck!
I don't see paying for that machine for a lousy couple of months.
Also - I brought my machine to the hospital (as directed) and was having problems getting enough oxygon in - so the nurse set up the machine and it did NOTHING to help.
I asked my friend if it sounded any better since the surgery, he said it was better, but I still had it. I might hook it up again, but I'm not desperate about it.