Sleep Apnea...how long post op until you didn't need your cpap any more?
Wondering how long or how many pounds off before the apnea was resolved? I have moderate to sever apnea, weigh 265 lbs 5'8" am preop...I am supposedly close to getting my surgery date! I have a trip planned this summer to Scotland and HOPE that Idon't need my sleep buddy any more!
on 3/9/15 10:12 pm
I lost 30 pounds the first month and was off my cpap after my first post op appointment.
First, I started out at almost 300 lbs., and am only 5' 4". I was able to get off of the bled in oxygen after I'd lost 60 lbs. At 80 lbs,. I still needed the c-pap. When I'd lost 100 lbs., I did 2 nights of oxygen sats. I typically sleep with 3 pillows. The first night I only had 2 pillows, and my sats were up and down. The second night I had the three pillows and my sats were great all night long. I stopped using the c-pap at that point and just make sure I use three pillows. The oxygen place used the overnight oxygen sat machine, which didn't cost me anything, instead of repeating sleep studies, which I had to pay a % of. Check with your providers to see what they suggest. Good luck!
I stopped using my CPAP as soon as I got out of the hospital. Of course, I wouldn't recommend that since I didn't do that with any sort of doc approval. But early on I was sleeping in a reclined position, which provided relief from the apnea, and then I'd lost some initial weight and it improved. I had pretty severe apnea before hand, but I'm fairly certain I'd been sleeping with it, without a CPAP for years before I was diagnosed anyway, so I just sorta rolled with it. When I was informed that I'd stopped snoring after losing a bunch of weight, I considered it a win!
I just stopped uing because I got sick a few weeks back. I am 4.5 months post op. Since I didn't miss it I haven't gone back. The sleep doc told me he can't recommend getting off the machine until I get tested at closer to my goal. So I will be tested before my next follow up with the sleep doc in 4 months. I don't plan on going back unless symptoms return.
on 3/10/15 9:30 am