Question:
How is sleep apnea addressed during and after surgery?
I would like to know how they deal with sleep apnea during surgery and afterwards. Will I be bringing my bi-pap machine to use? Will they put me on their's? Will I be on a respirator if I don't have any problems? What specifically would a respirator mean - intubated?<p> My sleep apnea is totally controlled with my machine but I'm trying to understand how this will factor into everything. I don't like surprises and would like to find out what all of your experiences have been.<p> I will also discuss with the surgeon when I see him on the 27th but I would like to know as much as possibly ahead of time. Even if it might be different for me, just knowing how it was dealt with for other people helps. Thanks, Chris — zoedogcbr (posted on January 17, 2003)
January 17, 2003
I had sleep apnea. still do actually. When I had my surgery I had to be
awake while they stuck the breathing tube down my throat. NOT FUN!! but ok.
After surgery I had my bi-pap in my room and used it. They had a respitory
therapist that gives you breathing treatments after surgery. No big deal,
you wear a mask and breathe a mist. All in all pretty painless.
— dkinson
January 17, 2003
Chris - Yes, you will need to bring your Bi-PAP or CPAP machine with you.
The hospital's typically don't stock those. You will be intubated while
you are in surgery, but not after you are out of there and into recovery
and then your room. If you are using the nasal pillows, as I was, then you
will need to ask for a mask that covers your nose and mouth. A
Naso-Gastric (NG) tube will be up your nose (and down your throat into your
pouch) for a couple of days and you won't be able to wear the nasal pillows
type of mask with the NG tube...JR
— John Rushton
January 17, 2003
Chris, I am so glad you are being treated for your sleep apnea before your
surgery. As for your question, different surgeons seem to have different
approaches. Do you know if you'll be put in ICU the first night for extra
careful monitoring? Its best if you are. In any case you'll have your
BiPap machine there with you and this will help keep you safe. Best of
Luck to you for a safe and successful surgery.
— Hackett
January 17, 2003
Check with your Dr. When my husband was in the hospital (not WLS related)
they had a Bi-Pap there for him to use and he didn't need to bring his.
All hospitals are different and why lug that thing with you if you don't
have to.
— salymsmommy
January 17, 2003
You will take your CPap with you, they will put it on you once you are
"awake" even if you are too sleepy to remember it. If you can't
breathe adequately after surgery they may leave you on a ventilator
(respirator) but don't worry about it, most likely you will be fine. You
take your own just so they don't have to charge you to use theirs.
Ventilators also have positive pressure CPap, if you need it, they use it
to wean you off the ventilator. My doc said when I get down to 200#, I
will have another sleep study to see if I can come off CPap. Good luck to
you.
— Dana S.
January 17, 2003
My surgeon absolutely did NOT want me to bring my CPAP with me nor to use
it immediately post-op. I believe he was concerned with the air blowing
down into my new pouch. You need to ask your own surgeon what he/she wants
you to do.
— garw
January 17, 2003
This was one of my big worries prior to my surgery. It all depends on what
your doctor wants and what the hospital allows. Some hospitals don't allow
you to bring your own equipment. Your doctor should discuss this with you
and should tell you whether or not to bring your machine. Also some
doctors put their sleep apnea patients in ICU after surgery as a
precaution. You will be on a respirator during surgery which does mean a
tube going down your throat (intubation) and if for some reason you cannot
breathe properly after surgery they will keep you intubated. From reading
on this board, I think that happens rarely. It did happen to me. I was
intubated for two days and it was not fun. The respirator supposedly had a
CPAP mode, but even with that my breathing was very slow whenever I went to
sleep. My sleep apnea wasn't controlled before surgery though. Even
though I had a CPAP machine, I never got used to it and my oxygen levels
were very low all of the time prior to surgery, so maybe that had something
to do with it.
— Lisa N M.
January 17, 2003
Thanks everyone for the input. It does help. The only thing that confuses
me a little is that my doctor at the very end of the surgery fills my
abdomen with saline and then puts a scope into the pouch and pressurizes
looking for leaks. This has eliminated almost all leak issues for him. In
order to do this I assume the intubation tube will be removed at that
point. He also does not put in a NG tube as he does not feel there is a
need for it because there is no acids etc. in the new pouch. However, I
will have a G-tube, yuck, because of my history of stomach polyps and the
sleep apnea. This will address any distress in my excluded stomach. Poor
stomach nobody wants it. LOL I'll find out more on the 27th, but it helps
to hear what happened with other people. Chris
— zoedogcbr
January 18, 2003
I brought my machine with me down to surgery, however it wasn't used until
after I was in recovery. When the recovery nurse was asking me questions,
trying to wake me up, she asked me if I wanted my CPAP machine. I said
yes, so they set it up right away. If you hate to sleep without your
machine (like I do), then you'll really REALLY appreciate having it in the
hospital with you. They were also able to hook oxygen up through the
machine. It was very conforting to have my own mask. Good luck to you.
— Katherine A.
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