Question:
Post-Op...do you still need CPAP? If so do you use lower # input?

Has anyone been told that the use of CPAP might affect their new pouch?    — BILL M. (posted on March 27, 2002)

March 27, 2002
My surgeon said a pressure of below 10 was acceptable after surgery. I've heard other people say 5. Mine is set at 8, and I used it in the hospital the night after surgery with no problems. (I was stronly encouraged by everyone on my surgery team to bring my own to the hospital, which I did.) As for the need to use it later, obstructive sleep apnea can be related to obesity, so you may not need to continue to ues it. I am only a few weeks out, so don't expect to see a change in this regard for a while. Unfortunately for me, I don't actualy have OSA,but something similar which is not related to obesity (UARS), so I may not ever get rid of my CPAP. I don't care as long as I actually get to sleep!
   — Linda B.

March 27, 2002
this depends on your dr. my doctor told me no cpap for 3 weeks after surgery cause it blows air into the stomach. i have heard of people on this site using cpap post op in the hospital. i am now four weeks postop and i will be calling the dr to see if i am to resume my cpap. right after surgery the surgeon said even with a small amount of weight loss, i probably wont even need it.
   — PATSY N.

March 27, 2002
My CPAP is set to 9, and I used it in the hospital and since. My neurologist will do another sleep study when I am close to goal to see if my apnea is cured. As of now, nearly 7 months and 100 lbs down, I don't think it is. When I sleep without the CPAP, I can feel the difference the next day. So, basically, this is something that depends on the individual.
   — BlueGray

March 27, 2002
I plan to continue to use mine, but will probably see the pulmonologist post-op to see if he wants me to do another sleep study. I think most of us will be able to stop using it at some point post op, but I'd go with the doc's recommendation. Mine's pretty high right now, so I think it's likely that I'll have it adjusted down once before I'll get off it all together.
   — garw

March 27, 2002
i am 3 months post op open rny. my cpap is set at 15. i used it in the hospital after surgery & continue to do so at home. i do think it needs to be retitrated tho to a lower pressure. i still cant sleep without it & i have lost 60 lbs. i hope the day will come when i can send it back where it came from.
   — sheryl titone

March 27, 2002
Bill, my setting was 17 and since it was SO HIGH I never did tolerate the #@!%$ thing. My surgeon opted for oxygen at a higher flow after surgery, with pulse ox monitoring, and a monitored bed. Very high pressures DO run a slight risk of inflating the intestines and causing a leak. See my profile I hav lost 125 pounds. I havent been rechecked for apnea but my wife says I never snoar loud and dont quit breathing any more. This is because we MO are fat on the inside as well as outside. This inner fat obstructs our airway causing apnea.
   — bob-haller