Question:
Is surgery harder on a person wth sleep apnea? I also have pcos
due to the sleep apnea and lak of oxygen my legs are grotesquely swollen. My stomach is starting to swell and harden also like my legs. I also get terrible "cysts" or boils under my stomach and other fat areas. Can anyone out there relate or am I a freak? My doc says swelling would go down if i use the cpap but I cant get used to it no matter how hard I try. — justaboutkrazy (posted on February 26, 2003)
February 25, 2003
Please give your cpap a chance. I am preop and I have sleep apnea. Yes
the machine is difficult, but it makes the world of difference. Before I
got mine I would drown out the TV (3 rooms away with the door closed) with
my snoring. Now I do not snore at all. I sleep all night long and wake up
rested not more tired. I can sleep on my side or my back with little
discomfort from the mask. Remember the mask should not be tight on your
face. Snug but not tight. Maybe you need a different mask? I have the
one that the hose runs up to the top of the headgear. I like it because I
don't get wrapped up in it as I roll around at night.
Please give your mask another chance maybe try sleeping in a recliner until
you get used to it, then move to your bed. Remember to keep your mouth shut
so that the air doesn't blow out.
— Pookie B.
February 25, 2003
Mary, What is your pressure? It might be that your pressure is on the
higher side and you may need BiPAP. When I did my sleep study to figure
out my pressures I was doing okay till the pressures got up around 16-18,
then I choked. They moved me to BiPAP and it was so amazing. I could
breathe normal. I could take a full normal breath cycle - fully exhale.
It was so relaxing not to fight the machine that I fell back asleep
immediately and slept the rest of the night without waking. That is the
worst part for me on CPAP, the exhaling. BiPAP was the only answer for me.
The mask is another huge piece of the puzzle. They had to switch masks on
me at 14 pressure because the standard one started to leak, so the
technician cranked it down on my face and I said I can't sleep like that,
so she went digging for a smaller mask. I have a small nose and short
bridge so it is much more difficult to fit me. That mask was so tiny and
worked very well for me.
<p>When I met with the sales person to get my machine and mask I
tried some other ones. A gel mask felt really good but I could not breathe
back against it's relief valve. I have very good lung capacity and
strength but I guess when I sleep I don't have powerful lungs. I was back
to not being able to take full cycles of breath. So even though the mask
felt good it was not going to work for me. So I ended up with one like the
tiny one I used in the hospital and it works great for me, when I use the
machine. I have not used it in almost a month (since surgery on 2/3)
because my surgeon wanted me off of it since surgery, so that it doesn't
put too much pressure on the healing pouch. I'm guessing my pressures
would already be lower anyway as I'm not mouth breating at night etc., so
my sleep apnea must already be some better. I found absolutely no problems
adjusting to using the machine but I believe it's because I got moved to
BiPAP and found a mask that works for me. Talk to your pulmonologist and
see if they can order a BiPAP machine for you to try for a month and see if
that doesn't help. Some people are able to do CPAP at any pressure and
some aren't. I'm one that can't. Good Luck!
— zoedogcbr
February 25, 2003
Mary, having surgery with untreated sleep apnea is deadly! I don't mean to
sound harsh, but this is very serious business. Please read the memorial
that I wrote on my best friend, Ginger Brewster, on the memorial page of
this website to understand what can happen. PLEASE give your CPAP/Bipap
another try. Also, PLEASE make sure that precautions for your sleep apnea
are taken by your surgeon and the hospital personnel taking care of you.
To be safe you should be in ICU the first 24 hours after surgery till the
anesthesia wears off in order for them to monitor you very closely so you
don't stop breathing while you sleep. I wish you the Best of Luck for a
successful and SAFE surgery. PLEASE take your sleep apnea seriously
especially when it is in conjunction with surgery.
— Hackett
February 26, 2003
Mary, please use your machine. Like another poster said..try to get a
BiPap machine. That is what I use. I also couldn't get used to the CPAP.
I was diagnosed in 1994 and refused to use the machine, because I couldn't
get used to it. It almost cost me my life 5 years later. I was in ICU for
a week, because I had literally no oxygen in my blood, just very high
levels of carbon dioxide and an enlarged heart. I started using the BiPap
in 1999, and have felt so much better. I had my surgery October 25, 2002.
Because of the sleep apnea, I had a really hard time waking up from the
anesthesia. They had to monitor me closely, but I made it with the help of
my BiPap machine. So please, do yourself a favor and treat your apnea. It
is a matter of life and death. Steph (10/25/02....-66lbs.)
— Stephenie B.
February 26, 2003
No you are not a freak. You have sleep apnea because you are overweight.
Many people have this, even being just 10-20lbs. overweight. Losing weight
will help, but until then, using your machine is a matter of life and
death. As for your painful cysts/boils, those are Hidradentis Supperativa,
and the cause is unknown (as thin people get them too). The AMOS database
is full of good information on how to care for HS Cysts when you get them.
The intranet also has information on them, if you just do a search. It is
mostly listed under dermalogical conditions. Now for your PCOS, I
recommend starting over at Soulcyster.net or INCIID, and here is their
link. http://www.inciid.org/faq/pcos.html Your PCOS is not cureable;
but treatable, with or without WLS. A diet low in carbs, high in protein
works best for us- as does mucho exercise. There are still a few of us who
do need to use certain medications as well, regardless of our weightloss. I
highly reccomend a good Endocrinologist for treatment as this is a
Endocrine Disorder. Good luck. PS- I used to think I was a freak for many
years until I got some "learnin" on my conditions.. now, although
I am unfortunate- I know I am not a freak. Just complicated.
— Karen R.
February 26, 2003
If you're feeling "closed in" and smothered with your cpap, you
may want to check out the Nasal-aire. It's an oxygen like delivery system
with prongs that fit in the nostrils. I've been on cpap for 3 years and
won't close my eyes without it. Please don't allow sleep apnea to go
untreated...it's a killer.
— Donna H.
February 26, 2003
My legs are swollen to the point that layers hand over each other. At one
point a pouch acutally would touch the ground. I was diagnosed with
lymphedema which causes fluid build-up in your body because of a
malfunctioning lymph system. I also have sleep apnea and possible PCOS but
my doctors have never implied that using my CPAP will make my legs better.
I use my CPAP and get compression treatment for my legs.
— Sarahlicious
February 26, 2003
Hiya Mary,
I am 6 days postop OPEN RNY and have sleep apnea. The surgery will be a
bit more difficult since they will only give you so much morphine. I was
in tremendous pain immediate postop and the doctors would not give me more
morphine since it affects the breathing and they would worry I would have
serious breathing problems since I have sleep apnea. The doctor wouldn't
do anything for me until he tried to move me and I gave the loudest yell
and started hyperventaliting. What I would suggest is to let your doctor
know and possibly take the epidural option if it is available. If you are
experiencing tremendious pain you have to make sure you are heard otherwise
they think you are just the typical whinner who can't tolerate any pain.
Read my profile for what I experienced in the hospital. Be aware that I
survived and I'm very glad today that I had the surgery. I considered my
sugical pain as a baptism by fire.
<p>Take Care, Be Well, Be Happy!
John
— John T.
February 27, 2003
Well, let me put it like this...if you're a freak, then you aren't the only
one!LOL I've had sleep apnea for years. I finally couldn't take it any
longer...got tired of being teased by friends when i'd fall asleep while
visiting and tired and scared of nodding off at work (scared i'd be caught
and fired) I've been on my cpap for 3 days now and it's made a difference.
Tell the Dr or tech about your problems adjusting to the machine. My tech
has already checked on me to see how i'm doing with my machine - mine is
pretty high also (16 and my oxygen level was down to 75% before the cpap)
and she wants to make sure I don't need a bipap. So far so good. When it's
ramping in the beginning I do kind of feel like i'm smothering, but i
notice if i relax and get settled in before I start using it i don't have
that smothering feeling. I also get those boils too. I'm waiting anxiously
for the day when I can get rid of all these MO probs in favor of more
positive ones - like finding out my clothes don't fit because i've lost so
much weight! Please don't give up on the machine! Just remember this is one
more thing you'll have to give up after WLS!! "....This too will
pass." Best wishes..and feel free to email me!
— Robin J.
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