sleep apnea

AngelaT · December 15, 2006

Hi, I have sleep apnea and my surgeon is concerned about it during+after surgery. He wants me to go through another sleep study before he does my band. I had a hysterectomy last january with no problems. This is going to hold up my surgery date because I can't get in for a month with the pulminologist, I am a self pay so I dont have insurance postponing me. I do have insurance but anything to do with obesity is excluded. I was wondering if anyone else had to do this? Also I hope that with weight loss my apnea will get lost also! I work retail and wanted to get this done while it was slow at work. I would appreciate any input, Thanks Sunnysea:)

I do not know why he would want another test if you have been tested and have a bipap at home that ytou can bring to the hospital so you can use it there. Anesthesia does not require at all that you breathe on your own. The machine/ventilator does it for you. That is why you are intubated during surgery. When anesthesia wears off if youhave sleep apnea they might keep you intubated for an additional couple of hours or so, but later they can just put you on bipap until you are fully awake again from the anesthesia. I think he just wants to able to charge for another test....hope your insurance does not mind!

Do not worry about a thing, a large group of people who havw WLS surgery have sleep apnea and gratefully for many once they lose some weight, they will not longer need it! If a person has central apnea, then it is different, and they could be skinny and have it. It is different than obstructive sleep apnea.... it is hard to tell with someone who is obese, so testing would be better after losing weight.

Good luck with everything!:welldone2:

sunnysea · December 16, 2006

HI, Sunnysea here, I spoke to someone from my Dr's office today and explained to her my reasoning on not having a sleep study done until I have lost the weight. Also I mentioned that a year ago I had a Hysterectomy with little concern about my apnea or any problems. She said that this being an elective surgery that the Dr. has to (cross his T's and dot his I's) but that she would ask him about it on Monday and let me know. She also mentioned that they could maybe get me into this Pulminolgist sooner(THANK YOU!) Why they didnt do that right away I don't know??? Anyhow maybe I will be a January Bandster!:clap2: