cpap doesn't work on me...does that mean i might get refused surgery???

[VIXXX]

I was put on the waiting list for a gastric bypass in january in sheffield and was due to have the op in may this year. However, i was sent for a sleep study in the meantime and i was diagnosed with sleep apnea. This put a hold on my op. I have tried cpap and bipap machines and have tried all masks, i have persisted with the machines but just do not seem to feel any benefit from it, in fact i felt worse because i couldn't fall asleep with the mask on. The monitor showed 25 times an hour where i stopped breathing when i first went and the last time i was monitored it showed 30 times an hour.
The hospital treating me for sleep apnea have now discharged me and i am now waiting to hear from the anaethatist at the hallamshire.

Will they not operate because of this??

I am really scared i need this op, i am so down about myself i had to go to the doctors on friday and now i have to take 3 anti-depressants a day instead of 2.
Can anyone help me please

vixxx

 

[dottychic]

Sorry I cant help as I dont have sleep apnea and Im pre-op, just wanted to say Hi and Im sure someone here will have some useful advice for you X

 

[zns]

It will make you higher risk but as long as they are fully prepared you should be fine to have the op. But that doesnt mean that they will do it. You'll have to phone them and see what they say. Sorry that its not worked for you. Did you have investigations to see if it was due to throat or nose structure issues?

 

[Glenville]

Hi Vixxx, welcome to the site.

I suspect that you are "down" due to the lack of oxygen in your blood. That really does have a major effect on one's feelings. I was diagnosed with sleep apnea some time ago and was stopping breathing about 55 times an hour. Fortunately I coped well with the CPAP (actually APAP) machine and was feeling so much better after just 2-3 nights. It is difficult to get used to these things but believe me it really does improve your life once you can cope with it. I managed to stop using mine about 3 months post op and have never looked back.

Do try and persevere with it as I suspect it may well hinder your acceptance for wls. They really don't want to have added complications for your op. You may well get the go-ahead, I would speak to them and let them know the situation. Best to know the situation otherwise you will only worry about it. Good luck.

 

[angelicheart]

hi there,
i use the CPAP and i do agree with you regarding the mask, as i have chuppy cheeks hehehe ;o) but trust me you will get used to it, i sleep much better and i hardly wake up during my sleep and funny enough i dont use the toilet as much, as i used to go to the toilet like 2 3 time within the hour.
i wish you all the best.

 

[BeaBea]

Hi ... I can understand how you are feeling as when I first started using CPAP I found it difficult to sleep, I wondered how people managed. My consultant advised me to stop driving for a while because of my sleep apnea and I needed to drive for work. I went to work on two buses there a back a everyday and relied on my colleagues at work to ferry me around to appointments plus trams and buses, thankfully they are brill. I persevered with the machine which I really wanted to throw out of the window sometimes. I think I've been using it about 18 months now, I still hate, I do sleep better, it leaves tram lines on my face for about half hour each morning where its been stuck to my face. To be honest I don't think I could sleep properly without it as I wake myself up snoring! Maybe you could go back to the sleep clinic and ask if they could get one of there manufacturer reps to come and see you and try and sort a mask out, there are loads of them. Its worth a try eh? Or as folks have suggested ring your team and ask what they suggest you do next. I do hope it gets sorted, I'm sure there will be a way around it, so try not to get too upset.

 

[Glenville]

That's a good point Beth. Vixxx, if you are a driver you need to inform the DVLA and your car insurance company that you have sleep apnea. You will probably get told to stop driving until you have it under control with the CPAP.

 

[phatmomma]

My Trev was diagnosed earlier this year with apnoea, he was lucky that after the first night he managed almost a whole night with his mask on. We've experimented with different masks to find the one that he preferred. The cpap machine has made a great difference in our life, before this i found after a few hours i'd be having to head to the sofa as the snoring was so bad (never mind the fact he's stopping sleeping - he's interrupting me beauty sleep). Trev feels so much better for having the machine, he is more energised and is not Mr Grumpy at 5 in the afternoon.

I have a friend who had an apnoea machine he never uses as he can't get used to it, well at least till he got a new g/f who used to kick him out of bed to sleep on the sofa. Now he can manage half the night and is working on the other half

However, i digress... I sincerely hope you can have your surgery, i'm sure they will investigate all possibilities xxx