I've read that some people have to do a sleep study as part of their pre-op. Why?

I don't know all the details, but Many obese have sleep-apnea and don't even know it. It can affect the safety of surgery (or post-op), and my surgeon wanted to be aware of all possible complications. My father has sleep apnea, and I was diagnosed the month before surgery, and have been using a CPap machine this past year. It's made a big difference in the fatigue factor - I have energy (even before surgery).

Good luck,

Nancy

I'm not a dr and I didn't do a sleep study, but it might have to do with the fact that sleep apnea is a co-morbidity many obese people experience. Also, if your bmi is on the lower end, but you have 2 disorders considered co-morbid, you have a greater chance of getting an insurance company to cover the surgery.

Smitten Kitten,

Off topic here, but how did you're process go so quickly? I notice it was roughly a month from your consult to your surgery.

This is from my doctor's website:

Surgical therapy should be considered for individuals with:

oBody mass index (BMI) greater than 40 kg/m2

OR

oBMI greater than 35 kg/m2 with significant co- morbidities.

AND

oProven failed attempts with dietary weight-control

Co-morbidities include but are not limited to:

·Cardiac disease

·Diabetes mellitus – Type 2

·Obstructive sleep apnea

·Hypertension

·Dyslipidemia

·Gastro-esophageal reflux disease

·Stress urinary incontinence

·Arthritis of weight bearing joints

·Infertility

·Some cancers

My BMI was 38.5. I had a sleep study done. The tech told me 1 in 5 people have at least mild sleep apnea. I was one (mild but my tech wrote a perfect "recommendation"), so that, combined with my history of semi-severe acid reflux got me approved no problem.

My Dr. required it because 85-90% of obese people have it and it puts you at higher risk w/ anesthia to go into respiratory failure or have respiratory problems if it's not known (according to my surgeon and also the pulmonologist I went to).

I did my sleep study and I do have sleep apnea so now I have a c-pap machine...still trying to get used to that

Smitten Kitten,

Off topic here, but how did you're process go so quickly? I notice it was roughly a month from your consult to your surgery.

I'm a self-pay, so because no insurance company is involved the process tends to go much quicker.

Oh. I would hate to have to pay for it myself, so I'll just have to see what happens with my insurance. The speed of the process would be nice though. The longer I have to think about something the more likely I am to back out...

Back to the sleep study question though: Have any of you had any previous surgery history where a sleep study wasn't performed? I had my gallbladder taken out back in May and the only testing I had to have was a pregnancy test and a comp. metabolic panel. As far as I know there were no complications during the surgery but the anesthesia did make me really sick when I was coming out of it. Does it really just depend on surgeon preference?

Smitten Kitten is right, I had to have the test done as part as the qualifications my insurance required. I also had to see a psychiatrist, nutritionist and cardiologist. It took awhile, but I did it:lol: