I am due for surgery on August 30.

Since I started this process a few months ago, I have been asking questions about the connection between sleep apne and lapband surgery and have not obtained any clear answers. In the beginning, I was told that CPAP machine needed day of surgery to help me resume breathing after general aenesthetics - don't make sense and did not need for my other surgeries.

Nevertheless, I took an onvernight sleep lab at the local hospital on Doctor's orders but still don't really understand why. Was told I had borderline sleep apnea but I already knew that and accepted my problem. Called back in and told that I must take a 2nd sleep lab to have my lapband surgery and complied. However, no Doctor has reviewed my results with me. To be clear, I sought help for obesity not for my sleep apnea.

On Monday, when delivering CPAP machine to me at home, the CPAP supplier therapist surprised me with news that I must start using CPAP machine immediately for 2 weeks before surgery and 2 weeks after surgery. Requirements from Medicare and I need to have CPAP machine at surgery. I am using sleep macine under protest to keep surgery date but now sleeping badly - does not make sense.

Have called Doctor's practice with questions since Tuesday and have exchanged questions and vague answers.

Has anyone else been through this? Can anyone explain to me? .

I am due for surgery on August 30.

Since I started this process a few months ago, I have been asking questions about the connection between sleep apne and lapband surgery and have not obtained any clear answers. In the beginning, I was told that CPAP machine needed day of surgery to help me resume breathing after general aenesthetics - don't make sense and did not need for my other surgeries.

Nevertheless, I took an onvernight sleep lab at the local hospital on Doctor's orders but still don't really understand why. Was told I had borderline sleep apnea but I already knew that and accepted my problem. Called back in and told that I must take a 2nd sleep lab to have my lapband surgery and complied. However, no Doctor has reviewed my results with me. To be clear, I sought help for obesity not for my sleep apnea.

On Monday, when delivering CPAP machine to me at home, the CPAP supplier therapist surprised me with news that I must start using CPAP machine immediately for 2 weeks before surgery and 2 weeks after surgery. Requirements from Medicare and I need to have CPAP machine at surgery. I am using sleep macine under protest to keep surgery date but now sleeping badly - does not make sense.

Have called Doctor's practice with questions since Tuesday and have exchanged questions and vague answers.

Has anyone else been through this? Can anyone explain to me? .

Hi,

Yes I had two sleep test was told the same thing. The Dr wants us to use the machine because we will be on our backs during the op and the recovery. They really are just plying it safe for both you and them.

If you do not use the machine they will know as the information is stored on a card in the machine.

I will tell you I hate that machine but no longer use it. Funny that some of the staff at the hospital told me that they have a CPAP machine and hate it as well.

Good luck to you.

Mary

It really has nothing to do with lap band. Obese people are more prone to sleep apnea since there is a lot of fat and can be a lot around the neck. WHich can compress the trachea causing the skipped breaths. They want to make sure if you do have sleep apnea you are able to continue breathing as you are recovering from anesthesia. Since you will be on your back, once they extubate you they want to be sure your airway is open and you can breathe. With animals we do not extubate them until basically they are coughing the ET tube out and making sure they can swallow and everything so that they don't vomit and aspirate. I assume they don't wait this long with people because it may be traumatic (not sure, if at this point you would remember)

I am due for surgery on August 30.

Since I started this process a few months ago, I have been asking questions about the connection between sleep apne and lapband surgery and have not obtained any clear answers. In the beginning, I was told that CPAP machine needed day of surgery to help me resume breathing after general aenesthetics - don't make sense and did not need for my other surgeries.

Nevertheless, I took an onvernight sleep lab at the local hospital on Doctor's orders but still don't really understand why. Was told I had borderline sleep apnea but I already knew that and accepted my problem. Called back in and told that I must take a 2nd sleep lab to have my lapband surgery and complied. However, no Doctor has reviewed my results with me. To be clear, I sought help for obesity not for my sleep apnea.

On Monday, when delivering CPAP machine to me at home, the CPAP supplier therapist surprised me with news that I must start using CPAP machine immediately for 2 weeks before surgery and 2 weeks after surgery. Requirements from Medicare and I need to have CPAP machine at surgery. I am using sleep macine under protest to keep surgery date but now sleeping badly - does not make sense.

Have called Doctor's practice with questions since Tuesday and have exchanged questions and vague answers.

Has anyone else been through this? Can anyone explain to me? .

Hi, there, it sounds to me like someone is not explaining things very well. I can only tell you from my own experience. Like you, I am still preop. About ten years ago, my children told me that they could hear me snoring through my bedroom door and theirs. I mentioned it to my ENT while I was being seen for another reason. He sent me home with a pulse ox monitor (to measure how much oxygen was circulating through my body while I slept.) Mine came back around 70% which is not really compatible with life for any length of time. I was referred on to a sleep specialist, had the overnight tests and behold I have sleep apnea. I would never sleep more than four hours at a time. Always tired. He recommended a cpap machine and I have been on one ever since. I feel so much better. Still only sleep about six hours at a time but that is a lot better than 4. My oxygen levels at room air still are barely over 90. For any procedure, I always have oxygen. I have never smoked in my life but was subject to a lot of second hand smoke.

When I went for my surgical consult, I was told right off the bat to plan on bringing my machine to the hospital. I use it whenever I sleep, travel with it, whatever. I know I have to. It has helped me enormously and I will be anxious to see what happens after I lose weight. It can become your new best friend!

Hang in there. All the best to you and please keep us posted on your progress.

Melinda

70% oxygen sats are not good at all. I am a respiratory therapist and you do need to at least try the machine and bring it with you to the surgery as some patients have a lot of trouble waking up post op after estivation, as they pull the tube before you are full awake. So they want the machine close just in case it needs to be put on to keep your airways open. This is a cover everyone's butts thing, and to protect you also.

I wondered why I had to do the sleep study too but dr. said it was because of the recovery like someone above mentioned. At my hosp they keep you in a recovery room overnight where there are 2 patients to 1 nurse so I am good with that. I didn't know I had sleep apnea, I now know I do. Mine is pretty mild but WHEN I leave the machine on all night I wake up feeling so much better. I wake up with the mask on top of my machine a lot though. Maybe one day I will get used to leaving it on all night every night