Hi there. I am not required to have a sleep apnea test for surgery. Why are some required to have the test? Is it to establish a co-morbidity for insurance? Or is a positive sleep apnea test used to avoid problems it can cause during surgery? I am worried that I have it and that my surgeon should be concerned about it. This concern is just part of my pre-surgery anxiety!

Thanks, Shan.

Many insurance companies allow you to have a lower bmi if you have two comorbidities, diabetes is one, sleep apnea another. Many allow 40 bmi with no comorbidites and 35+ with 2 comorbidities.

Many overweight patients have a larger size neck and chest, the weight helps to close off the back of the throat and sleep apnea is prevalent in overweight people. There are also people that are not overweight that get obstructive sleep apnea too, and there is also something called "central sleep apnea."

Losing weight could usually correct obstructive sleep apnea. Most insurance companies realize that a lot of people will not become compliant with the cpap, and there are issues where if it's not on correctly, or some people are stomach sleepers and it's hard to where a cpap on your stomach. It does establish another comorbidity.

I have an cousin that was overweight that died in her sleep at the age of 52. She was contemplating the surgery but she also needed hip and knee surgery because of her weight. She went with the knee surgery, and she died of sleep apnea, but didn't bother getting tested for it.

They are finding people who have chronic pain conditions, including fibromyalgia have sleep apnea. Many people with sleep apnea swear they didn't sleep most of the night, so how could they have had these episodes, they always wake up so tired as though they didn't sleep.

I hate getting tested for Sleep apnea, I hate the wires, the fact that someone is watching me, but I do it. I will find out sometime in September if I can go off Oxygen and the cpap (which I use oxygen because I refuse to be compliant with cpap).

Best of luck to you.

ssehol,

correct, if you test positive for sleep apnea "its good", then you have yet another co-morbitdity for insurance purposes - one more "bad" thing that the insurance company "likes" so you can be approved for WLS

good luck

kathy

For me it was my surgeon who wanted the sleep study not the insurance. My insurance only wanted a psyche eval. They approved my surgery one week after the psyche. My surgeon wanted the sleep study, the endoscopy ( both are done and cleared) and tomorrow I have the cardiac clearance. My doc said she takes no chances and wants to make sure her patients are as healthy as possible for the surgery and also that she is aware of any health problems so she can prepare to deal with them and not get any surprises!

My surgery center required a sleep apnea test before being cleared for surgery. It was explained that if you have untreated sleep apnea it could increase your risk of death during surgery. If you stop breathing during a regular nights sleep (sleep apnea) and you add powerful anesthesia to that equation you could stop breathing for good. Sleep apnea is also very hard on your heart and lungs. My surgeon requires a minimum of two months of cpap treatment before they will schedule surgery. I was disgnosed with severe sleep apnea and have been on my cpap for almost six weeks. I'm feeling much better when I wake up in the morning. But I'll be honest.....I can't wait to get off the machine!!!