Sleep apnea and surgery

[jaymmee 37]

Ok so I completed my sleep study and was told I have mild sleep apnea result is 6.1. I have kaiser insurance and I’m starting options aug 5. Hopefully having surgery in November. I know Bariatric surgery can improve sleep apnea should I even bother getting the machine? I’m hoping after surgery it’ll be resolved and then I have wasted money on the machine and equipment. Anyone else have similar?

[Stitches78 65]

Well, I was diagnosed with apnea in november, got a machine for 1,000 dollars. Haven't finished paying it off, and I no longer need it. I had surgery almost 6 weeks ago and I'm now paying for an expensive paperweight. So, I would say no, don't waste your money. However, there is no guarantee that yours will clear up. I think it depends on how bad your apnea was. I wasn't sleeping at all. I was waking up so much I might as well have just never gone to bed.

[Briswife15 889]

In my experience it takes a while, and weight loss to get off the CPAP machine. I'm 4 months post surgery, have lost 50 pounds, and the sleep doctor wants me to retake the sleep study when I reach goal weight, which is another 50 pounds. Does your insurance pay for the machine and supplies?

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[jaymmee 37]

So I have mild sleep apnea. My insurance covers 80%. I’m wondering if I should wait and recheck after I lose some weight.

[Ed_NW 684]

Kaiser will require you to bring your machine in with you when you have surgery. If you show up without it, they will send you home. Kaiser told me the only three things I must bring with me on the day of my surgery was ID, Insurance card and CPAP machine.

[Sandra Nuelken 419]

I got my machine because I needed the diagnosis and machine for insurance approval. Mine was free so it was a no brainer. I've been diligent in using it, my husband says I don't snore anymore. As soon as the weight is off then I'll give it a try without it. I have Medicare so I had to have something besides weight for them to cover the surgery.

[jaymmee 37]

Good to know

[MLB357 58]

My medical team told me it was very important to have my CPAP available right after the surgery is completed. They take very good care of you during the procedure itself, but if you have sleep apnea you really should have your machine there during the recovery. Your body is going to be healing itself and last thing you're going to need is to be waking up all night , which is what happen with sleep apnea.... just saying

"You Got This "

[AZhiker 2,251]

My BMI was borderline 39-40 and so having the sleep study and finding out I had extreme sleep apnea (over 60 apneic episodes/hr) gave me the co-morbidity to guarantee surgery. My machine is not quite yet paid for. Insurance covers most of it, and now that I am almost at goal, my doctor has reduced the pressure and will order another sleep study to see if I need the machine anymore. I would suggest that if there is any doubt about qualifying for surgery, and if the machine is mostly covered by insurance, get the machine. There is nothing like sending the receipt to the insurance company to demonstrate your co-morbidity and your compliance with doctor's orders. But...…. if I had to pay out of pocket, and IF my apnea was mild, I might hold out and see what happens in 6 months. A problem might lie in having a diagnosis of sleep apnea, but you not showing compliance by not using the machine, which is something to consider.

[Stitches78 65]

I didn't take my machine to the hospital. I was too nervous and just didn't think about it. They had one there I could use. Didn't matter. Between having to pee every hour or so and being woken up to walk around and for blood work and medication, I think I got 2 hours of sleep...and it wasn't all at once.

[MLB357 58]

As you can see lots of different opinions... my opinion ask your doctor

[jaymmee 37]

I’ve decided to get the machine. I need it. Can’t stand how exhausted I am and not to mention forgetful. My insurance covers 80% so not too much out of pocket. I have the co morbidities for my surgery and AZhiker said it adds to my approval. So I’m getting the machine.

[AZhiker 2,251]

1 hour ago, jaymmee said:

I’ve decided to get the machine. I need it. Can’t stand how exhausted I am and not to mention forgetful. My insurance covers 80% so not too much out of pocket. I have the co morbidities for my surgery and AZhiker said it adds to my approval. So I’m getting the machine.

Getting good quality sleep helps regulate glucose, cholesterol, and metabolism. It helps with weight loss. If you are symptomatic from sleep apnea, you are going to feel soooooo much better. Just be patient and find the right mask or device that works for you. I use a soft nasal cushion that is like a moustache under my nose. very comfortable. I used to think there was something wrong with my bladder because I was having to pee 3-4 times/night. Now I don't get up at all! It was yet another issue from sleep apnea.

[jaymmee 37]

Oh my goodness... I get up 3-4 times per night to pee too!! And I have nights sweats badly lately too. Getting a great nights sleep again is what I’m looking forward too the most about this machine. And the additional bonus that it helps me get approved for my surgery 😉

[Frustr8 7,886]

Before I got my apnea diagnosis I had the snoring, restlessness but I also had one nobody else mentioned, nightmares where I woke up in a cold sweat. Don't have them anymore, and I have a theory for that, like one of other posters I also had high frequency of episodes 70- 75 an hour, I think my body was starving for quality air intake, I would bebwoke by those! Tonight both my Tomkitten, my son, and I will have sleep Studies, his 1st and my re- evale, because I am down 175 pounds from Highest Weight, which was almost 2 years ago, 120+ since my RNY on September 5th 2018, a chance it will be D'Cd but betting not, Tomkitten will be the 3rd generation with Medical certification so it's either intrinsic, which I suspect, or the result of a bad dietary heredity. But We Shall. See what we Shall see! Think Good Thoughts for us both! Lying here with Uncle Snuffely on, I tend to " Name" things so my C-Pap has His Own, we have become Good Friends by Now.
And a little FYI for some of you guys, yeah I took my Uncle S. with me when I had my RNY at Ohio State, but I accidently left on of the pieces home, took all new tubing, really THOUGHT I had it ALL but I didn't. And my machine was a different model from the ones Respiratory had "in- house". What happened? I was on O2 the whole time I was there, under House Arrest in my Room, never met anyone else recovering, SHOOT I didn't even get to walk in the Hall. So Yeah, do take your C-Pap, but make sure before you leave home the pieces are ALL THERE, it's dang lonely looking at 3 walls and a window, yeah You Can Watch TV but my one at home is Bigger, Nicer and has Netflix on it as well as Spectrum Cable. WORD!