Does having sleep apnea hinder my chances of having surgery?

I am going through Guelph. They ask that you get a bunch of tests done after orientation, so that they have the results when you go to your first set of appointments..(social, nutritionist etc..). I met some of their requirements for the sleep test, so I thought I would be proactive and get it done...honestly thinking that i did not have it.  Turns out I do...severe sleep apnea.(I went to the Paris sleep clinic, not the one that has made bad headlines lately/ and a number of OH members recommended it).. So, I stopped breathing 277 times in 4.5 hours, the longest for 93 seconds.

Anyway, I know a lot of people on the forum have this..and I really did not  fully understand what it entailed. 

I was supposed to have day surgery next week.  In the afternoon. When they found out I had sleep apnea they postponed my surgery-for a morning date .  Pre op appointment went well until I met the anesthesiologist, who advised he was not comfortable putting me under..wants to give me an epidural instead (45 minute surgery)...

If they are uncomfortable putting me under for 45 minutes, what is going to happen when I have my RNY?  Mind you, this surgery is at a different hospital.  But it's causing me to panic a little anyway.

Should I be worried?  I know Guelph tends to be over cautious....but Yikes...

 

 

 

Hi, i am going to Guelph and I also have sleep apnea.  From what i understand ...you will be expected to have a sleep apnea machine and to use it when you are in and out of hospital.  I don't think they actually stop doing the surgery for that reason as from what I've read many people who have sleep apnea have the surgery.  Often sleep apnea is weight related so you are not alone.  You can always check with the nurse or the clinic to see what they say.  Best of luck.   Sue

Thank you Sue.  My initial set of appointments is not until July 15th, so I couldnt check with the clinic.  I know a lot of people on here have it, and I did not think it was a big deal until the anesthesiologist in Milton made it into one.  Good Luck with your journey!

It won't hinder surgery but it needs to be treated for them to operate.  They may have opted for the epidural for the one coming up because you aren't on CPAP yet or you haven't had the machine calibrated for you. 

Thanks Tracey.  In my pre op appointment they just told me I had to bring my machine.  The sleep clinic rushed my case so that I could have the machine for my surgery...just waiting on the prescription/provider to get it.  I dont know why the anesthesiologist is being so hard nosed on this...maybe the epidural is just the easier way to go.  Anyway, thanks again for your response.

Did you go back for the 2nd sleep test with the machine?  My sleep doc started me at a pressure he thought was right given the results but then he had me back to sleep again with the machine and then they were able to fine tune the adjustment.  If you haven't done the 2nd one yet, the anesthesist may not be comfortable with doing a general until the 2nd test is done.

Hi Tracey.  Yes I went back for the second test with the machine...and am just waiting on the prescription to be sent to the cpap place.  Everything was rushed for me so that I could have the machine in time for the surgery.

I think the epidural is just the easier way for them to go for me, as it is only day surgery.  But the weird thing is, they postponed my surgery by a week so I could have a morning time instead of the afternoon time I had.  Apparently they like people with sleep apnea to be done first thing in the morning...i guess to have extra recovery time.  So that is why I am left a little confused.

Anyway, I have a call into my surgeon...I really don't want the epidural, as I had epidural nerve blocks for my chronic back pain, and they left me feeling sick, sore and I ended up having an increased heart beat.  I explained this to the anesthesiologist, who basically made me feel that I was trying to create more work for him.  :( 

Who knows....Anyway, I was more concerned about it hindering my RNY...but my fears seem to have been alleviated, at least for now.

Thanks again for your reply.

 

No problem, good luck to you!

I have sleep apnea as well and I just needed to bring my CPAP machine in with me for when I got out of surgery and the nights I was there.

Thanks