Sleep Study Follow-Up Question

The sleep study doctor called me for my follow-up appointment.  Does this mean I have sleep apnea or do they call you for the appointment regardless if you do or not?

I would think they'd call you for a follow-up appointment to share the results of your test, whether or not you have sleep apnea or not.

Thanks Karen - just get a touch of anxiety when I think about anything delaying my surgery but I've reassured myself not to fret about having sleep apnea - if I have it - I only have to deal with it for a short while and then hopefully once I lose some weight it will be out of my life forever.

I can't imagine that it would delay your surgery in any way, as long as you are being treated for it (using the CPAP machine).  As an aside to that, I have a very obese cousin who had sugery on his hand last Thursday.  They would not put him under for the surgery due to his size and the fact that he's never had a sleep study done to find out if he has apnea or not.  First time I'd ever heard that.

Karen during my c-section with my son - my epidural stopped working partly through my surgery and I felt all the pain of that procedure - I was screaming and going unconcious but they wouldn't put me to sleep because they said I was too obese and would probably die if they did. 

This is why I've been so terrified of going  under general anesthesia since that day - the anxiety around that is my biggest roadblock in regards to the surgery.

That is horrifying!  No wonder you're anxious about it. 

Yes I had a follow up and they said I didn't have it. They want to give you the results.

At my first sleep test, the technician told me I had a severe apnea, no surprise there, but I had to go to my neurologist for the official results.  And no if you have an apea and it's taken care of with the machine it won't stop your surgery.  I knew my 2 year checkup was due so I went ahead and did it before I had to see the internist.  It was all good.  Now I don't need it - so thrilled by that.

It makes a big difference to the anaesthetist, whether or not (a) you are diagnosed with sleep apnea, and (b) whether you're being successfully treated for it.

Your "gullet" (airway) is the part of you they are most interested in - they want to be sure they're going to be able to intubate you and oxygenate you. That's their number one priority.

If you have sleep apnea but weren't diagnosed and are not being treated, that's the worst scenario for them - they could lose you on the table.
So no, whether or not you have it, they will go ahead with the surgery - as long as they have ALL the facts.

So this follow-up is vitally important - and you be very very glad you're having this looked at.
I cannot imagine how many good peple we lost before CPAPs become so common.
I knwo my heart attack was directly related to oxygen deprivation to the heart muscle over years without the CPAP.

I started thinking about the years before my diagnosis for apnea and the 2 surgeries I had - just made me wonder why they're so adamant about it being treated before surgery, but other surgeons aren't and I wasn't made aware of the anaesthetist having difficulties with me.  I can only assume it's part of the obesity problem so they deal with it in stride with all other symptoms.  Guess it's all part of the differences between clinics too, like at Humber they don't do a scope, for which I personally was glad, and I saw a social worker instead of a psych.