aftmostlight

Send Message

Block

Add Friend

still adjusting man this is hard. doctor gave me something to relax me
so i can sleep better. i hope this works.


HI EVERYONE DID MY SLEEP STUDY! I PICKED UP MY CPAP
 MACHINE ON WEDNESDAY AUGUST 22nd. KINDA WEIRD TO GET USED TO.

THIS MACHINE IS SO HARD TO GET USED TO BUT I USE IT FOR 
MANY REASONS THANKS TO SOME WONDERFUL HELP FROM FRIENDS HERE AT OH.

If you have sleep apnea and you are not CPAP compliament, then yes the surgery is riskier.  Not only that, your recovery is jeopardized as well.  

Why?  Untreated (non-CPAP compliant) sleep apnea can cause many things.  I will list only those things that will complicate your surgery and/or jeapordize your recovery.

1. weight gain and/or inability to lose weight  
2. gastric reflux
3. slow metabolism
4. diabetes
5. oxygen deprevation (desaturation levels)
6. high blood pressure
7. anxiety 
8. depression
9. mood swings/temperamental behavior
10. choking/gasping sensation that wakes you up
11. heart disease
12. stroke
13. heart attack
14. hypertension
15. arrythmia (irregular heartbeat)

To qualify for CPAP, one must stop breathing at least 20 times (for most insurance companies).  Each episode typically lasts between 10 and 30 seconds.  

Each time your body stops breathing (an apnea episode), it goes into panic mode ESPECIALLY in the heart.  The heart thinks, "Oh crap, this body has stopped breathing.  I'd better be sure the entire body still has enough air!"  So the heart starts beating faster and harder trying to pump more oxygenated blood throughout the body.  At the same time, the lungs are thinking, "Holy toledo, I can't get in any air!  I'd better try harder to unplug whatever is keeping me from getting air!"  So the lungs start forcing the body to try to suck in air even though there is an obstruction and it is impossible.  (The lungs do not know this.)  At the same time, the brain is thinking, "WTF?  Am I choking or something?  Better wake this body up."  So it wakes the body up, even if you don't remember it.  When the body wakes up (even twilight kind of wake-up), the tongue and throat relieve the obstruction and the body can breathe.  The lungs and heart stop panicking and slow back down to normal.  

Now if you qualify for CPAP, you are probably having this happen approximately 20 times per hour (maybe more, probably not less).  Each time, the heart and lungs are in this panic mode for approximately 10 to 30 seconds.  So approximately every 3 minutes, all night long, your body is doing the above for 10 to 30 seconds.  Then it happens again in another 3 minutes (maybe more, maybe less).

Sleep apnea is a life-threatening disorder when no anesthesia is introduced.  The condition is only exacerbated when anesthesia is introduced.  

Why?
Anesthesia is a central nervous system depressant.  Central nervous system depressants increase the tendency for upper airway collapse, not to mention the fact that they alter the normal ventilatory response to hypercapnia and hypoxemia.  All of these side effects of central nervous system depressants may be significantly worse in those with sleep apnea.  This is partly because the decreased arousal response (due to sedatives/anesthesia) leads to prolonged episodes of apnea and a higher risk of potential respiratory and/or cardiovascular arrest (heart attack).  This can also be compounded by the trach tube patients have while in surgery.  Recent studies show that 26% of patients suffering from sleep apnea who are undiagnosed and/or non-compliant with CPAP at the time of receiving anesthesia experienced postoperative adverse events to various degrees of severity.  (The study was on anesthesia for various surgeries, not WLS alone.)