Question:
My aunt is on oxygen and c-pap surgeon says chance of ventilator????
My aunt is on oxygen and uses c-pap at night for apnea, I sent her to see my surgeon,, and she is very high risk due to co-morbidities Im worried because she says shed rather take chance of being on ventilator for life than stay the way she is--THE DR.told her there is a risk of this. she is also on steroids,,, Has this happened to anyone???? — bobbie M. (posted on March 31, 2000)
March 31, 2000
Yes I'm in the same boat right now and I will be having my surgery April
28th in Cleveland, Ohio. Most of all I would just stand by her and support
her. Only we can choose which way to go with our life. It is very important
to have support in this new way of life. Help her in anyway she goes.
Listen to her and hold on.
— Theresa B.
March 31, 2000
Hi, I feel your pain. I had my surgery on 3/14/00 at
Hollywood Community Hospital in California. I'm on 02
24/7,was 420#, male,55 years old. I also have a trach
due to the sleep apnea. I was in the hospital for 9
days and nothing to do with the fact that I was was
on a ventilor. They will take good care of us who need
the help. I had no fear and would do it again in a
heartbeat. Tell Auntie to go for it, it will stop the
need for the oxygen and the mask. By the way, the ventilor
will only extend your stay in hospital a day or two. Good
luck. Questions, e-mail [email protected].
lafman
— Lafayette K.
March 31, 2000
Hi, I feel your pain. I had my surgery on 3/14/00 at
Hollywood Community Hospital in California. I'm on 02
24/7,was 420#, male,55 years old. I also have a trach
due to the sleep apnea. I was in the hospital for 9
days and nothing to do with the fact that I was was
on a ventilor. They will take good care of us who need
the help. I had no fear and would do it again in a
heartbeat. Tell Auntie to go for it, it will stop the
need for the oxygen and the mask. By the way, the ventilor
will only extend your stay in hospital a day or two. Good
luck. Questions, e-mail [email protected].
lafman
— Lafayette K.
October 4, 2003
The doctor who was supposed to do my surgery in Georgia refused to perform
the surgery. You read it right, "supposed to do"--past tense.
She refuses to do the surgery because of my lung condition. She said that
when they had to pump air into my stomach to blow it up big enough to do
the laparoscopic surgery, it would push into my lungs, and she was afraid I
would never come of the ventilator. Her associate, whom I saw this summer
in Georgia, said he would perform the surgery as open, if I was interested.
He told me there was a very good chance I'd be on the ventilator for a
while following the surgery. He also said that the longer you're on the
ventilator, the more prone you are to getting pneumonia. I'm on 24 hour a
day oxygen to treat my COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.) I
have bronchitis, asthma, and emphysema. The doctor who has agreed to do
the surgery says there are great risks involved. I feel like you have to
make a decision about the quality of life. I know living the way I do now
is not what I want to do for the rest of my life. I pray the surgery goes
well and I don't have to be on the ventilator for very long following the
procedure. Since I am self-pay, I'm concerned about this. The doctor
tells me it is $3,000 a day for ICU. He said if I'm on the ventilator,
I'll definitely be in ICU longer.
— ghe5522
October 4, 2003
Hi - I believe I can answer to some of your concerns. Although, it sounds
like your Aunt's pulmonary disease is more advanced than mine. I had my
open RNY done 3/20/03. I am an asthmatic with chronic bronchitus and
emphysema. I was on a very high dose regimen of steroids, along with
several other pulmonary meds. My Pulmonologist is the person who cleared
my path for surgery. He put me in a Pulmonary Rehab center (outpatient)to
start strengthening my lungs about 3 months before surgery. And, we worked
to get the steroids down to a managable level. The day of surgery, the
anestesiologist and team spent a lot of time going over my pulmonary
history. They told me to expect to wake up on a vent and be there for a
few days. However, I was able to get off the vent (to everyones surprise)
right after surgery and I only had oxygen for 2 days after surgery. To prep
me for surgery, they gave me a huge dose of steriods before going to sleep.
I went home 3 days after surgery and have been doing great. I no longer
take any steroids and my pulmonary meds are down to 2 meds! I'm down 77
Lbs, run around and feel pretty normal. Your Aunt's Pulmonary team would
really be the best ones to advise her and prepare her medically if they
think WLS is the way to go for her. I believe it made all the difference
in the world for me. I was told just a few months before my surgery by
another doctor that because of my pulmonary history, I could never be put
under anestesia.
Best of luck to you and your Aunt. Open RNY 3/20/03 255/178/150(ish)
— teresa M.
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