Sleep Doc Gives Warning re: Anaesthetics

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sun Oct 16, 2005 5:47 am

These experiences some of you are sharing are truly appalling. It's sad when we have to educate our own care providers. I recommend never going for surgery without having a friend or family member with you who can advocate for you if you are unconscious. If they are dismissive about OSA pull out your notebook and say "I'm just going to document your response to my concern in case there is a problem later and my lawyer needs the information." I guarantee they will treat you a lot better after that. You can also bring articles with you, preferably written by other doctors, that highlight the risks and outline best practice protocols and procedures. They may not respect you as a patient but they are required to respect their colleagues or they will risk losing their licence. In Canada we can write a letter of complaint to the College of Physicians and Surgeons. There must be a similar body in the U.S. that governs the medical profession that you can complain to.

~OTB

Oh 2 breathe · Post by **Oh 2 breathe** » Sun Oct 16, 2005 5:53 am

Silly me, forgot to log in again. The above post was mine.

~OTB

Marie · Post by **Marie** » Sun Oct 16, 2005 6:46 am

Versed and Demerol was what I had for the colonoscopy. The Dr. or nurses never said that I had trouble afterward, they had just assured me that if I had had trouble I could wake up, which I don't see how that could have happened.
All the nurse said was that I talked about jello. I had made 3 different kinds of jello to eat, and other liquids of course, because I really thought I would feel as if I was STARVING, so I wanted something I could sort of chew.
This was the day before the procedure. Believe me, I was never hungry, because the Phospho Soda is sooo salty, that it really kills your appetite, and you don't want to eat anything.I get goose bumps just thinking about it right now.

My M.D. had talked to me for 2 years to get this test done, and I finally agreed, and I'm really glad that I did it.

Gum surgery is worse than the colonoscopy.Pap Smear also,it's just quicker.

Marie

roysann · Post by **roysann** » Sun Oct 16, 2005 9:31 pm

Fascinating that this subject should come up. This particular situation is how I came to be diagnosed with OSA. I went in for surgery in April, apparently had some episodes of my oxgyen saturations going down and "breathing episodes" in the recovery room. I was also heavy medicated with Morphine while in the recovery room. I remember someone asking me if I had sleep apnea and I told them No, my husband does (which he does!) They told me what had happened and asked me to get it checked out when I recovered. I have had problems with chronic fatigue and pain for many years, had had problems staying sleep as well. I was diagnosed with fibromyalgia about years ago and concluded that was my problem. I had a sleep study done in August which showed an AHI of 6, but an RDI of 18, Oxygen above 95% all night except for a cumulative of 2 min during the entire night of 88%. My arousal events are mostly hypopnea related. I have been on apap for 2 months now and can say that I am finally feeling the effects of more sleep. I just went to the doctor last week for a follow up. My apap report showed an AHI of 2.4, AI was .1, HI - 2.3, so my body is responding. I am lucky to have had medical staff who apparently were educated about OSA. They very easily could have blown off my breathing episodes as being related to the high doses of Morphine I was receiving. My sleep doctor said he could have done that as well if it were not due to all of my other symptoms.