CPAP in hospital

sweetdreams · Post by **sweetdreams** » Sat Apr 12, 2008 6:30 am

I'm having major surgery next week and will be in the hospital a week. Go to dr. to see if you have an ulcer and come out with stomach cancer. Still in shock but every thng is moving fast (within 2 wks of diagnosis) Do they use cpap in recovery room if they know you have sleep apnea? I'm guessing I can take my machine for use in the room. Any advice or hints would definitely be appreciated. Prayers of my fellow pappers much needed and appreciated.

Thanks, Sweetdreams (nightmares right now!)

Pad A Cheek · Post by **Pad A Cheek** » Sat Apr 12, 2008 6:38 am

I am so sorry you are having to deal with this shocking diagnosis. I will keep you in my prayers. Please let us know about your recovery.

I think in most cases if you let them know your concerns CPAPs are used in the Recovery. One thing I would suggest is to find out who the Respiratory Therapist at the hospital is and have a chat with them about your concerns. They should be your advocate at the hospital because they have perhaps the clearest picture of what sleep apnea means in the recovery phase.

Let everyone that you deal with at the hospital know that you have sleep apnea. By being diligent you will most likely get the best attention to your needs.
I wish you a smooth operation and a speedy 100% recovery.
Keep us posted.
God Bless

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sat Apr 12, 2008 8:49 am

Thank you very much for your kind reply. I'm finding not all medical people are attuned to sleep apnea. If it hadn't been for such good information on this forum, I might have thought, a week off wouldn't hurt and never given the recovery room a thought, maybe the most important if they don't know you have sleep apnea. My pressure is 13 and dx of severe, so I feel it is significant enough to not do without and be able to sleep better when I can.

So, packing up my pad-a-cheeks and pur-sleep to go along. I will post an update and thanks again for your concern, well wishes and prayers.

kteague · Post by **kteague** » Sat Apr 12, 2008 9:56 am

You must feel you've been caught up in a whirlwind with so much happening so fast!

Usually post surgery you have on an oxygen monitor which would get the staff's attention if you ran into a problem, though it would be preferable to avoid stressing your body.

When you meet with the anesthesiologist prior to the surgery, tell them your concerns, and ask them what has to happen to ensure that you will be put on your machine as soon as you are no longer intubated. Between them, your doctor, and the RT knowing, your bases should be covered.

I wish you didn't have to go thru this, but I will be in prayer for you and please keep us infomed as you feel up to it.

Kathy

Sleepless_in_LM · Post by **Sleepless_in_LM** » Sat Apr 12, 2008 10:07 am

First, you definitely will be in my prayers!

I have had 4 surgeries since being on CPAP. Except for the ENT that did my throat surgery, the surgeons really were clueless on CPAP. Not really their area of expertise I suppose. However, the anesthesiologists, recovery room nurses, floor nurses... I found them all very knowledgeable regarding CPAP. It has become common enough that they deal with it regularly. For each surgery, I was required to bring my CPAP and they had it ready in the recovery room. Not sure why, but never needed it in recovery. One nurse told me I was having "small" events, but that my O2 stayed plenty high so they never put it on me. However, I definitely needed it for sleeping. I have severe Apnea and combine that with being forced to lay on my back and the pain medication, my apnea was even more severe in the hospital.

So my advice, tell everyone about your apnea. As one nurse told me: "The more of us you tell, the better the chances are that we all know." Seems kinda obvious, but I have found nothing beats being your own advocate. Be sure to request a pre-op talk with the anesthesiologists. I have had those talks at pre-op appointments and over the phone. But every time, the anesthesiologists has thanked me for the information and made special notes in the file. One hospital even made me wear an O2 monitor for my entire stay. It transmitted wirelessly to the nurses station and notified them if my O2 got too low. Never did, thankfully, but in kinda underscores how seriously they take sleep apnea.

I am glad you have made the decision to take CPAP with you. Sedatives, pain medication, etc can all have adverse effects on Apnea, so I wouldn't go for a surgery without it. Besides, when I am not very comfortable and in a strange room, being hooked up to CPAP almost works like a security blanket for me.... something very familiar and comforting about strapping on the mask

Again, will remember you in my prayers. Let us know how things progress.

bap40 · Post by **bap40** » Sat Apr 12, 2008 10:14 am

I too wish to send you good wishes and prayers. Good luck and as everyone before has said, tell everyone you meet in the hospital and espicially the anesthsia and RT departments.

ozij · Post by **ozij** » Sat Apr 12, 2008 10:31 am

I want to send you my best wishes.

When you talk to the hospital staff - tell them you "don't breathe properly" when you're not awake. Or tell them you have "severe breathing interuptions" when you're not awake. If they then use "sleep apnea", that's OK. But you want to make sure everyone you talk to realizes you have a breathing problem, not just a sleep problem.

May you find your health, and the ability to dream sweet dreams soon.

O.

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