Have you used a CPAP in the hospital?

[CPAPhope]

Looks like I'll be having some pretty major surgery that will require me to be in the hospital for up to 4 nights . If anyone has used their CPAP in that environment, I'd like to hear about it. Thanks.

[squid13]

Looks like you and I are in the same boat. I'm having total knee replacement Monday on my right knee and my doctor has told me twice to be sure and bring my cpap equipment with me to use there. I've got about four 16 oz. drinking water bottles I'm going to fill with distilled water for use there. I've should my wife how to set up my machine, you might want to think about someone doing that for you cause you might not be able to. Hope everything turns out all right for you.

[MrStein]

Yes I have. If you have your own gear, try to make them let you use it. I was hospitalized (severe bacterial pnuemonia) for 10 days last fall before my official dx with OSA.
My pulmo and cardiologist were both pretty sure I had OSA, so they had a machine brought to my room.(cardiologist said I was having bradycardia's by the boat-load). Of course I didn't have any gear at all, so I had to use whatever they could scrape up. The machine was a bi-pap the size of a microwave oven and the mask was a FP 431 that must have been 15 yrs old. The machine had no humidifier or heat at all.
The good news is it worked, and when it was time for my sleep study, I was totally prepared and ready.
Take your machine, mask, and hose. Take a gallon of distilled water and some mask wipes too.
This is just my opinion. Good luck my friend.

[DiverCTHunter]

Just reiterating a few of the other recommendations regarding the joke that is the US medical establishment

Make sure the admitting DR marks on your chart that you are TO HAVE & USE your own equipment.
Get in touch with the Maintenance/Plant/Safety whatever dept BEFORE you're admitted and have them "certify" your blower and PSU as being "electrically safe".
DO NOT allow anyone associated w/ the hospital to remove your mask, hose, humidifier or humidifier tank from your sight. They will disappear never to be seen again.

[Todzo]

Hi CPAPhope!

I landed in the ICU when a recently released murderer / robber went on a robbing rampage and decided to use a chef knife to add five new holes to my poor body and did a major job of beating up my left eye.

The first day or so after the major surgery they kept me upright, I assume to reduce pressure to my eye and brain and perhaps reduce sleep apnea.

When they moved me to acute care I requested CPAP - well - it sounded like Darth Vader when I breathed for the rest of the stay.

I agree with others that you would be wise to work out the details before you visit if possible.

Indeed, as I think about it anesthesiologists do many things during and after surgery which affect breathing in major ways. I think you would do well to mention that to your doctor and the surgery team – people often do not think of these things.

Have a great weekend!

Todzo

[VikingGnome]

I had total knee replacement 3 years ago. They allowed me to bring my own CPAP equipment and put me on arrival in recovery room. I was in the hospital 4 days. You have too tell the staff to put distilled water in humidifier each day. First two days I was on IV pain killers and pain pump to my knee. I was only awake to eat meal and go back to sleep. Used my CPAP the entire time. Two hours before my discharge some guy from "electronics" dept. came to "test and approve" my equipment. I'm going home in two hours, dude. OH.

[Doodeedoo]

I was hospitalized for 2 days due to surgery in Toronto.
At the pre-op appointment I was told to bring my own machine, mask and hose which I did. I had no problem using it; a nurse helped me setting it up. No need to bring distilled water; the nurse brought it and filled the container.
Good luck in your stay.

[quietmorning]

Label absolutely EVERYTHING. I used mailing address labels - fast and they stick well.

[quietmorning]

Oh, and wash your equipment thoroughly when you get home. If you can't do this, go through it with someone who can so that you don't bring any of those hospital super bugs home.

[Sheriff Buford]

I have been in the hospital a couple of times after starting cpap therapy. I can't add much, but what I did find was when you wear your mask at night, the nurses are less likely to wake you up to do some ridiculous that could wait until the morning.

Sheriff

[jranderson80]

I probably cant add much here since I've only been using my cpap for a couple of weeks. But I have worked in the medical field for a little over 12 years and I can say that every hospital is different. Some are good and some are not so good. I can say that at the hospital I work at we see patients bring their cpap machines in with them all the time. All the nurses and aides get trained on cpap and bipap yearly. We encourage our patients to use their machines and we do everything thing in our power to make their stays as comfortable as possible. Our respiratory therapist also keeps a good supply of distilled water and mask/tube parts available just in case a patient forgets something or something breaks.
But like I said, every hospital is different. Just make sure you discuss your needs with your doctor before you head to the hospital for surgery. The more the doctors and nurses know, the better your stay is going to be.

[cflame1]

I know that the one that I'm scheduled to have surgery in actually has a line on the pre-op physical form that asks if you have a CPAP.

[allen476]

I am one week post-op from a 2 level PLIF l4-s1. I took my own Bi-pap and had only one problem with the staff. It was the anesthesiologist not making sure that it was on after surgery. The nurses were great and they had distilled on the floor just for cpap patients.

What I did was assembled the entire unit and put it in the bag (It is pretty easy with a PRS1). All they had to do was take it out of the bag, put the mask on my face and plug it in. Just make sure that you take a mask with you that will take minimal effort to put on you by the staff. I used a FFM the first night for this then switched the next night to my Aloha.

What surgery are you having?

[DavidCarolina]

Yes, i had my pap with me.

You tell the nurse that and they arrange a respiration tech to come by and check your machine.

Apparently, to cover themselves judicially.

Nothing like a cpap patient going into a fib in the hospital. Bad for business.

But they'll provide you with a system if you ask, although it probably cost you 300 a night.

[gasparama]

You've been given very sound advice by several people. I haven't anything to add except for a little about my own experiences.

With a total knee replacement about 4 years ago, I was told to bring my own equipment, which I did. It was quite upsetting that it wasn't used in the recovery room. When I asked, they said vaguely that oxygen was used there along with close monitoring and that the CPAP wasn't used. Someone on this board said that was often the case in recovery, so you might want to discuss that with the hospital or your doctor before your surgery. Other than that, all was well.