SEVERE SLEEP APNEA?

[Loozianagirl]

Please also keep in mind a person with sleep apnea reacts differently to narcotics, they can't use as much without it affecting their respiratory effort. I work on a general surgery floor and we INSIST on you bringing your CPAP and being compliant with it. I can't tell you the number of patients that 1. don't bring it. 2. bring it , with out the mask, because they don't use it, 3. bring it anyway, with broken parts. A lot of people are not as well informed as those on this forum, and I have learned a lot, and pass what I can on to these patients. We also do Bariatric Surgery, and they won't do your surgery if you don't have your CPAP with you for postoperative care. We had a sentinel event, where someone died after surgery due to having sleep apnea and getting IV narcotics. Our hospital has been extremely diligent with patients with sleep apnea, at least on my surgery floor.

Absolutely right about the narcotics! KUDO's to your unit also. As far as the compliance rate... cost of repacement parts, masks, bulkiness of machines & sometimes sheer difficulty in just making it work effectively, I can see how easily it could "be left at home". I think that with all of the positive attitudes I've seen here so far, that we can work together to make a difference for "all hoseheads"!
Terry

[Loozianagirl]

When I had a colonoscopy I told the nursing staff ahead of time that I stop breathing when I am not fully awake and conscious, and I need a machine to keep my airway open. I showed and explained (and had a friend along for afterwards) and the machine was on my face and working properly when I woke. Saying it like that frames the problem in terms anyone can understand. It focuses on the breathing problem not the the sleep problem, and is also a consciuos attempt to create an atmosphere of "I have this problem I will need your help with" and not "I have this mysterious sleep related problem with a latin name that I know and you don't".

O.

Excellent job! I wish I'd had someone like you to learn from early on in my career. Keep it up.

[docfox]

... My Dr. actually said that I would be hooked up to oxygen and a bell would ring if I stopped breathing. I told him that I preferred NOT to stop breathing in the first place. He/ they don't seem to understand that you need it after the oxygen comes out anyway. They just don't get it.
I found the whole thing far more stressful, worrying about the OSA side of it far more than the actual reason for going, which was a big enough worry in itself. I think I will ask my OSA specialist for a letter next time.

WHAT can we do to get this situation changed? to get them to take it seriously in hospitals particularly as so many many people are un-diagnosed cpapers. You would think that some of the big organizations for OSA would actively combat this situation, their opinion would carry more weight than ours, one would hope.

You have much more power than you think. If you said I am not going through with the surgery unless I am on the CPAP, they would have to honor your wishes.

Now in some ways, they were correct. The CPAP is to keep you breathing and if you stopped they would know. Even at 20 I stop breathing 4 times an hour! And my machine only goes to 18. My prescription is written for a minimum of 18. But when we talk about "stop breathing" we are talking about a long pause. One is not fatal or harmful. 20 an hour over a period of years will cause congestive heart failure, but that takes time. It also increases your risk of heart problems and stroke.

That is why we all sleep attached to machines. Few are fortunate enough to eliminate the all "the stops" in their breathing.

Jim

[OutaSync]

The Hybrid didn't work for me, either. The Activa LT, which I have been using for a couple of weeks, is the best I've tried so far. I still use a chinstrap and 3M micropore tape. Always looking for something better, but this works for now.

Bev