Having surgery tomorrow.. scared!!!!

I am having an oupatient surgery with general anesthesia. I had my pre-surg interview yesterday with a nurse and told her about my apnea. I had read on here that some anethesiologists intubate an apnea person before putting them under, and pull it out after they come to. I told the nurse that since my surgery is elective (an endometrial ablation), I would NOT have it if I had to be intubated awake. She said she didn't think this would have to happen, but I am waiting to talk to the anesthesiologist tonite to see what will go on.

This is a short surgery, about 30-45min, with general anesthesia.

Anyone have surgery with their apnea??? I would love to hear how it was handled.

Mine is a scary story. In July of 1987 (yes, twenty years ago) I had a radical hysterectomy performed at a local hospital.

When I came to I had vivid memories of panicked voices and the sensation of taking a deep breath. My physician was at my side in the recovery room and told me that they found it impossible to intubate me and that I kept waking up from the general anesthesia. They had to cancel and reschedule the surgery.

The next attempt was successful with the use of a fiber optic device from the pulmonology department.

Yesterday I was glancing through the book, Sleep Apnea - Phantom of the Night and found this tidbit: " In the apnea patient, however, establishing control of the airway can become very difficult. The usual preoperative sedation can cause the patient to become unconscious. When this happens, the muscles of the throat relax, and the extremely relaxed tissues of the upper airway collapse just as in obstructive apnea, making it difficult if not impossible to put the endotracheal tube into the windpipe." (emphasis is mine)

The moral of the story is make sure that everyone, from your surgeon and anesthesiologist to the nursing staff knows that you have apnea. In my case, my OSA was undiagnosed so no precautions were taken. You have the advantage of knowing before your surgery so you shouldn't have any problems even if you do require intubation. Don't forget, my surgery was twenty years ago.

If I were you I would take my CPAP machine with me to the procedure. Even if you are not intubated, any sedative will cause a relaxation of the upper airway and could result in an apnea. People have reported using their own CPAPs during colonoscopies in the past without a problem.

I'm not a doctor but this is something you should discuss with yours.

Susan

Uggg, colonoscopies are fun. Good thing about taking your machine is, if the doctors scope breaks and they can't inflate your colon as they move through, they can always disconnect your hose and use it to inflate your bowels. HAPPY TRAILS!


(lol, I'm so mean)


OH, and good luck Napagirl. Hope everything goes swell.

I just had my (belated) annual colonoscopy today. We do mine w/o sedation at my request but we do use alfentanyl and often end up using some phenergan or zofran for nausea because my vagus nerve often gets in a twit when we are maneuvering thru my rather redundant transverse colon and I start dry heaving.

Just in case tho, the clinic suggested I bring my CPAP as phenergan does make me fuzzy and sleepy depending on how much is necessary.

I took my autoPAP just in case. The nurse actually had me demonstrate, not only how to turn my xPAP in the usual CPAP mode of 8 cms but also how to reset it to auto mode and had me set the pressure range 8 cms to 20 cms.

We didn't need it. I was alert and aware when my gastro came in and talked to me after the procedure but as soon as I got home I hit the bed and slept like a log (w/CPAP, of course) for 4 hours. NICE! That is one thing I like about phenergan, even tho it makes me sleepy I CAN overcome the sleepiness when I need to or when something catches my interest but as soon as I don't NEED or WANT to be awake I can sleep it off.

In the past I've actually gone to a horse show while prepping for the colonoscopy (we had an RV at the time so I had my own private "potty" plus I was able to compete in my one class and help my daughter w/a couple of my granddaughters' classes. I don't use the usual Lytely products for prepping. I use 2 smaller doses of a different prep, one in the AM and one in the afternoon. My class was between the two doses and I took the second dose right after my class and my scope was the first thing the following AM.

Another time I did my 4 hours volunteer work at the hospital between my prepping doses. I always insist on the first scope of the day. But today's scope was an unplanned scope so I had no choice of time of day.

I had a Bronchoscopy and an implant put in my heart. No problem. They were aware of my Respiratory problems and other than I would quit breathing and not start up again, it was fine.

I did not have my machine with me either time, but the first one was done by a Pulmonologist and the Cardiac work was done under the supervision of NJC in Denver.

I don't blame you for not wanting them to do that while you are awake,

The Cardiologist did not want to put me under completely until I told him I sometimes jerk around.....that is about the last thing I remember. Just tell them you are afraid you might jump or jerk around, I would think that would settle it.

Good luck, let us know how you do.