Gastric Bypass Surgery Support Group

Gastric bypass (GBP) is any of a group of similar operative procedures used to treat morbid obesity, a condition which arises from severe accumulation of excess weight in the form of fatty tissue, and the health problems ("co-morbidities") which result. If you are considering gastric bypass or have had it, join the community where we share our experiences and find support.

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kellynaylor 08/07/2012

OMG The sleep study was a torture chamber! It was horrific!! The room was hot the bed was uncomfortable, the technician wasn't pleasant. I did a split study where they hooked me up to about a million wires which included taping them all over my face! Then about 2 am the tech came in flipped on the lights and was like time to put the machine on. I explained to her that I was very claustrophobic and that the pulmonary doctor told me that they should have different types of masks. She comes out with a huge thing tries to put it on my and I freaked before she was even done. She goes away comes back with a smaller one that just covered my nose. A little better I was at least able to allow her to put it on me. Now she gets this thing near my face and wind is blowing out of it like 60 mph. She assures me it was on the lowest setting. She gets me all strapped in and tells me to lie flat on my back. I am not a back sleeper so right there it is a problem but I am like I can deal with it. I kept the mask on maybe 15 minutes before I had to call the tech back in. I started to get light headed, felt nauseaus and felt like my stomach was filling with air. I thought she would try to work with me and she was like lets take it off and you will have to sign a form in the morning that you couldn't tolerate the machine! That was it, she let me go back to sleep. Woke me this morning had me sign the form, and then proceeded to rip the leads off of me. I have marks all over my face from the tape. It was a just horrible experience and I hope I didn't screw up my surgery date by not being able to tolerate the machine. I am so up

deleted_user 08/07/2012

Kelly,

I understand how you feel. I have obstructive sleep apnea, and I sleep with a CPAP and mask every night. When I first got started, I was freaking out with it as well. The test was horrible both nights, and I (out of sheer exhaustion) fell asleep (I guess) long enough to give them the data they needed.

In fact the first six months after getting my CPAP...I would put my mask on at night, and wake up with it off in the morning. Somehow or another I was ripping it off in the middle of the night...without knowing it!

I have been back in for a few retitrations, but now I do something different (that the sleep doctors don't like, but I don't say anything). Right before I go for my sleep study/retitrations...I take an Ambien CR. That way no matter how uncomfortable I am, I can still sleep without almost having a panic attack, and they can gather their data.

The truth is...unless you are asleep, they can't gather their data. So, in my opinion the Ambien CR gives all of us (me, the doctors, the techs) exactly what they need to make decisions.

Hope this advice helps!

kellynaylor 08/07/2012

I called the pulmonary doctors office and explained what happened and the nurse is going to call the sleep center and talk with the doctor and get back to me. I called the nurse at my surgeon's office and she is on vacation until Monday so I can't get answers there either.

I am so upset that this is going to cause a set back in my surgery date. I wish the tech would have attempted to work with me a litle more or that they had the nasal canula type of mask I might have been able to tolerate that. Ugghhh I hate this feeling of not knowing what is going to happen.

deleted_user 08/07/2012

That tech sounds like she should NOT have been there! Poor thing. Talk to your doc about it. Maybe they can send you somewhere else to repeat it. I'd complain to that techs boss for sure. To the facility at the least! Get some rest today.

kellynaylor 08/07/2012

Unfortunately, I left the sleep study went home and showered and am at work now.

deleted_user 08/07/2012

I'm so sorry you had such a bad experience. Hope you get follow up quickly.

ShelleyNY 08/07/2012

I couldn't tolerate the 2nd phase with the mask, I followed up with my surgeons office and they just marked it in my chart and I was on my way to a surgery date. Call your doctors office and let them know and hopeful it won' t put a damper on things for you.

kellynaylor 08/07/2012

The nurse who I am dealing with at the surgeons office is on vacation so I emailed the practice manager and explained the situation. Haven't heard back from her yet. I just have to have faith that all will work out!

kellynaylor 08/07/2012

Just got a call from the practice manager at my surgeon's office, she doesn't do the approvals but a sleep study was not required for my approval. She told me in her opinion that not being able to tolerate the sleep study or c-pap machine would not affect my surgery date. What a relief.

After I talked to her I got another call from my GI doctor that my endoscopy results were in and I was negative for h-pylori and also the polyps they took and biopsied were normal as well. So my day is looking up!!

deleted_user 08/07/2012

I have sleep apnea and use CPAP. My tech was very nice. He told me I could sleep on my side or however I was comfortable. There should be no reason you have to sleep on your back. That's crazy! There are different masks. My DME provider let me switch out three masks before I found one I liked. I would fight if they won't let you. It's a serious condition so if you need CPAP, you should find one that you can tolerate. I use the nasal pillows. It's like nasal canula O2, but much more soft and comfortable. Not as many face straps too. Hope your surgery isn't postponed. Good luck! :)

deleted_user 08/07/2012

I'm glad your day is looking up! :-)

deleted_user 08/07/2012

That's horrible! I have a home sleep study and it was so much better than when my husband had his sleep study in the hospital. I would ask if there's a possibility to have a home sleep study. Good luck!

deleted_user 08/07/2012

I m so sorry this didnt go well for you! I surely would find her name and have a personal word with the Dr that suggested this place and her supervisor. I had mine and am already off the machine. I guess I had it a few weeks.The weight loss took care of my issues.

I hope this doesnt make a difference on your surgery date.. Yanno Kelly, My Drs didnt even use the darn thing in surgery!

Waste of $$ and time.

Best wishes!
Bonnie

deleted_user 08/07/2012

Actually it sounds like you did fine on your sleep study. By that I mean that they felt you needed a c-pap machine and they can fit you for it without another sleep study. The sleep study is just to see if you have any type of sleep apnea etc. and the fact that they tried to put you in one says that you did need it. They have an obligation to put one on you if you are showing signs of breathing issues during your sleep study. Does that make sense. I am sorry it was so difficult and traumatic, but at least it is over. Also, they do have different types of face pieces that they can try. They all take some getting used to. I also never could sleep the entire night with one on and when you have a cold, forget it. I could hardly breath in it. Take care and do not worry. I think what happened probably will help your surgery not hurt it as long as they can fit you soon for the c-pap. They can either come to your house and do it, or they usually have people that come to the hospital to fit you.

deleted_user 08/08/2012

It sounds like you got a terrible technician!! I was treated so kindly at both of my sleep studies and they explained everything and I was allowed to sleep on my side or whatever... I was taking Ambien at the time and it did help me to be able to fall asleep. There are hundreds of different masks out there and the setting on the machine should have been on "ramp mode" which means it should start out with little airflow and then build up to what you require and that usually happens after you are asleep. If anything, just the fact that you needed a Cpap machine should only help your cause for WLS. Good luck to you and don't hesitate to report the technician. She can't properly evaluate people with that attitude!

deleted_user 08/08/2012

OMG! I feel you about the sleep study and the CPAP. My sleep study was the worst experience and non-sleep I have ever had. I could not sleep with all those wires on me. And I am not a back sleeper. The bed was soooo uncomfortable and I felt the tech was uncaring. Not sure how they got a good reading when I hardly slept at all. It took me 2 hours to get about 2% used to being masked -- I felt like I was being suffocated.

So now I have this CPAP machine that I hardly use because I can't get any sleep with it on. I have tried a couple of different masks and I still feel like I am suffocating. I was told that I have to use the machine about 4 hours per night or the insurance company could make me pay for it. Well, you know what? I may be paying about $7k for this machine because my average time has been about 1 hour a night and some nights, I don't put it on at all. I have my follow up appointment soon and I hope my doctor tells me I can return the machine or something.

What's interesting is I've heard several people say they can't sleep without their CPAP. Saying they get a good night's sleep with it. I was hoping I would join them since most times I don't sleep through the night.

BTW, my boyfriend told me he noticed that since my surgery, I have not being snoring so maybe I don't need the machine after all.

Good luck with your CPAP because I am not having luck with mine at all.

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