Sleep Apnoea and Central Hypopnea

[Katastrophe]

Hi all ,

I recently had a home sleep test, i'm under st barts and had the test done throught The London chest hospital.

Anyway i've been told i have sleep apnoea and central hypopnea.. The thing is that i don't get any symptoms from it. Apparently i wake up 75 times an hour but have no idea its happening. I do snore i'm told but i don't wake up gasping for breath and i don't fall asleep during the day or anything. :sigh:

I've been told i need a cpap machine but that there is a 3-4 month waiting list for one. I'm being referred to the homerton but am also told i won't be able to have my op till i'm settled on the machine.

Has anyone else had these problems and if so what experiences did you have?

Thanks

 

[Glenville]

Hi K,
I was diagnosed with OSA in December 2007, 4 months before I was referred for wls. I was having 55 apnoeas an hour, so your 75 sounds quite serious. I was like a zombie most of the time before getting my cpap machine. I was diagnosed at Charing Cross and was given the cpap within 2 weeks. That 3-4 months that you have to wait sounds disgraceful. Have they said why there is such a long wait?

I have used the machine every night since I ihave had it and take it everywhere I travel. I don't even want to think about not using it. Mind you, when I have lost weight and don't need it I will be over the moon!

Good luck with your journey.

 

[IRJ]

I suffer with OSA and stopped breathing a staggering 84 times a night and i was given a CPAP machine within 2 weeks, a month ago, in fact ime at Salford Royal tomorrow at 10am for my first card reading to see if ive improved which i know i have but i was told that my surgery would be held back until i was settled on the machine so i kicked off with the consultant who told me they had operated on a man who coudnt use the CPAP machine successfully so the consultant contacted Dr Ammori's sec Gill and told her to put me on the list which she did, now i know they have because 10 days ago she told me i was 42nd on the list and hopefully will be done this yr.

 

[marky v]

OSA is one of the biggest killers of obese people...forget strokes and heart attacks, this is the biggy for us...OSA puts strain on the heart and lungs, and when you're under the GA your heart and lungs are under strain, thus why they want you stable before your op...the cpap gives your body the added breathing support it needs, taking the pressure of the heart and lungs...if your stopping breathing episodes are as bad as they say, i'd be asking if they could possibly speed up the cpap machine to you....i also had no major symptoms during the day or so i thought, but since i started cpap, it's unbelievable the difference it makes, trust me, you'll notice.....btw i'm now post op, and have lost 5 stone....don't use the cpap machine anymore as i have more or less stopped snoring now, so persevere, you'll get there!!

 

[Glenville]

Well done Mark! You have done really well. Glad to hear you have managed to dump the cpap. You must be chuffed.

 

[thinkbethin]

I did'nt have a problem with the sleep apnea but I just want to wish you well once you get your cpapxxx

 

[Katastrophe]

Thanks for the replies and well done on the weight loss Mark!

My doctor told me i do have some OSA but mine is more central hypopnea which means i don't stop breathing entirely , i just breathe very shallow so my oxygen levels still drop.

Tbh i was in a bit of denial when they gave me the results so i didnt actually ask why the waiting list is so long , i just assumed it was because they have to wait for the machines to be returned from previous patients.

 

[Bonita]

I suffer with OSA and stopped breathing a staggering 84 times a night and i was given a CPAP machine within 2 weeks, a month ago, in fact ime at Salford Royal tomorrow at 10am for my first card reading to see if ive improved which i know i have but i was told that my surgery would be held back until i was settled on the machine so i kicked off with the consultant who told me they had operated on a man who coudnt use the CPAP machine successfully so the consultant contacted Dr Ammori's sec Gill and told her to put me on the list which she did, now i know they have because 10 days ago she told me i was 42nd on the list and hopefully will be done this yr.

The waiting list does seem long doesn't it? But I would urge everyone to be patient if you can because it really is for your own benefit.

I remember pre-op how anxious I was everytime something happened to cause a delay in the surgery, but looking back on it all, I really do wish I'd taken a little more time about it and make sure I was as well as I possibly could be then maybe so many post operative complications wouldn't have taken place.

Sleep Apnea can cause problems with the anaesthetic and when you think the anaesthetic itself is dangerous in obese people, its just common sense to get the Apnia sorted first and out of the way properly.

These tests are put in place for a reason.

Good luck with it all.

 

[IRJ]

Has i have said earlier ive been to Salford this morning having used the CPAP machine for a month and ive gone from stop breathing 82 times a night to 3 times and my average deep sleep has gone from 12mins to 4.5 hrs so it does work if you persevere.

 

[Katastrophe]

IRJ thats really good news!

I think the frustrating thing is that the hospital policies differ so much between areas , from what i can tell most places don't have a 3-4 month waiting list for a CPAP machine ...I kind of wish i'd gone to the whittington as from what i've heard you get it straight away. Also St Barts lost my notes for 4 months so i wasnt referred for any tests till i went to my 2nd appointment when they realised what had happened.

I think as someone said in another post, it takes so much umming and ahhing to go to your GP and get referred in the first place you want it all to happen quicker .... I first got referred in November 2008 and haven't even seen the surgeon yet so i'm itching to get it done now.