Bad News Today

Had an appointment with my sleep doctor today, results of an evaluation done in November,  approx 40 pounds heavier than I am now.  
Well My sleep apnea has not disappeared, had43 instances apnea in that session.  This sucks cause I haven't really used my machine since surgery.  They informed me that only about 10 percent of  WLS patients completely lose their apnea.  So tomorrow. It's Off to get My machine recalibrate and back to his pap we go.  Minor setback in the Grand scheme but still disappointing. 

Wow I didn't know it was so low.  I had to keep turning the settings down on mine and then finally went off of it 2 weeks ago.  Can't get in to get tested for a few months.  Am really hoping its gone however at my heaviest I had over 100 episodes and hour so Im a little worried.

As a longterm CPAP user I sympathize completely with your disappointment.  But, on the other hand - SOOOO much better to know you still need it and take care of yourself, than to come off and suffer negative consequences.  Especially now that so much other good "stuff" is happening.  And think of how much better you will feel once your sleep is regulated again!

Hang in there.

Claire

PS - my apnea "went", but I am stuck with sub-optimal breathing (too shallow), so I'm still on too.

HW 348
CW150.5

 Did it go lower?   It can take 18 months to resolve sleep apnea.  Don't give up hope!

Sorry to hear it didnt go away.
After almost 100 lbs finally off mine. Still have a few instance if I sleep on my back but not enough to need CPAP. Dont give up hope may get off it soon.
Have trouble sleeping at times without it as so used to the white noise of the machine.

Derek, not sure where you got your machine but they can do an oximetry test to see if you still need it.  Since it was almost 6 months ago and 40 lbs ago, you may want to start using your machine for a bit then get the test done.  I was re-tested in May after not using my machine for years and my apnea is back.  My pressure doesn't feel right to me so my cpap supplier is sending me the oximetry machine to see if my pressure needs to go up or down.  I got mine right across the hall from Dr. Feige's office.  They need his office to send over a fax but it may be worth looking into since you did lose another 40 lbs since the last official test.

ditto to what Tracey said, 40 pounds make huge difference and your "old" settings might be out of date again. Mine couldn't be adjusted with our (Ottawa) waiting and result processing times - by the time I've got everything done - another 50-60 pounds were gone along with sleep apnea.

 

I have lost 106 pounds so far, and next week is my surgiversary.
I was recently re-tested for my sleep apnea, and not only is it still there, the pressure on my CPAP was only recalibrated one tick down, from 12 to 11.

This really upset me, because of my great (otherwise) progress - but then I remembered.
Both my parents had sleep apnea. My Mom weighed 120 pounds when she died, and still had it.
Dad weighed 89 pounds when he died, and he still had it.

So the weight is not the only reason we have sleep apnea - if our tonsils and epiglottis are shaped a crtain way, we may always have it.

I too was really looking forward to losing the machine, but that may never happen, and I have to adjust to that idea.

Sometimes CPAP does not resolve completely, even with weight loss surgery. I've been on CPAP therapy for four years. Now 3.5 months post-op the machine has been incrementally lowered from 13 to 9 but I'm still not out of the woods. I would not recommend anyone diagnosed with SA to simply stop using the machine after surgery. SA is a dangerous condition if left untreated.

 I am quite sure that my sleep apnea existed before my weight problems started. I have no illusions that I will be rid of the CPAP machine. 

Good luck Derek.