Question:
Why would you have to be on a ventilator? Does everyone have to wake up on one?

   — Keisha W. (posted on July 12, 2004)

July 12, 2004
During surgery you are on a vent because they give you a paralitic (spelling?) drug that paralizes you, so you cant breath on your own. Plus other meds used to put you to sleep. Yes you can wake up with the vent if there is problems. Usually they remove it before you wake. I had a friend that was on the vent for a day after gastric bypass because she didnt start to breath on her own. But all went well, she is without problem now and she is 18 months out.
   — Carrie W.

July 12, 2004
It is not uncommon to be on a ventillator. They use it to maintain your airway during surgery. In my case I had a lung condition requiring oxygen prior to my surgery, but due to my obesity, they had difficulty getting the tubing down my throat, so they left me on the ventilator the first day after surgery, mostly as a precautionary measure. They didn't want to remove it prematurely and have to try to put it back in. I had been on one during previous surgeries and it had been removed as I was waking up. This time it was a little scary waking up to it, but someone was right there to explain. It was a little uncomfortable, but someone was always right there, everytime I raised my hand or anything. They would give me something to write on so I could tell them what I needed. This is nothing to worry about.
   — Carolyn B.

July 13, 2004
I'm sure they used a ventilator during surgery, but when I woke up, I did not have one.
   — Cathy S.

July 13, 2004
The answer is no not everyone in put on a ventilator. What the one poster probably meant was that almost everyone is intubated while in surgery. I did not come out on a vent nor did my husband. May be someone that has severe sleep apnea and is on a C-Pap or Bi-Pap may be put on a vent. Tho my husband has sleep apnea and he came out of the OR breathing on his own. Hope this helps.
   — ChristineB

Click Here to Return