Has anyone developed sleep apnea after surgery

[MarkG]

I just got back from a sleep study and it appears that I now have moderate sleep apnea. The thing that disturbes me is my oxygen level lowered to 70% during the night. I had a oxygen test done a year ago and it showed no significant decrease in oxygen. I am not overweight, which can contribute to sleep apnea. The only change from this year and last is I had AVR. Any thoughts?

 

[Ross]

Mark I highly suspect I do. I don't have the money to have a sleep study done to find out for sure, but I really do suspect it's the cause of my insomnia. I figure that my 02 level is falling too far, wakes me up, and the cycles repeat.

 

[Marguerite53]

I had a sleep study just this tuesday and was getting ready to start a thread about it, but I'll just jump on yours...

My doctor's nurse called me back and said I have to go in for a second night because there was moderate apnea, but not enough incidents to start me on CPAP titration. So I have to go back in and be re-tested (this time they will probably drug me...I refused the Ambien since I went to sleep pretty quickly). Because it was friday afternoon of labor day weekend, I just let it rest. But I've become increasingly frustrated about it in my head.

I have no test results, no information, no options? Not good. I'll be on the phone later today getting numbers faxed to me. I perused the forums on sleep apnea and see that there are some like ours, here, where posting is up to the minute. You can garner a lot of info from a forum, as you know, so reading through some threads may help you with some questions. I'd share, but they're on my other computer....

As far as whether or not AVR has anything to do with it, I would guess no. Are you on any new meds that might cause the relaxation of the thing in your throat which causes the blockage? Have they looked over your meds? Do you have any new eating or living changes that may result in some allergy type responses to closing the throat at night, or post nasal drippage contributing (new carpet, new home, new office at work, new nightime eating habit, new regular food??)

My suspicion is that I have rather serious, untreated GERD (Gastro Esophogeal Reflux Disease stuff) and that I may have some issues in my sinuses. I have great insurance, and already past my deductible (echo every April now) so I'm going to see my Ear/Nose/Throat guy and also a gastroenterologist next week. First thing's first. How can they recommend something (CPAP) when I haven't even been looked over for structural or other problems?? Oh, and unlike you, I am overweight.

I did ask the tech, after the study, if my oxygen level was depleted and he said no. That sounds odd. I'll know more once I get the paperwork.

Then, of course, there are all the options. I was put on the CPAP briefly (in case they had wanted to use it the first night) and I can tell you, it's not for me. So I've found a website with about 30 different types of mouth (dental) appliances and am going to look into those options first. (www.ihatecpap.com or something like that)

Thanks for the thread! I'll be watching others' responses.

Marguerite

 

[halleyg]

I don't have any expertise to offer on this, but my surgery was less than two weeks ago, and while I was still on the breathing tube, they said I had sleep apnea and I would stop breathing on my own as soon as I fell asleep, which would wake me up. I don't know if this has anything to do with what you are talking about, but just thought I'd throw that in, as I have never had sleep apnea either.

 

[PeggyM]

I had a sleep study done August 3 (second one in 2 years), one of those things you wear at home while you sleep. I have never had much faith in any monitor for home use that you use only once. But it said the RDI was 13.4 and the AHI was 5.2. One of those is the number of events I had in the night. I think 13.4 is the number of events and 5.2 is the amount of hours I slept. Not sure. It also says I spent 0% of the night with an oxygen saturation less than 90%, which is good. Yet they said I have mild obstructive apnea. I go back to a "class" next month.

Since my first surgery I have became a very shallow breather and my sister has said that I stop breathing in my sleep. Better than a CPAP is my dog, who has awakened me by licking my mouth frantically. LOL.