Sleep Study

[DangerMouse]

Finally I have found a PCP who thinks that my sleep issues are serious enough that they warrant a sleep study. Those issues being unable to get to sleep, stay asleep or get more than 5 hours of sleep a night. Add in the snoring - she noticed I can barely breathe through my nose. I also wake up exhausted every morning. The amount of Lunesta I take a year is ridiculous.

So has anyone had one of these things? I've done a bit of research on the net and they show what they do. However, what do they do if you need to get up during the night and pee? Do they disconnect everything?

 

[Rich_by_the_Bay]

Don't worry - they'll make sure you get through it in comfort. You'll be hooked up to a bunch of sensors and meters.

While a lot of folks end up not having obstructive sleep apnea or OSA (they have insomnia or similar), it's worthwhile screening for in patients with highly suggestive symptoms. Most people realize it can result in daytime somnolence and unpleasant symptoms.

But bad cases of OSA can have relatively few symptoms all the while causing severe drops in oxygen levels, leading to congestive heart failure, hypertension (garden variety as well as a specific type of pressure elevation in the arteries to the lungs) and more.

Sounds like a wise precaution based on your symptoms. I hope it's a false alarm, but if not you will have the knowledge and available treatment to reduce future complications as well as feeling a lot better.

Keep us posted.

 

[haha]

So has anyone had one of these things? I've done a bit of research on the net and they show what they do. However, what do they do if you need to get up during the night and pee? Do they disconnect everything?

I volunteered to be a subject in a sleep study years ago. Part of the deal was waking me up every few hours and asking what I was dreaming about.

I had just come back from a long sojourn in the third world and I was really underweight. So every time she asked I was dreaming about hoagies, or ham and cheese on French bread, or pizza. She must have thought I was nuts. Overall it ws fun though. I don't remember any discomfort.

I hope that you get some help.

Ha

 

[Ed_The_Gypsy]

I second Rich.

I had a sleep test over a year ago. Like he said, they take care of you. My only issues:
a) it cost a ton of money, and
b) it was like staying in a cheap motel. The HVAC was very noisy. It was like trying to sleep in a laundromat. Still, they said they got good data.

You have to do your part. Follow the instructions (no caffeine for x hours before, etc.). Bring something to read.

Dollars to donuts, they will discover that you have OSA and sell you a CPAP machine. I like the nose pillows instead of the masks. Make damn sure you get fitted comfortably. If you have trouble adjusting to one kind of mask, try another. Get spare filters at the same time.

Some people have trouble adapting to the things. I did not, having been used to Personal Protective Equipment (gas masks) in my work. Also, the rest I got was so wonderful, so I got used to it real fast. I use it every night, everywhere I go.

No, you do not have to use clean filters every day. Just pay attention. Wash the little sponge ones when they get a little gray with dust and replace the white ones when they show gray.

Best of luck.

Ed

 

[DangerMouse]

Actually my PCP had the sleep study and told me that they diagnosed her with sleep apnea and tried to get her onto one of the CPAP machines. As she told me, that would not work for her lifestyle - she does a lot of volunteer work in 3rd world countries that do not have electricity - so she opted for surgical options including something to do with cleaning sinuses, septum etc. and had something removed from her throat and that solved her problem. I must admit if there is a problem I would probably look to fixing sinuses/septum etc. before I would go for the machine. I guess time will tell.

I do feel like I am in good hands with my new Dr. For the first time I feel like I actually have someone who is proactive and has my best interests at the forefront. Last Dr I went to, I tried to tell him about my issues, including my sleep problems, and his response was "I can tell by looking at you there is nothing wrong with you."

 

[jimnjana]

My wife and I both did the sleep study, turns out she had moderate to severe SA, I had Mild to Moderate SA. We both have CPAP machines and use them religiously. Definitely worth having the study. Quality of sleep much better, but I have to admit that I don't like having it. (I realize I sleep better with it, but I don't like the whole mask thing) We are researching alternatives to the CPAP, recently I heard a advertisement for an alternative device that has recently been approved by FDA.

 

[GoodSense]

I saw on TV one of the sleep studies where they were testing to see the impact of (the lack of) deep sleep on a person, so they were disturbing this kid every time he gets into deep sleep. But they only disturbed him enough to take out of his deep sleep, and not enough to wake up him. So he got up super exhausted everyday and didn't know why, because he thought he was getting 8 hours of sleep.

My point is, as long as you are not in one of those studies...

 

[Ed_The_Gypsy]

You would have surgery before you would use a CPAP?

May I respectfully suggest that you try the non-invasive non-surgical option before you have somebody chop on you?

a) it is cheaper
b) it is safer
c) you always have the carving knife option.

Personally, I would try all reasonable alternatives before I would try elective surgery.

 

[Nords]

You would have surgery before you would use a CPAP?

A shipmate had his turbinates carved on by a laser and has been in pain from the scarring ever since.

Even worse, he's more resigned to living with the chronic annoyance than he's willing to risk letting some other surgeon have a whack.

A CPAP may feel like a MK5 gas mask but you can always elect to have surgery later. Not so easy to reverse that order.

 

[Ed_The_Gypsy]

Thanks, Nords.

I had forgotten to add,

d) sometimes the surgery does not work as advertised. No refunds, sorry.