the tech flippantly says 'the machine or the surgery'

cillakat · Post by **cillakat** » Fri Dec 08, 2006 5:55 pm

I'm a little miffed. After 10 years of me pushing, dh finally had a sleep study done. Actually, all it really ended up taking was me making one call to our fabulous (seriously) GP and she called DH the next day and told him in no uncertain terms to make the call and schedule the study.

He went last night. In the am, he was jokingly nudging the tech for info. At first the tech said 'i can't really say anything, i'm not a doctor, just the tech...i'm just here to make sure the wires are on right;)" dh is good with people, joked and nudged a littlemore. the tech says 'yeah you have it'. dh asks 'what are my options'. the tech says 'the machine that you have to use every night of your life. or the surgery.' and walks out of the room.

of course, on the way home, dh casually decideds on surgery oh good maude.

when dh asked what the next step is, they said to call our doc and schedule a follow up. wouldn't the follow up be with the sleep doc?

thanks:)
k

Goofproof · Post by **Goofproof** » Fri Dec 08, 2006 6:05 pm

What the "Tech" didn't know. The third option, do both, and end up on XPAP anyway. Jim

cillakat · Post by **cillakat** » Fri Dec 08, 2006 6:33 pm

LOL. you're so right. poor dh has never had a good nights sleep in his life. he's taken ambien every night for about a year and trazadone every night for 1-2y before that.

even now, he never wakes up feeling rested. he works out 5days a week, isn't overweight but maybe by 10 lb. eats right except breakfast....i know b/c i send it with him:) and i cook dinner.....

i think he has nasal allergies (needs rhinocort or similar), PLMD, and OSA. There. there's the diagnosis.

What do we do about the PLMD?

k

kteague · Post by **kteague** » Fri Dec 08, 2006 7:07 pm

Well, we can only hope DH is at least willing to read whatever info you research for him. Maybe if he understands the seriousness of the matter he would be willing to play a more active role. Without a copy of his detailed results it's hard to know the specifics to expect, but in general the course runs pretty much the same in pursing OSA treatment.

When you do get those results, check to see and discuss with your doc any references to limb movements during the study. Did the tech or the doc tell him he had PLMD, or are you saying he has the symptoms? If they are not the cause of his arousals, he may not need to do anything. Otherwise, there are meds for it, most of which one has to carefully weigh the side effects and determine the best course of treatment. For some people their limb movements are resolved with cpap treatment. With others, they get worse. Movements from PLMD affect one's health if causing sleep disruption (not to mention joint and muscle pain) but are not life threatening. Once the OSA is being treated you'll have a better idea what you have left to work on with the PLMD.

birdshell · Post by **birdshell** » Fri Dec 08, 2006 7:24 pm

I wouldn't know what to do about the PLMD, other than sometimes medication works for that condition.

I do know what my doctor said about surgery.

My sleep specialist told me that with my anatomy, surgery would not fix the apnea. Just passing that along for what it is worth! I don't know your DH, but he may be anatomically challenged in the same way.

It is amazing to me that if there is an effective treatment for sleep apnea, and it is within one's means to get that treatment, that one would not take advantage of the life improvement that it provides.

So, it is amazing to me that my mother will not use a CPAP. She was diagnosed as borderline YEARS ago.

Best wishes with your husband and his success. Send him here for a pep talk! I'm sure many of us would pitch in to describe xPAP therapy and the differences it has made in our lives.

lvwildcat · Post by **lvwildcat** » Fri Dec 08, 2006 9:52 pm

That tech sounds like he needs to attend a remedial class in "bedside manner"

billbolton · Post by **billbolton** » Sat Dec 09, 2006 12:41 am

lvwildcat wrote:That tech sounds like he needs to attend a remedial class in "bedside manner"

Firstly we only have a hearsay report of what transpired, and secondly its clear that the technican did gave the clinically correct answer but the patient didn't accept it, and furthermore kept pushing for information that it was unrealistic to expect a medical technican to provide.

I'd say its the patient's "bedside manner" that needs remediating.

Cheers,

Bill

lvwildcat · Post by **lvwildcat** » Sat Dec 09, 2006 1:15 am

you're right Bill as we all know there are always 3 sides to every story-my side;the other persons side and the truth.Things can be taken and perceived so differently by people.

cillakat · Post by **cillakat** » Sat Dec 09, 2006 6:42 am

<<That tech sounds like he needs to attend a remedial class in "bedside manner">>

it's much more serious than that. bedside manner was fine. it was a casual, joking informal banter.

the issue is that the tech has no place in issuing a diagnsosis or treatment. and in stating treatment option, offering surgery and CPAP as two equal options. or let me correct, offering it up as two option, indicating CPAP is the less preferred option by tone of voice and use of words.

imo this is very serious from a medical perspective and not something to be taken lightly.

from what i understand, which i admit freely that at this point is not much, surgery and CPAP are not equal options. surgery is only an option sometimes and very often not successful on it's own and over the long term, less successful on it's own.

please correct me if i am wrong. this is so not my area of expertise.....but if anyone needs help with a complex breastfeeding issue, ADHD, orthomolecular medicine, carseats or anti-aging skincare....well those are my areas of expertise. that's a whole 'nother forum though:)

k

billbolton · Post by **billbolton** » Sat Dec 09, 2006 8:18 am

cillakat wrote:the issue is that the tech has no place in issuing a diagnsosis or treatment.

The real issue seems to be that your "dh" had no place in pushing a medical technician for information he had clearly stated he wasn't qualified to give.

myboards · Post by **myboards** » Sat Dec 09, 2006 8:45 am

In my study I asked the tech if I had sleep apnea and she said with a smile "oh yeah..you have it". I also realized she is no doctor and her opinion cannot lead to a treatment. A doctor has to agree and prescribe a treatment. So regardless what the tech said it is really meaningless, other than a heads up. You hubby can go in and say lets do the surgery and the doc will inform him of the options and the pros and cons of each. Your hubby will get the right picture .
Dave

cillakat · Post by **cillakat** » Sat Dec 09, 2006 9:24 am

<<You hubby can go in and say lets do the surgery and the doc will inform him of the options and the pros and cons of each. Your hubby will get the right picture>>

yeah, he will. we have a great doc. and dh really has been 'hearing' everything i'm reading to him from various posts here, and info on apnea.org (i think that's what it was). it's not what he wants to hear, he was so excited about a quick easy fix (which it still might be) but it's all sinking in and he'll go with whatever seems to be the best, most success-likely treatment plan. left to his own devices, if CPAP didn't work right away, he'd throw it in the bin. but now that i've found this forum and we have access to really really fabulous information and help, he'll willlingly go along with the process or working it out and tweaking it.

i sent him some links from the 'collective wisdom' - he found the 'tips for newcomers' very helpful and enlightening.

thanks everyone who had helpful supportive replies.

k

jcranmer · Post by **jcranmer** » Sat Dec 09, 2006 1:05 pm

I have to say the tech at my sleep study (Split Study) was very helpful. I asked him in the morning how many "episodes" I had, since he had to come in and put the cpap machine on me.

While he said he really couldn't say, since he wasn't a doctor and couldn't really score the test. He did say "a-lot".

My RDI for the first part of the night ended up being 118 per hour of sleep, so I assume the tech was correct.

lvwildcat · Post by **lvwildcat** » Sun Dec 10, 2006 9:53 am

k-theres the possibility that he could have surgery and then STILL need to use CPAP. Do research and look at the success rate statistics before deciding on surgery.

rested gal · Post by **rested gal** » Sun Dec 10, 2006 10:40 am

Katherine, below is a link to more reading than anyone could possibly want to do! You sound like a natural born researcher though, so.... should your husband come away from the doctor's appointment seriously considering "surgery", you might want to do some heavy-duty digging into the topics.

Me...I'd sure try to make "cpap" work rather than turn to some of the irreversible procedures that may not help in the long run. Personally, I'd say "No" to any hint of any form of UPPP.

MMA-GA seems to be the surest shot; but whew, that's drastic.

Clickable LINKS to surgery, turbinates, Pillar, TAP experiences
viewtopic.php?t=2836

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the tech flippantly says 'the machine or the surgery'

the tech flippantly says 'the machine or the surgery'

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