To Ambien or not to Ambien...It DIDN"T WORK!!!

Rabid1 · Post by **Rabid1** » Thu Dec 14, 2006 12:41 pm

Tonite I go in for my split-session sleep study. I'm not a very sound sleeper to begin with, so it's with a large amount of skepticism that I will be able to naturally fall asleep.

The doc has prescribed Ambien if I want/need it, but I don't want to skew the study in any way.

Is there any evidence Ambien affects the study?

Snoredog · Post by **Snoredog** » Thu Dec 14, 2006 1:17 pm

take the Ambien, the MOST important thing you can do tonight is SLEEP.
then try and follow your regular routine as much as possible.

If you don't fall asleep, they cannot determine your disorder (reason you are there in the first place).

Don't take any naps, try and stay awake before the study.
Don't drink any cokes, coffee or anything containing caffiene.
Take your own pillow with you.
Don't be surprised if they wake you up at 2AM to put on a mask, again the MOST important thing is to fall back asleep, try to use alternative thoughts instead of concentrating on the mask/air/machine.

Offerocker · Post by **Offerocker** » Thu Dec 14, 2006 1:18 pm

Rabid1:
I cannot address your real question about the EFFECTS of Ambien on your sleep study,
but the purpose is a SLEEP study, and in my opinion, if your Dr. has given you an 'OK' to use it, it may prove worthwhile, in that you could get more sleep, and better study results.

Others can respond to the effects, if any, of Ambien during the sleep study.

Lyza · Post by **Lyza** » Fri Dec 15, 2006 4:35 am

TAKE IT! My Dr and the Sleep Techs all told me to take my ambien or whatever I normally take to help me fall asleep..

If you are the type of person who can sleep anywhere anytime then don't take it.

If you are an insomniac then take it.

If you are getting yourself all worked up and anxious about sleeping, take it.

If you are expected to be asleep at an earlier time then your normal sleep pattern then take it.

Slinky · Post by **Slinky** » Fri Dec 15, 2006 9:28 am

I wish I HAD taken an Ambien. I was told I could. I didn't. I seldom use it at home. A 30 day supply has lasted me almost a year.

My "first" titration study I only slept 42 minutes. Not enough sleep to qualify for insurance purposes. So I had to do a "second" titration study and I only slept 98 minutes. The combined sleep minutes qualified me for PAP - BUT - we didn't get a good titration, we got more of a "guestimate" so here I am some two months later sleeping w/a loaner AutoPap to see if we can tweak my titration needs better - and it isn't working out either because the *&$% DME is too cheap to provide a humidifier w/the autopap much less a heated humidifier.

The first month, month and a half, were MISERABLE. I got sleep but NOT restful sleep. I was to the point I couldn't stand me. I was a real witch. I've finally started getting better sleep but still obviously am not getting full benefit of PAP and need the tweaking.

I have no real idea why I slept so poorly for the titration study. I'm used to sleeping away from home and sleep no better nor no worse when doing so whether motel or friend's house. I slept almost 6 hours for the sleep evaluation study and that was pretty much the norm for me at home. I doubt it was "just" the mask and pressure because I slept more at home the first night and subsequent nights at home w/the mask and PAP.

You don't want to go thru all this. Take the Ambien. If I had it to do all over again I sure as the devil would take an Ambien!!!!

Rabid1 · Post by **Rabid1** » Fri Dec 15, 2006 11:37 am

So I go to my sleep study last night, feeling fairly relaxed & ready for the process.

It was supposed to be a split session, but it never got that far.

I took 10mg of Ambien right before lights out. I tossed & turned for hours. The tech asked me to try to sleep on my back. I tried, but couldn't.

When I got up to use the restroom it was 4:45am. I asked the tech why she didn't mask me at 2:00am liked planned, she said I hadn't slept enough, and that I'd have to come back. ARRRGGG!!

Ironically, I slept pretty well from about 5:00am to 6:30.

What should I expect next?

Snoredog · Post by **Snoredog** » Fri Dec 15, 2006 12:23 pm

Rabid1 wrote:So I go to my sleep study last night, feeling fairly relaxed & ready for the process.

It was supposed to be a split session, but it never got that far.

I took 10mg of Ambien right before lights out. I tossed & turned for hours. The tech asked me to try to sleep on my back. I tried, but couldn't.

When I got up to use the restroom it was 4:45am. I asked the tech why she didn't mask me at 2:00am liked planned, she said I hadn't slept enough, and that I'd have to come back. ARRRGGG!!

Ironically, I slept pretty well from about 5:00am to 6:30.

What should I expect next?

bummer,

they will probably schedule another sleep study, could be a week to a month, ask to be put on a stand-by list. Next time if TylenolPM, melatonin or something that helps you sleep, take it out in the parking lot before you go into the lab. I tried ambien, it didn't do anything for me either.

you have to sleep before they can test you. Too bad they couldn't have monitored you from 5AM to 6:30AM because that is what you need to do.

other option is they did monitor you and can determine from the data if you have OSA or not. If so they may be able to find your pressure with an autopap.

depends on what your insurance will pay for, normally they only pay for 2 studies per year.

Ask to be put on a stand-by list, they will work you in should someone cancel.

krousseau · Post by **krousseau** » Fri Dec 15, 2006 1:41 pm

Get some sleeping med samples to try ahead of time and see what does work for you.

If you have aches/pains that keep you awake-will acetaminophen, ibuprofen, or naproxen help? If you can safely use one of them-take it as directed for 1 to 2 days before the study. If you have arthritis it takes a couple days to reduce inflammation and get good relief.

Limit caffeine for several days before the study. None after 12 noon.

Try to get on the same bedtime schedule as you will be for the study for a week before the study-be consistent!

The frustration of trying to go to sleep is sure to produce insomnia. Do you have access to an MP3/or Ipod-load it with UNFAMILIAR music, progressive relaxation, imagery or whatever helps distract you from the frustration of lying awake. try it out before the next sleep study but don't let yourself become used to the music-when you become very familiar with the music and sequence your expectation/anticipation of what is next can defeat the purpose.

Don't watch TV-especially news & sports-before going to sleep.

Find out how long you need to sleep for the diagnostic part and if you can get an auto to use at home for titration if you can't sleep long enough for both.

Good luck!!!

Jere · Post by **Jere** » Sun Dec 17, 2006 9:31 pm

This story rings so true for me. When I had my first study (something like 7 years ago) at John Hopkins I was told that I absolutely could not take any sleep medicine whatsoever. As a result, I slept less than an hour and was held over for a day study and - again - I did not sleep. A few months later I came back to try again and this time I smuggled in my sleep meds, which I took in the bathroom before I went to bed. Slept a good 4 hours that time.

Considering that I have sleep-onset insomnia due to anxiety issues, it was nuts to think I could sleep that first time after wiring me up, keeping the light on and telling me to GO TO SLEEP. The best part is that, after the first debacle, they sent me to drive 50 miles home after getting practically no sleep.

No wonder it took me another 5 years before I would agree to go through another sleep study, and you can bet that I spoke with my doctor about what meds I was bringing with me!

Thinking has apparently changed over the years, and allowing patients to take sleep meds is certainly acceptable if not encouraged.

Rabid1 · Post by **Rabid1** » Sun Dec 17, 2006 11:31 pm

Jere wrote:This story rings so true for me. When I had my first study (something like 7 years ago) at John Hopkins I was told that I absolutely could not take any sleep medicine whatsoever. As a result, I slept less than an hour and was held over for a day study and - again - I did not sleep. A few months later I came back to try again and this time I smuggled in my sleep meds, which I took in the bathroom before I went to bed. Slept a good 4 hours that time.

Considering that I have sleep-onset insomnia due to anxiety issues, it was nuts to think I could sleep that first time after wiring me up, keeping the light on and telling me to GO TO SLEEP. The best part is that, after the first debacle, they sent me to drive 50 miles home after getting practically no sleep.

No wonder it took me another 5 years before I would agree to go through another sleep study, and you can bet that I spoke with my doctor about what meds I was bringing with me!

Thinking has apparently changed over the years, and allowing patients to take sleep meds is certainly acceptable if not encouraged.

You had it worse than me. It does seem ironic that a sleep center expects people who have issues sleeping, to go get all wired-up, in a strange bed, in a strange environment, with the video cameras running, to just "go to sleep".

It's like "dude, if I could sleep through all this BS, I wouldn't be here"!!!

CollegeGirl · Post by **CollegeGirl** » Mon Dec 18, 2006 2:59 am

Heh, except I had the exact same experience, Jere, and that was just the year before last. Things haven't changed that much, sadly. I was having anxiety-induced insomnia, too - no meds for me. I was lucky in that I at least got enough for them to say I had apnea (but not enough for them to split-night me). I had a second titration study - also slept really badly for that (if at all) and it ended up being not even close to my real needed prescription. Scary.

blarg · Post by **blarg** » Mon Dec 18, 2006 3:31 am

Jere wrote:Thinking has apparently changed over the years, and allowing patients to take sleep meds is certainly acceptable if not encouraged.

I was not allowed to take sleep meds for my study that happened about a month ago. Life goes on though.

krousseau wrote:Don't watch TV-especially news & sports-before going to sleep.

Lol. When I was tossing and turning the tech came over the intercom, "Are you sure you don't want to watch TV?" I was like YES, I'm SURE I don't want to watch TV, thank you. I was on the edge of falling asleep for hours.

oldgearhead · Post by **oldgearhead** » Mon Dec 18, 2006 6:45 am

It does seem ironic that a sleep center expects people who have issues sleeping, to go get all wired-up, in a strange bed, in a strange environment, with the video cameras running, to just "go to sleep".

It's like "dude, if I could sleep through all this BS, I wouldn't be here"!!!

That, my friend, says it all...How true..