A sleep study needed

General Discussion on any topic relating to CPAP and/or Sleep Apnea.
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Krelvin
Posts: 1977
Joined: Tue Jun 06, 2006 5:23 pm
Location: Metro Phx Area - Dry Heat!

A sleep study needed

Post by Krelvin » Thu Jul 31, 2014 2:15 pm

Saw the Sleep DR today... Provided him with all the info I had including images of my original sleep study which I don't have a full copy of. The images have the whole report but my name was redacted when I posted it. I don't have the original now, not sure where it went.

Been using BiPap for 8 years. The Dr said the report from my machine clearly shows that I am using it and it is working for me.

Said my current machine (6yro) needs to be replaced with a similar but newer machine. Said my suggestion of a PR System One REMStar 60 Series BiPAP Auto with Bi-Flex with humidifier would be fine.

The problem... I don't have an actual un-redacted Sleep study with my name on it (blanked out in the images). If I did have one showing my name, he said he would just submit that and be done... He looked up the sleep center so he could get a copy of the report perhaps, but they went out of business years ago. Without a full copy, he has nothing to turn in showing the o2 levels and other info the machine I have doesn't show.

So... I get to do another sleep study. One night, start without a mask, then with the mask etc... just like before. Scheduled Aug 19th which is not really a problem since my current machine works fine.
Current Settings PS 4.0 over 10.6-18.0 (cmH2O) - Resmed S9 VPAP Auto w/h5i Humidifier - Quattro Air FFM
TNET Sleep Resource Pages - CPAP Machine Database
Put your equip in your Signature - SleepyHead v1.0.0-beta-1
Kevin... alias Krelvin

grass
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Joined: Tue Jul 29, 2014 8:06 pm

Re: A sleep study needed

Post by grass » Thu Jul 31, 2014 2:19 pm

At least you know what to expect?

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Krelvin
Posts: 1977
Joined: Tue Jun 06, 2006 5:23 pm
Location: Metro Phx Area - Dry Heat!

Re: A sleep study needed

Post by Krelvin » Thu Jul 31, 2014 2:38 pm

True. At first I thought he said it would be a two night study, one without a mask and one with, but when I asked for clarification on why it could not be done the same night since it would be clear right away that I had sleep issues without one, he said, no, just one night.

The center is 5 blocks from the house and they want my machine to be brought there with me.

I didn't have any resistance at all to anything I was saying, how I was looking at my reports, the machine I wanted etc... which was a bit refreshing. The first time round was much less transparent and seemed to be a secret the whole time.
Current Settings PS 4.0 over 10.6-18.0 (cmH2O) - Resmed S9 VPAP Auto w/h5i Humidifier - Quattro Air FFM
TNET Sleep Resource Pages - CPAP Machine Database
Put your equip in your Signature - SleepyHead v1.0.0-beta-1
Kevin... alias Krelvin

User avatar
Krelvin
Posts: 1977
Joined: Tue Jun 06, 2006 5:23 pm
Location: Metro Phx Area - Dry Heat!

Re: A sleep study needed

Post by Krelvin » Tue Aug 19, 2014 12:43 pm

Well the sleep study is tonight. Told to bring my existing machine/mask (I got a new mask and hose a couple days ago). Will be a split study, first part no machine which is weird since I have been using a BiPAP now for 8 years, followed by titration with a mask (assume my mask?). Not sure if they will actually use my machine at all.. never got a response to that.

Records Request...
It is being done at a hospital's sleep clinic and I found that the hospital has a records request form which I can fill out ahead of time and have a copy of my study sent to me. Will see how that goes since my followup with the sleep Dr is not until Sept 9th. Want to see what it has to say compared to what I had the first time 8yrs ago and be prepared before I see the Sleep Dr.

As for the Dr, he seemed to be okay with my knowing what is going on, what machine "I was recommending" etc..

I am not sure yet what the Insurance will be wanting to be done as for obtaining a machine. I have already maxed out on my co-pays for the year so there shouldn't any. I might give them a call today to see what DME's they accept, not sure why I didn't think of that before.

My current machine is fine, just old.
Current Settings PS 4.0 over 10.6-18.0 (cmH2O) - Resmed S9 VPAP Auto w/h5i Humidifier - Quattro Air FFM
TNET Sleep Resource Pages - CPAP Machine Database
Put your equip in your Signature - SleepyHead v1.0.0-beta-1
Kevin... alias Krelvin

User avatar
Krelvin
Posts: 1977
Joined: Tue Jun 06, 2006 5:23 pm
Location: Metro Phx Area - Dry Heat!

Re: A sleep study needed

Post by Krelvin » Tue Aug 19, 2014 3:43 pm

Krelvin wrote:I am not sure yet what the Insurance will be wanting to be done as for obtaining a machine. I have already maxed out on my co-pays for the year so there shouldn't any. I might give them a call today to see what DME's they accept, not sure why I didn't think of that before
Called. Got 3 in network DME's... Crapia, respirtech and advanced respitory (hill-rom). The latter two don't seem to carry normal xPAP equipment. So I might have to deal with Crapira again. Was able to deal with them in the past without too much problems... I record every conversation and phone call. Never had them attempt to bill anything that they shouldn't but I used a pre-paid credit card for that rather than my regular credit cards.
Current Settings PS 4.0 over 10.6-18.0 (cmH2O) - Resmed S9 VPAP Auto w/h5i Humidifier - Quattro Air FFM
TNET Sleep Resource Pages - CPAP Machine Database
Put your equip in your Signature - SleepyHead v1.0.0-beta-1
Kevin... alias Krelvin

User avatar
Krelvin
Posts: 1977
Joined: Tue Jun 06, 2006 5:23 pm
Location: Metro Phx Area - Dry Heat!

Re: A sleep study needed

Post by Krelvin » Wed Aug 20, 2014 1:52 pm

Sleep Study last night...

This one was most likely harder to do than my first one 8yr ago simply due to the fact that I have not attempted to sleep lying down on my back without an xPap for 6years. In fact it has most likely been even longer since 6 years ago it was because my machine had died, and I really didn't attempt to sleep on the bed at all, I just went to the recliner the week I didn't have the machine.

In the first study, I had no idea what it was like to be hosed, so the first part of the study which is done without the mask wasn't much different much from normal other than the completely wired up part.

This one I was very different though. I knew in advance that I would have that part, yet it wasn't any easier.

First off the study was done at a hospital, or rather on the campus of a hospital on the outskirts of the campus. I arrived 1/2 hour early and didn't approach the door until 15 mins till due to the instructions saying so. I brought my machine with me along with all of its stuff, hose, mask, power supply and cords. I wasn't really sure what it would be used for until after I got there.

I was led to a room which was surprisingly large. It had a room with a fullsized mattress in it, a bathroom with a shower and another very open room attached. Everything was very clean, and organized.

The tech had two patients for the night... before getting hooked up, she looked at my machine and then proceeded to use my mask to hook up their machine so that it was preconfigured. A couple problems... the pressures she had were from the very first study and not what I was actually using so they were too high. That and using that mask while lying on my back didn't work very well. After she adjusted the pressures to what I had on my machine, it was better, I had no leaks but she said the leak rate was too high. The only outflow was from the exhast port of the mask, not around my face.

She then got a medium Mirage Quattro FFM which I thought was a bit small for my face but when on didn't leak at all and she said the flow rate was much better.

She started with me hooking me up etc first and then did the other. Took about 30 mins to do all the wires....

At which time lights out and I started to attempt to sleep while lying on my back. As I thought, this was going to be hard.

I felt like a beached whale. I had a difficult time breathing and it seemed like there was no way I was going to actually fall asleep. This went on for about (times are estimates) 40 mins or so and then I attempted to roll on to my left side. Normally I would go right, but the wires made that pretty much not possible. While this made breathing better, it caused my shoulder which is very sore already to start to ache. I shifted between that and back on my back for about an hour and finally said I needed to sit up. No problem.. So I sat up on the edge of the bed (Reminded me of old times before mask) and very quickly was able to breath well again and after a bit started to fall asleep sitting up (fine by me) but not good for the study.

The tech came in and ask if a wedge would help, I said sure, anything would I think and after a bit she came back with a very firm wedge and I started the process over. At this point, I don't think I slept at all, though I won't know until I see the study.

Even with the wedge, I still had problems relaxing and just plain breathing normal, I again after a while shifted to my left which made breathing better, but made my shoulder sore. This went on until I think around 1pm when the tech came in and said they had enough sleep data to move to the next stage. I was fairly certain that if I slept at all to that point it had to be fleeting at best.

To the mask.. at this point I was really looking forward to this part. I had recently spent some time in the Hospital and didn't have any real problems lying on my back there with a Bi-Level hookup and while it is not how I normally sleep, I slept.

In this case, it seemed to take a while before I actually fell asleep. I think that was because I had to unwind from the previous experience first... I fell asleep.

Woke up having trouble breathing.. the machine was off, room was dark and there was a beeping sound coming from the floor near the machine. I started to try to take the mask off (not sure how it worked) when the machine reset and started blowing air again... The tech came running in and said that the power had gon off and that the generator had just kicked in. The beeping was the UPS on the floor which I don't think was working as the CPap clearly turned off for a bit.... I fell asleep again. A bit later, I recall the machine switching over when the power came back on but I basically just slept through it.

The sleep was okay, not great by normal standards due to a number of factors. For starters I was wired and any movement made that apparent. I was using a different mask. This one was putting a lot of pressure on my nose. I was reluctant to move it at all as I didn't want it to start leaking and lastly, I was still on my back or eventually my left side but I normally sleep on my stomach and as a result was not really comfortable.

I did make it to around 6am when I woke up and the tech came in and said the study was over. I'm guessing I slept perhaps about 3-1/2 to 4 hours, but won't know for sure until I get the study.

Removing the stuff took a bit and I had to work pretty hard to remove the left over stuff off my head, beard, neck and other locations before I left.

I left feeling tired although not exhased, and very sore due to how I had been sleeping.

Glad it is over.

BTW I was given a paper which explained the next steps and clearly stated that once the study was ready, I could download it from the website for free. The only fee would be if I wanted them to send a copy to another Dr (outside of the referring and sleep drs) and that was only a few bucks. My appointment for a followup is not until Sep 9th due to the holiday, but I should be able to get a copy of the study in about a week long before that.

Took some quick picts while in the room. I was all wired up, but not connected still so I just pointed the camera around and took 3 shots. One of the bed where the machines were, one of the shelving on the other side of the bed and one of the opening showing where the bathroom is and the other open area room where I sat to have all the wiring done.

The room was very quiet though I do recall hearing a helicopter landing during the night. Other than that, I don't recall hearing anyone else, snoring etc..

Oh it was funny that they gave me the hose they used. Not the mask, the hose. I thought that was a bit weird since obviously I never breathed into the hose itself, and had much more direct contact with the mask.

When I got home (5 blocks away), I took a shower, took care of some stuff that needed to be dealt with at work and took a 3 hour (nap) using my machine/mask etc.. Woke up more refreshed though still sore from the night. I had already planned on working from home and not starting until near noon so that was okay and a good idea.

Pics of the room:

http://i.imgur.com/IFlDOOn.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/rWYSl6Z.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/G88tVer.jpg
Current Settings PS 4.0 over 10.6-18.0 (cmH2O) - Resmed S9 VPAP Auto w/h5i Humidifier - Quattro Air FFM
TNET Sleep Resource Pages - CPAP Machine Database
Put your equip in your Signature - SleepyHead v1.0.0-beta-1
Kevin... alias Krelvin