ambien cr and sleep study

teacherjane · Post by **teacherjane** » Wed Oct 11, 2006 9:53 pm

How does Ambien CR affect a sleep study. I am having my sleep study re-done because I did not sleep long enough the first time. It was a split night study and for the first part I slept only 62 mins. 52.2 events, all hypopneas and lowest oxygen 92.0. So now I am having a 2 night study. So... I am wondering if I should take Ambien CR, but I don't want it to skew the results, since this will be the second study I am doing.

Offerocker · Post by **Offerocker** » Wed Oct 11, 2006 10:36 pm

TeacherJane:

I must admit that I don't even know what is a 'split night' study!
Would you explain for me please?

I would say that if you usually take AmbienCR at night, by all means continue to do so for your sleep study, which, in my opinion, needs to be under your 'normal' circumstances. Heaven knows the lab changes things enough, with hard beds and different temperatures, etc.
If there were things of the lab which were disturbing you/to you, then the Ambien may aleviate some of that.

(I was given it once; may as well have taken aspirin, but then that was during a horrific bout with PLMD. Nothing helped but LOTS of time.)

I'm sure you'll be provided with better advice in next posts.
Good luck to you on your next sleep studies.

By the way, what is your doctors' opinions re the Ambien? You would want the sleep lab dr. to be aware of it if you take it.

teacherjane · Post by **teacherjane** » Wed Oct 11, 2006 10:48 pm

I do not normally take Ambien, so maybe I should not take it??? A split night study is when half the night they see how many events you have, then the next part titraion.

Offerocker · Post by **Offerocker** » Wed Oct 11, 2006 10:58 pm

Well, I'm going to do a 'flip-flop' now - why don't you take it at home to get an idea of how it affects your sleep, etc.
I realize you may be anxious to get the best of your sleep study, and that is most important. You decide from there, you know your body best!

I do take something at night which gives me a 'drowzy period', so I can take advantage (or not) of that for timing my going to bed.

Snoredog · Post by **Snoredog** » Wed Oct 11, 2006 11:48 pm

The goal in your titration study is to reach REM sleep, because REM is where the worst events take place, the lab wants to be sure that the pressure they attempt is high enough to eliminate the worst events seen there in addition to finding the pressure that offers the BEST sleep.

The pressure should avoid triggering Central apnea but be high enough to clear most obstructive events. In a lab setting they can SEE any central events and suggest the pressure that avoids them. So when you get done you will want to know what that pressure was. You will also want a copy of that titration study mailed to you, ask for it before you leave (results have to be first delivered by your doctor).

AmbienCR: IF this helps you fall asleep more easily and stay asleep then I say take it. I've taken TylenolPM, melatonin in the parking lot of the sleep center before, worked well.