7 nights without my cpap for sleep study

JadePony · Post by **JadePony** » Fri Aug 02, 2013 8:08 am

I have slept with a CPAP for about 18 years. I have had several titrations over the years, and my pressure has increased every time. I know I need to be increased again. I sleep with my machine EVERY night. If the power goes off in the winter for a night or two I am a basket case. I get headaches and my body just doesn't work properly. Now my doctor insists I have a study that I haven't had since I was diagnosed, and I have to sleep without my CPAP for 7 nights before the study (they said it was usually 14 but said I could get by with 7) because the effects of the CPAP lasted that long?? I slept without it last night, and have a migraine like headache today and don't want to do anything except lay on the couch. Has anyone else had to do this? I am actually scared (and told my doctor this) to go to sleep. I had a cousin that actually died in her sleep 4 years ago and it was determined to be because she simply quit breathing and didn't start agan. She used her CPAP sporadically. This just doesn't seem safe to me, and I'm miserable already.

robysue · Post by **robysue** » Fri Aug 02, 2013 8:34 am

JadePony,

I had a second diagnostic study done this summer. It was supposed to be a split-night study, but I didn't sleep well enough to get to the titration part. But the sleep doc didn't say anything about not using my machine at home prior to the study.

If I were you, I'd ignore the doc's instructions and sleep with the PAP at home as usual. And then I'd lie through my teeth if I were asked whether I complied with the instructions to skip it for 7 days. If I wanted to look the part of the sleep-deprived OSA sufferer, I'd consider sleeping without the PAP on the night before the study. But not a whole week.

STL Mark · Post by **STL Mark** » Fri Aug 02, 2013 9:10 am

robysue wrote:JadePony,

I had a second diagnostic study done this summer. It was supposed to be a split-night study, but I didn't sleep well enough to get to the titration part. But the sleep doc didn't say anything about not using my machine at home prior to the study.

If I were you, I'd ignore the doc's instructions and sleep with the PAP at home as usual. And then I'd lie through my teeth if I were asked whether I complied with the instructions to skip it for 7 days. If I wanted to look the part of the sleep-deprived OSA sufferer, I'd consider sleeping without the PAP on the night before the study. But not a whole week.

Where is the like button?

Get about 5 hours sleep the evening before your study and you will be sleep deprived enough that you won't be as bothered by the equipment and process. Which I would bet is what the doctor is trying to accomplish.

archangle · Post by **archangle** » Fri Aug 02, 2013 9:23 am

FIND
ANOTHER
DOCTOR

Make sure you have a strong sleeping pill in case you can't sleep when you go get a test.

Don't take the test without a sleeping pill under any circumstances, whether you've slept without CPAP for 7 nights or not. You'll be paying for a test that won't work because you didn't sleep.

Also, you should be getting a titration, not an initial sleep test. Start at the pressure you sleep with and then have the technician lower your pressure to see if you start having apneas.

karessamom · Post by **karessamom** » Fri Aug 02, 2013 9:29 am

I just recently had another sleep study and the dr. or lab didn't say boo about not sleeping with my CPAP! In fact I went to sleep with it ON!

khauser · Post by **khauser** » Fri Aug 02, 2013 9:35 am

I am SO in the "Find another doctor" camp, I can't even relate it!

I would ask that sleep doctor something like "so, are you responsible if I fail to breathe and die from it during this time?"

What a mixed message: You *MUST* use your CPAP to survive, Unless I say otherwise. Wow

BlackSpinner · Post by **BlackSpinner** » Fri Aug 02, 2013 10:12 am

JadePony wrote:I have slept with a CPAP for about 18 years. I have had several titrations over the years, and my pressure has increased every time. I know I need to be increased again. I sleep with my machine EVERY night. If the power goes off in the winter for a night or two I am a basket case. I get headaches and my body just doesn't work properly. Now my doctor insists I have a study that I haven't had since I was diagnosed, and I have to sleep without my CPAP for 7 nights before the study (they said it was usually 14 but said I could get by with 7) because the effects of the CPAP lasted that long?? I slept without it last night, and have a migraine like headache today and don't want to do anything except lay on the couch. Has anyone else had to do this? I am actually scared (and told my doctor this) to go to sleep. I had a cousin that actually died in her sleep 4 years ago and it was determined to be because she simply quit breathing and didn't start agan. She used her CPAP sporadically. This just doesn't seem safe to me, and I'm miserable already.

I don't see why they want to do a study without cpap. There is no reason for that unless you recently lost much weight.
There have been some studies done that support your doctors idea for a very small percentage of people but there is no reason to do a study without cpap. You should be having a titration study.

kteague · Post by **kteague** » Fri Aug 02, 2013 10:53 am

I agree with what's already been said. Unless there's extinuating circumstances, I don't understand the necessity of this diagnostic study, although doing these repeat studies seems to be routine in this field. I've had too many wasted and miserable studies And 7 nights without CPAP - just NO! How long has it been since you've had studies done, and did they gather good information? Have you changed doctors? If you are one prone to changing pressure needs, I would think it's imperative that you have a data capable machine to avoid many repeat studies.

To our sleep professionals on here - what is the routine number of nights to ask a patient to be off their CPAP?

chunkyfrog · Post by **chunkyfrog** » Fri Aug 02, 2013 11:31 am

Sounds like somebody who owns stock in a nursing home (or a mortuary).

DoriC · Post by **DoriC** » Fri Aug 02, 2013 5:57 pm

I never heard of such a thing! How about asking the good doctor to sleep with a pillow over his face for a week? You're getting good advice here. Nobody cares more about your health than you do!

49er · Post by **49er** » Fri Aug 02, 2013 11:45 pm

This sounds like a case of the doctor giving this advice for ages without even considering how logical this is. Now this is an extreme case but it seems to happen frequently in medical practices and not just with sleep studies.

49er

mgaggie · Post by **mgaggie** » Sat Aug 03, 2013 1:02 am

49er wrote:This sounds like a case of the doctor giving this advice for ages without even considering how logical this is. Now this is an extreme case but it seems to happen frequently in medical practices and not just with sleep studies.

49er

So true, when I've had a gastroscopy my GP never told me to stop taking nexium before the procedure as they can't test for the H.pylori bacteria.

DreamDiver · Post by **DreamDiver** » Sat Aug 03, 2013 8:48 am

@JadePony,
If it isn't already abundantly clear, it sounds like most all the responses are in same camp, well-summed-up by RobySue. If you have no other option, lie. If you have other options, find another sleep doctor. I've heard of doing one night sans CPAP prior to the sleep study. When I had to do that, it was torture enough. But for a whole week? Not going to happen.

I'm curious though. Why do you suppose your pressure has increased over the last 18 years?

123.Shawn T.W. · Post by **123.Shawn T.W.** » Sat Aug 03, 2013 9:09 am

Ask the Dr for it in writing on an official prescription form! If he won't take responsibility for your death, then ...

Then look for a new Dr ...

Use the machine!

I just two weeks ago went in for another titration study (Torture session) no mention of not using my machine, in fact they wanted to know who much I used my machine? I have used my machine EVERY night for a year, except for the one night I had the second titration study!

Unless there is some kind of study I have never heard of ... Sounds like your Dr is an idiot in regards to this! Have you called the place actually doing the sleep study? What do they say?

mollete · Post by **mollete** » Sat Aug 03, 2013 5:07 pm

kteague wrote:... what is the routine number of nights to ask a patient to be off their CPAP?

One.

AHI will revert to non-CPAP levels on the first night, but the oxygen desaturations take a bit longer to revert (like one more night).

So if one is trying to reestablish a diagnosis of OSA, and the initial diagnosis was based largely upon borderline desats (a lot of "H" in the AHI), you may need a couple of days to insure the desats will reappear.

The effects of untreated OSA take a bit longer to return (like about a week or two).

7 nights without my cpap for sleep study

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