Hi everyone,
I am having my first sleep study on May 23/06. I am from Canada, but am having my study done in Fargo ND as in the province I live in, there is a 2-5 yr waiting list.
I have Fibromyalgia, and never have a restorative sleep. The last couple of years I've been having difficult falling and staying asleep. It has gotten really bad. I am constantly waking up, and sometimes I can't sleep until 1-3 am. I go back to bed after the kids go to school and sleep till about noon.
I have been told I do snore. I am overweight too, due to all of the meds I've been on.
I am just wondering, when you get diagnosed with OSA, who decides what kind of mask you get to wear? If any Canadians know how it works in Canada that would be great. We have no insurance. We are paying for the test out of pocket.
Thanks for the help,
Sleepybon
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First time sleep study coming up
11 posts
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Offerocker
- Posts: 1109
- Joined: Tue Jan 24, 2006 5:08 pm
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First time sleep study coming up
sleepybon
First, register your name on this site, so that you can be notified when a reply has been posted to any of your posts.
I cannot comment on your question, but wanted you to know that you will never be alone in this Forum. I have had full support, through tough times and short-lived happy ones. Most of all, we learn courage through support.
First, register your name on this site, so that you can be notified when a reply has been posted to any of your posts.
I am so sorry that you have that! I have a friend w/it, and the temperature really affects her health. Due to having known several people with your condition, I have empathy for what you are living with.I have Fibromyalgia
I cannot comment on your question, but wanted you to know that you will never be alone in this Forum. I have had full support, through tough times and short-lived happy ones. Most of all, we learn courage through support.
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Sleepy Dog Lover
- Posts: 221
- Joined: Thu May 04, 2006 4:27 pm
Before your test, make SURE they know of your condition. By the way, some
sleep centers around Sacramento are very strict on timing. Be there at 6pm,
they will wire you up and you can wait until you fall asleep. They wake you up
at 5am and send you home...OR you can call the one I went to and they will
have their people show up when you get there...what I am trying to say is....
if YOU don't fall asleep until 1-3am, your test is worthless if you show up at
6pm, get wired and lay there 5 or 6 hours. You sleep 3 or 4 hours, then they
get you up. I called many, many places until I found one who would work
with me. I was like you, I was up to 3-4am every night for a week before my
test. They scheduled a person in at 11pm, wired me and I guess I was asleep on and off for the next several hours.
Just make sure you ASK them about your sleeping problem. Can you show
up later in the evening? Will they allow you to sleep past their "normal"
wake up times?
Another thing is breathing. I was NOT getting enough air during the initial
stages of my testing. I complained and was told "it is our protocols, we have
to follow them" - - - -so I used my Nitrolingual because the pain in my chest
was real bad. The next day I told their boss about it and he said he would
make some changes, his goal was NOT to cause a heart attack or angina or
anything else like that.
You might ask them what they will use to "glue the test leads" to your head.
My place had just changed to a milder "glue". The young man said they used to use acetone to remove the "glue". I was shocked to hear that, but
he said he was serious. It doesn't hurt to ask. The stuff they did use came
off with soap and hot water for me. BUT ACETONE?? I use that on the
gelcoat of my boat, never my skin.
Good luck and best wishes.
sleep centers around Sacramento are very strict on timing. Be there at 6pm,
they will wire you up and you can wait until you fall asleep. They wake you up
at 5am and send you home...OR you can call the one I went to and they will
have their people show up when you get there...what I am trying to say is....
if YOU don't fall asleep until 1-3am, your test is worthless if you show up at
6pm, get wired and lay there 5 or 6 hours. You sleep 3 or 4 hours, then they
get you up. I called many, many places until I found one who would work
with me. I was like you, I was up to 3-4am every night for a week before my
test. They scheduled a person in at 11pm, wired me and I guess I was asleep on and off for the next several hours.
Just make sure you ASK them about your sleeping problem. Can you show
up later in the evening? Will they allow you to sleep past their "normal"
wake up times?
Another thing is breathing. I was NOT getting enough air during the initial
stages of my testing. I complained and was told "it is our protocols, we have
to follow them" - - - -so I used my Nitrolingual because the pain in my chest
was real bad. The next day I told their boss about it and he said he would
make some changes, his goal was NOT to cause a heart attack or angina or
anything else like that.
You might ask them what they will use to "glue the test leads" to your head.
My place had just changed to a milder "glue". The young man said they used to use acetone to remove the "glue". I was shocked to hear that, but
he said he was serious. It doesn't hurt to ask. The stuff they did use came
off with soap and hot water for me. BUT ACETONE?? I use that on the
gelcoat of my boat, never my skin.
Good luck and best wishes.
Installing Software is like pushing a rope uphill.
I have Encore Pro 1.8.65 but could not find it listed
under software.
I LOVE the SV.
I have Encore Pro 1.8.65 but could not find it listed
under software.
I LOVE the SV.
I will try to answer some of your questions based on my own experience (US).
At my sleep study they only had a couple types of masks for me to use while doing the study (titration). Luckily they happened to be pretty good ones UMFF and Swift. I think that there was only one more choice and the tech told me that these two were the ones people usually liked (turns out she didn't lie!). I tried both Swift and UMFF. I couldn't make the Swift work there (not enough time to experiment ( but I do use it now and love it)) so I used the UM FF for the study. They let me keep both masks from the study. I don't know if that is the usual thing or I was just lucky.
As for who decides what mask you get in the end? No prescription is required for a mask purchase, and since you say no insurance, buy whatever you want from CPAP.com (reasonable prices).
Same goes for your CPAP or APAP except you need a prescription. CPAP.com doesn't care which machine you pick (see the FAQ on prescription writing so you can steer your doctor). I assume you have a US doctor to deal with when the results come back? I had my referring doctor and some other doctor associated with the sleep center who reviewed the results and sent a report to my doctor who wrote my prescription. I never met the sleep doctor.
The doctor (for you I don't know which doctor or if it is the same doctor for both due to your situation) can write a generic prescription for CPAP with the pressure you require, or a generic for APAP with or without pressure range. If you use a DME they will most likely want the pressure on the prescription, however if I had no insurance to collect I would never go near a DME, prices are 2x or more.
Hopefully you will get a good mask from the study and if not, read this forum (search for masks) to get ideas of what people here prefer.
Dllfo was lucky. I was given only a choice of 9pm or 7:30 pm to come in for the study, with lights out at 11pm for the 9pm. I picked the later time since I can't imagine sleeping earlier.
My sleep tech told me warm water to remove the glue. Never mentioned any chemicals. It came right out. I live 10 minutes from the sleep center so I just went home and back to bed since I was woken up at 5:30 am. That never fails to amaze me. I do my best sleeping from 2am to 10 am. The place did have a shower for you if you wanted it. I didn't want anything at 5:30 am except to drive home in the dark and not have an accident and go back to bed.
At my sleep study they only had a couple types of masks for me to use while doing the study (titration). Luckily they happened to be pretty good ones UMFF and Swift. I think that there was only one more choice and the tech told me that these two were the ones people usually liked (turns out she didn't lie!). I tried both Swift and UMFF. I couldn't make the Swift work there (not enough time to experiment ( but I do use it now and love it)) so I used the UM FF for the study. They let me keep both masks from the study. I don't know if that is the usual thing or I was just lucky.
As for who decides what mask you get in the end? No prescription is required for a mask purchase, and since you say no insurance, buy whatever you want from CPAP.com (reasonable prices).
Same goes for your CPAP or APAP except you need a prescription. CPAP.com doesn't care which machine you pick (see the FAQ on prescription writing so you can steer your doctor). I assume you have a US doctor to deal with when the results come back? I had my referring doctor and some other doctor associated with the sleep center who reviewed the results and sent a report to my doctor who wrote my prescription. I never met the sleep doctor.
The doctor (for you I don't know which doctor or if it is the same doctor for both due to your situation) can write a generic prescription for CPAP with the pressure you require, or a generic for APAP with or without pressure range. If you use a DME they will most likely want the pressure on the prescription, however if I had no insurance to collect I would never go near a DME, prices are 2x or more.
Hopefully you will get a good mask from the study and if not, read this forum (search for masks) to get ideas of what people here prefer.
Dllfo was lucky. I was given only a choice of 9pm or 7:30 pm to come in for the study, with lights out at 11pm for the 9pm. I picked the later time since I can't imagine sleeping earlier.
My sleep tech told me warm water to remove the glue. Never mentioned any chemicals. It came right out. I live 10 minutes from the sleep center so I just went home and back to bed since I was woken up at 5:30 am. That never fails to amaze me. I do my best sleeping from 2am to 10 am. The place did have a shower for you if you wanted it. I didn't want anything at 5:30 am except to drive home in the dark and not have an accident and go back to bed.
If after your sleep study it is determined that you do indeed need cpap and have to pay for it your self check out Cpap.com. They have a range of machines, masks, etc. Please read as much as you can on this forum about what people use, why they like it and why they don't. I've said it before, we here are the users. The docs prescribe it, the DMEs sell it, along with on line places such as Cpap.com (who have a knowledgeable people) People here will give you answers to your questions based on user experience. Don't be afraid to ask, you will get a lot of useful information by reading and asking questions.
Good luck with your sleep study. Just remember the conditions in a sleep lab are nothing like a home environment. And besides falling asleep the MOST common complaint is tolerating the mask. If you can't tolerate it, you are not alone. Most people don't do well with this foreign thing over their face. I know I couldn't do it. So my sleep study determined that I has severe OSA (100+ events per hour) but the titration portion of the study (putting on the mask and being attached to the Cpap machine to determine the pressure you need to control the events) could not be done because I was claustrophobic with the mask on my face. So go into this study with a positive attitude but don't worry if you think you failed because the majority of us have been there. Please keep us informed and remember we are here if you need help.
Good luck with your sleep study. Just remember the conditions in a sleep lab are nothing like a home environment. And besides falling asleep the MOST common complaint is tolerating the mask. If you can't tolerate it, you are not alone. Most people don't do well with this foreign thing over their face. I know I couldn't do it. So my sleep study determined that I has severe OSA (100+ events per hour) but the titration portion of the study (putting on the mask and being attached to the Cpap machine to determine the pressure you need to control the events) could not be done because I was claustrophobic with the mask on my face. So go into this study with a positive attitude but don't worry if you think you failed because the majority of us have been there. Please keep us informed and remember we are here if you need help.
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Bonnie
"People who say they slept like a baby apparently never had one"
"People who say they slept like a baby apparently never had one"
thanks for the replies.
The time I am supposed to be there for my study is 9:30pm. I plan on bringing my own pillow and my memory foam mattress pad (twin size) its only 2 inches thick but should make me more comfy.
The results will be sent back to my GP here in Canada. If I need cpap then he will send the results to a place in Winnipeg where they "borrow" you cpap. I can't remember the name. I would probably have to rent one first till they would have time to see me. My concern over this is I may have to take what ever they give me. I know I want one with a heated humidifier but don't know if they would give it to me. I wonder if the sleep dr put that on the perscription then they would have to comply?
I have done LOTS of studing of Fibromyalgia and personally know someone who has FM and sleep apnea and how the cpap has made a huge difference for her.
I sleep on my back for the most part and then on my sides. I do take a sleeping pill now, and it has helped somewhat, so I am hoping I will do ok. Just scared of that stupid mask!
The time I am supposed to be there for my study is 9:30pm. I plan on bringing my own pillow and my memory foam mattress pad (twin size) its only 2 inches thick but should make me more comfy.
The results will be sent back to my GP here in Canada. If I need cpap then he will send the results to a place in Winnipeg where they "borrow" you cpap. I can't remember the name. I would probably have to rent one first till they would have time to see me. My concern over this is I may have to take what ever they give me. I know I want one with a heated humidifier but don't know if they would give it to me. I wonder if the sleep dr put that on the perscription then they would have to comply?
I have done LOTS of studing of Fibromyalgia and personally know someone who has FM and sleep apnea and how the cpap has made a huge difference for her.
I sleep on my back for the most part and then on my sides. I do take a sleeping pill now, and it has helped somewhat, so I am hoping I will do ok. Just scared of that stupid mask!
Bon
______________________________________________
Fibromyalgia and some kind of sleep disorder
______________________________________________
Fibromyalgia and some kind of sleep disorder
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brasshopper
- Posts: 170
- Joined: Thu Apr 27, 2006 9:26 pm
- Contact:
Failing your sleep test
I took a sleep study in Miami once - they wired me at 11 PM, I was in bed by Midnight. It was supposed to be a split study. At 3 AM they abandoned the diagnostic part of the test. At 5 AM I fell asleep. They "titrated" me for one hour and woke me, on schedule, at 6 AM. They claimed that they had a good titration.
I have a friend with Congestive Heart Failure and ventricular fillibration - he had to go in for a retitration. (He is getting healthier - if he has a positive result from his next procedure, they will take him off the transplant list). But he could not fall asleep at all during the sleep test - period.
So they "failed him" and would not do another one for some period of time controlled by his insurance - his PCP could have written a letter but was transfereed and his new PCP never got up to speed on it.
Since then, well, I advise people to (1) get "permission" to use their usual sleep meds - or be sure that they are several nights into non-use - (discussing this with their doctor, of course) - you don't want to have rebound insomnia for the rest.
Also, (2) consider staying up all night the night before - or just getting a couple hours of sleep. Getting no more than three hours of sleep the night before worked for me this time. I was also told to take my usual sleep meds and pain meds if I took them regularly.
All the sleep tests before this one, they used colloidion to anchor the hair implanted electrodes. This stuff required acetone to remove - lots of 4x4's soaked in acetone to mop it off of the hair. But it anchored the electrodes solidly. This time they used something that was a little like toothpaste and which washed out with a couple of shampoos.
The sleep tech in the most recent test tripped over the wire bundle and pulled a lot of wires loose and had to reseat a bunch of things, wake me up a couple of times to do it - the toothpaste all cracked. All in all, I'd rather have had them use the collidion and deal with removing the stuff in the morning.
The masks I was given during the tests were obviously used and sterilized. I was not allowed to take them home. There is a sterilization protocol. Would have been nice to get a couple masks out of the tests.
I have a friend with Congestive Heart Failure and ventricular fillibration - he had to go in for a retitration. (He is getting healthier - if he has a positive result from his next procedure, they will take him off the transplant list). But he could not fall asleep at all during the sleep test - period.
So they "failed him" and would not do another one for some period of time controlled by his insurance - his PCP could have written a letter but was transfereed and his new PCP never got up to speed on it.
Since then, well, I advise people to (1) get "permission" to use their usual sleep meds - or be sure that they are several nights into non-use - (discussing this with their doctor, of course) - you don't want to have rebound insomnia for the rest.
Also, (2) consider staying up all night the night before - or just getting a couple hours of sleep. Getting no more than three hours of sleep the night before worked for me this time. I was also told to take my usual sleep meds and pain meds if I took them regularly.
All the sleep tests before this one, they used colloidion to anchor the hair implanted electrodes. This stuff required acetone to remove - lots of 4x4's soaked in acetone to mop it off of the hair. But it anchored the electrodes solidly. This time they used something that was a little like toothpaste and which washed out with a couple of shampoos.
The sleep tech in the most recent test tripped over the wire bundle and pulled a lot of wires loose and had to reseat a bunch of things, wake me up a couple of times to do it - the toothpaste all cracked. All in all, I'd rather have had them use the collidion and deal with removing the stuff in the morning.
The masks I was given during the tests were obviously used and sterilized. I was not allowed to take them home. There is a sterilization protocol. Would have been nice to get a couple masks out of the tests.
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apneaicinisrael
- Posts: 142
- Joined: Tue Jan 31, 2006 6:41 am
Hi Sleepybon, and WELCOME
Good luck on your sleep study this week. Are you having a split night study? Where hopefully they check out your sleep the first half, and then see what pressures help you the second half? I hope this gives you a good direction. Just wanted to add my 2 cents, to reassure you that the titration part, that second half, is not an absolute process. If they get even a ballpark to start you off on (that is, if they find you need CPAP), then you are on your way. A lot of users (well informed users, that is!) find that their pressures get more appropriately tailored as they start to use the mask. And certain conditions can cause need to change pressures a bit, meds, weight change, mask change, etc. This is the start of your road! And honestly, it is a better road than you think!!! Every night when I take a long relaxed breath of CPAP air, I think to myself, this is really a good thing
After you get your report (and tell them in advance that you will want a copy mailed to you, as well as to your doc), check back it with us and with the wonderful people on this forum you'll be ready for the next step of machine and mask. And don't worry too much about the mask, yes it is a sometimes challenging thing to find the right style and fit, etc. -- but there are really varied and good options out there. And lots of advice and opinions on here!
Waiting for your next post,
AII
Good luck on your sleep study this week. Are you having a split night study? Where hopefully they check out your sleep the first half, and then see what pressures help you the second half? I hope this gives you a good direction. Just wanted to add my 2 cents, to reassure you that the titration part, that second half, is not an absolute process. If they get even a ballpark to start you off on (that is, if they find you need CPAP), then you are on your way. A lot of users (well informed users, that is!) find that their pressures get more appropriately tailored as they start to use the mask. And certain conditions can cause need to change pressures a bit, meds, weight change, mask change, etc. This is the start of your road! And honestly, it is a better road than you think!!! Every night when I take a long relaxed breath of CPAP air, I think to myself, this is really a good thing
After you get your report (and tell them in advance that you will want a copy mailed to you, as well as to your doc), check back it with us and with the wonderful people on this forum you'll be ready for the next step of machine and mask. And don't worry too much about the mask, yes it is a sometimes challenging thing to find the right style and fit, etc. -- but there are really varied and good options out there. And lots of advice and opinions on here!
Waiting for your next post,
AII
You talk about needing to rent one until the doc can see you. Just be careful that it isn't like here in the US that the rental costs or even rent to buy aren't worse than just buying your own (what you want with heated humidifier) from a place like Cpap.com. Do talk to the rental place, but do a cost analysis yourself first to determine how long you have to rent, do your payments go towards purchase, how much is the total purchase price vs. buying cash from this web site. The prices here are pretty good. You may be surprised. But then again you are in Canada and as we all know in the US, your prescription drug prices are lower, maybe your DME costs are lower. Some one else from Canada may want to shed some light on that one.
Yes, you should get a heated humidifier and yes the doctor can put it on the prescription, whether or not in Canada they have to honor it I don't know. You can however buy a heated humidifier for about $160 (for the Respironics one) and for others depending on what machine you end up with. No prescriptions needed for humidifiers, masks, hoses, etc at least in the US, just the machine.
Yes, you should get a heated humidifier and yes the doctor can put it on the prescription, whether or not in Canada they have to honor it I don't know. You can however buy a heated humidifier for about $160 (for the Respironics one) and for others depending on what machine you end up with. No prescriptions needed for humidifiers, masks, hoses, etc at least in the US, just the machine.
11 posts
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