Sleep study done - "You slept"

[Firefly]

So I had my first sleep study done last night. Place was nice, tech was nice. I was pretty tired (always am) but we went ahead and started it officially at 9:30pm last night. I thought for sure I'd fall straight asleep as I was barely able to keep eyes open before that point.

To me, it felt like I was in a twilight sleep most of the night, just kind of dozing, until right before the tech woke me up at 6:45. I turned from side to side, like usually, but was half awake at least most of those times to make sure I didn't pull out wires. I got up once to go to the restroom, then went back to dozing and moving. I didn't have a watch on or anything so I wasn't aware of the time. I felt exhausted like I usually do, maybe even a bit worse than usual.

I kept expecting the tech to come in and hook me up to a cpap machine at some point, because my "orders" said PSG study and beside a box marked "titration" or "cpap" or something, "if needed" was written. Whatever the wording was, I knew when I saw it that it meant the tech could use the machine if I really needed it. So I kept expecting him to come in, like I said, but when he woke me up, it was over. There was no check by the words "Split Study". just fyi.

When I asked him if he'd seen anything, all he said was that "well, you slept". In fact he was going to wake me at 6am, but I was dreaming and kept going until 6:45. I DID remember the dream (strangely enough, about a kid at a sleep lab being attacked from the outside by aliens or something), but that was the only one I recall having. The tech wouldn't tell me any more, said the doctor was the one who would tell me more.

So do I just need to be patient and wait to meet with the doctor, or is the fact that I didn't get put on the machine a good indication I don't have a sleep disorder? I was so hoping this might be an answer to some of my sleep and health issues and I was SO very disappointed this morning it was all I could do to not scream in frustration!

How long did it take for most of you to here from your doctor about your sleep study?

Thanks for "listening",
Heidi (firefly)

[Bill44133]

it took about a week for me to get the results from the sleep study. I had a split night study because I was severe.

I hope all turns well for you.

[library lady]

I had a split study, was awakened by a tech at 7:15 am, told what room to go to for coffee and muffin once I was dressed. By the time I'd had my coffee, it was 8:10, and an appointment with sleep doctor had been scheduled for 8:45 so I went back to waiting room to wait. Saw sleep doc and got my results right away. That was on a Thursday, and a week later I received my RX in the mail since I hadn't yet decided where to have the RX faxed to.

[sc0ttt]

is the fact that I didn't get put on the machine a good indication I don't have a sleep disorder?
Heidi (firefly)

Well yeah - the basic protocol is watch you fall asleep, watch you go through the stages of sleep, check for snoring and apneas. If apneas then put on CPAP mask and adjust pressure until apneas go away.

Here's the log from my report. My doctor got it before I did, but the sleep lab mailed me a copy.

[Krelvin]

To late now, but it is a good idea to ask what is going to happen during the study before it starts so you aren't left in the dark.

[bwexler]

Mine took a couple days. I had a split night study. I also informed the sleep lab that I was leaving town a couple days after the test and wanted to take the report with me. I reminded them before during and after that I really needed my results before I left town. On my way out of town I stopped in the labs parking lot and they brought my report out to me.
I had already joined this group and another one and had determined I wanted a Resmed S9 Autoset. I contacted a friend who is an MD asked him if he would write my prescription. He did. He is also a hose head and sent me to his DME, who was great.
There seems to be a rumor going around that the squeaky wheel gets the grease. I can be very squeaky. I recommend you try it. I probably would limit my calls to about 3 a day until I got the report. Then if you are confirmed to have Apnea, start fresh squeak to get your titration study and then your machine.
You also have homework assignment to read all the info at the top of this forum, so you can be knowledgeable and prepared when you talk to all the "professionals" you will be encountering.

[Nick Danger]

I got the 2 night treatment and I definitely had severe sleep apnea. The only thing the sleep tech would tell me was, "I almost came in and put you on the machine, but your O2 didn't drop below 80, so I wasn't supposed to." I get the impression that every sleep lab has its own protocols (and maybe those protocols differ depending on the referring physician). I also get the impression that the sleep techs are strongly discouraged talking to the patients about the results - so lack of information from the sleep tech doesn't necessarily mean anything.

[kaiasgram]

Heidi, it doesn't really mean anything one way or the other that you weren't hooked up to the machine that night. It could be that you didn't have enough apnea events to be diagnosed, OR -- as happened recently to someone I know -- you had a lot of qualifying apnea events, but they happened too late in the night to start and complete the titration. In those cases patients will be called back for a second sleep study with the machine, or perhaps set up for home titration, it varies with the different doctors and clinics.

[Skrick]

Hi Heidi,
I was thoroughly convinced I did not have sleep apnea, especially since I was not woken up to use the cpap machine during my sleep study. And after all, I sought out help from my DO (Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine) because I had a chronic daily headaches that woke me up at night - I wasn't seeking help for sleep problems.
Two weeks later at my follow-up visit, I found out I was so wrong. I have moderate sleep apnea and had stopped breathing for more than 10 seconds 170 times in 6 hours. I was shocked!
I have been using my ResMed cpap machine with the nasal pillows for two weeks and I feel so lucky that this treatment works for me. I know not everyone has a positive experience with cpap - but I couldn't be happier! I sleep through the night without wakening, my headaches are much better and I am more alert, less irritable and I have more energy.
So even though you were not woken up, you may still have sleep apnea. And it will be okay - you'll work with your cpap provider to find the right fit for you. Good luck to you and let us know what happens at your follow-up visit.

[JQLewis]

I had a split night study, four nights apart. I heard from the sleep doctor one week later. I also felt like I'd not slept much. I was surprised when I read my study that I had slept longer than I'd thought. I was awakened precisely when I was told the study would end. Alas, no muffins for me.

[Semily]

I had to do two nights. They told me a split study had been ordered, but I had a really difficult time sleeping. I don't think I spent enough time sleeping consecutively for the techs to start titration that night. They told me they'd send a report to my doctor. Then about a week later, they called and told me I had moderate to severe apnea and that I needed to come back for a second night to do the titration. The second night I slept a little more. I think partly because I'd been there once and knew better what to expect.

[purple]

Maybe Pugsy can tell us better, but; I think the standards required by insurance companies to prove we have sleep apnea now are a higher hoop to jump through. My last sleep study was many moons ago, and the tech told me that I had to "Sleep" for four hours before they would start the titration part. Sleep not including my laying on my back with my eyes closed. I thought this study was supposed to be, as I had already used CPAP for over five years, a titration to determine if I needed a Bi machine and settings. Doc later told me he preferred that I did not have to go through, "I am sorry, but insurance companies usually require that we prove again that the patient needs sleep apnea treatment, if it has not been proven recently." IMO: One of the results of Obamacare is that insurance companies are looking for every possible angle not to pay for anything, especially if the cost of proving we do not need them to pay for something is NOT on the insurance company.

The others are right about how long it will take for your to hear about the results of the test. The tests have to be scored on a huge stack of paper of (I think, thirty seconds of data at a time) by two different people. And of course the lab has a bunch to tests to read every day. Frustrating, isn't it. You will feel even more frustrated after the titration study, waiting to get results and machine.

Have fun getting the goop out of your hair?

[RicaLynn]

Heidi, it doesn't really mean anything one way or the other that you weren't hooked up to the machine that night. It could be that you didn't have enough apnea events to be diagnosed, OR -- as happened recently to someone I know -- you had a lot of qualifying apnea events, but they happened too late in the night to start and complete the titration. In those cases patients will be called back for a second sleep study with the machine, or perhaps set up for home titration, it varies with the different doctors and clinics.

This, +1! Heidi I felt EXACTLY the same way, you described my sleep study experience to a T. I fully expected to be in a mask must of the night, knowing how severe my parents' OSA is. My father's first sleep study they started his titration only 45 minutes in because his sats were so poor. So when I was awakened, feeling refreshed, and no CPAP in evidence, I was slightly disappointed. It took about two weeks for me to get in touch with my doctor for the results, but I had my scrip and picked up my PAP the next morning. The DME tech helped me read the report and remarked that I may have just had an extraordinarily good night at the study.

I'm only three days into my home titration but I can already see improvements in my energy and focus (which for an ADD'er is HUGE!) Keep us posted, I'm new here myself but this seems to be an incredibly supportive community!

[Pugsy]

I had a split night study ordered but didn't get the cpap mask the first night. There's usually some sort of criteria that the sleep lab uses before they wake you up to put the mask on. It can vary within sleep labs.
So first thing is a person has to meet that lab's particular criteria and secondly there has to be enough time remaining to devote to the titration phase of the study.

I didn't meet criteria until too late in the night to due the titration. My OSA is worse in REM sleep but every time I would hit REM sleep then I would bounce out of REM sleep and it took all night to get a REM phase long enough to meet criteria to use the machine.

Not having the split night study doesn't mean a person doesn't have OSA. My OSA is considered severe in REM sleep and mild in non REM sleep.

Criteria used to meet requirement to initiate the split study can vary. Might be a certain number of apnea events in an hour...or might be a certain oxygen desat level.

Sleep techs are prohibited from really telling you anything. Sometimes techs talk a little and sometimes they stick to the "don't talk rule". Mine only said that I didn't meet criteria until it was too late to do anything with the machine. So that was a way to tell me that I finally met criteria and would be coming back for a full night.

[RicaLynn]

Think of it this way: the sleep technician, much like a radiology technician, usual cannot tell you much if anything about the test they've just performed, they must leave that to their further licensed superior (I.e. sleep doc, respiratory therapist, or radiologist) Even if they see an obvious problem like a compound fracture, all they can say is "the doctor will speak with you shortly."