Please help, trying to stay awake

Ok, I have a sleep study scheduled for March. I havent been that bad during the day, but I felt myself almost falling asleep 2x on the way home last week and got very scared. I had to open up all the windows and actually slap my face. I kicked on the a/c also. I felt myself slipping and by the grace of god I did not fall asleep. it was the wierdest feeling. I felt it happening but didnt know how to stop it.
My sleep got interrupted last night due to a new dog and my husband and i am totally exhaused today! I am trying so hard to be alert. Can anyone give me some suggestions on how to get through the rest of the day? Major caffeine maybe?
I am actually nervous to drive home. It is approx a 45 min drive ( straight path pretty much)
This really sucks!

Hi Maggiedog,
Yep your right - it does suck.
The only help i can give you is what was good for me. Take 10 min naps whenever you can but if strong coffee helps then do that but i would think that would actually leave you more tired when it has worn off. Coffee didnt work for me but for others it may.
But for goodness sake if you feel slighly drozy behind the wheel pull over and have ten mins shut eye.
One question, why is it taking so long to get seen to ? For me i had to travel a fair distance but was seen to within a few days.

Good luck
Nickzim

Hi,

I agree, why is your appointment so far off? Granted it's already February, but still. Call them and say it's urgent. Tell the sleep technicians there that it may be you driving in front of them one day and causing them an accident! Seriously, don't drive. Maybe you can insist the doctor get you a temporary machine, or get you off work until you start treatment.

I would call the sleep test place and pester them until they give you an earlier appointment. Keep calling, make them want to help just to keep you off their backs! (That method works for my father! ha!)

As for me, plenty of coffee helped some, but it is worse once it wears off. Try some deep breathing exercises wherever you are. Can't hurt. But try and get enough rest, kick the pets out!

Linda

maggiedog, as someone who used to do a lot of driving every weekend and who got very drowsy driving per-cpap, I echo Nickzim's advice to pull over and take a nap the INSTANT you find yourself getting drowsy on that 45 minute trip home. Don't try to keep yourself awake. Pull over and take a nap.

Service station, a market, fast food place, a church parking lot, motel parking lot - wherever. The shoulder of the road, even, if there's just no other place. But take that nap - don't try to keep going. It really is that important.

Take a pillow along with you.

you seem to be aware when you think it will happen to you so please...if it happens again, please relax/rest at your work parking lot before you leave or arrange alternate transportation. it's not worth your life or someone elses!

i hadn't a clue i suffered from OSA when i had those exact symptoms. A.C. blasting, stereo blasting, yelling/singing at the top of my longues, pinching myself, not much helps when your brain is sleep-starved. it wasn't until i had a car accident that OSA was suspected...luckily all parties were ok - this time - but it came with a hefty price to fix the car, plus driver's licence revoked until i showed consistent progress. please don't drive in that condition.

also, my test wasn't scheduled for another 4 months thereafter so i called the clinic and explained my situation. i asked them to call me, even last minute, for any available cancellations and i got in within 3 weeks of that. they were very sympathetic. i believe that you can get farther ahead with evoking empathy from others than with nagging them.

good luck!
tania

Call your doctor and tell them what is happening and see if they will call you in a prescription for Provigil. This is a relatively new drug especially designed for drowsiness. Take it before you leave if you know you will be driving for more than 15-20 minutes. It last 24 hours but does not interfere with sleeping at night or when you really want to sleep.

Either that or don't drive for more than 15 minutes until you are on CPAP. But I've discovered even after being on APAP for 2 months I still get drowsy driving without any medication, especially if it is during the afternoon.

Ask your primary physician for a temporary Rx for Provigill....and maybe even consider it after you have been diagnosed and treated....from what I have heard it works wonders.