I had my sleep test the other night, didnt go so well...

Could Use some Help · Post by **Could Use some Help** » Sat Sep 23, 2006 7:16 pm

I went to my Rheumatologist, told him my symptoms. He immediately said I had apea, with all the symptoms, along with fibromyalgia and sent me for a sleep test that night. I went, was very nervous, wide awake. As I was sitting there and they were putting the electrodes on my a big bug went crawling by me. By the time the two young girls at the sleep center decided to go after it, it was gone. All night, I tossed, and turned, and had that darn bug on my mind, afraid it would be around, etc. They came in at 5:30 a.m, and woke me up. I slept for about 3 hrs. They asked me how did I feel was I tired. I was exhausted!! I am wondering if anyone get give me some insight or information, if the drs. office calls and says I didnt exhibit signs of apnea could it have been because I didnt sleep long enough? I was thinking this might have been the answer to my problems, lack of sleep, muscle pains, aches, etc. Has anyone had a similar situation>? Could they tell after only about 3 hrs of sleep?

Offerocker · Post by **Offerocker** » Sat Sep 23, 2006 7:46 pm

Sounds like you had an unnecessarily rough night of it!
Your doctor 'should' sit down with you and discuss the results of your sleep study, and not simply telephone you. If he just calls, or has someone else call, tell them that you want a copy of your sleep study results.
I do not know the minimum time involved for a valid SS.
Also, you would have to have a certain amount of REM sleep recorded in order for them to get some useable numbers. Don't be surprised if you did sleep longer than 3 hrs, or if they want to repeat the test.

Read as much as you can here about different types of cpap machines and MASKS! First thing I learned here was that the correct mask is of ultimate importance to receiving good therapy. It is not an easy decision, as there are so many masks available. Decide what 'kind' of sleeper you are - active, or pretty much stay in one place all night. Do yo sleep on your side (s), back, stomach? some masks are better for each of those different situations.
First things first though ...find out if you DO have apnea, and what are the numbers.

Keep us informed. Don't sign any paperwork re machine rental until you've researched that subject here first. Sometimes you could get stuck with a cpap machine that ends up not being the best suited for you.

Just some info and opinions thrown at you. You do deserve a better sleep lab though!

Could Use some Help · Post by **Could Use some Help** » Sat Sep 23, 2006 8:03 pm

That is why I came here this is a wealth of information. What if this sleep dr. says I dont have anything. THen still no answer to the other problems. Also, does the rheumatologist diagnosis mean anything or is all the sleep dr. who is a pulmonary dr?

SelfSeeker · Post by **SelfSeeker** » Sat Sep 23, 2006 9:43 pm

Could sorry to hear about the sleep study.

I hope the Drs can get useful info from the study.

I was worried about my study as well. I was wake most of the night. But when I did sleep, apnea episodes were shown. Then the tirtration/APAP at home was done to see what settings should be used. Once again, I was awake all night (normal for me) but when I did dose off useful information was collected.

Offerocker has given some great advice.

bbeck4x4 · Post by **bbeck4x4** » Sat Sep 23, 2006 10:15 pm

don't worry about it 3 hours is plenty of info, my "attempt" at a sleep study was right next to the room where they were running the equipment, I heard them talking all night, squeaking chairs, laughing, doors opening closing.
then there was every time I rolled over the electrodes on my legs pulled free, and someone came into the room pulled the covers off of me and reattached them, I was told "sorry" and to get some sleep. I tried to leave at 3 am and at 4 am and they told me that if I left that the insurance wouldn't pay for the test.
I felt like I had never slept one minute, oh and I went to work that day and had to work 14 hours on top of it all.

apparently the ambien that I had taken did kick in for 2 hours. and they had enough to determine that I had sleep apnea, not enough to determine a pressure, and not much useful info other than that.(the doctor guessed at a pressure, and let me negotiate)

there's much more that I could get into, needless to say I stuck it out just long enough to get a prescription for a machine, bought a a auto pap, card reader and haven't heard from him or the dme ever since.

so, long story short yes three hours is plenty of info.

good luck, and you have found a great place to get the information that you will need to be successful with this journey.

Brian

Could Use some Help · Post by **Could Use some Help** » Sat Sep 23, 2006 10:21 pm

Thank you all of you, I am very happy to have this forum available to me. I do appreciate all of your help, and useful information. Again, thank you. Keep the suggestions coming. They are all great!!!

snoregirl · Post by **snoregirl** » Sun Sep 24, 2006 7:34 am

I agree that 3 hours is plenty. It is sad that they haul you out of bed that early in the morning. They did that to me too. I would never get up at that hour in a million years by my own choice.

I believe I had no REM sleep. That is not necessary for diagnosis. In fact I would think many of us have little or no REM since the apnea keeps us from ever getting there.

Relax and wait for the study results and get a copy you can study and have for other reasons later.

If you have apnea (which it sounds like) you either get to go back to that lovely place or get lucky and the doc will let you titrate with an apap. Wish I had thought to push that option with my doc!!

Just collect all your paperwork as mentioned above, prescription and sleep study in your hands so you can go from there. I am 4 months in and can't imagine not having my machine at night. I feel so much better. It will get better for you too, soon.

DalePike · Post by **DalePike** » Sun Sep 24, 2006 12:55 pm

Hi there. I too can sympathise with the "test" problems experienced. I went from asking my Primary Care Physician (Internist), to a hospital sleep study for one night, to receiving the sleep study report through my P.C.P., asking him for a Rx, then going on my own through CPAP.COM for the equipment.

CPAP set me up with what they considered as the optimum equipment for me. I had no prior pressure tests, so they set me up with 4psi lowest to 20psi highest. I then struggled on my own to get used to this new way of sleeping. When I was having leak problems, etc., I wrote back to CPAP.COM, and they told me to get on cpaptalk.com and all the family would give me lots of help and support. I did, and found all the answers I was looking for. No dumb questions here!

I have now logged 2653 hours on the machine, and sleep an average of 8 hours per night (with no snoring). I did not have a problem sleeping before, but my sleep was interupted by the Apnias, and my snoring kept my wife from getting a good nights rest. Between my wife and I, she is the happiest with my use of the machine. Turns out she had something called "Watcher's Apnia". She would hear me stop breathing, and that would wake her up, then she couldn't get back to sleep. We are a couple of happy campers now!

Hang in there, we are all with you!

Could Use some Help · Post by **Could Use some Help** » Sun Sep 24, 2006 12:59 pm

My bigger fear is that they will say there wasnt enough data and not give me anything, (rx) to help me with these problems. Does anyone know if they just go from the data received during the sleep test or do they actually read the information paper that you fill out when you get there. Realizing that one is subjective and one is objective, does anyone know if they give any creedance to the symptom paperwork you fill out along with your sleeping partner? Just in case they didnt get enough data?

bbeck4x4 · Post by **bbeck4x4** » Sun Sep 24, 2006 1:13 pm

if you figure that you got 3 hours of sleep, they have enough data.

what I did was to borrow a machine after the sleep study, from a relative until the information from the sleep study came in, so I already had a idea what the machine was going to feel like, etc. I was only able to borrow it for three days, but those days were an eye opener.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sun Sep 24, 2006 1:22 pm

Could Use some Help wrote:My bigger fear is that they will say there wasnt enough data and not give me anything, (rx) to help me with these problems. Does anyone know if they just go from the data received during the sleep test or do they actually read the information paper that you fill out when you get there. Realizing that one is subjective and one is objective, does anyone know if they give any creedance to the symptom paperwork you fill out along with your sleeping partner? Just in case they didnt get enough data?

Hi there Could. Like we talked about in the chat last night, 3 hours is way more than enough to get useful data. The whole point of this test is to find out how poorly you are sleeping, so don't worry much about sleeping poorly.

The paperwork you fill out is a crucial part of the data they will use.

I had just over 2 hours of recorded sleep during my study, and a little over an hour during the titration part (I had a split-night study due to meeting the Sleep Labs Emergency Guidelines). My AHI had been less than 5 since the test. So yes, the data they collect even during a short portion is extremely useful.

Good luck and stay in touch.
mattman

I had my sleep test the other night, didnt go so well...

I had my sleep test the other night, didnt go so well...

bad sleep studies