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GatorMan · Post by **GatorMan** » Thu Jul 24, 2008 9:48 am

Hello,
I am a new patient and will be having my review of my CPAP sleep study tomorrow. On my first study for dianosis, I was made to sleep on my back (un-natural for me), thier phone rang loudly 5 times during the night and I was awaken when I rolled on my side (natural sleep position). I was dianosised with sever OSA. Do I need to be retested ie; second opinion?

Wulfman · Post by **Wulfman** » Thu Jul 24, 2008 11:14 am

It may depend on how many sleep clinics/doctors you have access to in your area......and your insurance coverage.

A "good" sleep lab should NOT MAKE a person sleep in a position they don't normally sleep in. That was one of the questions I asked the gal running the sleep clinic I went to. She told me to sleep in my normal position (side).
Sleeping on one's back is the worst for creating apneas because your tongue has an easier time of falling back into your throat and closing off your air.
I always get the impression when I read these stories that the labs are TRYING to get more sleep apnea business.

If you got a copy of your sleep study from them (and you should have), it may show other events if you were able to sleep in other positions.

On the other hand, if you've had any or all of the classic symptoms.....daytime sleepiness, loud snoring, stopping breathing while you sleep, high blood pressure, etc.......you might just want to accept the results of the study.......then get an APAP/Auto and the software and take control of your own therapy.

Your call.

Den

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Thu Jul 24, 2008 11:19 am

Another perspective.... I was made to sleep on my back for at least a set amount of time. I've forgotten how long that was. But I was allowed to roam freely after that period.

I was convinced I didn't sleep at ALL. My tech said she could PROVE I was sleeping with video and stats. She said that MANY patients are convinced they didn't sleep at all. It's a trick the mind plays. You look at the clock, see 3:45 am, roll around, don't think you're sleeping, look again, it's 4:30, and you're sure you were awake the whole time.

That really made me feel better about my "lack of sleep". She was very helpful and told me they got lots of data on me, and talked to me alot about different masks and other cpap related things.

Just get your PSG, get a decent data-capable machine, and don't fret too much about the Doc and the DME.

We're here to help. You'll find most folks here more knowledgeable than most Docs and DME's anyway.

Good luck!!!
Babs

GumbyCT · Post by **GumbyCT** » Thu Jul 24, 2008 11:56 am

Welcome Gatorman, welcome.

Pardon me for being so up front here but I gotta ask -
are you thinking you don't have sleep apnea? Do you have any idea how much you were charged for this sleep study (PSG)? What prompted this sleep study? What do you think might change for the next PSG?

They say that denial is a symptom of a heart attack - do you think it could also be a symptom of OSA?

Once again welcome but you gotta answer those Q?'s to get your answer.

I don't think you need another PSG - tho sounds like I would find another lab. I definitely would not return if you think they slighted or mislead you in any way.

Good Luck,
GumbyCT

[quote="GatorMan"]Hello,
I am a new patient and will be having my review of my CPAP sleep study tomorrow. On my first study for dianosis, I was made to sleep on my back (un-natural for me), thier phone rang loudly 5 times during the night and I was awaken when I rolled on my side (natural sleep position). I was dianosised with sever OSA. Do I need to be retested ie; second opinion?

ozij · Post by **ozij** » Thu Jul 24, 2008 12:01 pm

Let see if I got this right:
The phone rang loudly 5 times during the night and they woke you up each time you fell asleep on your side?

O.

DreamStalker · Post by **DreamStalker** » Thu Jul 24, 2008 12:13 pm

If the lab did their job correctly, they will be able to tell when you were on your side and when you were on you back. They usually want to monitor both positions to get an idea of how sleep position affects your apnea condition.

Just wiat until you get a copy of the lab report and then figure out whether another is needed. However, you will need to ask for a copy when you meet with your doc to discuss the results because they don't normally provide the report to you unless you ask.

GatorMan · Post by **GatorMan** » Thu Jul 24, 2008 1:38 pm

Apparently my two replys did not post, new to chat rooms also. From my research of my symptoms I was certain I had some dregree of OSA. That is why I requested the original study. I intend to comply with the therapy but I have a problem with trust of the study center. Are they as interested in my dianosis as thay are in selling a product? Is my level of OSA while sleeping on my back (un-natural) the same as on my side (natural position? I was not allowed to sleep on my side. Did the phone ringing wake me ( 5 times) and was this awakening contributed to OSA? Was the time I was awakened due to rolling to a natural sleep position contributed to OSA? Too many questions.
I intend to be in control of my therapy and I need accurate information. Is my OSA sever while sleeping on my back and different in my natural sleep position? Is my sleep center going to be able to answer my questions? After four visits I am not sure. Maybe I need a Second opinion. I am not looking for some one to tell me I don't have OSA, I am looking for facts. Thank you for your replies, I have bookmarked this site.

PS: the spell checker does not work.

GumbyCT · Post by **GumbyCT** » Thu Jul 24, 2008 1:50 pm

Gator....Man - I don't care how many times the phone rang, I don't believe it would cause YOU to hold your breath - do YOU?

Get yourself a data capable machine with a card reader. Get the software & get your own facts.

You need to educate yourself cuz no one else will care how many times you hold your breath.

Now get comfy - put your reading glasses on, and...
Start at the Yellow Lite bulb - Our Collective Wisdom found at the top of the page at http://www.cpaptalk.com
viewtopic/t14303/New-To-CPAPtalkcom-Cli ... tbulb.html
cpaptalk-articles.php

READ cpaptalk.com FAQ
cpaptalk-faq.php

For Acronyms & Definitions
http://www.sleepnet.com/definition.html

Understanding OSA - worth your time
http://www.resmed.com/en-us/patients/ab ... 40x380.swf

Welcome to the forum.
Good Luck,
GumbyCT
ps. now get busy, ha!!

gasp · Post by **gasp** » Thu Jul 24, 2008 1:57 pm

GumbyCT wrote:Gator....Man - I don't care how many times the phone rang, I don't believe it would cause YOU to hold your breath - do YOU?

.....

LOL I love your reasoning. Sounds like a professor I had once : )))

GatorMan · Post by **GatorMan** » Thu Jul 24, 2008 2:01 pm

Thanks GumbyCT.
I am in this for the long haul, and will pester you for many answers.
Will let you know how it goes tomorrow.

jnk · Post by **jnk** » Thu Jul 24, 2008 2:06 pm

My understanding is that part of a good diagnostic sleep study is finding out what happens when you are on your back--so some labs ask you to start out that way, which would make sense because they have no way of knowing if you'll end up there on your own later on in the night that particular night.

Even for a titration, they have to titrate for the worst-case scenario--you sleeping on your back. After all, you have no way of proving to them that you NEVER sleep on your back, since you've never seen yourself sleep. If you could prove you never end up on your back even for a moment at night, maybe it would be different.

It would be nice if we could all get titrated sleeping in our own beds with our own pillows at the darkness, temperature, and noise level we are all individually used to. But that's just not how its done. And I think that's one reason many in this forum self-titrate--to find out what works for them in real life, not the sleep lab.

That's just my personal, possibly warped, view.

jnk[/i]

GumbyCT · Post by **GumbyCT** » Thu Jul 24, 2008 2:08 pm

gasp wrote:
GumbyCT wrote:Gator....Man - I don't care how many times the phone rang, I don't believe it would cause YOU to hold your breath - do YOU?
.....
LOL I love your reasoning. Sounds like a professor I had once : )))

Well if anything it likely reduced the number of events he did have. Ya think?

rested gal · Post by **rested gal** » Thu Jul 24, 2008 3:59 pm

You're absolutely right, jnk.

Besides the on-target points you wrote about why people are encouraged to sleep "supine" (on their back) as much as possible for both diagnostics and titration, I can think of another "worst case scenario" reason for that.

Even if a person truly NEVER sleeps on his/her back at home, it's always possible (heaven forbid!) that the person might someday end up having to spend a lot of time on their back in a hospital. Best to at least know what cpap pressure takes care of "worst case" scenario, whether that's the pressure a person chooses to use, or even needs to use, at home.

Wulfman · Post by **Wulfman** » Thu Jul 24, 2008 4:10 pm

rested gal wrote:You're absolutely right, jnk.

Besides the on-target points you wrote about why people are encouraged to sleep "supine" (on their back) as much as possible for both diagnostics and titration, I can think of another "worst case scenario" reason for that.

Even if a person truly NEVER sleeps on his/her back at home, it's always possible (heaven forbid!) that the person might someday end up having to spend a lot of time on their back in a hospital. Best to at least know what cpap pressure takes care of "worst case" scenario, whether that's the pressure a person chooses to use, or even needs to use, at home.

But.......if they prescribed your pressure at the "worst case scenario", wouldn't you end up with a lot more pressure than you'd need for 99.9999% of the rest of your life?

Den

echo · Post by **echo** » Thu Jul 24, 2008 4:40 pm

Welcome GatorMan!

I just want to comment that at my sleep study, I couldn't have slept on my side even if I wanted to (and it's my natural poisition) because of all the junk I was wearing and wired to!!

As a few people already said - you may have felt like you didn't sleep at all but you actually did. At my sleep study I thought I only slept like 3 hours but in reality it was more than 5.

If you don't trust the sleep center, and you have the means, then by all means go ahead and get another sleep study if that means you will feel more confident in your diagnosis!
And don't forget that these people should be competent enough to diagnose all sleep related disorders, whether it be sleep-breathing disorder or restless leg or narcolepsy or whatever.. it's not only about obstructive apnea!

Your best bet, whether or not you keep this sleep center, is to get an APAP or CPAP that can record and show you the data... that's the only way you'll know if you're catching all the apnea's (obstructive or central) and other obstructions. Then work with your doc to find the right pressure(s) based on the data from more than one night's worth of data.

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