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Sleep Study Experience
After getting fed up with feeling tired and struggling to get the mental energy together to focus on work and life, I listed my symptoms to my primary physician. It seemed that I fit the pattern for obstructive sleep apnea of the male, necksize > 17 in, difficulty staying awake during the afternoon, swelling in ankles, etc. so he referred me to a sleep specialist in the area.
After an office visit, the sleep specialist scheduled a sleep study for me. At the study, we all watched a helpful orientation video that summarized the process and what to expect. One thing I would suggest to anyone doing a study is to follow the advice of wearing a loose fitting t-shirt and shorts to bed. It is much easier to attach the leads if you do! I wasn't too concerned about falling asleep with all the measuring equipment since I'm usually ready to get to sleep no matter what. It turned out that I got used to the measuring devices pretty quickly.
Somewhere in the middle of the study, the assistant came in and fitted me with a nasal mask and got CPAP started. Evidently, that was not providing enough pressure via air leakage (I often find that I have a dry mouth after sleep, so I suspect my jaw was dropping and allowing air to escape) so the assistant came back in and fitted me with a full face mask. That took a bit of getting used to. It felt sort of like being smothered, but I relaxed and thought of the many folks who use this as a nightly routine and got myself relaxed and used to the feeling of positive pressure.
Wow! I was out like a light. It seems like minutes before the assistant came in and said that the study was over. I couldn't believe how much better I felt after just a partial night on CPAP! Maybe my apnea is in the severe range (i haven't seen my study results yet), but I was motivated to get started with treatment.
The problem was that my followup visit to the sleep specialist was going to be about two months after the sleep study :-(. I stopped by the specialists office and left a note with him that I would like to get his prescription for CPAP as soon as he had interpreted the results. Fortunately, they are setting up a home care visit to get the machine and mask set up after he interprets the study. The followup visit now will be to evaluate how the therapy is going and to tweak things as needed. Definitely let your sleep specialist know important things you've experienced/learned along the way. Now that I've gotten a taste for what better sleep can do for my life, I felt that it was actually potentially dangerous to delay treatment. Plus I want to get started right away being able to concentrate and perform better on the job and feeling ready to work towards a healthier lifestyle.
After an office visit, the sleep specialist scheduled a sleep study for me. At the study, we all watched a helpful orientation video that summarized the process and what to expect. One thing I would suggest to anyone doing a study is to follow the advice of wearing a loose fitting t-shirt and shorts to bed. It is much easier to attach the leads if you do! I wasn't too concerned about falling asleep with all the measuring equipment since I'm usually ready to get to sleep no matter what. It turned out that I got used to the measuring devices pretty quickly.
Somewhere in the middle of the study, the assistant came in and fitted me with a nasal mask and got CPAP started. Evidently, that was not providing enough pressure via air leakage (I often find that I have a dry mouth after sleep, so I suspect my jaw was dropping and allowing air to escape) so the assistant came back in and fitted me with a full face mask. That took a bit of getting used to. It felt sort of like being smothered, but I relaxed and thought of the many folks who use this as a nightly routine and got myself relaxed and used to the feeling of positive pressure.
Wow! I was out like a light. It seems like minutes before the assistant came in and said that the study was over. I couldn't believe how much better I felt after just a partial night on CPAP! Maybe my apnea is in the severe range (i haven't seen my study results yet), but I was motivated to get started with treatment.
The problem was that my followup visit to the sleep specialist was going to be about two months after the sleep study :-(. I stopped by the specialists office and left a note with him that I would like to get his prescription for CPAP as soon as he had interpreted the results. Fortunately, they are setting up a home care visit to get the machine and mask set up after he interprets the study. The followup visit now will be to evaluate how the therapy is going and to tweak things as needed. Definitely let your sleep specialist know important things you've experienced/learned along the way. Now that I've gotten a taste for what better sleep can do for my life, I felt that it was actually potentially dangerous to delay treatment. Plus I want to get started right away being able to concentrate and perform better on the job and feeling ready to work towards a healthier lifestyle.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Mike on -
Eric, you are walking a very straight path toward fantastic results with your sleep apnea treatment ! Many of us have not been so lucky. I can tell you're really on the ball by the way you hustled to get your machine ASAP after the results are in -- most people just "go with the flow" and let the doctor/clinicians run the show. I'm always delighted to see when patients like you and me change things up and start running the show ourselves. Very glad to have you join us. Please keep us posted.
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Permalink Reply by Marie Davis on -
It is so wonderful to have conquered all my fears about sleep studies and sleeping with a mask etc. My life has changed so dramatically with my CPAP therapy that I can't even describe my happiness....part of hat is due to me actually sleeping too!! My life has whole new excitement and I am more alert, healthy and don't lose things all the time. This site has been the second greatest thing about my cpap, I have gotten so many great answers and talked with so many fellow hose and mask heads like myself that I feel like I have constant support!!Best of luck to you! mARIE
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Permalink Reply by Judy on -
Congratulations, Eric! With your attitude you are going to do great on CPAP.
BUT - be wary of the homecare visit!!! Try talking to the homecare FIRST BEFORE they come out as you want to be SURE to get a fully data capable CPAP and NOT let them pawn off a bare-bone, compliance data capable only CPAP on you!!!! Save them making an extra trip and having to exchange the bare bone device for a fully data capable device. Don't be in such a hurry that you let them get away with pawning off a bare bone device. You will regret it. With a fully data capable device you will be able to check your own data each morning. With a bare bone device the only data will be how many hours you used it and how many nights - nothing that is of ANY value to you at all.
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Permalink Reply by Eric Thayer on -
Thanks for the info. I'm hoping to catch the Dr. before he writes the prescription to see if he is specific about the machine type etc. Here's hoping for a good up-to-date model w/ exhale pressure relief, humidifier and fully data capable and a full face mask that fits.
Judy said:Congratulations, Eric! With your attitude you are going to do great on CPAP.
BUT - be wary of the homecare visit!!! Try talking to the homecare FIRST BEFORE they come out as you want to be SURE to get a fully data capable CPAP and NOT let them pawn off a bare-bone, compliance data capable only CPAP on you!!!! Save them making an extra trip and having to exchange the bare bone device for a fully data capable device. Don't be in such a hurry that you let them get away with pawning off a bare bone device. You will regret it. With a fully data capable device you will be able to check your own data each morning. With a bare bone device the only data will be how many hours you used it and how many nights - nothing that is of ANY value to you at all.
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Permalink Reply by Eric Thayer on
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Thanks for the encouragement Marie! Seeing so many "before" vs. "after" accounts and getting a little taste of what good sleep is all about during the CPAP part of the sleep study is really motivating to work through the adjustment and learning phases of this.
Marie Davis said:It is so wonderful to have conquered all my fears about sleep studies and sleeping with a mask etc. My life has changed so dramatically with my CPAP therapy that I can't even describe my happiness....part of hat is due to me actually sleeping too!! My life has whole new excitement and I am more alert, healthy and don't lose things all the time. This site has been the second greatest thing about my cpap, I have gotten so many great answers and talked with so many fellow hose and mask heads like myself that I feel like I have constant support!!Best of luck to you! mARIE
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Permalink Reply by Eric Thayer on
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A little update. Still no CPAP appointment w/ home health care. I let the Dr's office know that I fell asleep at the wheel during a recent family vacation trip. If it weren't for my wife and daughter yelling at me and waking me up, we could have had a serious issue.
Dr's office said that he was on vacation until this Mon. We'll see if this is enough to bump my case up the priority list.
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Permalink Reply by Judy on
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What the h*ll are you doing driving??? If you don't care about yourself or your family have some consideration for the rest of us who are forced to share the road with you.
Two kinds of people I have no sympathy for: drunks and people who know they have trouble staying awake and insist on driving anyway. You KNOW you have a sleep problem. There's no more excuse for you to drive than for a drunk to get behind the wheel and drive! Six of one, half dozen of the other. You are a lethal weapon on the road playing Russian roulette w/other people's lives.
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Permalink Reply by Eric Thayer on
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The falling asleep at the wheel was prediagnosis. It was one of the things that motiviated me to seek help immediately.
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Permalink Reply by Judy on
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Ah, thank you for clarifying. And good for you for recognizing your need to get tested AND TREATED. May you get a fully data capable CPAP right away this Monday!!!! We're pulling for you!
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Permalink Reply by Rock Hinkle on -
If you don't get any new info on monday call your insurance company. They are the ones whom will be paying the bill when you wreck your car, fall down the stairs, or get brain damage. i am sure they might want to help once you explain the gravity of the situation.
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Permalink Reply by Eric Thayer on
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Still waiting for CPAP and they did the study on 6/28. Is this typical?
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Permalink Reply by Rock Hinkle on
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It can be Eric. Different labs have different programs set up for getting the PAP equipment.
Eric Thayer said:Still waiting for CPAP and they did the study on 6/28. Is this typical?
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