Sleep at clinic becomes pipe dream

[jpr]

My sleep study was the on the night of July 3/4th. They woke me up about 6 am and I felt great and haven't felt that good since.

[Jamesxfce]

My Pulmonologist has a Sleep Lab and that's where my study was preformed. It was as nice or nicer than a lot of four stars that I've stayed in. He had each room appointed with a kitchenette, full bath, nice large flat screen TV, a recliner, white noise generator and a Sleep Number queen bed. He had you arrive about 2 hours ahead so you could get settled in to your environment and relax. Aside from being wired better than a new car, the study wasn't bad at all. I guess I lucked out based on other stories that I've heard.

You are lucky, the one I had to go to, While the best sleep I had in ages, was just a step above the "Pay by Hour" kind of rooms, just barely. but cpap made up for it and i slept great, in my clothes, plus sweats on a blanket that i brought then burned afterwards, but slept great for the first time in 5 or so years.

[Crimson Nape]

You are lucky, the one I had to go to, While the best sleep I had in ages, was just a step above the "Pay by Hour" kind of rooms, just barely. but cpap made up for it and i slept great, in my clothes, plus sweats on a blanket that i brought then burned afterwards, but slept great for the first time in 5 or so years.

I'm curious, Did it have mirrors on the ceiling?

[Jamesxfce]

Yes, Yes it Did >.> and the walls for that matter

[OpalRose]

My experience with the Sleep Clinic wasn't great either, i actually suffered more anxiety that I thought possible. It was early July of this year when I went for my physical and was telling my Doctor how tired I was and couldn't stay awake at work. He instantely suspected Sleep Apnea, which I knew nothing about. It took 6 weeks to get scheduled into the sleep clinic. I hadn't been sleeping well up to that point....up every 2 hours, laying awake 2 to 3 hours before falling asleep. I think I was averaging 3 hours of sleep a night. I had been living like this for months, and was sleep deprived. I told the technician at the clinic that I probably would not sleep well there. They wired me up and ignored my many concerns and questions. Anyway, they put the TV on, handed me a remote and left the room.
One hour later, the tech came back to take my remote from me, and told me lights out. The tech said that the first half of the night they would monitor me, and if they determined I had sleep apnea, that they would be in for the last half of the night to put a mask on me. I then lay awake for 2 hours worrying about that! I am very claustaphobic. Then I had to use the restroom which was a quarter mile down the hall...just kidding!
After fixing the many wires that came loose, I tried to sleep. I must have fallen asleep for a while, but they came back in at 2 in the morning in answer to my call to use the restroom again.
I looked at the clock and asked the tech why they didn't come it to fit me with a mask, I assumed that I didn't have Sleep Apnea. The tech laughed at me, and said I definetly have sleep apnea, but according to Medicare rules, they have to show a solid 2 hours of sleep, and I only slept 1 hour and 40 minutes. During the 1 hour, I stopped breathing over 40 times, and my oxygen level dropped to 69%, but they could do nothing for me. I would have to come back according to Medicare rules for a second study. This took another month to get scheduled. During that month, my blood pressure was through the roof, and I was more panicked about sleeping. I was afraid to sleep and actually stayed up most nights. The second study was bad too, the masks they fitted me with were awful and did not fit properly. They told me it was not their job to fit me properly, only to find a pressure that kept my airway open. From that study, it took 2 weeks for Doctor to read the results, and write a script for CPAP. It then took a long time for machine to come in.
I wish I had found this Forum at the time I experienced all of this, because I would have known how to better deal with Dr. and DME.
I apologize for the length of this post and don't want to scare anyone from getting a sleep study done. Everyone reacts differently. I just panic over situations that I feel I have no control.
On a positive note, since I have been on CPAP, I can't believe how good I feel. I sleep through most nights, sometimes I wake up once then fall back asleep.
It is an adjustment, but you have to tell yourself that the alternative is some day you may not wakie up. The information from the more experienced people on this forum is invaluable.

[Sleeprider]

I didn't tolerate the sleep study well (2008) and had a night like the O.P. I was excused from a titraton study and prescribed an auto titrating CPAP. I have been self-proficient in managing my treatment ever since then.

For the O.P. Assuming you are diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea, just ask for an APAP with data and you can mange this on your own.

[Homerec130]

When I had mine done a couple of years ago it was in a medical strip mall. The room was similar to some of the better hotels I had stayed in with a queen size bed, tv and radio. Had bottled water available if I needed it. Also had my own bathroom. When they woke me in the morning, offered me a cup of coffee or tea. Slept great that night.

My prior two studies were done in a local hospital and I slept on a hospital type bed. Several rooms around the outer portion and the monitoring station in the middle. Horrible nights sleep, no coffee, however, I was told to drive carefully on the way home.

In all of the sessions, the techs were very considerate, personable, and knew their jobs.

Homer

[novatom]

Before I went in for my first test, I warned the Dr. that I would most likely have trouble falling asleep (my usual reaction to trying to sleep in a new setting). I asked if I could take a sleeping pill (30 mg. Temazapam). To my surprise, he not only said it was OK, he recommended it. I was a little surprised as I thought that would be "cheating."

Afterwards I realized that they were more interested in the physical aspects of my sleeping patterns and that the use of a sleeping pill wouldn't affect it all too much. And, fact is, it was more important for me to sleep during the test, regardless of how I achieved it.

Last Sunday I went in for my titration. I tried sleeping with the mask for about an hour until I finally told the attendant that I was going to need a pill after all. Long story short, after sleeping for nearly 5 hours I woke up and after the effects of the Temazapam wore off, I realized how great I felt, better than I had in years! It was like night and day. My follow up visit with the Dr. the next day proved how much better I had slept.

This is actually my second experience with sleep tests. I had my first test in 2002 and at that time I was diagnosed with "borderline" sleep apnea and did a titration as well. But I hated the CPAP so much that after an hour trying to sleep with it, I took it off, left the clinic and never looked back. This time I did notice that the gear has greatly improved and I'm going to do everything I can to make it work. Especially when I realized how good I could feel and how much of that I've missed over the years.

[tedburnsIII]

I double-dosed on sedatives because of the story from my bro-in-law. It amounted to a small dose of Valium (2.5mg), and 10mg Ambien, that did it for me in a split-night study.

No regrets about drugging myself that night.

[Mich]

I have to admit that it is hard to relax at a strange place no matter how beautiful the room may be.

The masks feel odd and uncomfortable. All I know is that when I finally got tired enough to fall asleep, I slept and even had a dream. It was the best sleep I had had in such a long time. I woke up 45 minutes early and wished I had hours left to make it worth it to go back to sleep some more.

I got my machine 2 days later and I am very grateful to this forum and the collective knowledge of cpap veterans who shared their experiences. The Sleepyhead software and some tutorial videos on youtube helped me learn how to customize my treatment. It has given me my life back. I am no longer dead tired during the day!

The frustration from being tired of being tired is gone.