Comments on: My Sleep Apnea: The Sleep Study

By: Mike

Mike — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 00:00:00 +0000

Had a sleep study this past Wed on April 15 down in Wharton Texas- 50 miles south of Houston
Got there at 8:30 and got finished being hooked up 45 minutes later

I was still wide awake and watched some TV

I was still wasn’t tird and feeling unwilling to sleep

Some wires become unhooked and had to get them reconneced

I still toss and turned in bed and had racing thoughts since Im on Bi -Polar medications.

I had been presdribed to take Ambien CR but DR told me not to take it since I was getting this sleep study done to get a accurate evalation

Night went by slow I might have dosed off around 4 am or so but was fully allert again 45 minutes later

6:30- the time I was supposled to leave never came since I had nausea problems with nerves

So I left around 5:45 in the morning and wide awake

Anyway it was a unpleasant experience
im s ure they will want to me to take an other but now sure If I will try again

having to pay out of my pocket since i nsuracne wont kick in until I met my deductible which is $3.000

By: Steph

Steph — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 19:54:00 +0000

After 10 years of my wife counting the seconds of non-breathing between my gasps and breaths each evening, I finally got myself coordinated and had my sleep study last night. After reading the article above I was hoping for converted hotels, TVs, and continental breakfasts, but as other Ontarians have already said – my room was spartan – barely big enough to contain the bed. At 11PM the attendant asked me if I wanted my lights on or off, turned them off and I went to sleep. Two hours later, she woke me to say I have severe sleep apnea. I stop breathing for more than 10 seconds twice per minute! She strapped on a CPAP machine for the rest of the night and I was up and down and she played with the settings to get it right. And despite all of her experimentation; causing my subsequent choking, gasping, panic, claustrophobia, etc. I couldn’t believe I got the best night’s sleep I’ve had in about a year. And boy did I dream. Now I can’t wait for my own machine to be ready so I can get down to some quality sleeping.
Weird thing is – I’m only 42 and not fat – well, I’m only slightly overweight. 6′4″ and 256 lbs.

By: Chris Higgins

Chris Higgins — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 16:21:43 +0000

Some responses for Rose:

>> How do you cope with the sensation of air being forced up your nose?

It’s definitely weird. My machine has a ‘ramp’ feature which starts the pressure super low and slowly increases it. This seems to help me, though frankly it’s still pretty weird (I’m only through my first week using the machine, and am still adjusting). Also, the ‘C-Flex’ or ‘A-Flex’ thing is supposed to help reduce the flow during exhalation, though I don’t know what life is like without these features (I have a REMstar Auto M).

Also, I feel like part of the problem is psychological: when you close your mouth and put something over your nose, your brain screams: NO AIR!! Even though there’s plenty of air flowing. So every time I put on the mask I have to will myself not to flip out, and after a few minutes my suffocation-panic reflex seems to go away.

>> skin irritation

It may help to try a different kind of mask. I had really bad irritation on the bridge of my nose with a cup-style mask, so I got ‘nasal pillows’ which are sort of like noseplugs. The good part is that they just touch the nostrils and the upper lip — and there’s less tightening of straps and fiddling than with a normal mask. The downside is that the pressure feels greater since it’s concentrated in your nostrils, and I think it makes the suffocation/panic thing worse. But anyway, it would be worth a shot just trying different headgear.

By: Bob

Bob — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 16:14:40 +0000

I’m loving these updates since they mirror my own story. Well, if you consider me the poor cousin story. :) Like Eilonwynn I’m on OHIP (north of the border as an FYI to you ‘Mericans) and oft times the prodecures aren’t as…classy as the sleep motel. My test, which was last week, was in a modified treatment room with a murphy bed. Not uncomfortable but teeny tiny and with mucho distractions. I was convinced I hadn’t slept a wink but the tech said I slept enough for their purposes. I asked and the tech said the session can be converted into a split night with CPAP but only in severe cases (over 60 and normally way over) but usually you’re asked to come back after a seven week wait if you’re diagnosed. So now I’m waiting for them to send the results to my doc and to find out what my next step is.

As an aside, recaptcha is ‘is human’. Hope so. :)

By: Texas Jim

Texas Jim — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 03:18:41 +0000

I recently started using my bipap machine with ramp up function. The bipap cuts the pressure when you exhale; this lowers the sensation of air being forced up my nose.

Two remarkable things happened after one night on the machine: 1. My high blood pressure went away. Completely. After being on HBP meds for 5 years I haven’t taken a pill in three months and my BP is normal. 2. I stopped peeing 2 or 3 times a night.

Seems the high co2 levels in my blood from not breathing caused my body to raise BP and dump fluids.

I hate the stupid mask. I am a scout leader and it is awkward bringing the battery and machine with me camping. But the machine has truly changed my life for the better – I never nap anymore or get sleepy when driving.

By: little gator

little gator — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 22:43:15 +0000

a bit of advice for cpap noobs:

It was fine at first for naps but I felt creeped out having this thing on my face in the dark. So I put several night lights around the bedroom-way to bright for routine sleep. As I got used to it I removed them one at a time till I slept in the dark again. It hasn’t bothered me since.

By: Scott

Scott — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 14:09:15 +0000

I just got diagnosed two months ago and have been using my machine for 3 weeks. As far as the gushing air in the nose feeling – it was uncomfortable with the CPAP machine at the sleep study – but the automatic CPAP machine my insurance company got me turns off the outgoing air when it sensing me breathe out.

This way, it is almost effortless to breathe in, but super comfortable to breathe out. I would recommend the auto-CPAP if you feel the “walking into a very strong wind” feeling.

As far as the skin irritation, are you using Ivory dish soap to clean the mask? If you use regular soap, it can clog and irritate your pores. Using Ivory dish soap every day works for me.

Scott

By: Rose

Rose — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 04:13:21 +0000

Question for those of you who are on CPAP: How do you cope with the sensation of air being forced up your nose? My husband was recently diagnosed with apnea and went through the sleep studies and everything, but he can’t seem to get accustomed to the air forcibly going into his nose. I have tried on the CPAP mask and I would tend to agree – trying to breathe with that thing on is like trying to take a gulp of air when you are walking into a very strong wind. Also, any tips on skin irritation caused by the masks? Thanks in advnace, and good luck, all!

By: Barry

Barry — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 03:31:36 +0000

I had the same issue with ‘Rain-out’ that you did, and someone suggested a ‘Snuggle-Hose’ cover (don’t laugh, it’s a real product). It’s a fleece sleeve that slides over the tube and helps provide a cushion between the cold air outside and the warm moist air inside the tube. I can’t put the link in here, but do a Google search on ‘Snuggle Hose Fleece,’ and you’ll find it.

By: Eilonwynn

Eilonwynn — Sat, 04 Oct 2008 02:45:16 +0000

Lucky. I didn’t sleep long enough during my assessment (they don’t do split-nights where I do it), and have had to wait a year to get the insurance (OHIP) to cover another. I go in probably later this week.