Sleep Study? I didn't know I had a sleeping problem!

jdarrwest · March 28, 2007

I am again frustrated today. I went to follow-up with the pulminary Dr to go over my test. Said they all looked good. Asked me if I snored, I said no. Asked me if I wake up gasping, I said no. Asked if I had heartburn often at night, I said no. But when I go to leave she tells me she wants me to do a sleep study. Like I need one more thing to do. Anyone else had this happen? I am suppose to have surgery April 26th and now I'm worried this will mess things up!

Alexandra · March 28, 2007

Lots of people have to have sleep studies done before banding. Maybe they found something in your bloodwork or elsewhere that makes them think you have apnea or something. Don't worry--it's just another step on the road to better health. If they do find a problem you'll be that much closer to taking care of every possibility. You don't want any surprises!

travelgirl · March 28, 2007

They want to do the sleep study for your own benefit. The anesthesiologist needs that information for when you're OUT during surgery. Your anesthesiologist doesn't want to have ANY surprises while you're under his care, so it's just a precaution.

If you are diagnosed with apnea, you'll get a cpap machine, and you'll be SO surprised at how much better you sleep....and if not, it's one less thing to worry about when you have surgery!

Hang in there, your date is coming fast!

DJ1 · March 29, 2007

:mad:

I am again frustrated today. I went to follow-up with the pulminary Dr to go over my test. Said they all looked good. Asked me if I snored, I said no. Asked me if I wake up gasping, I said no. Asked if I had heartburn often at night, I said no. But when I go to leave she tells me she wants me to do a sleep study. Like I need one more thing to do. Anyone else had this happen? I am suppose to have surgery April 26th and now I'm worried this will mess things up!:mad:

I had this done. It was a surprise to me but I had sleep apnea. The machine change my energy level dramatically. If I go without the machine for a couple of days I simply can not function. I guess before I had gotten use to functioning at that level of tiredness. Go have it done. The machine is a bitch but not an option for me. I learned that sleep apnea causes strokes and heart attacks. Go. Don't wait.

jdarrwest · March 29, 2007

Thanks ofr the support. I was beginning to think "they" were trying to make me give up. You know you just get tired of jumping hoops and standing on your head.:faint:

airwayman · March 29, 2007

I am waiting for a surgery date, having finished all the studies, including a NEW sleep study. I've had sleep apnea for 9 years and have been using the machine every night. Yes, it is a pain in the ass but it is a necessary evil for those of us who have sleep apnea. I hope someday to get off the machine, like Jack did, but for now, all I got out of the sleep study was a new machine and an updated pressure setting. Trust me, if you have the sleep study, and they say you have sleep apnea, you NEED a machine and you WILL feel better. It shouldn't have anything to do with your surgery scheduling. The best thing that could happen to you if you have sleep apnea is to lose weight and someday realize you wasted your money on the machine. Rent a boat and use it for an anchor.

dotofoz · March 30, 2007

I am again frustrated today. I went to follow-up with the pulminary Dr to go over my test. Said they all looked good. Asked me if I snored, I said no. Asked me if I wake up gasping, I said no. Asked if I had heartburn often at night, I said no. But when I go to leave she tells me she wants me to do a sleep study. Like I need one more thing to do. Anyone else had this happen? I am suppose to have surgery April 26th and now I'm worried this will mess things up!

I had my sleep study 2/14, scheduled for surgery 2/23 and it went off w/o a hitch. I was in ICU after surgery, something about cpap machine not being regulated since timeframe was so short. Gave back cpap, couldn't afford copay and I'm still here!

TheCascadian · March 30, 2007

They demanded a sleep study for me as well.

It was just a hoop to jump through- they claimed I have "mild" apnea when I sleep on my back only (I never sleep on my back, of course). So I just ignored them and never went back.

I sleep great and feel fine when I get up in the morning, nobody complains of me snoring and since I never lay flat on my back to sleep I'm not really too worried about it.

I got the test done and had my surgery all the same. Nuff said.

Candle · April 2, 2007

I'm waiting for the sleep center to call me to schedule my sleep study.

I'm a little nervous because my doctor scheduled a follow up appointment to go over the results of the sleep study, in 8 weeks. I hope it doesn't take that long to get an appointment. She said if I have apnea at a more than mild level I have to get a CPAP machine and do a second sleep study. Ugh!!

airwayman · April 3, 2007

I'm waiting for the sleep center to call me to schedule my sleep study. I'm a little nervous because my doctor scheduled a follow up appointment to go over the results of the sleep study, in 8 weeks. I hope it doesn't take that long to get an appointment. She said if I have apnea at a more than mild level I have to get a CPAP machine and do a second sleep study. Ugh!!

Yes, it's a bother but you need to do it. My doctor required another sleep study even though I had a cpap machine. Well....yes...it had been years since my last sleep study but I complained just the same. Turns out the ins. co. bought me a new machine and I got updated pressures. Oh yeah, after surgery and weight loss I'll have to go back for ANOTHER sleep study to have the pressure reduced but that's the price I pay for being overweight. Untreated sleep apnea is dangerous. Get it done and move on.

jdarrwest · April 3, 2007

OK Ok...thank goodness its over. I was able to get squeezed in for a sleep study Sunday night. How in the heck do they expect you to sleep? I had wires coming everywhere! I typically sleep on my stomach which was out so needless to say I didn't sleep too well. I also had a blood-gas test done. They stick your wrist. I had to get stuck in both and they had to dig around a bit before they found the arterty. OUCH! As I suspected, no apnea...just another test. I have my cardiologist appointment today and I hope and pray this is it for awhile. I am sick to death of test! Do cancer patients have this many test?

Candle · April 4, 2007

LOL!!

I know what you mean.

Yesterday I went to the pulmonary doc, then she sent me to the hospital to get a chest x-ray. I also went to the nutritionist and to the cardiac doc for an EKG and ECHO. I have to go do the stress test on Sat.

Next Mon I am seeing the shrink (and the dentist) and Tues the doc for the upper GI.

Plus, I still have to do the sleep study and see the pulmonary doc again to review the results. As well as my regular PCP for 3 more of the 6-consecutive-months I need for the supervised diet.

Good grief!!!

AnnaB6 · April 4, 2007

Tell me about it. I was soo tired after my test because like you I sleep on my back. I have to go back and do another one this time with the cpap. I hope this will be the last test I have to go through. Come to think of it but my doctor has yet to draw blood. I hope I don't have to wait on that.

OK Ok...thank goodness its over. I was able to get squeezed in for a sleep study Sunday night. How in the heck do they expect you to sleep? I had wires coming everywhere! I typically sleep on my stomach which was out so needless to say I didn't sleep too well. I also had a blood-gas test done. They stick your wrist. I had to get stuck in both and they had to dig around a bit before they found the arterty. OUCH! As I suspected, no apnea...just another test. I have my cardiologist appointment today and I hope and pray this is it for awhile. I am sick to death of test! Do cancer patients have this many test?

kyethra · April 6, 2007

There are other things too that can put a person at risk for apnea that you wouldn't think of, like facial structure. Apparently a small chin and/or nose can put a person at higher risk (I have those and my doc said it put me in that higher risk category). So can having asthma. Also the shape and size of the neck. Allergies, etc.

sleep studies aren't so bad. I've had three in the past year I'm one of those rare people who was actually misdiagnosed as having apnea. Its not usual, but it does happen. Part of the reason for this is due to my moaning/groaning in my sleep. Another odd thing-- it looks like snoring on the vibration mic that most sleep centers use. So if you moan or groan in your sleep, theres a word of caution. It could be something like catathrenia which can look like apnea. I did CPAP for a couple of months, but it was riddled for misery for me (DR accidently prescribed high pressure when he meant to put me on lowest pressure, etc).

I highly suggest that apnea patients who are having weight loss surgery look into autopaps. An autopap works like a cpap only instead of having a set pressure, it sets the pressure based on how you are breathing. This means that the pressure is typically lower than it would be on a CPAP. And since it is adjusted to your needs, if as you lose weight your apnea decreases the machine will detect that. It will also store information about your AHI-- a measure of how severe your apnea is. Instead of having a sleep study every thirty pounds or so, that might be more conveniant. An Autopap is also usually tolerated better. Some docs are more fond of them than others.

I did an autopap trial fairly recently to rule out upper airway resistance syndrome. It was much better than the plain old CPAP I thought.

I have narcolepsy and other sleep disorders-- hence my familiarity with sleep clinics and so forth.

My hoops were pretty minimal. I was lucky in that regard. Also because I have chronic health conditions I have pretty regular monitoring and stuff already. For example, my last upper endoscopy was only about a year ago (I have GERD).

anonemouse · April 6, 2007

Sometimes these tests that we think of as being pointless actually do find things. I had to have an upper GI test done before my insurance would even look at my stuff, and they found that I have a hiatal hernia that I had no idea about.