What to expect from your sleep study

[Mellie May 23]

What was your sleep study experience like? Do you have to go to the sleep lab more than once, or was your doctor able to give you a definitive answer on your results right away?

Last night I completed my required pre-op sleep study. I was diagnosed with sleep apnea during my first sleep study in 2008. I weighed 240 pounds then. I ended up changing jobs right after I was diagnosed, and while waiting for the "pre existing condition" clause to pass on my new insurance, I ended up loosing almost 60lbs, and all of my symptoms went away.

I currently weight 284 pounds, and the symptoms are back with a vengeance! I have very vivid dreams, often times wake up with a headache, do not feel well rested in the mornings, and get up several times through the middle of the night to go to the bathroom. The tech on duty told me this morning that I did not have any apnea occurrences during my test; I just snored like a wildebeest. Lucky me.

Now I'm wondering if there are nights where your apnea doesn't kick in, and the doctor is going to have me go back to the sleep lab for another evaluation. If you have had a sleep test before, PLEASE share your experiences. I know there are plenty of people out there who have never had a sleep test done before, and they are anxious about going to the sleep lab for their first time.

Here is my YouTube video about my sleep study experience. I have to apologize in advance! I made the mistake of filming outdoors on a very windy day, and somehow, the video was cut 2mins short. http://youtu.be/VnlxEdKPrT4

Thanks to everyone who shares their sleep study experiences

[ChristyAZ 87]

Mine was awful! I was sent by my bariatric surgeon as a "just FYI" kind of thing and what do ya know. I have sleep Apnea. The little sleep center was nice and the techs were so amazing but there is no getting around how UNCOMFORTABLE it was. I don't sleep well at the best of circumstances and to tack a million electrodes to me head, back, chest and legs as well as a microphone taped to my neck and electrodes GLUED IN MY hair .... then the cheap and plastic pillows that crinkled all night long .... the room was hotel-ish ... had TV, cable and WiFi ...... it took forever for me to fall asleep and I kept waking up every other minute. No surprise the tech woke me 3 hrs in and said lets put this lovely mask on you lol .... that made it even worse. Sleep study ..... not fun ....... and now I have yet another co-morbidity lol .......

Edited April 2, 2014 by ChristyAZ

[Mellie May 23]

Christy that sounds really rough! I didn't have a mic taped to my neck, and I did have the help of a sleeping pill, so it sounds like I had it easy. Are you using a CPAP now after your test? If so, it won't be long till you won't need it any more!!!

[ChristyAZ 87]

Mellie May ... No CPAP machine yet however the durable medical equipment place has called and are trying to make the appointment to come out and set me up. My only issue is this ..... I woke a bajillion times that night during my sleep study for many different reasons ... including loud pillows, strange bed, tempuratue <I was cold as heck>, lack of hubby next to me and every time I moed I felt electrodes pull and come off. Then in comes a tech to fix em .... so really, HOW do they determine it's sleep Apnea? I asked and the tech said "oh you woke yourself more them 30 times" and I was like "well yeah, this sucks lol". So thats my rant ..... I find it odd that I all of a sudden have "Sleep Apnea" and need this machine .... I am seriously considering waiting a few months after surgery to try that study again ......

[Mellie May 23]

Hmm... My sleep tech told me that I didn't have any "apneas" during my sleep study. She said you pause or stop breathing for a minimum of 10 seconds or more when you are having an apnea, and not every apnea you have throughout the night will wake you up. I would ask the doctor to tell you how many apneas you had that night rather than how many times you woke up. By the sounds of it, how could anyone not wake up 30 times throughout the night where you did your sleep study??!!

[hannysgrammy 42]

Mellie May ... No CPAP machine yet however the durable medical equipment place has called and are trying to make the appointment to come out and set me up. My only issue is this ..... I woke a bajillion times that night during my sleep study for many different reasons ... including loud pillows, strange bed, tempuratue <I was cold as heck>, lack of hubby next to me and every time I moed I felt electrodes pull and come off. Then in comes a tech to fix em .... so really, HOW do they determine it's sleep Apnea? I asked and the tech said "oh you woke yourself more them 30 times" and I was like "well yeah, this sucks lol". So thats my rant ..... I find it odd that I all of a sudden have "Sleep Apnea" and need this machine .... I am seriously considering waiting a few months after surgery to try that study again ......

I am on cpap. I too woke with headaches. And being tired. Only 21 days left then will schedule surgery

[Valerie Mercer-Spencer 25]

I also have sleep apnea. I am on a cpap machine as well. It took me about two weeks after I was put on it to become used to it. I have to say that I get a way better sleep with it than without it. My daughter had RNY surgery Oct 22nd/13 and she was on a cpap machine as well. After surgery she never used it again. That is what I'm hoping for. Even though it does help me I think wouldn't it be nice to sleep peacefully without something on you face or in you nose. Can't wait :-) Val

[Ginger Snaps 1,323]

My sleep study wasn't too unpleasant. The electrodes glued all over are a little annoying. I felt like I never really got to sleep at all but when the tech came in to put the mask on in the middle of the night, she said I had a 3 hour stretch of sleep and that I was having apneas. Probably the most unpleasant thing was her speaking through a microphone a couple of times during the night telling me I had to roll onto my back.

Since I've had the machine I feel SO much better! I didn't realize how little sleep I was actually getting. It took me 3 masks to end up with one that fits and that I can rest in. I ended up with the nasal pillows. I take medications for depression and after being on this machine now for close to a year, I can say i feel so much happier and I think a big part of that is getting good sleep.

I'm hoping for surgery in the first week of June and looking forward to dropping some pounds so I can sleep without the machine again.

Ginger

[Ginger Snaps 1,323]

Oh -- and one more thing... you said you have very vivid dreams. You don't dream if you don't get into deep sleep, so if you are dreaming, you are reaching deep sleep and may not have apnea. I know I never dreamed before I got the machine and now I dream every night.

Ginger

[mi75 1,235]

I am SO NOT looking forward to mine next week...I am a nurse in cardiology and cpap machines scare me. although I know the machines are much better than they used to be, i'm sure i'll be whipping the mask off during sleep!!!

I am very sure I am apneic since I have been forced to be a side sleeper for the past year. I would find myself sleeping on my back and jerk awake and sort of 'hear' myself gasping/snoring/snorting for air upon the wake...weird but like I said, a positive study won't surprise me at all..

the ONLY good in this is that it will be one step closer to my surgery AND after that day, I will be taking very rapid steps in the direction of ditching the machine!

question about side sleeping during study- did your center allow it? I know some do and some do not. I absolutely CANNOT sleep on my back anymore so I fear I will 'flunk' before it even starts!

[Ginger Snaps 1,323]

At my study they let me sleep on my side but also needed readings with me on my back. So if I stayed on my side too long they would ask me to roll onto my back. Annoying!

About the machine... It's my best friend! Lol. I didn't like it at first but I got used to it quickly and it just helps me feel so much better. I never miss a night.

[ChristyAZ 87]

They never said anything to me about side sleeping verse back. They told me to do what I would do at home. I found out after that I was able to bring my own pillows and blanket so that would have been nice information to have BEFORE the test lol. I also brought leggings and a big shirt to sleep in ... they ran the electrodes down under my pant legs and that helped a bit ...