I will have to have a sleep study....need answers!

[nanahanna 1]

I have searched the whole site for the answer to my question. Here it is:

I will have to have the sleep study,but reading all the posts about people's experiences with it...I am scared I won't be able to do it. I am claustrophobic...I cannot stand anything over my nose...I have the worst kind of panic attack.

Is anyone else claustrophobic like me? I am afraid I will make the biggest fool of myself and they won't be able to get a good reading. Do they absolutely have to stick something up your nose? If they do, and if I have to have this, they will have to sedate me heavily.

Guess I can talk to my doctors about it when I see them on 4/6.

Yep, I'm a wussy bigtime when it comes to my nose. And, if they do have to stick something up it...when it gets stopped up because of Afrin addiction (believe me it will)...no air will be getting through no matter how hard that cpap works.

[vinesqueen 2]

I've had two sleep studies and never once did they stick anything up my nose.

by sedating you I think that would throw off any results of a good test.

I don't need my CPAP all the time, just some of the time, and I have a mask that just fits over my nose, but nothing UP my nose.

[PhotoNut 7]

During the study, they put the smallest strap around your head that holds a tiny little two-pronged plastic thing under your nose. Those prongs are very small and do sit at the entrance of your nose to detect your breathing, but you can't feel them. I thought I was going to flip over the CPAP too, but I didn't. I had a divided study, which mean that if I had over a certain number of apnea occurances within a certain amount of hours, they were going to wake me up and put the CPAP on me for the remainder of the night in order to get the machine adjusted to what I needed.

Well, I did need the machine and they put the mask on me in the night. It was bigger than the one I have at home now. They will let you try it on before you go to bed so you know what to expect. I found it hard to breath at first, so I just told them right away and they changed the pressure or something and instantly it was easy to breathe. They work with you on it because it's important to get it adjusted just right for you.

When you open your mouth, the air that is being gently blow into your nose (you dont even feel it) actually blows out of your mouth. Very odd sounding and feeling to say the least. They have masks that just fit over your nose, or full masks that fit over your mouth and nose.

They will also have you hooked up to so many wires that it takes 30 minutes or more to get it all done. All painless. I just knew I wasnt going to get any sleep. Strange room. Strange noises. Away from my husband for the first night in years. All those wires and stuff stuck all over me.. and a mask on my face? No way would I sleep. But I did. And the next morning they woke me up very early (it was still dark when I drove home) and I felt like I'd just had the best night's sleep in years. You'll do fine. :hat:

[nanahanna 1]

Vinesqueen and PhotoNut, thank you. I'm not the least worried about anything but something up or over my nose. I can't even use the mask at the dentist for gas....i'd rather have the shots! When I had my first asthma attack and was about to die (so I thought)at the hospital....I refused the mask in favor of smoking the pipe with the meds in it. I am a big wus, I know. I am sure I will be ok, but I still don't like to think about something on my nose. Not too thrilled about something around my head either...even if it is tiny. When I am taking my shirts off over my head and my pierced earrings get hung...I'll pull my ears off just to get that thing off my head. I know...I am pitiful!

[PhotoNut 7]

Aww Sharon. *hugs* Youre not weird, youre not a wuss, and youre not pitiful.

I think you should let your doctor know, and the people at the sleep study place, that you have this problem with anything over your face. Maybe go in and let them just try it on you and see if you could tolerate it prior to the study?

The only thing I can think of that might be of some help is that with the air blowing in, its not like having something that blocks your ability to breath in well. I typically can't stand to have the covers over my head in bed.. even though I could breathe just fine, its the thought of it that drives me crazy. But when I sleep with the CPAP on, I can cover my head with the blankets, no problem, and I enjoy sleeping that way now. Its odd. It's almost like fresh air being delivered to you so you forget there's anything over your nose or face.

[pugmum 0]

Maybe you do not even have apnea so you won't have to use a CPAP. I use one and they had me come back for a second night to adjust the CPAP; otherwise, the first night they're just testing you without the mask.

sleep aids do not interfere with the testing. I took Ambien with the permission of the doctor.

No-one likes to have any of this done. I guess if we all did it there would be a line. :biggrin1: I feel so much better with the CPAP. My youngest pug, Bobbi Beans, got a hold of my mask and the day after no CPAP, I was exhausted. I have a new mask now and I am also very claustrophobic. It's worth it.

Kelli

[nanahanna 1]

Thanks y'all! I am feeling better about it. I am almost positive I don't have sleep apnea because I am not sleepy during the day, wake up alert. My husband says I do snore softly but he has never noticed me strop breathing. I think the reason I snore is because I am addicted to the Afrin nosespray and when I "need a fix" I wake up with my mouth feeling like cardboard, my tongue dry as the desert and like a dried out sunflower. I get a sip of Water, spray my nose and go right back to sleep. Getting off the Afrin is my next big project sometime this summer. My rheumy has offered to send me to a specialist who helped one of her other patients get off it. Maybe by this time next year I won't be such a "high maintenance woman" as my husband lovingly calls me! LOL.

[JLPAGE 0]

My mom runs a sleep lab in Oregon - She did my study for me. I was a pain but she's my mom. I didn't think I would sleep either but I do ok and all you need to do is relax. Listen to your tech. get comfortable and go to sleep. They had a regular queen size bed with nice bedding so I think that made it better it was not like a regular hospital room. I did have the 2 pronged thing under my nose and it did bother me a bit at first then she adjusted it and I was fine. Lots of wires and lots stuff but nothing to bad.

[tilly 5]

all I had the first night was a probe on my finger and I went to sleep.

next night I had the tiny two pronged thing that they give you when you hve oxygen that just fit against the bottom of each nostril cant feel them at all

when you have your cpap machine you can request those instead of the mask

[Dody 0]

Vinesqueen and PhotoNut, thank you. I'm not the least worried about anything but something up or over my nose. I can't even use the mask at the dentist for gas....i'd rather have the shots! When I had my first asthma attack and was about to die (so I thought)at the hospital....I refused the mask in favor of smoking the pipe with the meds in it. I am a big wus, I know. I am sure I will be ok, but I still don't like to think about something on my nose. Not too thrilled about something around my head either...even if it is tiny. When I am taking my shirts off over my head and my pierced earrings get hung...I'll pull my ears off just to get that thing off my head. I know...I am pitiful!

I suffer from panic attacks and was allowed to take my Xanax. They told me it wouldn't affect the reading one way or the other, and it would be much easier to deal with then a panic attack. My study was done in two parts. One night I got all fixed up with all the gooey stuff and wires and slept without C-pap. I didn't think I would be able to sleep either, but I did. My room looked like a hotel room...TV and all. I went back a week later because I had severe sleep apnea and sleap all night on C-pap. Just the thought of having something over my nose grossed me out, but I took to it like a duck to Water and now I can't sleep without my C-pap (even for a nap). Talking with it on is impossible (you sound very much like Donald Duck on helium) and it scares my dog to death....I hope you have a great experience and ask your hospital, they may allow you something to relax you. Don't worry...all will turn out fine. It's a walk in the park.

[nanahanna 1]

Thanks ya'll. I will ask for something to calm me down. I think I can do it and hopefully since I am having to travel 90 miles from home they will do mine all in one night.

[Dody 0]

Thanks ya'll. I will ask for something to calm me down. I think I can do it and hopefully since I am having to travel 90 miles from home they will do mine all in one night.

When I went for my sleep study there was a young woman in the next room. She had brought her hubby with her as she was scared. They brought in a cot and let him sleep in there with her. I'm sure that made her feel much better. Saw her the next morning in the elevator and she said she had slept wonderfully. That made two of us. Not sure, but I never had these oxygen prongs in my nose at any time....all hospitals must do it a little differently. If you are truly worried ask if you can bring a family member or your hubby or significant other. You have to make sure that you are tired and no nap that day and will fall asleep though...or the nurses will probably make them leave. Good luck to you. Hospital do must everything to accommodate people these days. There is absolutely nothing to be afraid of.

[fiveholts714 0]

That's a real problem you need to talk to your doctor about in advance. When I first used a CPAP the mask civered my nose and mouth and i felt bery helpless. My new mask only goes over my nose. Now I can't live without it and I would panic if I thought I didn't have it on. If they determine that you need CPAP, your doc can give you a sedative to take at home until you get used to it. But they don't want to sedate you during the test or the results won't be any good. Good luck to you. (Remember, there are BAD long term effects of untreated sleep apnea like pulmonary hypertension, heart attacks, stroke and death. So don't give up now!):notagree

[Dody 0]

I was told to bring any medications I take before bedtime and take them as I normally would. What would be the point in running a test without them, when I would be using them at home. They also told me to feel free to take my Xanax. No one ever mentioned my test results would not come out right, and in fact I'm on 14 cm of C-pap and doing great on it. I wouldn't be without it. Someone has you misinformed. You should take your normal meds.

[sleepyjean 0]

All my life, I have had trouble with anxiety. I tend to start worrying about things waaaaaaay in advance. But you know what? Whatever actually happened was never as bad as I thought it would be. Reading your post - I remember that feeling well.

First, find out as much as you can. Talk to someone in your doctor's office and find out exactly what's involved. Do that TODAY. It could turn out you only have to sleep with a monitor on your hand and <b>you will have spent all this time freaking out over absolutely nothing.</b> What a waste! If, after talking to them, you find out you do have to wear the mask or something equally scary rather than freaking out, do something about it. Talk to your doctor. Practice sleeping with a mask on your face in an environment where you can simply take it off if it becomes too much for you. When you start to get freaked out, stop for a minute and make a concious effort to DROP IT. It takes a lot of mental, emotional, and even physical energy to stay in a constant state of anxiety. Take a few deep breaths and mentally change the channel to something more pleasant that will distract you.