Pulmonolagist

[Maryanng 6]

Hi guys, wondering what to expect during pulmonolology apt. How many visits.will I need also I am stressing over the stress test.

[MrsFraga2016 72]

I had a very bad experience with my pulmonologist. I went to Pulmonologists of Norwich, CT at Backus Hospital. My doctor, Dr. Radu, had no personality and it was very awkward. While I did not have to get a stress test, she ordered a rung of other tests.

1.) A sleep apnea study

2.) Breathing tests (because I have asthma)

The sleep study was AWFUL. You go to the hospital and have to be hooked up to all these wires and monitors and are expected to sleep while someone is watching you on a camera. The tec kept coming in and waking me up (after I would FINALLY fall asleep) because the wires were coming out of my nose. The third time she woke me up, she woke me up to tell me I had stopped breathing 40 times that night (and it was only 12:30 and I went to bed at 10:30). She then took the wires out of my nose and put the rediculous CPAP machine on my face (after never having used it before). As a mouth breather, I had to wear the full mouth and nose mask. The CPAP machine pushes air into your mouth so your throat stays open. It was hard at first, but I got used to it. I somehow fell asleep, but woke up to me ripping the mask off my face in my sleep at 2am. The tec came in and put it back in. I magically fell asleep again and slept until she woke me up at 5:30am.

While I am glad to know that I have severe sleep apnea, the test was an awful experience.

I'm supposed to go for my breathing test this Saturday, but I don't need it to get my surgery. I'll probably cancel it.

I hope I didn't scare you too much. This has just been my experience.

[lisacaron 5,075]

Try not to stress about the tests. They are noninvasive, and anxiety could work against you in the results of the tests, so take some time to yourself before you get into the office and just take a few relaxing deep breaths.

The pulmonary appointment is to make sure you don't have obstructive sleep apnea, he may send you for a sleep study if you do or if he suspects you might. That is not a bad thing either and it will aid in your recovery from surgery and your weight loss. Good night's sleep is VERY important for our health and wellbeing. (Not to mention the wellbeing of others who have to deal with me when I don't get a good night's sleep

You may take a breathing test where they measure the input and output of your lungs, and see if you have any type of asthma or breathing issue that could be a problem during surgery or after. Mostly it's a bunch of questions and a breathing test into a machine, and you're done.

The stress test, is just like walking on the treadmill. The doc will hook you up to a bunch of electrodes, like an EKG and they will run that EKG as you walk. They will make it harder and harder or raise the incline on the treadmill so that your heart pumps faster and they monitor the output of your heart while you are putting stress on it by walking faster and harder. Some doctors also incorporate a sonogram to this test and then you basically jump off the treadmill onto the table lie down and they take a sonogram of your heart to be sure that under stress there is no abnormality.

That's it..sounds worse than it is. Even if you think that your fitness level is not up to it, just doing a bit of walking will raise your heart rate and the doctors won't let you go so fast you fly off or tip you up so high you fall down. If you're feeling pain in the knees or hips or anything like that just flag the doc and tell them and they will modify things for you.

You will do great!

[lisacaron 5,075]

I'm supposed to go for my breathing test this Saturday, but I don't need it to get my surgery. I'll probably cancel it.

Don't cancel it! Asthma can cause real complications during and after surgery. The test is simple just breathing in and out of a machine to measure your lung input and output.

Most anesthesiologist will ask if you have asthma and will want you to have the test.

Sorry you had such a rough experience with the sleep study most are just mildly annoying, but think of all the restful sleep you will have now as a result of one annoying night.

Best of luck to you.

[LeeB1946 261]

My surgeon wanted apnea test. Showed positive so got machine. he would not do Endoscopy or surgery unless I had machine at the hospital with me. Never used it once for either. Medicare took it away because I could not use it by their rules. It was like trying to sleep with an anaconda attached to my face. No one believes me that I am an insomniac. My Tech that helped me, or tried to help me, said she had never seen anyone with such broken sleep patterns in the 25 year of her work. She wondered how I was still standing and walking. It is now 5:50 am and I and I have been to bed three times tonight and maybe have a total of 2 hours sleep, maybe 3 if I am lucky. Going strong and no machine and only mild sleeping drugs. The doc's tried all the really heavy knock out drugs and all I did was sleep walk and sleep eat. Really great for a bariatric patient, right?

[Deweydoer 111]

I too had a bad experience with a pulmonologist. I don't smoke, don't have asthma, have never had any problems with breathing other than a few springtime allergies and except for the weight, I'm in great health. The doctor wanted to do a sleep study even though I scored as low potential for sleep disorders on three different scales. I went home, thought about it and called in, and even the nurse said she was surprised that he had ordered a sleep test. I asked if he had any financial stake in the sleep clinic, found out he owned it. She talked to the doctor and he finally said that I didn't need to do the sleep study and he sent in the report. I was actually kind of pissed, but it all turned out ok.

[dlamp112 34]

Most overweight (MOST) have some sort of sleeping disorder due to being overweight. THIS is like Lisa said, noninvasive test. More annoying than anything else. The doctors need to know if you are apnea so when they are done with surgery, they can safely get your breathing under control using your preset CPAP machine. They want to ensure the BEST possible results for you and them. NOBODY needs your oxygen levels getting dangerously low! I have it, and I have a CPAP. I am glad to know this now, and have been using it since February 2013. GOOD LUCK!