Sleep Study Hell!

[dexter 205]

Am required to do this. I took a sleeping pill 3 hours ago. 2 of those hours has been a full blown panic attack. But the little techs say 'you have to do this or you don't get the surgery". Put the thing up your nose or you get a cpap". At this moment 12/32 am) I woul choose death in my sleep.

I don't sleep well. The stars need to be aligned right for me to sleep. What rear end hat thought this would be good??

WHY ARE THE PEOPLE WHO SHOULD BE HELPING ME PUNISHING MY FATTNESS? Holding my new life hostage for a few more papes of data that say I'm on distrsss???!!

I want out of here!!! I want these wires off me!!!!!!!!

[COsleeveDude 273]

sleep apnea will kill you, and isn't even necessarily caused by obesity.

Try and relax and finish the test so you can get a CPAP machine if you need one. You'll feel better in the morning.

Better than having a heart attack or stroke.

Good luck.

[dexter 205]

The anxiety here with give me a stroke! I'm panicked. What is this supposed to prove? What if there is crap to make a determination about? I will not do this again. It is too panic inducing. WhSt then? No surgery because I can't stand wires and freak out?

This is stupid. It's a why bother moment. No one can help mle. There is really no other way!

[runner 53]

Just breath! You've got this. It's uncomfortable but just take it step by step. I hope they can be more helpful to you in your stressful situation. As hard as it is try to relax and just do what you can do.

[nyxa 159]

you poor thing!

just have to try to calm yourself down.. find something else to think about & focus on that..

cpap determines if you have sleep apnea & if you need a machine.. it measures your oxygen levels & they see if you stop breathing & stuff while you sleep.

i don't like wires, either.. i kept ripping my heart stuff off when i was in the hospital for my liver.. i even had a panic attack & cried.. just listen to some music or something if you can.. and try to relax.. and ease your way into sleep.. i know that i had an anxiety attack & could barely sleep at all.. it's no fun.. wish i could give you a hug or something to help, if that would help. :/ poor thing. bless your heart.

edited: had to fix my glaring spelling mistakes... now that i've had some sleep.. lol xD

[tishissweet 15]

As a sleep tech, I would suggest talking to your doctor about getting an anti-anxiety med. We do Pre-op patients all the time. We also do all ages from infants to elderly. Some people come in with your same kind of anxiety. Personally, I always try to talk people down in a calm voice and be supportive. Between the people that are here for bariatric surgeries, truck drivers and even husbands who their wives sent them, it's not always a desired test to have. Just keep in mind this is to help you. If you are found to have sleep apnea, it doesn't mean you will be stuck with CPAP. Though obesity isn't always a guarantee to be the cause, I usually tell the patients if it came with weight it might go with loss. Even 10-15 lbs can make a huge difference. So just think that this may only be for a short time.

Also, please don't think I'm mean. If my patient were texting and posting on their phone all night during their sleep study and not trying to lay still taking deep breaths in order to try to relax and then telling me they are anxious. I would be personally a bit irritated. I tell my patients all the time that I will try and work with you as long as YOU try. Otherwise, I would be trying to get them to leave instead of wasting my time that I could be spending monitoring my other patients.

[dexter 205]

This was last resort. I tried to plead with them and see what my options were. They spoke softly but only threats. 'well, if you don't leave that in your nose then you will have to wear a cpap' 'the surgery may not happen if you don't sleep' 'you can leave but your doctor will just order another one' 'people dont normally freak out until they have the mask put on' no comfort. Not a bit of trying to help me through. They unplugged me for a bit. I said to get the whole thing on paper. But now I am lying here wide awake with this crap still on me because the insurance company needs 6 hours of data. I'd like to go pee and get dressed and get the hell out of here. I've got fasting blood work in an hour and would like to drink a ton of Water to get hydrated and maybe rest in the car before my 2 hour drive home.

And I wasn't just texting. I talked to a real person here without anyone listening. Talked to a friend on the phone without them listening. Last resort was this. I just needed to have hope that someone somewhere listened and cared.

[Lissa 2,631]

Dexter, I hated my first sleep test...and it was because of the mask. I'm a mouth breather and they kept putting that nose mask on me, which freaked me out. The tech finally figured out that the nose mask wasn't going to work for me and gave me a full face mask to use. It made all the difference in the world for me! I DID have severe sleep apnea, so bad that I knew I wasn't breathing right and I had horrible problems staying awake during the day. Even after my official diagnosis, I had a little clausterphobia about sleeping with the mask, until a friend gave me some great pointers to get past that. Now, I can't sleep without my CPAP it seems.

It sounds like you and the tech may have gotten off on the wrong foot. I've had three sleep tests so far and all of the techs I've had were very soothing, chit chatting with me while they apply the wires and leads, offering anything necessary to make me comfortable, and always speaking in soothing voices. Perhaps that's different than at other sleep centers, but I assumed it was "the way things are done". If you do have to repeat the test, ask for a different tech and ask for something to calm you down beforehand.

Good luck!! I know this is one of the toughest tests to get through because of all the wires and leads, plus that mask is a tough adjustment, and you're trying to sleep in a strange place. Hopefully, you'll be able to get enough sleep time in to give them the data they need.

[prettnycnurse 2]

Wow I hope u fell asleep

[tishissweet 15]

Ugh! That's awful! I'm sorry that was your experience. Some people shouldn't work in healthcare. I would ask for a different tech. I would also call the lab and report them to the office manager. They shouldn't be lying to you like that and bedside manner is a huge deal. We have surveys to rate the patients experience. The scale is 1-5. If there are ever 3's or lower, they call the patient. If you still get crappy care from the OM, try another lab if available.

Also, if you do have to go back there for CPAP, make sure you try out the different style masks. I tell my patients all the time that just because you are claustrophobic, it does not mean you will definitely like nasal pillows because they are minimal. Often, a full face mask ends up being preferred because you have the option to breathe with your mouth. Also, don't let them shove you into a full mask because you mention you are a mouth breather unless it's the one you want to wear. Half the time, all you need is a little extra air and your mouth will close.

Good luck in the future. Don't stand for sub-par care! It's not the norm and shouldn't be tolerated!

[nyxa 159]

when i had to have a mask on, they gave me the full face one. it freaked me out when i was awake & i had to learn how to breathe with it.. it was a lot like sticking your head out of the window when you're driving at 70+ miles per hour... lol same kinda "omg i can't breathe" feeling.. xD

but i can't blame you for freaking out.. it does sound like you had a really crappy tech.. and i'm sorry you had to go through that. i would do what the others are suggesting & report the person to the manager, ask for a different tech next time or better yet, an alternative place to go.. 2 hours is a loooong ways to drive! i just feel so bad for you. poor thing!

[dexter 205]

Well, now I don't know what to do. Talked to my patient advocate and she said a second study may be ordered. I said at this moment I say absolutely no. There has got to be an alternative to this.

Then my husband says I may have talked myself out of being a patient. No! This is my last hope! I will not spend any more time than necessary in this body! And I was crying so hard on the way home, I peed myself and didn't know until I got home a few minutes ago.

I'm terrified I'll be dropped because of a panic attack over a stupid sleep study. I told my husband I didnt have much support before from others now he can join them. I don't need his support either. Screw everybody. Done with this crap. If I were thin and wanted new boobs, I have them. But I'm fat and the places designed to help us make us jump through hoops to just see what the fat kids will do. What's next? Eating worms? Getting pudding cups thrown at us? Whispers down the hallway?

I've had it. As soon as I had hope, it for taken away by a stupid sleep thing!

[RobbieNow 7]

I have read elsewhere on this board that people can get a home kit to do a sleep study in their own bed. The doctor looks at the information stored in the machine when it is returned. Would your insurance cover a home study?

Robbie

[BKMama 179]

I'm sorry you're having such a tough time with it. If you aren't able to relax and get at least some rest, I think they study will be pretty useless to the doctors. The sleep studies are for our own safety. If you do have sleep apnea and it's not treated, you could have problems coming out of anesthesia and during recovery.

I think you should communicate your concerns to your doctor/surgeon so you can possibly get anti-anxiety meds prior to your next sleep study. I'm sure you aren't the first patient to have that reaction (or worse!). I know that for my surgeon, if I had refused the sleep study OR if after I was diagnosed with a very mild case of sleep apnea I had declined the CPAP, the surgery would have been off the table. He absolutely will not take the risk. They are even going to check the card from the machine when I get to the hospital to make sure I've been using it. It sucks BIG TIME, but like you, I refuse to stay unhealthy any longer. I'm sucking it up and jumping though whatever hoop they put in front of me. LOL

[Heyher 581]

Have you had your psyche eval? This anxiety would be something to talk to them about.

Also the negative thoughts of not needing any support and working yourself up are self sabotage. I know it's not what you want to hear, but maybe talk to someone about why you are having these feelings. How you can get through the sleep study. How to cope with life after the sleeve.

Also kind of have to agree with tish. Texting, updating and chatting aren't showing signs of true effort with the study. You may have been trying, but texting isn't the best way to help fall asleep typically. I don't think any of the techs were making threats. Saying if the study isn't completed, then the surgery can't happen isn't a threat. While in a moment of panic and the primal response of fight or flight kicks in, the smallest statement could be percieved as a threat. If you want this then you will jump through hoops. Rather then a sleeping pill ask for something to help you stay calm so you can sleep. Maybe they can give you a script for Xanax or something similar.