In Sleep Study Hell!

[makinithappen2013 35]

Hi Everyone! I am definitely in sleep study hell….need some happy thoughts please…

I have met with my doctor back in August, got all of the required tests that the doctor wanted me to get (xray, bloodwork and ekg) saw the nutritionist and nut and everything was going great...until I finally called and asked the nurse what else I needed to still do, oh the sleep study is the only thing left for you to do.... THE SLEEP STUDY!! What??? Sleep study... oh I had that done back on 9/20, in fact I had to do a "at home" sleep study due to my insurance denying the study to be done in a sleep center. You do not have the info on the study??? Hmmmm….

Round 2…So after many phone calls to the doctor, (I even had to enlist my hubby to make phone calls) the sleep center and the office who supplied the sleep study monitor, not even one person could tell me what was faxed, when it was faxed and if it was complete! So frustrating, I just wanted to scream....

round 3 ---- yay the faxed info was finally found and now they cannot find the doctor who approved the sleep data... yea I'm feeling confident with that info... NOT! My coordinator finally found out the doctor's name and that he won’t be in until Friday morning, then she will get the info and then will be able to submit everything! Yay awesome feeling finally getting somewhere and I am so ready for this surgery and to get my life back.......and then boom... the words that I never wanted to hear... You have severe sleep apnea... what?? I did not even know I had sleep apnea… not one phone call telling me …so now I have to wait for everyone to get on the same page and the sleep doctor to get his head out of his butt and pass the info over to my doctor……now I am back to the waiting game L

So what does one do with this information? Has this happened to anyone? My husband is losing sleep watching me sleep ever since they told me I have severe sleep apnea.

Thanks!

[kvdme 64]

Im out on those sleep tests. I had the same at home study, my regular doc didn't have the report (he ordered it) they sent it to my cardiologist...Its all blah blah blah to me. Heck I go through bouts where I do snore and then nothing for weeks. I did, however find out I need to work on my breathing in the hospital, didn't have good oxygen saturation. I have afib and thats a contributor factor to that. My sleep study said I had moderate apnea. Im wasn't concerned then, not now either Neither was any of the 4 doctors I have seen about it, they all suggested weight loss as the solution so know your on the right track. I know its the weight I put on and I know it will clear up without the weight.

[SassyTink 78]

I also was diagnosed with Severe sleep Apnea. I hadn't a clue when I walked into the hospital 5 months ago to have my sleep study as part of my pre-requisite for bariatric surgery. After an hour into the sleep study, I was awakened, put on a C-Pap machine and slept through the rest of the night. 2 days later I got my very own C-Pap machine and have been a happy girl ever since. It has changed my life.

I was given a ResMed and a small nose pillow instead of a face mask. It is comfortable and real easy to get used to. I adjusted to the machine the very first night. In fact, I have the most vivid dreams now. I had no iea what it felt like to sleep well. Now, I have tons of energy, and feel well rested. It never entered my mind that I had sleep apnea. I just assumed I was exhausted from the normal work of life.

My advise is DO NOT GIVE IN AND TAKE THE MASK OFF. Roll over and go back to sleep because eventually you will love it! I promise. Give the C-Pap time, it could save your life as long as you have sleep apnea.

[ejsfanatic 98]

I also was diagnosed with Severe sleep Apnea. I hadn't a clue when I walked into the hospital 5 months ago to have my sleep study as part of my pre-requisite for bariatric surgery. After an hour into the sleep study' date=' I was awakened, put on a C-Pap machine and slept through the rest of the night. 2 days later I got my very own C-Pap machine and have been a happy girl ever since. It has changed my life. I was given a ResMed and a small nose pillow instead of a face mask. It is comfortable and real easy to get used to. I adjusted to the machine the very first night. In fact, I have the most vivid dreams now. I had no iea what it felt like to sleep well. Now, I have tons of energy, and feel well rested. It never entered my mind that I had sleep apnea. I just assumed I was exhausted from the normal work of life. My advise is DO NOT GIVE IN AND TAKE THE MASK OFF. Roll over and go back to sleep because eventually you will love it! I promise. Give the C-Pap time, it could save your life as long as you have sleep apnea.[/quote']

I was also diagnosed with apnea and HATE the machine, in fact I have only used it 2 nights. I just cannot get used to it. I am going to try again after reading your post. I wish they gave me a better mask. Are the masks alone avail for purchase elsewhere?? This head gear I have sux!

[AngiD 95]

Did the doctor put you on a C-Pap machine?

[makinithappen2013 35]

I was not given anything! Besides myself my husband seems to be the only one concerned about the severe sleep apnea ????

Up until Wednesday I thought I was sleeping just fine lol. The coordinator was surprised that I was not told I had it. My hubby is going to call on Monday to see what needs to be done.

Believe me I'm in no hurry to wear the mask but if I have to wear it to get back on the road to setting up my surgery I will!

[SassyTink 78]

ejsfanatic- See if the therapy company can let you try the nose pillow. It is small and fits nicely below your nose and above your lip. My brand is ResMed. They also gave me two pink strap covers to put on the plastic straps that touch your cheeks. The machine is

remarkably quiet.

I feel so weird saying I love my C-Pap machine but I really do! The crazy dreams make it well worth it!

[ejsfanatic 98]

I am going to. Thanks for the info

[Arts137 1,811]

I am sorry that your medical supports are BAD! Get the results and take to your MD (PCP or Pulmonologist) and they can write you a script (Rx). You should work with a reputible "durible medical supplies" group who can fit you properly.

I LOVE my CPAP now, and I, like you, did not believe that I had any apnea at all. Now I sleep WONDERFULLY and use it every single night!!!

[kkrose 15]

I'm actually a Registered sleep Technologist and may have some insight for you. Yes, a lot of insurance companies now won't pay for an in-lab study, and therefore you do a home study. If the home study results come back for OSA (obstructive sleep apnea), then either you come into the lab for a formal CPAP titration, or get placed on Auto-PAP.

As for the run around with your results and doctors, completely unprofessional in my opinion.

I feel CPAP compliance is 90% mask comfort and 10% patient education on the risks of untreated OSA. In my experience, the mask HAS to be comfortable. If it's not, you're going to throw it in the floor and say "the hell with this!". So many times I hear patients get rushed into a mask by the DME provider. This is not right because insurance will only cover one mask every 3-6 months. Then, it's out of your pocket.

I try to find the best mask for the patient in the lab the night if their sleep study. And I fully explain to my patients what to expect at the DME company and to not get rushed into a mask. Try it on. Lay down with it. Lay how you would lay at home with it. What's comfortable to some may not be comfortable to you.

Good luck to all the future sleep studies and remember this is just a hoop to jump and you're on your way to a better, more healthy you!

[ScubaSleeve72 19]

I can relate to this topic on so many levels. I have been a registered respiratory therapist for roughly 15 years now and have comforted hundreds of patients going on CPAP for the first time. I would have never thought that I could potentially be one of them.

After my first in center sleep study I got a call from the center that my doctor had requested a titration study. What, why? I don't have OSA-CSA. The surgeons office said that hypopnea index was indicitive of moderate sleep apnea. What! Okay, what ever. Lets do this.

I had my titration last night, what a disaster. The bed was uncomfortable, the heater on the CPAP turned off early. The mask did not have the best fit, based on a few simple factors. Way too close to lip, and It leaked in my eyes. To top that off I spent most of the night listening to the CPAP for any change in pressure. Sometimes my own knowledge makes things reall hard on me. Ugh. We will see. It is my hope that weight loss will fix this sleep apnea thing (central or obstructive).