doc, what a nightmare
 

i finally have decided to get my snooring and sleep apnea addressed, so last night went for the 1st of two sleep evaluations. it was by far the worst night of sleep ive ever experienced. must have been 30 electrodes from head to toe with that many wires. a bed im not used too and with all the stuff attached to me how do they truly evaluate my true sleep issues if the sleep i experienced is so different than a normal night? i am walking zombie at work today and may have to leave to keep from falling asleep. i have not had any follow up yet telling to what degree im inflicted, but what can be analyzed with such out of character night of sleep?

anyone here use the vadar blower machine?

My stepdad. Carries it with him when he travels. Sucks.

Didn't they offer sleep meds?

I went through this and the tech showed me after how much better my sleep patterns were after they hooked me up to the machine.

He said something like; Don't you feel GREAT this morning after getting a few hours of sleep with the CPAP?
um, NO I did NOT feel great. Like you I felt like crap and had to go home and take a nap.

rub one out? :D

Takes a good couple of weeks to get used to CPAP.
I don't go anywhere without mine.

And yes, they could have given you something to help you sleep for the study.

Edit: +1 Vash.

I've had two sleep tests and both were nightmares (no pun intended). After the first test a full mask CPAP system was recommended and after a week of no sleep with it I returned it. After a few years I went in for a second test and a pillow mask was recommended with a progressive CPAP device. The pillows are soft rubber pads that fit in your nose and the whole mask is less intrusive. The progressive CPAP device brings the air pressure up in stages so you have a better chance of falling asleep before the target pressure is achieved. This system has worked fairly well for me after six years of continuous use and has made a change in my life for the better. Yes it is still a medieval solution, as the mask makes you look like Hannibal Lector and will definitely affect your romantic spontaneity, chaff the inside of your nose (get a device with humidifier) and will make you the subject of investigation by homeland security every time you fly, but I have felt so much better in the last five years than the many years I walked around like a zombie prior to using CPAP. I use two units now, a larger one for home use, and a small unit that fits in the palm of your hand for travel. I highly recommend using a CPAP device if you have been diagnosed with apnea as apnea is a slow, silent killer and the snoring can be a relationship ender.

thats SOP......

cliff you gunna make it to the coop tomorrow for the 23 car alignment?

i tried a "at home" sleep study. They make you wear this device on your head, tell you not to let is come off and then tell you to sleep on your back. (if that is not a normal position for you, you don't get any sleep.)
Anyways, i was up all night making sure this "cap" doesn't come off my head. As far as I'm concerned there is no way they can determine sleep apnea or the degree of sleep apnea.....if you're awake all night with this thing on your head.
+1 Vash or hook up with the wife before bed time.

I did one years ago as well. Slept like crap and the next morning, the tech siad was all well?!&(^%!!

Plus I wasn't allowed to bring my own pillow. Had to sleep on one that had my head at a 45* angle.

look into the dental appliance that helps open the airway during sleep. Works great and is easier to manage at night.

I think they only need one cycle to do an evaluation. Normally you would go thru 4-5 of those a night. So, you don't get much sleep but they get what they need.

Hook up before going in? You go in about 8 or 9 at night and they spend a considerable amount of time prepping you. I think the afterglow would be long gone by sleep time, somewhere around midnight for those that are lucky.

Maybe they should provide an inflatable. ;)

Took me 3 nights to get used to the face mask... since then I don't go without.

Whoever is in the hotel room next to mine has one. Very annoying.

Milt, a new Apple Keyboard is 50 bucks. :)

You need to get you Uvula cut out like I did. Peple think I'm dead when I sleep.

That has GOT to be one of the most painful things I've ever experienced.
Maybe because I had my tonsils and adenoids removed at the same time.

I read an article about a procedure where doctors install some sort of plastic shunt (3 of them, actually) into the soft pallette which reinforces it....supposed to produce pretty good results...

But removing the uvula? WOW! Might have to look into that! :D

Randy

I will second that.

The smell of the smoke pouring out of my mouth while my uvula was lasered off was bad. I "got" to go back and have them reshape the back of my throat. So I got to have the pain twice!

just avoid the wet dreams during the sleep evaluation

I've seen this on a couple of people. Any problem with liquids you swallow getting back up into your nasopharynx (ie: nose)?

The oral sleep apnea/snoring appliance can be quite helpful, but have to be careful if one is truly apneic. I made one for a patient who liked to go out hunting/camping and there was simply no place to plug in his CPAP. Called an EMA (elastic mandibular advancement) appliance, it essentially opens your mouth and thrusts the jaw forward a bit to open the airway.