OT: Sleep Study

[NTDawg]

Ms NTDAWG claims that the best thing I can give her for Christmas is no snoring at night. Figured I might need to have a sleep study. Anyone have any knowledge of sleep studies and what is required? Do you have to be referred by your Dr or can you just make an appointment? Thanks in advance for your help. I thank you but Ms NTDAWG really thanks you.

 

[Jacknut1]

I had to be referred.

 

[missouridawg]

What was your counter offer to her? You have some serious negotiating leverage here. Use it wisely.

I've done a sleep study before. Had to get a referral from my PCP. I thought I had apnea causing me to be very sleepy throughout the workday... turns out it was narcolepsy. They monitored me overnight and then for about 8 hours the next day. Once I woke up from the overnight, every 2 hours they forced me to shut down and try to fall sleep. Turns out, it took me on average, 1 minute and 45 seconds to fall asleep every 2 hours after getting a full nights rest. Was given a prescription for Ritalin to fight the daytime sleepiness, which did pretty good... but gave me the jitters.

It didn't fix any snoring. My snoring went 100% away in August after I got my tonsils removed. Haven't snored a peep since. And I sleep better because of it.

Good luck.

 

[57stratdawg]

I can almost guarantee you you're going to end up with a CPAP machine. They seem to be a hot topic these days.

If it's not waking you up, I would look into an alternative. If it's waking you up and you can't sleep, then maybe you need one.

 

[aTotal360]

It's Happy Z spelled backwards.

 

[NTDawg]

I probably need my tonsils removed but I've heard terrible things about getting them out at my age.

 

[NTDawg]

i wake up all the time from being kicked

 

[missouridawg]

I probably need my tonsils removed but I've heard terrible things about getting them out at my age.

I'm 34 and have needed them out since I was a teenager. I heard the horror stories too, but it wasn't nearly as bad as people said. I did lose like 11 lbs over the two weeks, but I still ate a **** ton of ice cream and jello. I never felt like I was starving for food.

If you do go this route, best advice I can give.... is to chase the liquid pain meds with cold milk. The pain meds I took had alcohol in them and burned the tonsils like hell... but chasing with milk essentially eliminated that sensation. I thoroughly enjoyed my two weeks off. Bought a couple of Xbox games and had a grand OL time ignoring everyone from work.

 

[NTDawg]

Ms NTDAWG made me ask my Dr about getting my tonsils removed and he told me that it would easier to recover from open heart surgery than having my tonsils removed

 

[missouridawg]

Ms NTDAWG made me ask my Dr about getting my tonsils removed and he told me that it would easier to recover from open heart surgery than having my tonsils removed

Maybe you have complications I'm unaware of back there.... but the recovery for me was pretty dang easy at 34 years and 3 months old. I wished I would've done it years and years sooner.

 

[NTDawg]

I have a few years on you but I dont think that was the issue. maybe how large they are and something about how they attached, if that makes sense. I have different dr now and I have appointment after the first of the year I will ask him what he thinks

 

[ShrubDog]

Was given a prescription for Ritalin to fight the daytime sleepiness, which did pretty good... but gave me the jitters.

Seems like taking speed, even in the daytime, would still cause sleeping problems at night. Interesting way of battling this.

 

[SanfordRJones]

It depends on whether your insurance requires a prior authorization from your doctor. I didn't need a referral.

 

[qball.sixpack]

Go see your dentist. Maybe he can fit you in a dental appliance that will work (they do work--not the cheap ones sold on sport stalk radio though). You can bet, if you go to a sleep clinic they will sell you a CPAP. A dental appliance at $800-$1000 may fix your issue and be 10000000 times less hassle than one of those machines. It's not an option for everyone but a solid $800 gamble versus the CPAP.

 

[57stratdawg]

I don't think that's the same.

 

[civildawg88]

I have the dental appliance and it's been a life saver. Pretty sure it has fixed my sleep apnea. I actually got it from a dentist that I met through a message board. Go figure

 

[MaroonOldCrow]

Ms NTDAWG claims that the best thing I can give her for Christmas is no snoring at night. Figured I might need to have a sleep study. Anyone have any knowledge of sleep studies and what is required? Do you have to be referred by your Dr or can you just make an appointment? Thanks in advance for your help. I thank you but Ms NTDAWG really thanks you.

I had to be referred, but due to my insurance being obstinate, all I ever did was a home sleep study. The CPAP has been a lifesaver, though.


Here's a good source of info if you want to dig and ask questions: http://www.apneaboard.com/forums/index.php

 

[xxxWalkTheDawg]

A sleep study on me would require professionals

Between getting up and letting to dogs out to piss, a catch in my back waking me up, and guaranteed late night reflux if I eat after 7PM.. they would want to know how i can make it on four to 5 hrs sleep. I'm sure there would be some military use for it or something.

 

[bruiser.sixpack]

I have the dental appliance and it's been a life saver. Pretty sure it has fixed my sleep apnea. I actually got it from a dentist that I met through a message board. Go figure

I was told (by the sleep clinic...go figure) that the appliances WILL help with the snoring, but snoring is only one symptom of Sleep Apnea. It was the issue of stopping breathing 31 times per hour that got me on the cpap machine. And then it took about 2 years of trying to find the right mask/nose piece to fit comfortable enough not to keep me awake. I have the nose pillows now that I use with my bi-pap machine. Yup, mine is so bad I had to have the bi-pap.

And my wife had kicked me out of the bed room for snoring about 10 years ago. She said once I got the snoring fixed I could come back to the bed.

5 years later: #sleepingintheguestroom

 

[gymdawg.sixpack]

Try calling the psychology dept at your closest university. They were conducted often when i was in grad school at uofmemphis.

 

[SwampDawg]

Mrs.Swamp had the same situation as you. For years I would have to get up and go sleep in the guest room to get away from her snoring. She did the video monitoring thing in the clinic and she was stopping breathing several times a night. Got the bi-pap and hasn't snored since. It doesn't bother her at all. We are both sleeping better.

 

[missouridawg]

Seems like taking speed, even in the daytime, would still cause sleeping problems at night. Interesting way of battling this.

it certainly didn't help me sleep better at night... but I wasn't drowsy every afternoon afterwards.

 

[Joe Schmedlap]

Sleep apnea can lead to pulmonary hypertension which can lead to atrial enlargement which can lead to atrial fibrillation which can lead to stroke. So yeah, treating your apnea can be a life saver.

QUOTE=MaroonOldCrow;1295358]I had to be referred, but due to my insurance being obstinate, all I ever did was a home sleep study. The CPAP has been a lifesaver, though.


Here's a good source of info if you want to dig and ask questions: http://www.apneaboard.com/forums/index.php[/QUOTE]

 

[MaroonOldCrow]

Sleep apnea can lead to pulmonary hypertension which can lead to atrial enlargement which can lead to atrial fibrillation which can lead to stroke. So yeah, treating your apnea can be a life saver.

Or in my case, a heart attack. Evidently it's also associated with other problems, like elevated cholesterol. My cardiologist thinks as long as I have the apnea under control I'm not likely to have another. She's already pulled me off the Plavix (replaced with aspirin) and halved my dose of Coreg. In a few months they're going to do blood work again and maybe pull me off the Coreg and Lipitor.

 

[Digging dog]

Snoring is caused by lack of sex. At least that's the excuse I've been using. ***

 

[H8edNTusc]

My insurance didn't require me to have a referral. I've had 2 studies done and no sleep apnea was found. I was then referred to an ENT that suggested I have Injection Snoreplasty done. I don't think I started snoring until I gained some weight, so I'm going to try to lose some weight before I have any procedures done.

 

[InTheIttaBenaHotSun]

I had two problems. I was 40lbs over weight and I suffer from ol' man bladder. Lost all the weight and now I try not to drink anything or very little after about 8 pm. My snoring went away and I don't have to get up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom. I think what was happening was that I'd wake several times a night out of a deep sleep but not enough to make me want to get out of bed and go to the bathroom. Was not getting enough deep sleep and would wake up tired every morning. If you're over weight try losing it and see if that helps.

 

[bruiser.sixpack]

Interesting observations. I just have my second ablation for a-fib back in September.

 

[docdawg]

Get a referral (for insurance purposes). Take the study (they hook you up to electrodes and then watch you sleep). They'll prescribe you a cpap. They'll have you come back to determine what pressure is best. You'll try the cpap and complain that this will never work. If you have half a damn brain, you'll be persistent and find the right mask fit for you. Give it time and you'll never want to take a cat nap without it. Your blood pressure will drop. You probably have a mild case of restless leg which will lessen. You'll feel a hell of a lot better during the day.

 

[Requiem For A Dawg]

Ms NTDAWG made me ask my Dr about getting my tonsils removed and he told me that it would easier to recover from open heart surgery than having my tonsils removed

I got mine out when I was 20 because I got strep throat all the time. If I could go back, then I would not have it done. That was the worst pain I've ever been in. I didn't sleep for about two weeks and couldn't swallow my own spit.

After about 3 nights with no sleep I was at my wits end, so I took 2 loratabs to help get some rest. Obviously, not eating for 3 days and taking strong painkillers are not a good mix. I slept awesome, until I woke up the next morning. I was the most nauseous I've ever been. I spent the entire day dry heaving with stitches in my throat.

 

[DesotoCountyDawg]

Well that's not true.

 

[EthelTheBulldog]

Brother had that dental appliance and it is incredible. A friend of his had the surgery which works, but his friend was in god awful pain for a time and wished he would not have done it.

 

[dotcomdawg]

Sleep apnea can lead to pulmonary hypertension which can lead to atrial enlargement which can lead to atrial fibrillation which can lead to stroke. So yeah, treating your apnea can be a life saver.

QUOTE=MaroonOldCrow;1295358]I had to be referred, but due to my insurance being obstinate, all I ever did was a home sleep study. The CPAP has been a lifesaver, though.


Here's a good source of info if you want to dig and ask questions: http://www.apneaboard.com/forums/index.php

[/QUOTE]


That's how Reggie White died

 

[RocketDawg]

Get a referral (for insurance purposes). Take the study (they hook you up to electrodes and then watch you sleep). They'll prescribe you a cpap. They'll have you come back to determine what pressure is best. You'll try the cpap and complain that this will never work. If you have half a damn brain, you'll be persistent and find the right mask fit for you. Give it time and you'll never want to take a cat nap without it. Your blood pressure will drop. You probably have a mild case of restless leg which will lessen. You'll feel a hell of a lot better during the day.

What do they do during the sleep test if you can't go to sleep? Seems like it would be hard to fall asleep when you're trying to, and with all the things hooked up to you.

 

[SanfordRJones]

They can write you a prescription for an Ambien, but they only need you to sleep about 4 hours. I felt like I didn't sleep at all, but they got enough information from it.

 

[docdawg]

They don't need you to sleep long actually. They're just trying to establish a baseline. It was obviously the worst night of sleep I ever had, and I didn't feel like I had slept much at all. Can't roll over so you wake up on and off throughout the night, but I dozed enough that they had enough data to let me go around 5AM. They found that for every 60 seconds, I wasn't getting oxygen for about 10 of those. May not sound bad, but if you do the math I was not breathing for about an hour for every six hours of sleep.