Getting a Sleep Study Tonight

[bbminded]

Thank you Myosin. I really hope this matter here and everywhere is talked and discussed more!

Thanks for that honest AND positive report BB... hope it will help others

 

[Muler]

For me: tired ALL the time, even with a full night sleep...

In all serious though- if u do suspect you have SA, please do a search here and educate yourself through the threads and online and get it looked into asap, it really is a serious condition regarding RVH and just your quality of life (and the quality of life of those important around you)

Agreed, and I hope they take care of ya bro! I was diagnosed with SA a few months back and have been rocking teh PAP. It has changed my life. Although not enough as I am scheduled to have surgery to correct my deviated septum this upcoming Monday. I am nervous, but I think it is the best option. Sometimes I simply cannot breath out of my left nostril, even when I am not in bed (i.e. at work, at gym, hell even at Subway). I am 6'1 285lbs moderate BF% (maybe high teens), my size contributes to the SA. I am crossing my fingers for you to at least get a PAP though, it will no doubt give you some good rest.

 

[myosin]

Geez...

I had that shit done. It was horrible. I had to take 2mg xanax b/c there was no way I could fall asleep like that. Whats stupid is they only took my study when I was sleeping on my back which is when you have the apnea the worst. I told them I mainly sleep on my side so shouldnt we test it that way. They said no just on back. Anyway I had one of the worst cases the dr. has ever seen. they gave me a cpap and there is no way I could wear it. So I got a dental gaurd made. A cheap one that pushes your mandible forward. I went back and barely had any episodes with it. Only prob with the dental gaurd is now it permanently moved my jaw forward but not that noticeable. I just cant tear a bag open with my teeth anymore or anything like that. I was told to train my mandible muscles during the day by pushing back the opposite way and it worked pretty well. I still use the gaurd b/c no way I can sleep with the cpap.

Sounds very horrible! That's interesting they didn't care about your sleep preference.... they told me they were going to have me sleep on my back AND on my side (just to be thorough... to see if I have SA on my back, but not on my side, etc...).

Despite the troubles with the with dental guard it sounds like it's working out for you, that's great... I think I would just spit the thing out in the middle of night! Is it hard to keep in?

 

[Pekkerwood]

Myosin:

Congrats on getting treatment. I put it off for way to long and feel it contributed to health problems for me in a big way.

About the machines:

They are different. I would educate my self on CPAP, BiPaP, AutoTritrating, etc. I enjoy having the options, and ability to program my own machine as well as store and read the data on the machine without having to go to the doctor. Obviously internet prices are way, way, below, the DME suppliers prices. I faxed my prescription and did not use the insurance payment system because I wanted "the best".

I also have gone through 5 types of masks. The full face mask did not work well for me because I like to read to fall asleep. Basically, read, fall over, be out. Having to stop and and put on the mask rather than reading with it on was a deal breaker for me. I also have the nasal pillows which I wear with an extremely attractive "chin guard". Quite an attrractive look I am told.

An another note, I remember one of the previous threads that was in awe of being big enough to have to breath thru a mask like Darth Vader! It was like a badge of honor of something. Good luck and please keep us apprised of your progress.

Pekkerwood

 

[someday]

They are different. I would educate my self on CPAP, BiPaP, AutoTritrating, etc. I enjoy having the options, and ability to program my own machine as well as store and read the data on the machine without having to go to the doctor. Obviously internet prices are way, way, below, the DME suppliers prices. I faxed my prescription and did not use the insurance payment system because I wanted "the best".

A couple of things....

- if you needed Bi-level (BiPap is like Xerox, a trademarked name from Respironics), your script would say so. It often would not be approved until failure on a standard PAP device (if going through insurance).

- auto-titrating devices are most useful when used in conjunction with an in-home test, where you can not split a patient like myosin had done to him. However, for those going through insurance, it is very likley you will be brought back in to be titrated for a full night. Someday payers will wake up to the fact that approving in-home testing and paying for auto titrating machines makes the most sense in common cases of apnea. Currently there is no code available for the more expensive auto units out there.

- as I mentioned in my earlier posts, it isn't the DME suppliers out to pork anyone, but we are not allowed to sell as a retail product or lower our prices for plan members. We are bound by the payer contracts and Medicare requirements...we simply accept what they pay us. I will also add we have sixteen licensed respiratory therapists on staff providing service, setups, mask fittings, help with compliance, etc.. They cost us about $80k a piece, so don't forget the service component that should (and does in our case) come with the equipment and supplies. CPAP.com ships an item from a warehouse....a cost structure I couldn't compete with even if I wanted to.

- I agree 100% with your notion of researching this stuff yourself....patients should always educate themselves on their options. Not everyone in this business is 100% above board (which is likely the same in almost any line of business).

 

[insurance71474]

be9o9zpv8 household insurance

Find the very best **broken link removed** for life!!

**broken link removed** household insurance!!

 

[someday]

Food for thought... I had the study done and confirmed I had sleep apnea... I was then sent to an ear nose and throat specialist and the removed my tonsils, adnoids, uvula, and scraped out some of my soft pallet. Now i sleep like a baby, never wake up gasping for air and have a ton more energy and mental ability.

They suggested the CPAP to me - but at the time I had just turned 30 and didn't want to wear that thing for the rest of my life... so off to surgery... Recovery was fine - to be honest strep throat would have been worse.. 2 weeks later I was almost 100% back to feeling normal.

Just a thought in case you don't want to go the CPAP route...

FYI - insurance paid every penny - I never saw a bill for anything.

Consider yourself very fortunate! The most common form of surgery to correct apnea issues is UPPP, which only has a 40-45% success rate according to published studies. The success rate has been shown to increase though with successive surgeries if UPPP is not successful by itself. If it were me, I would definitely explore surgery. However, it just flat out doesn't work for the majority of the patients we see.

 

[Thebigone]

Sounds very horrible! That's interesting they didn't care about your sleep preference.... they told me they were going to have me sleep on my back AND on my side (just to be thorough... to see if I have SA on my back, but not on my side, etc...).

Despite the troubles with the with dental guard it sounds like it's working out for you, that's great... I think I would just spit the thing out in the middle of night! Is it hard to keep in?

Not bad at all. Kinda like a mouth guard. First few nights feels weird but you get used to it. Kinda looks like this
**broken link removed**

 

[bbminded]

If the doctor says your a good candidate for surgery and you DO NOT plan on using any aas or hgh in the future then it might be worth it. But if you think your gonna "use" to get big then chances are your symptoms could come back and the surgery would be for nothing and youll be back on the apnea machine!! But then again i am no doctor. But i was told and read that hormone use can cause the apnea! Just something to think about!!

 

[myosin]

I Start My Machine Tonight!

My goal partly with this thread is to hopefully alert more people to this potential problem in their life, BUT, also what they may possibly expect... that is often the greatest problem, people don't want to do anything b/c they don't know what it will entail.

If I remember , I hope to come back to this thread in one month to give an update and how it has affected my life (same, better, worse)...

Here's the mask... there are various options (nose only, mouth only, mask for both)... I didn't want to screw around, so I just said give me the mask... what if I start breathing through my mouth... or my nose? So, I wanted to cover all bases.

Sexy, huh? Just call me "Top Gun"... or Darth Vader

 

[myosin]

My New Bed Buddy...

This is the machine... SMALL (3H, 6W, 6D)... QUIET (I mean, DEAD quiet!). The only time it makes noise is when it is off your face. So long as you have a good seal you should be fine.

The technician simply plugs in the settings the Dr. has prescribed and all you do is turn the machine on and off to ZZZZZ-land.

In 2 months, I go see the doctor and take the memory card from the machine and they can evaluate how my settings are and if they need to be adjusted.

 

[The Dude]

I truly appreciate the post. I was given a script for a sleep study as I'm pretty much 100% I have SA. I snore so badly that my g/f can't sleep even on ambien and valium (she takes neither at home), but she's afraid to sleep in the other room b/c of how frequently I stop breathing. Its gotten to the point where I can't even sleep on my back. I just haven't gone through with it b/c I didn't know what to expect. Do I just call around to hospitals to find one that will do the study?? I have an EPO if that makes a difference. That mask just looks crazy and uncomfortable, but I can't continue to TRY to sleep 10 hours and still need a 2 hour nap every day.

 

[myosin]

Good...

I truly appreciate the post. I was given a script for a sleep study as I'm pretty much 100% I have SA. I snore so badly that my g/f can't sleep even on ambien and valium (she takes neither at home), but she's afraid to sleep in the other room b/c of how frequently I stop breathing. Its gotten to the point where I can't even sleep on my back. I just haven't gone through with it b/c I didn't know what to expect. Do I just call around to hospitals to find one that will do the study?? I have an EPO if that makes a difference. That mask just looks crazy and uncomfortable, but I can't continue to TRY to sleep 10 hours and still need a 2 hour nap every day.

Glad this may help TD...

: mask- surprising not too bad... very cushioned... they have a myriad of choices for you go try out

: finding someone- My PMD referred me to my Sleep Doctor... You said "EPO", did you mean "PPO"? There are private sleep centers surprisingly popping up all over. Perhaps contact your insurance company to make sure you won't get zapped with any extra charges if you go to "X" provider or "Y" provider, etc. So, try your PMD or insurance company first, then ask other friends (you will be surprised at how many of them may be on it and they can maybe refer you to a clinic)... whichever clinic you choose, they will probably know the in's and out's of your insurance.

Personally, I just like hospitals better... I guess I feel "safer" there (more resources, etc).

 

[emposekap]

Good day

Hello new in professionalmuscle community.
Glad to become member of this group

PS Mod: Help take away this thread if it isn't the proper place "http://www.professionalmuscle.com/forums/professional-muscle-forum/64239-getting-sleep-study-tonight-2.html#post857850" category.

 

[zman12]

My goal partly with this thread is to hopefully alert more people to this potential problem in their life, BUT, also what they may possibly expect... that is often the greatest problem, people don't want to do anything b/c they don't know what it will entail.

If I remember , I hope to come back to this thread in one month to give an update and how it has affected my life (same, better, worse)...

Here's the mask... there are various options (nose only, mouth only, mask for both)... I didn't want to screw around, so I just said give me the mask... what if I start breathing through my mouth... or my nose? So, I wanted to cover all bases.

Sexy, huh? Just call me "Top Gun"... or Darth Vader

I will say I have they same type of mask my machine is the model before yours but is quiet. I just went back in for a check up and they read my card said was doing good then they noticed I snored with it on. So they fitted me with a larger full mask also gave me chin strap to help keep my mouth closed. I will say I think the new one with the chin strap is helping more I was also told by tech to change my mask every 6 months.