I am back from the sleep study

Anonymous
November 14, 2007 at 11:02 pm

Well I am home and have not been happier to be. Well not since going to emergency in Sept. The study was really tedious. 21 hours in one windowless, depressing little room. After being wired up like a suicide bomber, with two nose canuals, glue all over my face head and chest I was expected to cozy in and sleep from 11pm to 7am. I got there at 7:30. So after watching 3 hrs of t.v. I hunkered down and had the most uncomfortable night. I could barely move my head, I was itchy from the glue and so uncomfortable not to mention self concious of that camera aimed right at me. The attendant had to come in one time to rewire me at one point. Then after restless sleep I woke at 6:30 because my insulin pump needed to be changed and I was hopeing I would be able to get up and walk around a bit. Instead they brought me this camping food and told me to eat and stay busy until my first nap at 8:30. At that point they make me go back to sleep as if it were night time and after 20 minutes, just when I got to sleep, they come in turn the lights on and resume talking to me as if we were in the middle of a conversation. This goes on all day. Every 2 hours until finally at 4 pm I am unglued and sent home. I felt like I was held captive in a box and when I was finally set free I walked out into the daylight very disoriented and dizzy. No coffee for two days didn’t help. So I guess I would not want to do that little experiment again. Maybe I just don’t have a very high threshhold for discomfort but that just was not pleasant. I also have to admit that I kind of am skeptical of so many people needing these studies done and then being told they have sleep apnea. I mean there were 16 people there last night and thats just one study this week! I don’t know. I just think its a bit of a money maker having so many people go through these studies and then need the cpap machine. I will probably have to eat these words but thats how I feel.
By the way, Shannon, I too was sent because I sleep too much. Like I said earlier, how could we not sleep constantly wlith this condition? So I get results in a week and a half and tonight I am happily home. I hope everyone else is well and healthy. I will post results ASAP.
Thanks
Linda