In lab sleep study. No sleep!

Help!

I had all my pre op testing done. I first had an in home sleep study done which showed I do have sleep apnea. I stop breathing 23 times an hour and my oxygen goes down to 80%. So I have to do the in lab study. Which I did Monday night. I didn't sleep at all!  So therefore they got no data. I go to my sleep doc this coming Monday. I don't want to have to do another in lab study. I won't sleep!  This is THE last pre op test I had to do. I guess my question is--can I get a Cpap or apap with just the at home results?  I just want to move forward. I don't want to have to wait yet again to get an apmt for yet another in lab study to only not sleep. Won't the apap be able to automatically know how much pressure I need?

Thanks so much!

I think your insurance company and your pulmonologist will be the ones making that decision, unfortunately.

I already had a verified dx of obstructive sleep apnea when I did my sleep study as part of my surgeon's preop checklist.  I was an established CPAP user.   Despite that, the insurance company would only have me do an in-lab study, and they notified the sleep lab that I could NOT wear my mask during that study, and I could NOT take my Ambien.  Needless to say, I failed it miserably because I had sleep apnea during the few times I managed to drop off in exhaustion.  I then had to go do another one, that time with the CPAP.  arrrrrgggggghhhhhhh   They were willing to pay for two frickin' sleep studies, and I needed to get that checked off, so I got it done.  

The night of the in lab one I had the Cpap which wasn't so bad. I took 2 ambien and a Xanax and still! Didn't sleep. The tech told me I got NO sleep at all. I didn't even drift off for a short time. Of course when I got home I zonked right out and slept for hours!

Whoa, TWO Ambien, a Xanax, and you still didn't sleep.  That's actually rather impressive. 

I get the sleep thing.  Problem with my last two sleep studies was that I to drive home and then hit the ground running to get the small boy ready for school and generally make sure things were okay.  Wawa coffee on the way home saved my bacon those mornings.  After a couple of hours of that I crashed ferociously ... for a couple of hours. 

You need to let your sleep folks know you are taking those drugs.  Normally for a study you would need to stop taking sleep aids for 2 weeks or so prior.  It is likely if you stop cold turkey with some meds that you experience rebound insomnia.   Problem is going in to a sleep study on sleeping pills is skews your data.  

The sleep study doctor knew that I regularly take 1 ambien nightly. She suggested I take the 2 for the sleep study.  It was impossible for me to sleep with the Cpap machine which was literally digging into my face. The glue for the electrode hook ups made me itchy. And the fact I had two cameras and a intercom speaker staring straight at me wasn't conducive to sleeping

no one sleeps during a sleep study

I am not a doctor nor do I pretend to be but I PERSONALLY  think sleep apnea is the biggest scam around.

I had two in labs sleep studies done and was told that I had the worst case of sleep apnea they have ever seen and would need a C-pap machine. Because of some mix up with the C-Pap company I never received the machine even though my insurance approved the machine. Since I  had received my approval for the surgery, I never pursued getting the machine.  When I was at the hospital the anesthesiologist commented on my sleep study again saying it was the worst he had ever seen !! and yet I have never used a C-pap machine.  I am sure they're are lot of people with different opinions I am just glad that my surgery was approved and I did not have to use the c-pap not even in the hospital I kept waiting for them to  bring it in but they never did.   Ask you doctor  if they can submit your request  to the insurance l with the result they have currently  

. Can I say just how ridiculous it is to even try to sleep with all the stuff attached too you in a foreign room knowing that people are watching you.

Good luck I know it is frustrating to be so close  -Deb

Just for the record-

People who have sleep apnea typically experience the following pattern:

1.  They fall asleep.

2.  The obstruction kicks in and they stop breathing.

3.  Their oxygyn level plummets.

4.  There heart  shows sign of stress.

5.  They wake up. I used to call it the "apnea dance" when I worked in the sleep lab- legs would girate and you would see the body giggle around until they woke up.

6.  They experience  a choking sensation, snoring is terrible for many (this comes before step 5).

7.  They wake up thereby regaining the muscle tone in the airway, and can again breath.  Oxygyn levels climb back up.  They fall asleep and the pattern repeats.  

It is terrible hard on your body.  If you have apnea, treat it!  Most anesthesiologists will not even perform surgery unless you have a cpap- huge risk factor!!

I do want the machine and plan on using it!  The at home study said I have apnea. I want to know if I will get the machine based upon those results? Because I can't sleep at the in lab one.