Sleep apnea testing.?

5 Comments

1. LEG says:

   July 8, 2009 at 9:26 am

   I have sleep apnea and I sleep using a continuious positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine. Your doctor should have explained what sleep apnea is. Apnea just means "absence of respiration" when you sleep. If you are not breathing your oxygen level can drop and can cause problems with heart rhythm, blood pressure problems and a lack of oxygen to the brain. Snoring is caused by the soft tissue in your upper airway relaxing and partially obstructing your airway. This can also drop your oxygen level.
   First, when you arrive at the sleep center, you may have to watch a video or read material explaining what sleep apnea is and other sleep disorders. The sleep tech will explain what they are going to do and will begin attaching wires and patches to your scalp to monitor your EEG (brainwaves) attach EKG patches to monitor your heart and will attach a device to your finger called a pulse oximetry to monitor your oxygen level. They will attach a tiny device in front of your mouth to measure air flow. You might attach a microphone to record your snoring. Next, expect a elastic wrap to be placed around your chest and abdomen to measure your chest rise and fall during respiration. You will also have leads attached to your legs with elastic to measure leg movements as some people have "restless leg syndrome" that wakes them up. All of these leads are connected to a computer for the tech to monitor while you sleep. The tech will be able to see how severe your sleep apnea is and will "score" your test to show to the sleep doctor. If you have sleep apnea and meet certain requirements you will need to come back a second night to be hooked up again. This time you will be also fitted with a mask device and put on a CPAP or a BiPAP machine. The tech will see what optimum pressure of air that you need to keep you airway open to allow you sleep. There are no painful procedures done. I have had my machine for 5 years and I will not sleep without it.
2. sarraw067 says:

   July 8, 2009 at 9:26 am

   you just sleep and they observe you
3. max says:

   July 8, 2009 at 9:26 am

   probably has single bed to a room with a camera, a pulse oximeter, and maybe an EKG
4. Cribber says:

   July 8, 2009 at 9:26 am

   I got tested for apnea. You go in, they take your blood pressure and temp, you know basic vitals. They give you a room like a hospital room kinda. It has a regular bed in it. You will be alone in the room, but there may be other people in the facility for sleep tests that night. They put these glue on wires on your head. There is no pain with it, but it is a little weird. They will put an oxygen sensor on your finger. Also doesn’t hurt. After you go to sleep they monitor what your brain is doing and what your oxygen levels are. A couple times in the night they will wake you up and ask you questions. If your oxygen level falls, they will wake you up and want to put you on a cpap machine. Now this can be hard to get used to, but you can do it. They wake you up pretty early and then you can go home. I ended up with a machine and it saved my life. I never knew that snoring could affect your heart!
5. Renee says:

   July 8, 2009 at 9:26 am

   well, my mom went through this a couple summers ago…

   what they do is..they set you up in a room for a night..the room kinda looks like a regular bedroom with TV..etc.
   When you are ready to go to sleep…the nurses/specialists come in and hook you up to electrodes and stuff…they measure how you sleep during the night and how many times you actually stop breathing..etc.
   I believe the second night they stick that breathing machine on your face…my mom said it is so uncomfortable…she didnt sleep well at all.

   But I could be wrong..they may do the breathing machine the first night as well. But yes..that is what to expect when you go.
   Good luck!