truckerdad57
Joined: 22 May 2008
Posts: 143
|
 how is a sleep study done
There are actually two general kinds of sleep studies. and I bet if you look at the sticky notes elsewhere you can find better and more complete information about sleep studies.....
1) Full - in lab.. AKA polysonogram AKA PSG
2) portable - AKA at home AKA 4 channell
1) The full in lab study you will go to a sleep lab in the evening. The technician will attach a BUNCH of leads to measure breathing, heart, leg muscles, eye movement, EEG (brain waves).. and a bunch of stuff I can't remember about. You will sleep during the study.
If you have sleep apnea REALLY bad they will wake you up during the study and set you up with a CPAP and adjust the pressure during the second half of the sleep study (AKA a split study). Otherwise you will wake up.. the study goes to your sleep doctor for evaluation and they go from there.
Hints on a in-lab study.. ask if the lab has a shower you can use after... getting the "junk" off from attaching the leads is a problem. Many labs have a shower.. so bring your shower stuff. Also, wear some comfortable loose gym shorts or something you can sleep in.. yet the technician can get all the leads on. If you have a special pillow (I use a "body pillow" I like to hug while sleeping) bring it along.
2) At home studies I have not had one so my information is second hand... its a small unit that will have a nasal canulla under your nose to record breathing and usually a finger clip probe to measure blood oxygen.
Talk to your sleep doctor about which kind of test would be best in your case. The at home test are cheaper and easier to get scheduled. But, they don't give the sleep doctor as much information about how you sleep.. and will not be useful to diagnose some kinds of more complicated sleep disorders such as central apnea.
Good Luck.. and asking questions and getting more information is part of learing to deal with sleep apnea..
_________________
Just a truck driver with sleep apnea
|
