I thought I'd start a post that will help anyone who is about to embark on an overnight stay at the hospital and I'm hoping that many postee's will help me to achieve this. I will start with what happend to me....
EDINBURGH
I arrived at Edinburgh hospital's sleep ward for my test at around 21.30. Not really knowing what to expect after being welcomed by the staff I was shown to my room by my nurse for the night and told to change. The room was very nice as hospital rooms go. Bed, wardobe, sink and a bedside table with all the electronics on it, oh and a camera on the wall. My first dilema of the night was what to wear. As I always sleep naked, I wasnt sure if this was ok but I decided on dignity and popped on some pj bottoms just incase. I sat there for over an hour waiting for the nurse to return. Eventually she did and she started to wire me up, which will take some time as there are loads of wires from your head to your chest to legs, they are everywhere.
So thats me, it's around 11pm and she dims the lights and says goodnight. Being a nightshift worker I knew that my night would be sleepless and long so I laid there waiting for sleep to take me. An hour in and I had another problem, I needed to pee. Not being allowed out my room, I pressed the buzzer for the nurse and in she comes, I tell her my problem and she quickly nips out and back with a bottle!!! This happend about 4 times during the night which was quite a shock as I never usually go, I put it down to nerves. So into the night I go staring into space and pulling faces at the camera as I was very bored. Eventually around 4am I nodded off for about 90 minutes, which later I was told was enough for them to see I had OSA (Severe). Morning finally came and thank god as I was going stir crazy with bordem. A nurse finally came to take all the leads off which had been my main problem for not sleeping. I was shown the breakfast room and the shower room and told the doctor would be along shortly to give me my results.
My nurse return within 5 minutes to tell me that the doctor was not available and that I can go whenever I wanted, I stood there listning to here, NAKED! she never battered an eyelid. I have to admit I had never vacated a hospital quicker not because she saw me naked, that kind of thing never bothers me but because I needed to see the outside world, Oh yes and have a ciggy as well.
Was it a bad experience, for me NO, it was interesting. I would have changed things if I had knew more about my sleep over. I would have took more than my book, I would have taken my MP3 Player as well. My result came through quite a while after but I had asked my nurse before I left if I did infact has osa and she told me yes and it was severe and that was that.
TIPS
Wear what you normaly sleep in (Light, as its warm)
Take something to entertain you, if you can't sleep.
Dont drink too much, unless you dont mind bedpans and bottles.
Dont worry about electrode glue on your hair (They dont use glue)
Smokers, wear a patch for the night, it will help.
If in doubt, ask. They are there to help you.
...and dont forget your watch.
Clinics will be different around the country but for Edinburgh this is pretty much what will happen to you. It's not a bad experience and the staff are very helpfull so if you have a problem then ask away, Im sure they will tell you anything, also please feel free to ask me any questions about Edinburgh
Graham
EDINBURGH
I arrived at Edinburgh hospital's sleep ward for my test at around 21.30. Not really knowing what to expect after being welcomed by the staff I was shown to my room by my nurse for the night and told to change. The room was very nice as hospital rooms go. Bed, wardobe, sink and a bedside table with all the electronics on it, oh and a camera on the wall. My first dilema of the night was what to wear. As I always sleep naked, I wasnt sure if this was ok but I decided on dignity and popped on some pj bottoms just incase. I sat there for over an hour waiting for the nurse to return. Eventually she did and she started to wire me up, which will take some time as there are loads of wires from your head to your chest to legs, they are everywhere.
So thats me, it's around 11pm and she dims the lights and says goodnight. Being a nightshift worker I knew that my night would be sleepless and long so I laid there waiting for sleep to take me. An hour in and I had another problem, I needed to pee. Not being allowed out my room, I pressed the buzzer for the nurse and in she comes, I tell her my problem and she quickly nips out and back with a bottle!!! This happend about 4 times during the night which was quite a shock as I never usually go, I put it down to nerves. So into the night I go staring into space and pulling faces at the camera as I was very bored. Eventually around 4am I nodded off for about 90 minutes, which later I was told was enough for them to see I had OSA (Severe). Morning finally came and thank god as I was going stir crazy with bordem. A nurse finally came to take all the leads off which had been my main problem for not sleeping. I was shown the breakfast room and the shower room and told the doctor would be along shortly to give me my results.
My nurse return within 5 minutes to tell me that the doctor was not available and that I can go whenever I wanted, I stood there listning to here, NAKED! she never battered an eyelid. I have to admit I had never vacated a hospital quicker not because she saw me naked, that kind of thing never bothers me but because I needed to see the outside world, Oh yes and have a ciggy as well.
Was it a bad experience, for me NO, it was interesting. I would have changed things if I had knew more about my sleep over. I would have took more than my book, I would have taken my MP3 Player as well. My result came through quite a while after but I had asked my nurse before I left if I did infact has osa and she told me yes and it was severe and that was that.
TIPS
Wear what you normaly sleep in (Light, as its warm)
Take something to entertain you, if you can't sleep.
Dont drink too much, unless you dont mind bedpans and bottles.
Dont worry about electrode glue on your hair (They dont use glue)
Smokers, wear a patch for the night, it will help.
If in doubt, ask. They are there to help you.
...and dont forget your watch.
Clinics will be different around the country but for Edinburgh this is pretty much what will happen to you. It's not a bad experience and the staff are very helpfull so if you have a problem then ask away, Im sure they will tell you anything, also please feel free to ask me any questions about Edinburgh
Graham
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