The Difinitive Guide to your "Sleep Test"

[Sparticus]

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

[Sleep2Snore]

Edinburgh used to do a day test for Night Shift workers.
They used to do a day test for anyone that requested it, but there are implications on staff that have always been a problem, so they may not do it now.
It is very warm as it is a hospital, so men might be advised to sleep topless as for woman ware something very light.
Staff there are very good, but they can only help in some things if you ask, so don't hold back with the questions even if you think they are not important. The question might seem a bit silly not worth bothering them with, but it is important to you , so do ask. They have heard nearly every question you can think of and think nothing of you asking.

[ohcrob]

Sparticus, perhaps if u were to forward a naked photo of yourself to me, I could assess whether the nurse's reaction was appropriate? (purely in the interests of medical science of course!)

[Sparticus]

Sparticus, perhaps if u were to forward a naked photo of yourself to me, I could assess whether the nurse's reaction was appropriate? (purely in the interests of medical science of course!)

You old flirt I stared her straight in the face and she only glanced down twice

[Berneta]

Nude or Not

HI Guys, here in the States the Sleep Apnea Centers send out a flyer to their clients about what is expected from them. First on the list is bring PJ's or something with a top and bottom for both men and/or women to wear while sleeping. Most nurses have seen naked men in their work--but prefer to keep private parts covered if possible. That also applies to DR's Offices--the Emegency Room-- and Surgical Rooms. Here the appropriate thing to do, would have been to politely cover yourself with a towel or something, without making a big deal out of it. Most nurses do have modesty and prefer for men to consider their feelings in the matter. Perhaps she just didn't care for MEN in a personal way at all. LOL. IN that case, your nudity would not have interested (or offended) her at all. Of course personal behavior in Americans may be very diifferent from those in Europe. We tend not to agree on a lot of things. The thing that matters is that you got tested for OSA-- and not for being Naked. We do have some nudists in this country though---who it would not have caused a glance from. x Berneta

[Sparticus]

I did ask her about this and she told me that it happens alot and it didnt bother her, I still apologised

I guess is this line of work a nude man is the last thing on this womens mind, more like its break time soon, and Im dying for a ciggy or did I put the cat out........

[ohcrob]

it's settled, i'm gonna be a nurse!

[Grumpy]

Tested at home

I was just given a load of stuff to take home and instructed on how to fit everything together. Straps around the chest, canula up the nostrils, oximeter on the finger and all connected to a little box strapped to my chest. I was so tired after putting it on I had the best nights sleep in ages!

[ElleCee]

I am due to go for my first 'proper' consultation on the 4th January at a new (to me) sleep clinic. Can anyone tell me what they do?

Cheers
Lorraine

[Tigers Fan]

LOttery

Hi Lorraine

How I wish it were possible to say what your sleep clinic will do!! Maybe someone who has attended the same clinic could give you a clue but apart from that, they are all so very different.

Wouldn't it be wonderful to have a 'standard' sleep test (or one for each OSA condition) and 'standard' practice at follow-ups. so we could know what to expect, when we are or are not getting the full recommended serevice, what is and what is not available, a choice of APAP or CPAP, etc, etc.

But this is the NHS, who interpret the NICE guidlines to suit themselves and we all get something different. I say this based on two and a half years of reading in this forum of the differences between clinics. There seems to be an increasing trend of sending you home with all the kit - a DIY sleep study.

I have yet to meet 'my consultant' - if she actually exists.

TF

[Berneta]

Sleep Clinic

Hi Lorraine, Wish I could help but our Sleep Clinics are very different in the States. We don't do the home test stuff. We spend a couple nights in the clinic with our heads, chests, hearts, and legs wired up to machines-- and sleep with our oxygen being monitored while the whole thing is filmed for the Dr. We sleep without the CPAP the first night-- and the second night with it. All the time with the Sleep Therapist is on duty in another room watching screens all night, and popping in and out to adjust machines and masks, and to re-attach leds that have come loose. Its all so intensive its a wonder we sleep at all. On my second night with the CPAP she came in while I was sleeping to adjust my nose mask because of a leak. She bent over me, and I sensed someone and jerked back with a scream-- quickly followed by her scream, as I had startled her. LOL. Bet the Dr got a laugh out of that! Good luck to you, x Berneta

[ElleCee]

Thanks for the laugh Bernetta,
I expect they will make an appointment for a sleep test after my initial appointment.
I have to admit that I have stopped using my rig since the 11th Dec and to be honest I think I am better off not using it. I will see what they say when I go. I don't mind using it but I there seems to be little difference between using it and not.
Lorraine

[Sparticus]

The Guide

The reason I posted this thread was so that we can get a general idea of each sleep clinic around the country so people can advise on different clinics, I know for some they maybe no one else in that area but one day they might. If we can get most peeps to name there clinic then we can get a good idea where to direct people to someone who uses that clinic.

Sparticus - Edinburgh

[ElleCee]

My clinic is now the Queen Victoria Hospital Sleep Centre (Which is not in the hospital, as I found out today after paying the £3 parking fee!). It is about 2 miles away in an old victorian house. very quaint.

Lorraine