Local woman goes nuts during sleep study...trashes hospital...

This SOOOOO easily could have been the headline in today's paper!!! I'm joking of course, but I think you can gather from this post that I had my sleep study last night at AAMC (Sleep Services of America) and it did not go well. AWFUL!!!  I must be the world's biggest cry baby, and I should probably really learn to suck it up in time for surgery, but this was just the worst experience. Everything thus far has been easy. This was tough.

And you all warned me what to expect, but I still feel violated! First of all, how weird is it that you're being watched from one of those cameras they use on Ghost Hunters?! Second of all, what is that crap they put in your hair?! It's impossible to get out. I looked like I'd been beat up this morning. Last night before I went to sleep I had to fill out this questionnaire that asked me to circle the smiley face that indicated what my pain level was and I thought, "This is silly, I'm not in pain." Well this morning I was.

Here's my "Top 10" list of complaints with the experience ('cept it's not funny like on Letterman):
10) The bed was TERRIBLE. I think it was plywood with blankets. My neck feels so jacked up.
9) The room was blazing hot and SOOOO dry. My throat is raw today. I didn't sleep a wink (or so I thought). I don't see how they could have possibly gotten anything accurate from this study.
8) The belt around my chest was so tight that I could barely breathe. I also could not move without knocking something out of place, so I had to sleep on my back. Booooo!
7) What the hell is that thing they put in your nose?! That's the worst!
6) Goupy stuff in hair..still there.
5) All male staff and my tech came in practically every hour. Did not knock. Turned on lights. Used the loud speaker to talk to me during night. Freaked me the hell out.
4) I could hear everything going on in hallway and in other patient's room and someone was snoring/moaning so loud it sounded like a lamb being slaughtered.
3) He put all the electrodes and what not on me and then said "goodnight" and turned out the lights! The paperwork said to bring a book, even a snack. I brought my iPod but noooooo. They made it sound like a hotel. NOT!
2) Guess I don't need to wax my chin anytime in this century. The tape took off all hair and 3 layers of skin. I've got a red beard and two red squares on my face.
1) The tech told me first thing in the morning that I had to come back Tuesday because he was SURE I had sleep apnea.

It's #1 that upsets me the most! Bernice, I SO KNOW how you fee hearing you would have to come back for a second nightl. I teared up. I can't believe I have to do this again. I'm told that i don't snore by my partner and I don't have any issues with sleeping! It's like the one thing that I'm super good at! haha I love it!  I am such a good sleeper, or so I thought. I'd be suprised if I slept at all last night. Now I'm going to have to breathe with a machine at night?! This is so upsetting to me...so very upsetting.

Sorry that this post is so super negative but I just had to get it out of my system. Have a little pity party so I can move on. I knew you'd all understand. I think I just needed a reminder that it is all worth it.  

A very exhausted Laura
 

wow i'm exhausted now too! whew! i'm sorry your experience sucked so bad. i had two studies done at different times and although it was not pleasant, it was not that horrible either. if you do end up needing a machine, i have one if it isn't covered by your insurance. after you lose weight, it will get better i promise.

Thanks Nicole!  Sorry I exhausted you - haha I'm talented like that. haha I just had to get it out!   So you don't need your machine anymore?

i rarely used it when i had it LOL but my apnea was not that bad fortunately. that was a hundred lbs ago. i am not thin but don't think i have the apnea anymore. so i don't use it. i'd have to go in for another study to see what pressure to put it at if i wanted to use it. and we both know how fun that is!

Ohhhhhhh yeah. I'm going to go ahead and vote NO on you going back. And me too. ;)

I'm sorry you had such a horrible time.  I can't sleep on my back - I explained this to them.  I also don't snore but that's because I sleep on my stomach.

I felt horrible when they told me I had to go back in.  I literally cried.  But I sucked it up.

I do know I have apnea - but I didn't experience it until the week after surgery.  I was napping on my back and I stopped breathing (I was on the couch so I wasn't using my CPAP) and I stopped breathing and I woke up because gasping for breath hurt (surgery).

I had to wash my hair three or four times to get all the junk out.

*hugs*

Thanks Bernice :) ((hugs back))

Sorry your non sleep study sucked. So did mine. My hubby went to another place in Annapolis on 450 and it was much better. They are nasty at AAMC. Would never go back to them. I do have sleep apnea. It took me 4 months to go back for the 2ND part. The crap in the hair is the worst.

                                                                                                           Julie

It's is! It's like Crisco. Or thicker probably. It's kind of funny in retrospect. I wish I had taken my picture. No one can really understand how insane it is but all of you on OH! 

I'm starting to come down from my rant box and I'm just glad to be home. Perhaps that will change on Tuesday night when I have to have the follow-up visit. Apparently I will get fitted for a mask. If I'm going to look like I'm in the movie Top Gun...I think I should have a code name like they did!

That's awful.  I had a sleep study 2 week ago, and guess what it was done at home.  There are now machines that they teach you how to apply.  You still have the band and the nose piece and also a pule ox probe on your finger.  The best part in no goop in the hair.  While it was not the most comfortable experience being in my own bed made all the difference.  I was dx with OSA and now have to do Cpap tit rate for a week to measure what setting I will need, then I receive my own machine.  Get some rest.

Linda