Test

I got a call from the town hospital (respiratory clinic)  that the test machine is available . So I go pick it up tomorrow at 1 pm.  
Does anyone know if they can tell if I have sleep apnea ?  Or is that what its for ?
I hope so, because if I do have it  ,  I want my Dr to be able to write out the prescription for me .
The waiting list at the SJ hospital for sleep study is 10 mths to a year. That will be no good to me . I feel like I am always worring about something .

Hi Cat....after you take the test, they send the report to St John to the specialist there *****views it, makes recommendations and sends it back to both your family dr and Vitalaire.  Your dr will give you an RX and then Vitalaire can set you up with a machine right away,  setting the controls to whatever the dr in St John recommends.  So to answer your question, they will know right away if you have sleep apnea after you turn the machine back into them.  I can't remember if they tell you right away, they may wait until the specialist reads the print outs. I know I was on a machine almost right away after doing the night oxometer (don't know if thats spelled right???).  It won't take long.  I didn't go to do the overnight thing in St John for quite a while.  It was after I redid the overnight at home and still wasn't getting the results they wanted that I was sent down there. If you do the machine and do the overnight thing again and they find total improvement, you may not even have to go to St John.

So, my dear, on to your next worry!!!  I should cover myself by saying this is how it all worked with me.  THings change so much, that I can't be 100% sure it'll be the same for you.  Ask them when you go pick up the machine!!! They are a great bunch, Vitalaire!!

The oxemeter records your blood oxygen all nighty. Mine dipped into the 70"s- it's a wonder I didn't suffer brain damage....wait a minute....mmmmm..it would explain a lot.....any way, it wasn't very long before I had my machine. My machine came from Medi-gas. They let me try a few masks, before settling on a choice. It takes a week or 2 to get used to the machine. The first few nights I only slept for a couple of hours with the mask before taking it off. Slowly I slept longer and longer with the mas****il it became the best night sleep I'd had  in years.

I had my test last week-end. They were really quick getting me the test equipment as I went to see my doctor on Monday, and the sleep lab called me that Wednesday. I did my test last Friday night, and I brought the equipment back on Monday morning. The girl there asked me when I may be having my surgery and I told here it would probably be early in the new year, and she said that it takes about a month for them to get the info back to Dr. Savoie. I hope that they let me know the results.

I should have taken pictures of myself all hooked up. :-D

Can I ask a stupid question about sleep apnea? There are some nights where I wake up, and I have stopped breathing, I make this horrible 1/2 scream 1/2 inhilation sound thinking that i can't catch my breath again, and then my heart just beats wildly. . Is this sleep apnea? It's really weird, and I hate it when it happens.

 After that description,  feel safe in diognosising you with apnea.  I seldom woke up completely when I stopped breathing. I apparently never got into a deep sleep and I was so tired when diagnosised that the doctor took my drivers license away for 2 weeks.

Oh man Charline, that sounds unreal! Do you feel better now?

I kind of thought that it may be. I was never sure, and I didn't know what the heck it was. All I know is that it scared the ever-lovin' doodoo out of me.

Hmmmm.... it may explain why my head nods sometimes at work when someone is talking to me, and why I can never read a book without falling asleep.

Casey , I hope that you are right about that . I really hope that I dont have to go through the study again, like I said there is a almost a year wait & I dont have the time ( at least I hope I don't ) .
I have heard that rest is 100% different when you start using the cpap machine . You really feel rested. 
I will have a few questions to ask her tomorrow . 
PN..it  sounds scary what you are having , I have never felt llike that . 
I have been told that I snore a lot & I do wake up a lot in the night . 
This will tell the tale once in for all.  I will take that machine back in on Monday. 
How long before you get the results ?  
Well I better get off to bed.,I 'm tired. Night everyone  

I concur with Charline, that is classic sleep apnea.  When I first met my now husband, I used to travel back and forth to St John to visit him and one night I fell asleep at the wheel (another sign of sleep apnea!).  That scared the daylights out of me but fortunately before I hit the gravel on the opposite side of the road, I came to.  I got my machine and had so many problems with the mask and using it, that I just gave up after while.  My dr happened to ask me about it during one visit and after I told him what I thought about the machine, he, too, threatened to have my drv's license suspended.  So the medical folks take this quite seriously!!  Good luck!

Oh I forgot to mention (i don't know if you have a partner/hubby), but that mask spells the end of spontanious lovin' in he middle of the night. Consider yourself lucky of you don't scare him into a heart attack!! LOL  

I can just imagine!!  Or you could do great Darth Vader impressions. :-D

I broke up with my boy-friend a year ago, and I've been so happy with my freedom that I haven't looked for anyone else. :-D Of course, if I ever get this weight off, that might change.