sleep clinic question

So I'm having my surgery at Legacy and I just got my appointment for the sleep study consult.  It's at Willamette Sleep Center.  First thing, I didn't realize I'd do a consult first.  weird.  anyway, I truly don't think I have sleep apenea.  Even doing the 10 question "if you answer more than 2 of these..." I only answered 1 and I don't even think my restless legs are restless leg syndrum because I have fribro myalgea.   So, my question is... if the sleep person determines I don't need a study... will that be okay for Legacy?  or do you think I'll have to do one anyway?  I just worry about the insurance aspect.  If the clinic says "no, you don't need a study" and Legacy says "yes you do" then my insurance isn't going to pay for it.  

I recently switched to Willamette Sleep Center and I love it. Much nicer that doing a study in a hospital. The rooms are like tastefully decorated bedrooms - the doc's wife has furnished them. Much nicer than what I have at home - LOL! The beds look like regular beds. The rooms have private baths. There is a shared mini kitchen with snacks too.

I think Dr. Gabr will know what's required by Legacy - he seems very knowledgable. Just relax and enjoy a night away from home! Pretend the wires aren't there....

You would be surprised.  If you have any trouble sleeping at night, there is a chance you have apnea.  I knew I had horrible sleep problems.  Sleep apnea was my co-morbidity that qualified me for surgery.  You do have to have a consult first.  They check the tissues in your throat (mostly through an open your mouth and say AH!), then ask about any sleep problems, etc.  The sleep study isn't fun, but it's very interesting. Linda

I'm in Salem and going through Good Sam also and had my sleep study back in October at Willamette Sleep Center. I was annoyed that I had to have a consult first also, then you have to have a follow up after the sleep study to hear your results. I got zero on the 10 question test and was told I most likely did not have sleep apnea but the sleep study was done anyways. I was very unimpressed with Dr.Gabr, the office staff, and their techs, they were unprofessional and by the time my study was over I was seriously considering whether the surgery was worth it if it meant ever having to go through that again. While Dr.Patterson, the nurse practitioner at the obesity institute, and my pcp all said my apnea was so mild (11 instances of apnea and hypopnea in 57 mins) that it did not require CPAP and would likely resolve with a 20lb weight loss, Dr.Gabr said I needed to come back for another sleep study to titrate the CPAP but didn't bother to mention that a little weight loss would more than likely do the trick which of course I knew and did not

Great, that's not encouraging.  The application alone was so empty after I was done with it and I had a TON of "nevers".  I think that's annoying what you had to go through.  It sounds like the company was in it more for the money than anything else!  and did you insurance cover the machine after all that? Sarah

Go****'s interesting how we each have such different observations of a similar process. I agree with many of your comments in your blog, Deep Secret, both about Dr. G and sleep studies in general. I didn't have a study at Willamette yet, but I had 2 back in Pennsylvania 11 years ago and one in the lab at Salem Hospital about 8 years ago. Since then I have not had to have a study, just have a special CPAP that included a processor that recorded sleep data.

I've had both male and female techs. Personally, I'm probably abnormal in that I am not very modest - too many years as a jock maybe. Anyway, if having a male tech makes you uncomfortable, it is really surprising to me that they did not switch you to the female tech, but maybe they were either insensitive, or they were too rushed. But if this is an issue for you, I'd be sure to insist on a same-sex tech. It hasn't been for me, but I can understand how distressing it might be for someone like yourself. I forget - did you say that was asked prior to the study night or that night? If that night, I agree that is poor planning and scheduling on the part of the office - they should ask ahead and schedule with that in mind. If it is a priority for you, circle it in RED!.

I failed my 1st ever sleep study. At that time I was also running on a late to bed (1am or later) schedule. Of course I couldn't fall alseep when the tech's schedule wanted to me to. I tried to argue her out of putting me to bed so early, but she insisted. OK, I tried it - very doubtful that I could sleep. Now mind you, this was in a LAB, not a faux bedroom, but a rather chilly lab. I had her unhook me at 2 am to stand on the loading dock and have a smoke - this was before I quit, and I'd been w/o once since 9 pm - LOL!

Anyway, she ended sending me home at 3:00 am, as back then, they seemed to need at least 4-5 hours to look at all sleep stages. Plus they used the lab during the day for some sort of neurology studies.

So I told my friends and colleagues that I "failed" my 1st sleep study. I had an 2nd try at it and I was provided a mild sedative that would help me fall asleep but would not interfere with the things they wanted the equipment to catch. Male tech, more competent than the woman. 

My 3rd study was at Salem Hospital with a male tech. As I said, M/F tech does not bother me, especially in medical settings. I am a bit of a geek, interested in both computers & medicine, so we chatted our way through the set up with no problems. I asked questions, he anwered. He explained all the widgets that we new since my study in PA. He was sort of geeky too, Because of my past history with difficulty sleeping, I again took a mild sleeping aid.

I think this is a good lesson to those who do have privacy issues. Be sure to make that known.

Also if you are on a sleep schedule different from what they want you to adhere to, make that known and consider a relaxation medication.

Oh, and as to Dr. G's manner - my shrink tipped me off about that. She said he is a much better sleep doc than the one I had previously. His manner is just a bit Aspergery (geek to the extreme). BTW, I am not making fun of anyone, my step son is an Aspergian (a mild form of Autism, proper name is Asperger's Syndrome). But if I had not know than ahead of time, I might have thought him cold and mechanical.

Also, during all my studies, I have aways showered at the lab the morning after. I can't WAIT to get the gunky stuff off. I want it off me & out of my hair ASAP! Again, for they shyer folks, you might prefer to shower at home.

my apnea was so mild (11 instances of apnea and hypopnea in 57 mins) that it did not require CPAP and would likely resolve with a 20lb weight loss

I agree that it will likely resolve with weight loss.

Is 11 instances mild? Gosh, I wonder how many instances I have! 

I will be having my sleep study on Friday at a local Marriott Residence Inn just north of the waterfront campus of OHSU.  The room will have a bed and bathroom and I can bring things of comfort to the sleep study.  I am to report to a room at 8 PM and then the sleep techs will take me to the room where I will be sleeping.  I will get to do my usual activities like watching TV or reading until it is time for the sleep study to start.  Once the sleep study starts, I will need to focus on getting some sleep.  The sleep techs will be monitoring me from the room next door and will wake me up at 6 AM so that they can go home and sleep themselves.  After that, I will shower and dress and then eat their free breakfast in the morning and I was told that the breakfast would be to die for. I was clearly told that my initial appointment would be a consult with a NP.  I went thru the interviewing process and the NP determined that I should get an overnight sleep study.  The NP told me what to expect at that study.  She also said that if the sleep techs determine that I have sleep apnea, then I will be fitted for a CPAP machine right on the spot.  She mentioned that the sleep study will be supervised by a physician.  She faxed a prescription for a fast-acting sleeping pill to be taken if I don't fall asleep within a certain time during the sleep study.  The initial appointment took a little over 2 hours. Because the sleep study involves 800-1,200 pages of data, it will take time for my sleep study to be interpreted and summarized.  Plus, many employees take off for the holidays.  That's the reason my follow-up appointment is about a month afterwards.  Plus, I will be having that appointment with a different NP because the NP at the initial appointment is on leave. Initial appointments scheduled for during the day may just be a consult.  Sleep studies are scheduled only for overnight unless patients are day sleepers.

so I had my appointment with the PA at Legacy today and shared some of my concerns about the sleep test and the Willamette center in general.  She told me that if I have mild sleep apnea to NOT go through another test until I have the results sent to her for review.  She said if it's mild, I should not be buying a machine as the weight loss will cure the issue alone.  I too am not very modest... for the most part.  So I don't think it'll bother me to have a male tech.  However I think they should ask you.  That's just inappropriate not to.  As for the Aspergers thing.  I can get that.  My 14 year old son has Aspergers... so I TOTALLY understand that mentality!  lol Thanks everyone for the updates.  it's be VERY nice to know what to expect.  Especially at Willamette.  I have heard not-so-good things about them.  Mentioned them to the PA too and she said she'd be sure to research it.  She said if she sees an issue, she's going to stop referring people over to them.  :) Thanks again.