Question:
Sleep Apnea Testing - Not feeling well. Can I still Test?

For the past week I have had a post nasal drip that has turned into a minor cough. It took me a long time to get this appointment (tonight) and I do not want to cancel. Although I feel OK today, I could not talk this weekend and I tossed-and-turned all last night. This is not to norm for me, I usually sleep through the night. My pulmonology tests came back perfect but the Pulmonologist ordered the sleep apnea test because I fell asleep driving last year (in 101 degree stop and go traffic at a light) and I am sometimes tired when I drive. Anyhow, can I still take the test if I am under the weather?    — meliss0725 (posted on April 22, 2003)

April 21, 2003
Congestion has nothing to do with stopping breathing from sleep apnea. The overall results should not be affected by your sinus stuff. It might cause you to mouth breathe more but would not cause cessation of breathing, assuming you have some. <p>I had a sleep study in 1997 that ended up being a bust because I had gotten cortisone shots in both knees that day and I got a horrendous headache off the shots and could not get sleep. Then I took my headache medicine, which they said I could, but had to take so much that I had way too much caffeine in my system. I did manage to get enough sleep to determine I did not have sleep apnea but it did nothing to diagnose my daytime sleepiness. I had to get at least 5 or 6 hours of sleep to do the daytime stuff and I only got 4 hours of crap sleep. The doctor almost went with those results until I reminded him about the caffeine in my headache medicine. He decided to repeat the study and I came up with a very rare, very severe, daytime sleep disorder. After 7-1/2 hours of sleep I fell asleep in all daytime sleep studies in 5 minutes or less and one of them in 2-1/2 minutes. Like I said even though this was so goofed up they still could tell that I did not have sleep apnea. <p>I also had to have a new sleep study before my WLS in 2003 as the surgeon suspected I could have sleep apnea because of my BMI/weight. I thought it was a waste but he was right. I actually had moderate to severe SA. The first test I had my back hurt just horrible and I tossed and turned all night and was up and down etc., but they were still able to determine I had SA. I had to have a 2nd test to do the titration for my machine as the first one wasn't ordered with having that done because I really did not think I had SA. <p>So don't worry that your stuffed head will affect determining a diagnosis of SA. If you sleep horrendous it may affect determining your daytime sleepiness, but that could be dealt with at a later date after surgery also, if it can't be figured out this time. All I know is that my daytime sleepiness sort of slowly snuck up on me. I used to drive 13 hours at a stretch once in a while with no problems. Then over a few years I got to the point I was dropping off driving within a half hour or less, so it is very serious and something to get diagnosed. I had a 88% sleepiness index after 7-1/2 hours of 87% efficient sleep. Now that's bad. Many states my license would have been taken away till I was stablilized with medication, fortunatley mine did not as it would have been a disaster. But I had to be extremely careful until the meds were in full force. I do have to take medication for the rest of my life but once I found the right meds life is quite normal for me now. Good Luck! Chris
   — zoedogcbr

April 21, 2003
I would think that you could.DON'T take a nap today. Do something that will make you tired. Bring your own pillow. You want to be able to sleep tonight in a different bed. Good Lux
   — Robert L.

April 22, 2003
When I had my first sleep study, I was just getting over a cold and could not breathe through my nose very well. They woke me up after I'd been asleep for about 4 hours to put a CPAP mask on me and I couldn't tolerate it because I was mouth breathing. I ended up having to go back so they could monitor me with the mask on. However, if you can breathe through your nose, you shouldn't have any problem.
   — garw

April 22, 2003
The first time I went for my test I could not fall asleep. I had to reschedule and do the blasted test again. Whoever heard of failing a sleep test?
   — Wanda R.

April 24, 2003
When I had mine done I was laying awake 3/4 of the night due to that I had a cold and I am clastrophopic and had a huge problem with the wires and the mask..The where finally beable to check when I crashed around 4 am...
   — Birgit T.