hypertension Sleep Apnea

[USMC_HVEQ]

I finally have a sleep study scheduled for March 31st. I was told to come in by 7pm. I'm assuming it is until the next morning. I've been waiting for an appointment for 3 months.

I am more than certain, that I have sleep apnea (OSA) and this study shall confirm it. Now I put a claim in stating I think sleep apnea was caused as a result of my PTSD (massive weight gain over 150 lbs) and/or HTN (hypertension). I only use the VA for medical care. I am wondering how to serivce connect it, once it is confirmed. I do not have anything in my SMR's that mention anything about OSA. I do have annotations in treatment notes from 2 pyschiatrists as well as my PCP, who put in the referral for the sleep study. I also have it noted in all 3 of my recent C&P exams. 1 of those exams, the examiner noted, I fell a sleep during the exam.

Symptomology-

• trouble sleeping and staying a sleep
  
• never feel rested, regardless of duration of sleep
  
• wake up with cotton mouth
  
• been told by numerous people that I snore extremely loud and my mouth is open
  
• my neck is 22" and I weigh about 380lbs. (disgusted to admit and put it out there but it is what it is).
  
• often tired during the daytime.
  
• trouble getting my body to go, when I do wake up
  

I'm interested in finding out what is going to take place at sleep study and I'm also interested in finding out how sleep apnea can be service connected w/o private IMO, since I only have the VA for health insurance, sicne i'm over 50% threshold.

[Vync]

With what you describe, it sounds like you have a good chance of having OSA. One thing to remember is to bring any medication they might have sent you, especially a sleep aid. When I had mine, they forgot to send me a sleep aid and I did not bring one. I ended up with about two or three hours of intermittent sleep. I only had a few apneas, but not enough to diagnose me. If I would have had my sleep aid, I'm pretty sure that the results would have been conclusive.

Do you sleep with someone else? Quite often they tend to be the ones to tell you that you stop breathing and/or gasp during your sleep.

[USMC_HVEQ]

thanks for the response. No I sleep by myself. Anytime I've slept over someones house, I've been told I snore very loud. I take prazosin for sleep to help with the ptsd. I will def take it when I go there. What occurred during the exam? I mean what did they hook on you? where people watchin you sleep? how long did it last from 7pm til when?

thansk for your adivce/help

[SLEDGE]

You will get wired up to a machine.

Do your normal nighttime stuff before you lay down.

The amount of time that it takes to be diagnosed varies.

I was put on the c-pap after 30 minutes of sleep.

The examiner thought I was gonna die.

The test lasted 6 hours, starting at 11 at night.

After 5 hours on the c-pap I knew we had hit a home-run.

They are not interested in providing you with a full night's rest.

Your sole purpose for being there is to be diagnosed, or not.

There isn't anything to worry about concerning the test.

sledge

[Vync]

They put me in a makeshift hotel room. They connected a bunch of electrodes to my head, neck, arms, legs, etc... The worst one was this little thing they clipped onto my nostrils. Because of my bad allergies, my nose itches all the time and the sensor drove me up the wall. People are not present in the room. They have a camera mounted on the ceiling and there are microphones so they can hear you. I had to go to the bathroom at night and just asked and the attendant helped me out of the bed and disconnected the wiring harness so I could go. They forced me to turn off the tv at about 10pm and awakened me at 5am. They had some coffee, fruit, and muffins available, but said I could go to the cafeteria if I wanted. I told them that I had to go to work, so they let the doc see me first. The doc gave me a copy of a line graph chart, which showed my oxygen level, sleep pattern, etc. She showed me where my oxygen level dipped and went over the entire chart. If I would have had more apneas, then the attendants would have came in and hooked me up to a cpap machine. They also monitor your movement too. For example, if I was running the 50 yard dash in bed, they would have diagnosed me with restless leg syndrome. They said that some people snore a lot because of the uvula (not sure about spelling), but it is that dangling thing in the back of your throat. Sometimes they can surgically remove it or reinforce the soft pallette in the back of your mouth to increase your airway.

Hope this helps.

[Pete53]

Be sure and take your meds like you always do or the study will not be right. It does not work right if you do not go to sleep.

They had hell with me cause I can't sleep and also have sleep apnea

[USMC_HVEQ]

Going to sleep study tonight (wenesday). I am currently on a wacky sleep schedule. I cant sleep right now. Inorder to sleep for the sleep study, Im going to stay awake til 8pm at least, that way, I will def sleep for my evaluation. Lately Ive been falling a sleep at 4am til 1pm, and waking up every few hrs and going back to sleep. I was told to bring pajamas when I arrive and to be there by 8pm. They also said you must be out of it by 7am then next morning. Now, when I get there, when do I go to bed? What goes on during the sleep study?