Fibromyalgia Support Group

Not!

Last night, I went in for my sleep study. I had the last appointment of the day (8:45pm) by choice. I also asked to be the first to be awakened, saying I had three dogs locked up in the house and I lived an hour away.

I was covered, literally head to toe in wires, including a rather heavy series of wires plugged into my chin, and several glued to my hair with some sort of goo....horrible feeling . I was also strapped tightly in three areas.

I came well-prepared. I had made a special purchase just for this event. Knowing I couldn't haul in my three mattress pads, including my heated one, I bought a body-sized heating pad meant for sleeping on.

Three times during the night, I was awakened and told to sleep on my back. I can't sleep on my back, due to pain. Three times, I rolled onto my back, stayed wide awake and in pain. I had to get permission to roll back to my side so I could try to sleep.

Unbeknownst to me, during one of these wakenings, my heating pad had been unplugged. Thinking the woman had just tripped over it, I asked her to plug it back in. She refused, saying it interferred with her monitors. I was not happy.

My heated mattress pad is the only thing that allows me enough relief from pain during the night to try to sleep comfortably. This body-sized heating pad was supposed to help me last night, but since it was not allowed, I was in intense pain all night.

Well, they woke me up at 5:30, as promised, but I couldn't get out of the bed. A few times after they woke me, they kept asking if I needed more time to wake up. I told them no...I just didn't know how I was going to get out of the bed, due to being in so much pain.

They ended up having to bring a wheelchair to the room and locking it down to stabilize me while I tried to get up. With much effort, I finally pried myself off the bed and plopped down into the wheelchair. And this was how I got undressed, dressed, and packed - from a wheelchair.

I had to ask one of them to get me my cane which I keep for emergencies in the trunk of my car, but I couldn't walk and carry everything like that, so it was to no avail. I had to be wheeled out to my car in the chair.

I have been home since 7:30 this morning, but I am still in so much pain, I'm afraid to take a shower...afraid of collapsing. So I still have this horrible goo in my hair and I feel gross.

I just had to share this today. I hope everone else is having a better day.

It's weird how each sleep study goes so differently. I can see that the heated mattress pad would cause interference with their computers and stuff but when I had my sleep study, I just had electrodes gooed to my head. If I turned to my side, they didn't wake me. I went to the sleep study in my pajamas and they woke me at 4 a.m. to go home so I didn't have to dress. I even drove home in my slippers. During the second test with the CPAP machine, I did the same thing although I did wear a robe both times. I hope you will recover quickly from your night of pain.

Im so sorry you had such a rough night Unfortunetly something like your heating pad cant be plugged in during a sleep study. Everything interferes & causes "artifacts" on the study,the rooms are actually sheilded from outside interferences. Even a tech wearing certain clothing or shoes can interfere. Thats also why they had electrodes under your chin, etc. They have to explain every movement of the EEG, so every little twitch has to be monitored so they can say "no, thats not a seizure, apnea, etc-she just had a nerve jump in her chin, eye, etc". Which, if you had a good tech then it was worth all the crap you had to go through, if you had a bad tech, the doctor could look at the study and it not be good enough then you would have to go through it all again. And you could have over 30 electrodes just on your head. You may take a few shampoos to get the electrode paste out of your hair, but trust me, it will come out. I know its no fun, I think I took out half of hubby's hair when I was practicing electrode placement. (OOPS!!) Take it easy, don't push to jump in the shower, we dont want you collapsing on us! So relax, and feel better soon! (((HUGS)))

Sisrozzie, when I had my sleep study in December. I had electrodes on the top of my head, behind my ears, at my temples, two on each arm, two on each leg, and two on my chest. She put some goo on before attaching those little white things. I was afraid to turn over for fear of ripping the wires off my legs and arms. I'm an all over sleeper I don't stay in one position for long. When I was on my back is when I had 142 respiratory episodes as they called them. I wouldn't have been on my back if I didn't have all them wires on me. Now I know how Frankenstein felt. They woke me up half way thru and gave me the cpap. They even kept me over a bit so that they could get a better reading. I was there from 8:45 PM to 7:30 AM. The first cpap bugged me to death and burned my face. The bleach they use to clean them with was terrible. The second one was the little ditties you stick up your nose. That was the worst thing I ever went thru. I did have a shower in my room but I just wanted to get home and in my own bed so I could fall asleep. So I put my hood up and ran to the car and chipped the ice off of it and drove home. I got the bill the other day too. Nearly had another heart attack. $4200. Luckily my insurance covered it 100% cause I met my out of pocket max earlier on in the year.

Ok, Well all I have to say is thank you guys and No thank you to a sleep study!

Starr, I am so sorry. I too am dependent on my heating pads and blankets not so much to get to sleep but to be able to move in the morning. I am pretty sure I would have the same reaction as you. That is just wrong

I do not know how I would handle that. Are you allowed to take sleep medication when you take it?

I am so sorry you're in so much pain Starr

All I have to say is if it is a requirement to sleep on your back I am NEVER doing this. I have never been able to sleep on my back and even more so now with OA, herniated discs and DDD, forget it! No heat? And if you can't take anything to sleep than it ain't happening folks! Wow, what an eye opener.

When I had a sleep study done two years ago, I was also pretty uncomfortable with all of the wire and electrodes ... the guy in charge of the study also wanted me to lay on my back to sleep but I just couldn't. My back and shoulders were so sore that night also but the guy said many people can't get comfortable on their backs and told me to try laying on my side. I was diagnosed with medium to severe sleep apnea and given the device to wear at bedtime. Although I know that I should be using it, the oxygen level needs to be set at 14 which is way too high for me. I never got any other alternatives to reducing the oxygen level so I had to quit wearing it.

I agree with Iknowpain and Casty. Starr, you have definitely talked me out of a sleep study. Actually, one has never been mentioned for me - but I know the answer now, unless I am desperate. My dad was diagnosed with severe sleep apnea several years ago, and had to have major surgery in which his jaw was broken and moved forward, plus other follow-up surgeries. He has never been the same - can't taste food well, can't eat certain things, still numb around lips, several infections associated with screws in bone, etc. The recovery from the surgery was horrible. This surgery is not the treatment of choice, but his was so bad that it was necessary - the cpap didn't help him much at all. Needless to say, a sleep study is on my list of "Things NOT to do!"

And, Starr, I hope you get this pain in control soon, and can have a decent night's sleep tonight.

Post edited by: AutumnSunset, at: 02/19/2009 15:40

OK. Now I am really freaking out!

Autumn, You are describing the jaw surgery I need. Now I think my jaw locking up and that pain may be better.

My father had severe sleep apnea and always took the cpap off in his sleep. Although he had other health concerns sleep apnea was his official cause of death on his death certificate.

I am sure you guys are going to tell me not only can I not have my pills but my pillows will be a no no too. It would takes me weeks to recover from trying this.

And now the surgery too?!?!?

NO NO NO NO NO!!!!!!

Hi to everyone. I had the lighted scope put up the nose and down the esophagus last year. The ENT talked the whole time about this and that and when he was done he said that I have: Sleep Apnea, Deviated Septum, GERD, and some kind of disease thing that results in dry eyes and mouth. Can't remember the name of it because I just closed my mind to all that. I told him the Fibro was enough for me and that I didn't need him adding to the list. I went there for a constant sore throat problem but I got every kind of diagnosis but that one. He set me up with the sleep center, gave me 3 scripts for acid reducers. He didn't even numb me for the scope. He said I was amazingly tolerant of the scope. Gee, tanks doc! I called his office the next day and cancelled him and the sleep study and I only take one of the GERD Rx's. I saw what the cpap machine looks like and I would go into total panic if I had one of those suckers strapped to my head! It's never going to happen! You guys use heat blankets? I sweat so bad at night from the Tramadol that I couldn't do any heat but I really wish I could now because it sounds so good to me right now.