Has anyone had a sleep study done?

MyLungCancer

I am having trouble getting any sleep and I figure it's all the treatment, side effects, etc. But I'm wondering if a study would be a waste of time? Anyone had any luck? Or, how have you gotten sleep short of sleeping pills?

Molly72

YUCK-- I just had one done to see if I have sleep apnea. I do, I told them before the test, but of course, they don't believe you!
You are put in a cheap hotel-style room, then a cranky nurse sticks glue & vaseline in your hair & attaches little electrical sensor things and wires all over your body. In the room is a camera, & a microphone aimed directly at you. The blankets are thin material that no doubt were borrowed from a local prison. Then you TRY to sleep. You are "awakened" at about 5:00AM & un-attached & sent home.

A couple of weeks later, you are sent a letter full of such gibberish medical jargon, that even a dr. could not understand. It tells you that you have sleep apnea, or maybe not.

Then you have a second test, just like the first, but with masks & things stuck in your nose that send a rush of air into your nose.
I haven't had the second one, because I had a cancer surgery on my nose. I don't think I will take the second test as my tolerance & patience for tests has reached their end.
Then you are fitted for an apnea mask & stuff that you must try to sleep with, forever.

It cost a large amount of $$$$, check insurance first, along with your patience. Good luck!

GregP_WN

I have often wondered what good does it do to put you in a strange place, with strange things strapped to you with lots of noise. I'm sure I wouldn't sleep. Someone told me last week that they did it at home. I don't remember any of the details, only that it was at home and I remember thinking that's the way it should be.

What has helped me a great deal is plain old Aleve PM. I was waking up every hour through the night, but with that sleep aid I drop off and usually stay asleep.

Whitey61

Going to try melatonin, experiment with dosage 3,5,10mg, and go with the one that doesn't leave me groggy in the am.

Paperpusher

Wow! My sleep study seems to be a much better experience than yours. Mine was done for chronic fatigue. I was at the hospital in a nice, clean room with standard issue bedding, My room was very quiet with a TV. At a certain time the tech came in and put the goop and wires on my head. I was allowed to watch TV or read for awhile for them to get a baseline reading then it was lights out. I do wish someone had told me that lights out was going to be earlier than my bedtime at home. I wasn't really tired and could have adjusted for that. I did sleep and was awakened around 7am to get dressed and leave. They told me before I left that I was a restless sleeper but no sleep apnea. I could have told them that. My bed sometimes looks like I wrestled a bear in my sleep. So I started taking a half dose of Benadryl when I wanted to get some sleep and could afford to be groggy the next morning.
A few years later,I started waking up in the middle of the night staring at the ceiling for 1-2 hours. My PCP explained that as we age, we don't make as much melatonin as we used to. He recommended that I start out with 5 mg. Since I know I'm a featherweight with anything sedating, I started with 3 mg. Most days that works very well for me and I sleep through the night except for pee breaks. If it's been a particularly
stressful day or I'm wound up, I take 4 mg.

@ MyLungCancer..you might want to ask your doctor about the melatonin before you put yourself through yet another procedure. Oral CBD oil which is legal in all 50 states might be another option but more expensive.