I haven't been sleeping good lately. I've been tired since last October. It's gotten worse in the past month. It's so hard to wake up in the mornings. I've actually slept through my alarm for almost an hour a few times. Some days, it's all I can do to stay awake at work. (Says a lot for how interesting my job is, yes?) But at night, I can't sleep. I toss and turn, and wake up ridiculously early (2 or 3 am), and can't fall back asleep until almost time to get up. When I went to the doctor two weeks ago, I mentioned being tired all the time. He referred me to a sleep clinic. Last night, I went for the sleep study. I never sleep good when I'm in a strange bed. Add in all the electrodes that were attached to my head and body, and this equals a very bad night of sleep for arkie. I don't understand how they expect someone to be able to sleep with all this stuff attached to them. I had leads taped to each calf, one to my back, another to my chest, another one held in place across my chest with a velcro band, and yet another one on a velcro band that was supposed to be around my lower waist (but kept riding up during the night). I had a microphone taped ot my neck, in case I snore. Two electrode leads were glued and taped to my chin, and another two by my eyes. I'm not really sure how many were stuck to my head. I also had a pulse-oximeter on one finger, and two things in my nose. One was to measure the temperature of the air I breathe out. I don't know what the other one's purpose was. So all these wires attach to a box, which is then attached to another box.
This is what a person looks like once everything is hooked up:
(picture from :http://www.talkaboutsleep.com/sleep-basics/viewasleepstudy.htm)
I have a tendency to roll from one side of the bed to the other when I sleep, but I couldn't do that last night. Every time I tried to roll over to my other side, I ended up laying on the wires, and it would pull on the ones on my head. I woke up, not sure what time it was and laid there for a while (seemed like forever), thinking it had to be close to time to get up. Finally I sat up, and the tech came on the intercom to see if I needed something. I had to use the bathroom. Just imagine trying to go to the bathroom with all that stuff on you. Imagine the fun of trying to pull your pants back up one-handed, because the other hand is holding the box and wires. Try to wash one hand. Not fun. When I got back in the bed, I asked the tech what time it was. It was only 2:40. *sigh* Wake up time wasn't until 5:00. But I did manage to go back to sleep.
I don't get the official report until the doctor reviews everything, and he will call Monday or Tuesday. But the tech said I did have some problems. I get to go back on the 21st, and do it all over again, this time I get to sleep while wearing a CPAP machine. Oh, joy! But supposedly, this will allow me to sleep better and wake up feeling refreshed, so I guess it's worth it.
10 comments:
Ack, that sounds awful! I'm so sorry you have to go through that. My aunt just had to go through all of it too. I hope they find the cause, and it's something treatable.
{{hugs}}
That does sound awful. And I too don't get how they expect someone to sleep with all of that stuff.
Has something happened recently that is affecting your sleep? I find when I have a lot going on or a very stressful time at work, I wake up during the night not being able to go back to sleep. It sucks. And it will go on for weeks.
Gah. I don't think I could sleep with all that crap attached to me. Hopefully it's worth it and you are able to sleep better once all this is figured out.
I tend to fall asleep and stay asleep, but I can't say I'm rested, even after 7-8 hours of sleep. I'm still dog tired most days. *sigh*
Gah, that doesn't sound fun! I hope they figure out how to help you. Lack of sleep can really, really deteriorate your mental health and everything else quickly.
Chris is going to an ENT specialist (for snoring) and will likely have to do a sleep study soon. He can fall asleep at the drop of a hat, so hopefully it isn't horrid for him.
Yikes. That doesn't sound like any fun at all. *hugs* So sorry about this.
Maybe taking off all that paraphernalia will make you sleep better. Have you tried drugs?
Well, I hope that all of that stuff helps them determine something to help you start sleeping better.
On the other hand, if you're ever running short on cash, I have a couple of fetish friends who would pay you to take them to the sleep clinic and hook them up with all those wires.
Keep us updated...?
There is no way I could sleep in that contraption! No way.
Wires in my nose would drive me nuts. I think I could handle everything else, but not the nose wires. I am nasally defensive or something.
I know what I need to sleep all night - a catheter. I have to pee twice just about every damn night.
I hope you figure out how to sleep better with input from this and the future sleep tests!
Update: I have mild sleep apnea. My airways get obstructed and cause me to wake up 9 times an hour. My oxygen level dropped to 87%. I actually go tonight for the second sleep study - guess someone cancelled.
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