results from my sleep study

[kybert]

they said that i have mild sleep apnea which isnt the cause of my problems, but that i have little REM sleep and *edit* 'periodic limb movements', despite taking sleeping tablets that night. heres me thinking i only moved my legs when i was awake in bed. i need to get bloods done to check vitamin and mineral levels to see if thats causing me to move my legs but i can guarantee they will all be fine as i got everything checked recently. i dont know what happens from here as my sleep clinic appointment isnt till january [i got the results by mail]. how on earth does one get proper REM sleep anyway? if ambien wont do it what the hell will!!!

*i put restless leg before but apparently restless leg happens when you are awake [that happens too grrr]. peridoc limb movement is when you are asleep.

 

[Allie]

I was about to say 'ambien', because it saved the last vestiges of my sanity. But if that doesn't do it...Can you ask your brain to REM? REM is dreaming, right? Read princess stories at bedtime?

What DO they do for all that...I'm curious. Okay this wasn't helpful at all, but we're here for you! lol.

 

[julie]

Ky,

if its sleep apnea, even minor, a C PAP (sometimes called a Bi Pap) machine might help. It's a breathing machine you wear when you sleep. I am honestly not sure exactly how it works, never had to use one myself but it was mentioned to Mark that depending on the results of his sleep study, he might have to utilize one. If it is sleep apnea, no amount of medication is going to make a difference so don't even bother.

Did they even explain to you what sleep apnea was? Just in case not..... Basically, the apnea in sleep is when you stop breathing. Sometimes for 20 seconds, sometimes for 45 seconds, sometimes for a minute, sometimes for 2-3 minutes. Usually it's the longer periods that really screw up your sleep. When you stop breathing for any abnormal amount of time, your brain ovbiously looses oxygen. This shocks your body out of a deep level of sleep (REM is the deepesnt level you can achieve) and you have to start all over again.

i am not sure the exact time, but something like it takes the average person 1-3 hours to get into an REM mode. If you are just getting there (close to the REM level) and you become apneic and shock your body awake (even if it's not to the very first level of sleep) you just lost 1-3 hours and have to start all over. Once people fall asleep, they usually stay in the REM level until they wake up-you are probably missing out on the REM level alltoghether.

Your wrestless leg syndrome might also have a bit to do with this....
Hope it helps

 

[kybert]

lol yeah if i wasnt taking ambien i would have said that too. i thought it was *suppose* to stop movements and put you into a deeper sleep. regarding the apnea they dont seem to think its a problem because its very mild and only happens when im on my back, which im rarely on. it said i had 18 hypopneas per hour on my back. i will be bringing this up when i see the sleep clinic but for now they think its best to figure out the leg moving, and since its my cf doc who has to do all the work [no sleep appt till january] might be best to take this 1 step at a time. poor cf doc gets confused alot. lol!

 

[luke]

kylie,

I used to run a sleep lab and could look out your tests if you like( I am not an expert but have a few friends that are sleep docs). Restless legs is treated a little differently than obstructive sleep apnea, normally a muscle relaxant comes into the equation. Getting your blood work done will be beneficial to rule out electrolyte issues for your muscles. Of course you could have both OSA and Restless leg syndrome, FYI sleep apnea isn't normally treated unless you have an Apnea/Hyponea Index(used to be Respiratory Disturbance Index) >5. So an index of 18 definitely means use have a mild/moderate sleep disorder. Keep in mind hypopneas are a little different than apneas in that you do not become completed obstructive and aren't quite as bad. Did the tests say how low your saturation went?

Of course one "home remedy" is to just sleep on your side, maybe not a bad idea until your follow up appointment



Luke

 

[kybert]

you can have a look at them if you want. just let me know and i will scan them for you. my sats were a mean of 93 and the lowest was 90. remember that reading of 18 hypopneas was only for lying on my back which i rarely do. because i had none while sleeping in other positions it brought that number down to below 5.

my partner came home a while back and i told him the results and he said 'DUH you are always kicking me and wiggling your toes in your sleep!'. <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-blush.gif" border="0">