Non sleep study part two (apologies for the delay)

Sorry about that.

Life just took over and add to that the fact that the last time I typed up a lovely (long) blog entry it went missing into the great wide beyond... my motivation to blog was diminished.

so I'll play a little bit of catchup for you...

Part two of the sleep study went as well as could be expected -- I had requested that the doctor in charge of my study prescribe a sleep "aid" for me for my second night doing the study because I was told by the sleep lab technician that most people are able to fall asleep on their own the first night (which I failed abysmally at!) but they struggle to fall asleep on the second night because it is uncomfortable to sleep with the CPAP (continuous positive air pressure) mask on. So, figuring that if I didn't sleep the first time, I was reallllly going to struggle the second time, I asked for the prescription. She prescribed a med called Sonata, which helps you fall asleep but doesn't keep you asleep. She prescribed two pills, yet the outside of the bottle said take one pill. So I followed directions (should have taken them both together!!) and ended up feeling very drowsy and sleepy but never actually falling asleep. So after a while the lab tech brought the other pill in and I took that and evetually fell asleep.

The sleep mask is very awkward -- although she gave me a choice of three different kinds -- one that is like a shell that fits over the nose, one that fits over nose and mouth (apparently not recommended by the doctors because of the "leakage factor" -- it's all about keeping the air going into my lungs at a certain pressure, and if the air is leaking out from the edges of the mask or from my mouth or wherever, the pressure is decreased and the mask isn't getting to do what I need it to do.) The third option was the one I chose -- apparently it is the doctors' favorite because it has the minimal amount of leakage factors. It looks like a smaller version of the expandable vaccuum cleaner hoses that you use the attachments on -- it's about an inch and a quarter in diameter, and has two rubber nozzles that fit just inside your nose (not highly uncomfortable, but not exactly comfy either!), and there are two straps that go behind your head to hold it in place.

Apparently, ideally you are to lie on your back to sleep with this mask, because then the mask isn't affected by pillows pushing it or your arms or anything. I was very surprised that once I did fall asleep I didn't remove the mask in my sleep -- like I used to remove my night-brace oh so long ago when I wore braces.

(cont'd)

Posted by kristen at May 30, 2006 2:31 PM