Sleep Study: A must to all of us...

When we mention about sleep study, most of us will think that its a NOT WORTHY thing to be worried about. Whats there to study about sleep anyway...? Have you heard about OSA***? ESS***? PSG***? CPAP***? REM***? Non-REM***? Frankly speaking, me myself also havent heard about it till recently... Well, in my case, it happened unplanned and you can also say , unexpected !... I will try my best to tell the whole experience that I ve been thru recently and I hope its worth sharing...

(phrases/words with *** means I will explain in detail later)

30th December 2017

For the third time, I admitted to SDMC ICU because of  Esophagus reflux. While I was sleeping in the Emergency Room, one of the nurses notice something is not right and tell her supervisor. Upon waking up, they told me that, while i was sleeping,  my oxygen level drop a lot and they worried that I might suffocate to death! So, after that, in short, I was refered to Respiratory Specialist (the main doctor is Gastroenterologist), Dr Ronald David. He told me that my Sleep Apnea is very very severe that, after settled my Esophagus Reflux problem, I should come again for a Sleep Study*** ...!!!

09th January 2018

1840h: After picked up my kids from school, my wife sent me to SDMC. Upon arriving I proceed  with solat  Maghrib before report myself to be admitted at 4th floor of South Tower.

1930h: I was officially admitted into the ward and.... to my surprise, nobody come to us to brief us what will happen later. Me and my wife just wait there...

2045h: Solat Isya

2130h : me and my wife decided to go out for our dinner - since our last meal was LUNCH!

2215h; : Finished dinner, we went to the admission counter and one concierge direct us to Diagnostic Room at Level 1 North Tower

- upon arrive there, the Technician brief me what will happen that night and what its all about... 

- then only I am clear what its all about.....  what is Sleep Study all about...

- after the brief, and a few QnA session, the Technician gave a questionnaire. This questionnaire (later I found out)  is Epsworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS).

- after completed the questionnaire, he began the preparation for my sleep study. Its similar with preparation for EEG, but with a lot more points of contact. For EEG maybe they concentrate on brain activities and the wires are all over the head... this time, on top of wires on my head, they put contact points on my eyes, my chin, my cheek, my lips and even my nose... yes, my hand and legs and upper body and lower body as well... I hardly move at all, but the Technician said its normal and in fact, i can move freely while sleeping later.

2340h: the Technician completed his preparation and now its time for me to start "sleeping"... BUT ! before he let me go into the sleeping mode, he ask me to do a few things (while laying on the bed, ready to sleep), to calibrate his machine...  (each exercise was about 30sec-1min):

*the procedures below is only from my memory, it may varies from the actual procedure

1. move your eyes upward and downward continuously with eyes open

2. move your eyes left and right continuously with eyes open

3.move your eyes upward and downward continuously with eyes close

4. move your eyes left and right continuously with eyes close

5. blink your eyes fast continuously

6.. blink your eyes slowly continuously

7. open and shut mouth continuously

8. breath thru nose only (mouth shut)

9. breath thru mouth only

10. hold your breath while mouth open

11. hold your breath while mouth shut

12. move your legs in random direction

- completed that, he wish me good night and good sleep

10th January 2018

0335h: the Technician woke me up, and this time he put on the CPAP machine

- after a few adjustments and after make sure i am comfortable with the CPAP, he let me to sleep again

0640h: the Technician woke me up, undo the wires from all over my body and let me go for solat Subuh

0700h: completed Solat subuh, I went back to Diagnostic Room..

- before debrief session, he gave another questionnaire, this time its base on what i feel last night...

do i feel restless during sleep, do i have any backpain, any dreams and etc

0800h: he completed his debrief***

0820h: i am back at my ward

0850h: doc came, set an appointment in 7days, and i am ready to be discharged
- after discharged, i went back home. End of my journey...

**1: Sleep Apnea
its a sleeping disorder that we have for a period of time. for those who have difficulty to sleep in certain area or place, is not concider to have sleep apnea. Normaly its a routine kind of sleeping disorder we have that we at most time we concider it as a"normal" condition.

**2: OSA (Obstructive Sleeping Disorder)
is an extend point of sleeping disorder. Person who diagnosed with OSA is considered having a SEROIUS SLEEPING DISORDER that need to be treated as soon as possible....