Confusing Sleep Study Results
Posted , 2 users are following.
Hey all. I would appreciate some help in figuring out how I should proceed now that I've had a sleep study. First, a brief summary of symptoms I had that sent me to the sleep study are: Low testosterone, tired all day no matter the amount of sleep, low quality sleep, night sweats, excessive snoring, mental fog, and a myriad of others.
After a negative test result for hypothyroidism, my doctor thought sleep apnea. A few months later, I had both a polysomnography and a MSLT performed. Here are the results:
Only 1 apnea through the night.
Arousal index of 29.7, the majority were idiopathic.
87% sleep efficiency.
Oxygen levels normal.
Time in sleep stages normal.
Alpha wave intrusions into delta wave sleep. (Whatever that means)
From my MSLT:
Average sleep latency of 1 min 37 seconds. Lowest was 57 seconds. Highest was 3 min.
No SOREMs (Only fell to stage 1 sleep).
My Pulmonologist, in brief, stated that I have Excessive Daytime Sleepiness, with no discernable cause, and that while I have many of the symptoms of narcolepsy, since I do not fall into REM sleep, I do not have narcolepsy. His advice was the standard "Get exercise, stop using caffeine, eat healthier" etc.
I am currently trying to get a second opinion, but if any of you could offer some insight as to what may be causing my frankly confusing results, I would greatly appreciate it. I do have access to the sleep study results, so if you want more detailed information on something I didn't state, just ask.
Thank you so much ahead of time. After years of being exhausted all day, I'm honestly desperate for help.
0 likes, 4 replies
lily65668 erikc
Posted
No answers Erik, just one question. Are you, or have you recently been on, any antidepressant meds or sleeping pills? This might explain the absence of REM sleep, which is suppressed by these medications. The absence of REM sleep isn't considered serious these days, but antidepressants and sleeping meds can both cause brain fog and excessive sleepiness.
erikc lily65668
Posted
Thanks for your response, Lily. I do have REM sleep, just had no REM sleep during the naps from the MSLT. I have been prescriped Trazadone by my primary doctor to help with my sleep, and while it makes my sleep feel more restful, it does cause that fogginess that you mentioned (or rather, makes it worse). Because of that, I only take it on weekends, when I don't need my brain for work.
lily65668 erikc
Posted
Did your doctor tell you to take trazodone just at weekends? It would surprise me if he/she did. It's good to take sleeping meds on just a couple of nights a week, as it stops you from becoming dependent. However, it's always been my understanding that antidepressants shouldn't be stopped and started. That being said, I realise things move on and my medical knowledge - such as it is - might be out of date.
erikc lily65668
Posted
No, you're totally correct about antidepressants. I wasn't prescribed the Trazadone for it's antidepressant qualities, but for it's non-habit forming sleep aid properties. My doctor's dosage advise was to use "as needed for sleep." and after my sleep study, I informed him I was reducing my dose as I described. Just heard back from him today, actually, and he thinks I should get a second opinion on my sleep study, so here's for hoping I figure this out.