Posted , 3 users are following.
For the last 5 weeks I have barely slept and really want to know how much I am actually sleeping so I really want to go to a sleep clinc so I can get my sleep monitored I live in the UK England, and am having a real struggle finding a sleep clinic I would greatly appreciate it if someone could point me in the right direction ?
0 likes, 8 replies
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lily65668 david_89338
Posted
Hi David,
Most major hospitals - e.g. the main university hospital for your area - should either have their own sleep clinic, or will use a neighbouring facility. However, as I'm sure you know, you'd have to be referred by your GP, so this is where you need to start the process. If you have private insurance (or money to burn) a B U P A clinic could probably help you, but I imagine this would be prohibitively expensive.
As your GP about it. I hope you get some joy.
david_89338 lily65668
Posted
Hey lily I have spoken to my GP about a sleep clinic already and she has said that it's not really a thing I can do, which annoyed me quite a lot because I know they're are, and B U P A, sounds good I'll have a look into it for sure, I'm just wondering do you like in the UK, thanks so much always for the great advice
lily65668 david_89338
Posted
No David, I don't live in the UK. In my adoptive country we can self-refer to most specialists under our health service, but the sleep clinic isn't one of them. I tried to get referred for years as I'm sure I suffer from sleep apnoea. I believe I've had it for a long time, but the signs are it's getting worse with age. Unfortunately my previous GP wouldn't refer me as she said women couldn't suffer from sleep apnoea! After a house move I have a new GP who says this is nonsense, and has referred me. I'm now waiting for an appointment.
I realise that doesn't help you though. I have no idea about B U P A insurance costs. I know someone in the UK who's in their insurance scheme, but she's a civil servant and it's all paid for by the local authority. My impression is that it's totally out of reach for ordinary people. The other option would be to ask for a one-off private consultation with a sleep specialist at a large hospital, but I'm not sure how useful that would be and I think you'd still be looking at the wrong end of £200.
Did your GP say why you couldn't be referred? I think you should do some research on this. I worked in the NHS as a nurse for 10 years, but that was many years ago so I don't have any direct experience now. I did, however, have several skirmishes with them in the 90s and noughties, during my mother's old age. At that time, I found the Primary Care Trust was a useful resource for information. However, I've just googled that and I see these bodies were abolished in 2013 (my mother having died in 2006) to be replaced by so-called clinical commissioning groups. From the limited research I've just done, I'm afraid it doesn't look as if this was an improvement.
I honestly think your only course of action is to go back to your GP and try to make a case for yourself. Either that or change GP, but I know that's not easy in the NHS, and there's no guarantee you wouldn't end up with someone even worse anyway. Otherwise I can only suggest you do some detailed on-line research as to what options might be available.
How are things going now? You and I have had several conversations on another thread on this topic, haven't we? I'm wondering whether you opened up completely to your doctor as to how all this started. That's clearly where the search for a solution has to start. This is a long shot, but have you tried contacting an organisation like Narcotics Anonymous? I realise you're in no way an addict, but as the problem seems to have been triggered by a single drug-related event, I'm wondering whether they might be able to offer some advice. I've just googled them and I see they operate in the UK. They're very active in my country, where I volunteer on a general crisis line, and we've had some good feedback from people we've referred to them.
Sorry I can't be of more help. I hope you can soon find some practical support.
Zigangie david_89338
Posted
Hi David,
Yeah Guys Hospital have one. Good luck getting reffered though. I have an appointment on 4 th October and it's taken over 10 years of asking and complaining of insomnia to get to this point.
david_89338 Zigangie
Posted
Hey Zigangie, thanks a lot for the help, and is that the only place you know of, and what you have got to be kidding me, how could it have taken that long, if you don't mind me asking I'm just wondering how old you are, and could you explainn you're insomnia to me and how bad it is, if you don't mind ?
lily65668 david_89338
Posted
David, just to butt in here - there's at least one sleep clinic in every region of the UK. But I agree it can take a long time to get a referral. The same is true for other European countries too. It's taken me at least 10 years to get a doctor to refer me - and for suspected sleep apnoea too, which is supposed to be taken seriously!
I hope you find the help you need.
Zigangie david_89338
Posted
Hi David,
My insomnia began with being unable to sleep until the early hours 4 am and later, it progressed to being unable to sleep for a whole night here and there got worse no sleep for several days. I'm immune to sleeping pills as I have had so many though not addicted thankfully.
I have discovered through much trial and error that in order to be able to sleep I need to be trying very hard at anytime between 4 am and 8 am, if I am not asleep by say 10 am then it's not going to happen at all even if I've been up for often in excess of 48 hours (that is I can't nap or get to sleep at any other time) I really have not much of a life because of it.
A psychiatrist has tried to refer me several times to Southampton sleep study centre, I was told by my GP that this would be of no use to me because they are only investigating sleep apnea at most clinics. The first time a sleep clinic was mentioned was about 4 years ago and I was very surprised to receive a call from Guys Hospital offering an appointment a few weeks ago.
I'm hoping your problem is not as bad? But urge you to get it sorted out ASAP, because mine has really just got worse over the years.
It has been suggested that mine is delayed sleep phase disorder, I'm hoping it's not that as it is very difficult to treat. I'm actually hoping that mine is some hormonal imbalance, I'm post menopause and went on HRT in November last year, the first 8 days I used estrogen I slept midnight til 8 am and felt fantastic well rested and so happy, unfortunately it was short lived and GP didn't seem to take in this fact. I'm actually wondering if an edocrinologist would be more useful.
richard89308 david_89338
Posted