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sleep study and holter monitor question

xrayspex

Senior Member
Messages
1,111
Location
u.s.a.
hey any benefits to asking for these tests....like could they lead to any treatments cfs/mcs person could tolerate? if not whats the point?
 

Sasha

Fine, thank you
Messages
17,863
Location
UK
hey any benefits to asking for these tests....like could they lead to any treatments cfs/mcs person could tolerate? if not whats the point?

I had severe insomnia and was referred by my GP to a neuropsychiatrist. I had requested a sleep study and he booked me on one, but in the meantime was willing to prescribe sleeping pills. After a couple of goes, we hit on Pregabalin, which has solved my problems. I now get to sleep quickly and get a good night's sleep.

I still didn't (and don't) wake up ultra-refreshed, though, so I still had the sleep study in case I had sleep apnoea. Dr Klimas did a sleep study showing that something like 80% of PWC have alpha wave intrusion and wrecked Stages 3 & 4 sleep, 40% apnoea and some big percentage restless leg syndrome. All of those are worth getting checked out (apnoea in particular can be dangerous if left untreated).

While still on my sleep tablets, I tested normal but at least I know I don't have untreated apnoea. I have no doubt that without the tablets I'd have shown alpha wave intrusion.

A lot of us seem to be on sleep meds (see the various sleep threads!) and while some struggle to find the right one, I think that many of us have found ones that we can tolerate and that are enormously helpful. It can take a couple of weeks for side-effects to wear off and for the sleep effects to start, though, which many people don't seem aware of (my doc explained this but I think some people's docs don't!).

Apnoea is treatable by various means that most PWC should be able to tolerate. I don't know anything about restless legs.

Have you thought of asking your doc for sleep meds first, before considering a sleep study? Tell him/her about the Klimas study (take a look at this thread for details).

Good luck! I've certainly found my severe insomnia treatable and am having no problems with my meds now that I've found one through trial and error - I hope you can do well too!
 

filfla4

Senior Member
Messages
236
hey any benefits to asking for these tests....like could they lead to any treatments cfs/mcs person could tolerate? if not whats the point?

I had a 24-hr holter monitor done a year ago. Despite chest pains and disrythmias, nothing showed up.