Zzzz…
I’m in the first phase of the study!
I’ll admit that right up to my arrival at the hospital I had misgivings. Two things in the consent form put me at ease.
First, regarding the polysomnography (PSG): “The PSG evaluations will be used to rule out any sleep disorders other than insomnia and to track changes in your sleep relative to treatment.” So, they don’t want people with apnea. Hooray!
Second, regarding the conclusion of the study: “At that time, subjects who continue to have problems with insomia will be offered additional treatment. The additional treatment will be at no cost.” So that part is a win-win for me. Hooray!
Later, while I signed the forms so my doctor can share information with them, I said, “He’ll have no problems with this. He sent me to one of the sleep centers on Clinton Ave. a couple of years ago.”
“Oh?,” she asked. “Did you spend the night?”
“No,” I replied. Choosing my words carefully, “I got the feeling—as distinct from the truth, which could be different—but I got the feeling they weren’t interested in anything other that screening for apnea patients that they could sell apnea stuff and surgery to.”
“No, that’s not just your impression,” she confirmed. “That’s just about dead on.”
Whoa! Here I’ve been feeling guilty and someone else in the sleep business confirms my suspicions? Damn. I’ll do anything for these people.
That starts with not taking the melatonin at bedtime for the next three weeks and avoid, if possible, naps. I’m concerned about not being able to sleep at all without the melatonin and naps, well they’re my favorite part of the day. But I’ll do my best.
I also have to wear this watch-like recording device on my non-dominant wrist 24/7, press a button on it when I go to bed and when I get up, fill out sleep diaries (including on naps I just can’t avoid), and a Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), which is a questionnaire.
Then I report at 7pm on Wednesday the 26th for the first of my two consecutive nights of PSG.
I got a tour of the PSG suite. Nice queen-size bed in a room about the same size as my bedroom. Decor is few steps above hospital room but not quite to budget hotel. There are two bedrooms and a bath in each of two hallways, plus a kitchen and lounge area. Off the lounge is the monitoring room where the technicians run everything. All in all, it’s about like a four-bedroom ranch, only it’s in the basement of the Psych building.
I left with a supply of diary and BDI forms, a spiffy MiniMitter Actiwatch, and two bus tokens. What a deal!
