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TO SLEEP PERCHANCE TO DREAM

  
 
 
 
WELCOME-

 

WHAT is more gentle than a wind in summer?
What is more soothing than the pretty hummer
That stays one moment in an open flower,
And buzzes cheerily from bower to bower?
What is more tranquil than a musk-rose blowing
In a green island, far from all men?s knowing?
More healthful than the leafiness of dales?
More secret than a nest of nightingales?
What, but thee Sleep? Soft closer of our eyes!
Low murmurer of tender lullabies!
Light hoverer around our happy pillows!
Wreather of poppy buds, and weeping willows!
Thee for enlivening all the cheerful eyes
That glance so brightly at the new sun-rise.

 

________________________-John Keats

 

 

TT Sleep The TTSleepCenter at Gulf View Medical  offers a  comprehensive, state-of-the-art sleep medicine program

TRY THESE TIPS TO OBTAIN A BETTER NIGHTS REST!

 

Improving CPAP Therapy Compliance

Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) therapy is the treatment of choice for obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) and snoring. Unfortunately, after making the initial investment, many patients have difficulty adjusting to the CPAP equipment and stop using it.
We offer unique expertise to improve CPAP compliance. Our comprehensive desensitization program helps patients use CPAP more effectively, alleviating snoring and sleep apnea.  

 

 

Meet Our Team

 

Steve Medford FRCS

Consultant ENT surgeon at San Fernando General Hospital and Gulf View Medical Centre.
Recently completed a Mini Fellowship in Sleep Medicine at Baylor Sleep Clinic, Houston   under the  auspices of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine  TTSLEEP

 

 

Leela E Medford RN, RPSGT

The only Board Certified Respiratory Polysomnographic Sleep technologist in the country.  

 

 

 

Getting Started

 Call the TTSleepCenter at  Gulf View Medical  today at  868 657 7636  to schedule an appointment.

 

CPAP-What is it?

 

CPAP stands for continuous positive airway pressure. It keeps your airway open as you sleep by providing you with a steady stream of air. Most CPAP units are about the size of a small tissue box. Today?s units are smaller, lighter and quieter than when they were first used to treat sleep apnea. Some units are as small as six or seven inches in length and weigh only two or three pounds.

To power the unit, you simply plug it into the wall. The box has a fan that pushes air through a tube. The tube is connected to a mask that you wear as you sleep. The mask allows the air to gently blow into the back of your throat. This keeps the airway open and prevents pauses in breathing as you sleep.

The amount of air pressure needed is different for each person. A CPAP study during an overnight sleep study will show your sleep doctor the level that is right for you.

CPAP units come with a variety of features. Most units now have a pressure ?ramp? setting. This timed setting starts the machine at a very low level of air pressure. It slowly raises the pressure until it reaches the right level.

Humidifiers are a common accessory for CPAP units. They provide cool or heated moisture to the air coming from the CPAP unit. This can reduce side effects and make it easier for you to breathe through your mask. Some CPAP units now come with an ?integrated? humidifier that is connected to the machine.

There are three kinds of mask systems that you can use with CPAP:

  • Nasal mask
    This mask only covers your nose and is the most common CPAP mask.
  • Full face mask
    This mask covers both your nose and your mouth. This type of mask may help if you have air leaks when using a nasal mask.
  • Nasal pillows
    This system uses soft silicone tubes that fit directly into your nostrils. It can also help eliminate air leaks and may provide you with a greater sense of freedom.

No matter what type of mask you use, it is most important that it fits you well. First your doctor will work with you to select the right size for your mask. The mask should fit snugly enough to prevent leaks without causing discomfort. You may need to make small adjustments to the mask, tubing, straps and headgear until you get the right fit.


 

 

WHO CAN BENEFIT FROM THE SLEEP CENTRE AT GULF VIEW MEDICAL

Patients who may benefit from our comprehensive evaluations include those with:

  • Loud snoring
  • Excessive daytime sleepiness, chronic fatigue
  • Restless legs syndrome
  • Uncontrolled hypertension or diabetes mellitus
  • Stroke or recurrent TIAs
  • Unexplained nocturia
  • Sleep attacks and unexplained syncope
  • Unexplained peripheral edema
  • Pulmonary hypertension
  • Nocturnal angina
  • Nocturnal gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) symptoms
  • Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) who may require supplemental oxygen
  • Morbid obesity
  • Chronic renal failure with daytime fatigue or restless legs
  • Unusual sleep behaviors such as sleep walking and dream enactment
  • Polycystic ovarian disease
  • Obesity and pregnancy with snoring
  • Fibromyalgia and excess fatigue
  • Leg cramps at night
  • Obese patients for preoperative evaluation, including bariatric patients

 

 

HOW CAN WE HELP YOU

An overnight sleep study has confirmed that you have obstructive sleep apnea. Your sleep doctor then tells you that continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) is the best treatment for you. He or she based this decision on the severity of your problem, your medical history, and your symptoms. You are anxious to see improvements in your sleep, so you're ready to get started.

How will your CPAP treatment process begin? Here is a brief overview of what you can expect:

TXTAt the Sleep Center
First you will go to your sleep center or laboratory for a CPAP study. If your sleep apnea is severe, this may take place during your first overnight sleep study. Otherwise, you will need to return for a second all-night sleep study before starting CPAP therapy.

A sleep tech will fit you with a mask and begin treatment with a CPAP machine. As you sleep, the sleep tech will monitor your breathing and make adjustments to the CPAP machine during the night. He or she will find the level of air pressure that keeps your airway open and helps you breathe easily.

After your CPAP study, your sleep doctor will write a prescription and place an order for you to get your own CPAP machine. It may take as little as 48 hours for you to get the equipment you need to begin treatment at home.

The sleep center may use a CPAP machine that seems bulky and heavy. Regulations for sleep centers require them to use models that are often much larger and noisier than the units that are used in the home. Your CPAP model will probably be about the size of a tissue box and will produce only a low level of noise. Let your doctor know if you travel often. He or she can make sure that you get a small, light model that is easily portable.

Ask your doctor if your unit will come with a heated humidifier. Adding warm moisture to the forced air can make CPAP treatment more comfortable for many users. If your unit does not come with one, you can always add a humidifier later if your doctor prescribes it.

You should schedule a follow-up appointment with your sleep doctor to review your treatment progress. Your doctor may need to adjust your air pressure setting at a later time. This will especially be needed if you lose or gain weight.

 
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