In-person consultation process
Before your in-person consultation
New patients will be offered an in-person consultation at the sleep clinic, or a remote consultation that can be done over the phone. You will be sent a medical questionnaire to complete before your appointment. Please also prepare a list of your medications to review with the sleep specialist during your appointment.
During your in-person consultation
During your sleep consultation, you will meet a sleep specialist who will ask you about your symptoms, how long they have affected you, and whether anything makes them better or worse. They will review your health history, and may ask you about any surgeries you have had and any medications you are taking. This will help the sleep specialist to determine the nature and severity of your sleep problems.
During the consultation the sleep specialist may be able to recommend a treatment, but sometimes a sleep study may be required. If the specialist suspects obstructive sleep apnea, you will be offered an appointment for a sleep study. Most sleep studies can be completed at home, while some specific tests may require an overnight stay in our clinic.
An in-person consultation is typically 20 minutes long. We do our best to stick to the appointment times, but some patients need longer consultations than others.
After your in-person consultation
Sleep study appointment
Tests for obstructive sleep apnea are usually carried out at home. You can come to the clinic to collect the monitoring equipment and return it the following day. If you need to have an in-lab sleep study, you will need to be prepared to stay overnight. Please read the information you are given carefully to ensure you are prepared for the test. You will be advised of the requirements for your specific test when your study is scheduled.
Respiratory polygraphy (Level 3 sleep study)
If the sleep specialist suspects that you may have sleep apnea, you may be referred for respiratory polygraphy. This is an overnight test where sensors are attached to your body to monitor your breathing, oxygen levels, heart rate, sleep position and activity throughout the night.
You will come in to the clinic to collect the equipment, wear it at home, and return it the following morning. This video explains what the test involves and how to set-up the equipment.
Polysomnography (Level 1 sleep study)
For more complex sleep complaints, polysomnography is sometimes carried out. This is a sophisticated test involving measurement of brain activity (EEG) via small sensors attached to the scalp. Additional sensors will be placed over the body.
These sensors allow us to tell whether you are asleep or awake and to determine the depth and quality of your sleep. For this test, you will spend the night at the Dorma Sleep Lab. You can return to your normal routine as soon as the tests are finished. The sleep study procedure is non-invasive.
After the sleep study
A follow-up appointment will be scheduled to discuss your results and any recommended treatment and/or routine changes required.
If test results indicate that you may be a candidate for continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy, we will invite you to come to the clinic so that we can show you how to use a CPAP machine and discuss which model is the best for you. Once you have had been prescribed CPAP treatment, you will be followed by a sleep specialist.
Most CPAP follow-up appointments can be completed over the phone. However, if this is not possible or if there is a problem with the CPAP machine, we may ask you to come to the clinic.
Need help?
Contact us by email at [email protected] or by phone at 1-(855)-218-5186 from Monday to Friday from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm, we would be happy to help.