Sleep Technician Program
Dr. Freddie Wilson discusses sleep disorders

Wendy: We’re back continuing our discussion on sleep disorder with me know is Dr. Freddie Wilson. He is the director of the Southeastern regional sleep disorder center. Welcome Dr. Wilson, how are you?

Dr. Wilson: Good

Wendy: Now there are so many sleep disorders out there. I think there is almost a hundred now that has been diagnosis. Tell me about some of the common sleep disorders you often come into contact with.

Dr. Wilson: Well, of course this is a sleep center so we have a select group of patients. We don’t usually see the most common disorders and that is the different types of insomnia.

Wendy: right

Dr. Wilson: The things we see the most are sleep apnea, which means to stop breathing when you sleep. And we see lots of patients with restless leg syndrome and that is where your legs feel fidgety

Wendy: sure

Dr. Wilson: and real creepy, crawly. We also see narcolepsy patients quite a bit and we see other people that complain of tiredness and sleepiness and we are looking for the cause for this. So most of the people we see are people who are tired and sleepy during the day.

Wendy: Sure, if someone feels like they have some sort of sleep disorder where do they begin in the process? Do they come to you, a sleep disorder center or do they go to their primary care physician?

Dr. Wilson: Yea, well it depends upon the situation. As far as our center is concerned we can see self referrals so people can call directly and make an appointment or they can be referred by the physician it doesn’t really matter to us how they get here.

Wendy: Now describe for us what a patient goes through when they are admitted into the sleep center and go through a sleep study.

Dr. Wilson: Well, basically it is like any other specialty. You see the physician and he does a history and physical to make a preliminary diagnosis and then if you need sleep testing then we order the sleep study. The usual sleep study is an over night test. That’s where you actually come in and spend the night with us and we hook you up to a lot of sensors and bands and belts and we monitor a lot of information while you’re sleeping all night.

Wendy: Right. Now would you recommend any over the counter drugs for someone who is experiencing sleep disorder for instance or would you suggest you come here first?

Dr. Wilson: Well, we don’t necessary discourage people from using over the counter medications if they have an occasional problem and they find that the over the counter medication helps.

Wendy: Right

Dr. Wilson: Actually for chronic or long term problems that’s not the best solution because the over the counter sleep aids are usually antihistamines.

Wendy: Sure

Dr. Wilson: and they are long acting, they have more side effects than prescription medications for sleep. So if you have a long term problem with insomnia then you need a better evaluation. The treatment depends on the situation but if it requires medication it would be a prescription medication.

Wendy: Got you. Well, Dr. Wilson we appreciate you taking the time to answer our questions.