Negative home tests, a dud?

General Discussion on any topic relating to CPAP and/or Sleep Apnea.
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avi123
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Re: Negative home tests, a dud?

Post by avi123 » Sat May 23, 2015 4:59 pm

tiredandscared, can you get over there in Sweden an auto CPAP by Resmed, Respironics, etc.? It could be a used one or on rental. If you do then members in this forum could guide you how to set it.

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Re: Negative home tests, a dud?

Post by tiredandscared » Mon May 25, 2015 3:08 pm

I've called the local health-care provider here, and they've given me appointment with the GP. Until then i'll try to sleep on my side. I've recorded my sleep several times and I'm not hearing many apneas at all. Even the times i snore, i don't hear my breathing stop. Could the study i completed be correct?

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BlackSpinner
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Re: Negative home tests, a dud?

Post by BlackSpinner » Mon May 25, 2015 5:35 pm

All a home study says is whether you have common garden variety Obstructive Sleep Apnea or not. If it says not then the system has to do more investigating it doesn't mean there is not another problem, it means they haven't found the answer yet.

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Re: Negative home tests, a dud?

Post by tiredandscared » Tue May 26, 2015 10:29 am

I think i'm in a step for the right direction. I sleept in a bad position today and recorded myself with the video recording function of my phone(it's as a good as it gets). I recorded atleast 3 apneas in 30 minutes. If wasn't off wrong and you extrapolate it, it would mean 6 AHIs(mild sleep apnea). I'm beginning to suspect that I have mild sleep apnea if I sleep in this position. I need to get tested in this position. Basically my arm under my pillow and the other arm overlapping the opposite shoulder. It causes my Neck to get compressed which causes obstruction. I'm not sure if they're AHIs or just hypnoapneas. I don't look like i'm gasping for breaths, nor do I have the gaspy breathing. It just looks like my snoring stops and no sounds coming out. Maybe I was breathing. But since I have my air cleaner on the highest speed setting. Its actually covering the breathing sound.

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Re: Negative home tests, a dud?

Post by tiredandscared » Tue May 26, 2015 5:03 pm

I know this sounds crazy and nutty. But i'm considering getting a 2nd sleep apnea test just to make sure the first one isn't a dud.

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Pesser
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Re: Negative home tests, a dud?

Post by Pesser » Tue May 26, 2015 5:11 pm

In your opening post you wrote this: "Is it possible for snoring or borderline OSA, to cause the same symptoms as OSA?" The answer to this is yes. Is it that you feel that you would not benefit from XPAP?

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Re: Negative home tests, a dud?

Post by tiredandscared » Tue May 26, 2015 5:17 pm

Pesser wrote:In your opening post you wrote this: "Is it possible for snoring or borderline OSA, to cause the same symptoms as OSA?" The answer to this is yes. Is it that you feel that you would not benefit from XPAP?
I can't afford getting one. They cost 800 to 1000 dollars+ all he accessories. I'm on a very limited budget. If I however have sleep apnea (I think I do, but not in every sleeping position), and get positive result for the screening test, I can rent one from the public health care sector. I'd have gotten one just for my asthma and allergies, to see it would be an alternative treatment. But I can't afford it. You get offered mouth-guard for snoring.

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Re: Negative home tests, a dud?

Post by zoocrewphoto » Tue May 26, 2015 5:51 pm

tiredandscared wrote:
Pesser wrote:In your opening post you wrote this: "Is it possible for snoring or borderline OSA, to cause the same symptoms as OSA?" The answer to this is yes. Is it that you feel that you would not benefit from XPAP?
I can't afford getting one. They cost 800 to 1000 dollars+ all he accessories. I'm on a very limited budget. If I however have sleep apnea (I think I do, but not in every sleeping position), and get positive result for the screening test, I can rent one from the public health care sector. I'd have gotten one just for my asthma and allergies, to see it would be an alternative treatment. But I can't afford it. You get offered mouth-guard for snoring.
How much would it cost to buy a used machine from the USA and have it shipped to you? I bought my backup Resmed S9 autoset for only $200. If you get an auto machine with full data, you can get something very similar to a sleep study every night AND get treatment. It sounds like it would be cheaper than another sleep study, and you would have the machine you need.

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avi123
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Re: Negative home tests, a dud?

Post by avi123 » Tue May 26, 2015 6:23 pm

I can't afford getting one. They cost 800 to 1000 dollars+ all the accessories. I'm on a very limited budget. If however I have sleep apnea (I think I do, but not in every sleeping position), and get positive result for the screening test, I can rent one from the public health care sector. I'd have gotten one just for my asthma and allergies, to see it would be an alternative treatment. But I can't afford it. You get offered mouth-guard for snoring.



See here how the Health Care System in Sweden works:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Healthcare_in_Sweden

_________________
Mask: Mirage™ SoftGel Nasal CPAP Mask with Headgear
Humidifier: S9™ Series H5i™ Heated Humidifier with Climate Control
Additional Comments:  S9 Autoset machine; Ruby chinstrap under the mask straps; ResScan 5.6
see my recent set-up and Statistics:
http://i.imgur.com/TewT8G9.png
see my recent ResScan treatment results:
http://i.imgur.com/3oia0EY.png
http://i.imgur.com/QEjvlVY.png

tiredandscared
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Re: Negative home tests, a dud?

Post by tiredandscared » Wed May 27, 2015 11:06 am

zoocrewphoto wrote:
tiredandscared wrote:
Pesser wrote:In your opening post you wrote this: "Is it possible for snoring or borderline OSA, to cause the same symptoms as OSA?" The answer to this is yes. Is it that you feel that you would not benefit from XPAP?
I can't afford getting one. They cost 800 to 1000 dollars+ all he accessories. I'm on a very limited budget. If I however have sleep apnea (I think I do, but not in every sleeping position), and get positive result for the screening test, I can rent one from the public health care sector. I'd have gotten one just for my asthma and allergies, to see it would be an alternative treatment. But I can't afford it. You get offered mouth-guard for snoring.
How much would it cost to buy a used machine from the USA and have it shipped to you? I bought my backup Resmed S9 autoset for only $200. If you get an auto machine with full data, you can get something very similar to a sleep study every night AND get treatment. It sounds like it would be cheaper than another sleep study, and you would have the machine you need.
I bought an ICON autopap. It was just affordable. Now lets see if this helps. At the very least it will help me get rid of the snoring and help with my asthma(If i don't have apnea). I'll gift it to my father, after i'm done with it. He has sleep apnea. But doesn't want to treat it.

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Re: Negative home tests, a dud?

Post by jnk » Wed May 27, 2015 1:11 pm

A home sleep study CAN prove that you have OSA. (Reliable positive.) So it is a cheap "test" that can allow insurance to pay somewhat gladly.

A home sleep test CANNOT prove that you do not have OSA. (Can't deliver negative findings, other than "don't know/not sure/couldn't find out.") That it is why it can be a waste of time and money for many patients.

In other words, if you have symptoms but home test doesn't find positively, you should be given a more comprehensive test that can actually rule out OSA. Many docs and bean counters do not understand that about home tests, it seems.

tiredandscared
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Re: Negative home tests, a dud?

Post by tiredandscared » Wed May 27, 2015 1:29 pm

jnk wrote:A home sleep study CAN prove that you have OSA. (Reliable positive.) So it is a cheap "test" that can allow insurance to pay somewhat gladly.

A home sleep test CANNOT prove that you do not have OSA. (Can't deliver negative findings, other than "don't know/not sure/couldn't find out.") That it is why it can be a waste of time and money for many patients.

In other words, if you have symptoms but home test doesn't find positively, you should be given a more comprehensive test that can actually rule out OSA. Many docs and bean counters do not understand that about home tests, it seems.
I honestly am not sure if i have it or not. I viewed footage of myself sleeping, for 40 minutes. Didn't notice many apneas. A friend of mine told me that people with snoring can have overlapping symptoms with sleep apnea. the doctor told me i have it borderline lying supine. But the oxygen desat was 91%, so it's exactly on the border. If i gets any worse probably will have it fully. My major symptoms, really are: Lack of concentration, poor fragmented sleep, fatigue. Assuming the AHIs were completely off, even if i go purely by desats, 91% is bad, but not to the point of real sleep apnea. But then again, i'm not sure what my desats are at the moment. I wish i could get a hospital oximeter. It would make my life easier

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Sheffey
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Re: Negative home tests, a dud?

Post by Sheffey » Wed May 27, 2015 1:37 pm

Sleep lab studies also yield false negatives. Even multiple false negatives. At what rate is unclear.

My doctor knows it is a problem and is savvy enough to have been able to get insurance companies to pay for a second sleep study when the patient's symptoms were clear.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1562043

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1729054

Contrary to what is often posted on here, most doctors are competent and generous. People with sleep apnea who are in their initial addressing of the problem are often worn out and easily frustrated and some take it out on the doctor.
Sheffey

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Sheffey
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Re: Negative home tests, a dud?

Post by Sheffey » Wed May 27, 2015 1:39 pm

tiredandscared wrote:Didn't notice many apneas.
I don't think you can identify with any certainty an apnea or lack of an apnea by viewing a video.
Sheffey

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Sheffey
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Re: Negative home tests, a dud?

Post by Sheffey » Wed May 27, 2015 1:48 pm

tiredandscared wrote:
I bought an ICON autopap. It was just affordable.
Do you have a mask? Do you know how to read the machine screen reports?
Sheffey