In-Home Sleep Study

My husband has just been prescribed an "in-home" sleep study for possible APNEA by our family doctor.

This is something that is recently been approved by Medicare. It of course by-passes the traditional doctor's sleep lab.

Anyone have any experience with this newly approved test method?

I'd love to hear your comments.

Thanks.

Jan

janp wrote:My husband has just been prescribed an "in-home" sleep study for possible APNEA by our family doctor.

This is something that is recently been approved by Medicare. It of course by-passes the traditional doctor's sleep lab.

Anyone have any experience with this newly approved test method?

I'd love to hear your comments.

Thanks.

Jan

Depends on what method they're prescribing.
Kaiser has been using the method of issuing an Auto/APAP for a week or two and then reading the results to prescribe a machine and setting. Unfortunately, with that method, which usually involves leaving the machine settings wide open at 4 - 20 cm., it leaves a lot of room for errors in selecting the proper pressure.

There are other devices (boxes with sensors) that the companies have been developing that a person hooks up to at night and then that data is downloaded and studied.
Another way is to sleep with a pulse-oximeter overnight to determine whether the person's blood oxygen is dropping. If it does, then that can lead to subsequent nights with an APAP.

I do remember reading where Medicare was looking at optional methods of diagnosis.

Den

My dad had one (OSA runs in the family). He had an oximeter on one finger, a throat mike to measure snores, a nasal cannula to check nasal airflow, a chest band to measure breathing, and a couple of electrodes to monitor the heart.

If I recall correctly, they showed him how to attach everything at the doctor's office. He went home, connected everything to a small monitor box, slept, and then returned everything to the doctor's office the next day.

BUT, a friend of his had an in-home test that was much different from his. Make sure you understand what they are monitoring and why.

Lisa

LoneStar wrote:My dad had one (OSA runs in the family). He had an oximeter on one finger, a throat mike to measure snores, a nasal cannula to check nasal airflow, a chest band to measure breathing, and a couple of electrodes to monitor the heart.

If I recall correctly, they showed him how to attach everything at the doctor's office. He went home, connected everything to a small monitor box, slept, and then returned everything to the doctor's office the next day.

BUT, a friend of his had an in-home test that was much different from his. Make sure you understand what they are monitoring and why.

Lisa

Lisa,

That sounds like the one they're going to hook up to my husband this weekend.

Do you recall how accurate or meaningful the results were?

Thanks,

Jan

My dad had previously had a study done in a sleep center. It showed he had severe OSA. I believe they tried to titrate him as he says he repeatedly took the mask off in his sleep. You have to understand my dad; he is very gadget intolerant. He did not get a CPAP machine at this point and did not pursue treatment any further.

A year or two later, he changed doctors and at my mother's insistence, the doctor recommended another sleep study, this one in-home (as that's the only way Dad would consent to having it done). The in-home study matched the results of his sleep center study, except that his apnea was even worse at this point. He finally pursued treatment at that point.

So, based on this, I would say the results of the in-home study compared to a sleep center were fairly accurate. They were able to monitor AHIs, snoring, O2 levels, etc. with the in-home study. The only thing the in-home study does not measure is sleep stages as they do no EEG (head and scalp electrodes). It also doesn't measure leg movements to check for Restless Leg Syndrome.

Lisa

I did the at home study through the VA, it works just like loneStar describes. I learned later, that it really has no way to know if you are asleep, or just lying down. So even though I do think part of my problems are due to sleep apnea, I think the home monitor could not differentiate between other possible problems. (even with the CPAP for a month now, I still only sleep 2-3 hours, then lay awake watching the clock the rest of the night)

janp wrote:

LoneStar wrote:My dad had one (OSA runs in the family). He had an oximeter on one finger, a throat mike to measure snores, a nasal cannula to check nasal airflow, a chest band to measure breathing, and a couple of electrodes to monitor the heart.

If I recall correctly, they showed him how to attach everything at the doctor's office. He went home, connected everything to a small monitor box, slept, and then returned everything to the doctor's office the next day.

BUT, a friend of his had an in-home test that was much different from his. Make sure you understand what they are monitoring and why.

Lisa

Lisa,

That sounds like the one they're going to hook up to my husband this weekend.

Do you recall how accurate or meaningful the results were?

Thanks,

Jan

Jan,

Don't worry about how accurate the titrated pressure is - the sleep labs themselves have a heck of a time prescribing the optimal pressure. The important thing is to get the diagnosis and then get a data-capable machine and monitoring software like many of us members have. Then you can titrate yourself at home for the optimal pressure settings. Members here can give you help.

Good luck,

I can assure you that I credit a in home sleep study to saving my life. I have posted a like to my story.
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