Sleep lab vs home sleep study

Had a home study a few months ago. When my numbers wouldn't come down I asked the doctor and she requested a lab study. It's taken several weeks to get insurance approval for the 2nd study and it came through today. However in the last week I've discovered that with nasal pillows my AHI is ok.
My question is might there be a reason not to cancel the lab study now that it's approved? I have other factors like reflux, but feel things are under control. Don't want to waste time and resources, but just wondered if having a real study done might be of value or was the home study real enough.

Sleepysuz wrote:Had a home study a few months ago. When my numbers wouldn't come down I asked the doctor and she requested a lab study. It's taken several weeks to get insurance approval for the 2nd study and it came through today. However in the last week I've discovered that with nasal pillows my AHI is ok.
My question is might there be a reason not to cancel the lab study now that it's approved? I have other factors like reflux, but feel things are under control. Don't want to waste time and resources, but just wondered if having a real study done might be of value or was the home study real enough.

Just little letters......."ok".......not "OK" or "GREAT!"?

Been wondering where things were with your situation. What ARE your numbers like now?

Personally, I THINK I'd recommend the in-lab study. There's lots more things they can monitor there. But, I also think they need to figure out why you were having some of the issues you have had.


Den

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Not just ok, really OK!!!! With FFM AHI 10.95. The next day with nasal pillow 0.97!

How are you feeling with that new improved AHI?
How much resources $$ is the in lab sleep study going to cost you?
Maybe put it off till after the first of the year in case you don't continue to improve and then the cost will go towards whatever deductible you have starting over at the first of the year.
Just a thought from a pragmatic stand point. Those puppies aren't cheap unless you have already met the deductible this year and it would cost more out of pocket next year.

Here is the way I am looking at this:

It seems that a home sleep study is basically for an original diagnosis. IOW, if you pass with low AHI, you're golden, and the insurance Co is off the hook.

But if you don't, then the Sleep Dr. makes a prescription based on that study, which is not nearly as accurate as a full study with titration, for instance.

Then you get a period of attempting to get used to things as prescribed. If the numbers are not that good after a few weeks, that is probably the point where a study in depth (lab) is warranted.

That is precisely the point I am at and have a full study on Wednesday. I tested at 55.7 in the home study, but my numbers have been around 5 now for the last couple of weeks (still 65% centrals, which is a little worrisome).

So, if you can get Insurance to pony up, I would go through with the SS, because that is better info, meaning a more-informed eventual diagnosis, and better fine-tuning of your XPAP, meaning even more-improved numbers, and better health and prognosis for the most important person in this entire equation: you.

Sleepysuz wrote:Not just ok, really OK!!!! With FFM AHI 10.95. The next day with nasal pillow 0.97!

Well, in that case........ I tend to agree with what Pugsy said.
Glad to hear of that great improvement. Kind of weird there's THAT much difference, but "go with what works".


Den

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Have met the deductible for this year and hope not to have that many medical expenses next year. It's now or never unless I have more medical issues as we have a huge deductible. Just don't want to waste anyone's time if there is no need. Guess I could schedule it for late Dec and cancel it if I'm doing this well ( assuming my nose doesn't fall off trying to resolve this nose pillow challenge )