Subsequent Sleep Study

[StuUnderPressure]

My one & only Sleep Study was done 14 years ago & I have never seen the need to do another one.

I have read in other threads of people having 2 or 3 or more sleep studies.

Question I have is:
Once you have been on CPAP /APAP for quite a while & decide to do another Sleep Study, do they do the Sleep Study while you are using your CPAP / APAP (like the initial Titration part of your initial Sleep Study) OR do they again do a full Sleep Study over 2 nights (1 night withOUT CPAP / APAP & the 2nd night WITH CPAP / APAP)?

[yamar2001]

I was being treated for severe OSA for 6 years (first tested at about 28 interruptions per hour) and when I changed cities my regular Dr advised I get another sleep study done.

In short, I received a false negative and now I don't receive any assistance from my insurance company. The false negatives are rather high with a one night study, and the insurance companies won't let Dr's give a two night study.

They will have you fall asleep without your mask and then they will put it on if you should need it.

My insurance group insists that I don't need to use the CPAP. They claim its possible for me to go from 28 interruptions an hour down to 3 an hour. Now if I lost 30 lbs and altered alot of my life style choices, I would tend to agree... but I was never over weight and no major life style changes took place.

I have a social worker trying to get them back on board but as of now I am 100% on my own. My advise: talk to a SLEEP SPECIALIST about potentially getting another sleep study done, and don't take advise from anyone else. My sleep specialist told me they generally do not recommend getting another study done because of the chance of a false negative.

You can track alot of data on your machine... maybe try that first?

[Slinky]

There are those sleep specialists who advise NOT using your CPAP at night for one or two weeks prior to a new sleep study for those who have been successfully using CPAP for many years. The theory is that there is some residual apnea relief w/o PAP for some time after ceasing to use the PAP which could be the cause of these false negative studies if the sleep studies are done too soon after constant use of your CPAP.

[yamar2001]

There are those sleep specialists who advise NOT using your CPAP at night for one or two weeks prior to a new sleep study for those who have been successfully using CPAP for many years. The theory is that there is some residual apnea relief w/o PAP for some time after ceasing to use the PAP which could be the cause of these false negative studies if the sleep studies are done too soon after constant use of your CPAP.

Ahhhh, wish I knew that before I got my sleep study done. Of course, if I did stop the machine for two-three weeks prior to the sleep study I probably would not have shown up because it would have become quite evident that I'm border line psychotic when I don't use my machine.

I'm really torn on what to do... my insurance won't help me anymore, which I guess isn't an enormous deal because the equip isn't *that* expensive but on principle alone, its horrible what they did to me.

Sorry to hijack the thread if I did at all... but OP, slinky makes a great point. Talk to your sleep specialist about this. I know for me personally had I stopped for three weeks I would have known 100% that the subsequent sleep study would not have been necessary.

My sleep specialist told me they never advise people to get a second study if they already have support from their insurance company. This is National Jewish in Denver which has gone #1 respiratory hospital is America several years straight. I wish I asked them before I took my regular Dr's advise and got the study done.

[Julie]

If you'd been using software (with an appropriate machine) none of this would have happened, or at least you would have known what was happening with you long before the 'experts' or insce co's did. Do you have the right machine and software? Maybe you could rent or borrow one for a few nights to 'prove' your problem.

Then again, what if you in fact no longer have one after all?

[yamar2001]

If you'd been using software (with an appropriate machine) none of this would have happened, or at least you would have known what was happening with you long before the 'experts' or insce co's did. Do you have the right machine and software? Maybe you could rent or borrow one for a few nights to 'prove' your problem.

Then again, what if you in fact no longer have one after all?

I have a Respironics REM-Star Auto M Series.

I don't use software... but truthfully I hadn't thought of what you just suggested. Will sleepy head work on my machine? Where do I check which software I need? I had a forum member send me the software a long time ago, but I did not use it because my apnea seemed pretty under control. Great idea though.... I could track the data and give that to my social worker for her to present to the insurance company.

again, sorry to hijack the thread.

[sleeplessinaz]

Yes, in my case, I had a new sleep study done just this past year. They did the Sleep Study while I was using my Auto Set (like the initial Titration part of the initial Sleep Study).My pressure got increased during the titration as straight CPAP at 7 was no longer working for me. I have a range now since I am on the Auto SET> works so much better for me as i varies as I need the extra pressure. I am glad I did the recent sleep study.I am getting better quality sleep now.

Carrie

[jencat824]

I've had 9 sleep studies and 2 MSLT's and always results were the same - severe OSA and narcolepsy. Perhaps because mine is severe that is why tests always show that. However, some of these were done in the diagnostic phase. After finally getting things straightened out, I haven't had any more studies. At least 3 of these studies was done with hope of finding a 'zebra' in my sleep patterns, which they did, however even that did not solve my problem, which were seizures. The 'zebra' found in my last study is thought to be the link they were trying to find, but without more intensive studies, I will probably never know. Both me & my dr wanted me to be sent to Mayo Clinic, but ins co said NO, so that is all the answer I will probably have.

My point, I don't think subsequent follow up studies are necessary or even a good idea UNLESS you are having more sleep related issues that cannot be resolved without extra sleep studies. My case was rare & I hope no one out there has to go thru the hell I did, but the reason I answered in detail was to give you a perspective of why a dr might want to do subsequent sleep studies.

As you know subsequent studies can lead to false results, which lead ins companies to think you don't need therapy anymore, even though you do. Not a good outcome.

Jen

[Julie]

Yamar - I'll be sending you a PM in a minute...

[Denial Dave]

My AHI 15 years ago was 8. This past August, it was 31.

Not sure if the rise is due to getting older or my adding 20 pounds of weight since the 1st study.

My 90 average AHI as of today is 2.7. So all is good.

[archangle]

I have a Respironics REM-Star Auto M Series.

I don't use software... but truthfully I hadn't thought of what you just suggested. Will sleepy head work on my machine? Where do I check which software I need? I had a forum member send me the software a long time ago, but I did not use it because my apnea seemed pretty under control. Great idea though.... I could track the data and give that to my social worker for her to present to the insurance company.

again, sorry to hijack the thread.

The M series machines require a special card reader to read the "smart card" they use. The PRS1 (Philips Respironics System One) machines use a more standard SD card. The smart card reader costs $80 or so. I'm not sure what versions of Windows it's compatible with.

SleepyHead doesn't work with M series machines. (Not yet, anyway.) You can get Encore Basic for free, but you do need the card reader to use it for an M series machine.