Do I need regular sleep studies? Or APAP is good enough?

[sanjaychak]

Hi everyone, I am using a manual CPAP (the venerable Respironics M-Series) for the last 7 years. I am considering a change in machine and buy an APAP now.

What I know is that an APAP will give me the best pressure on every breath, within a range, of course. Given that it is so smart, do I need another sleep study ? Or simply investing in this machine is good enough? Sleep studies are damn expensive, so I would rather avoid the study, if I can.

Alternative is that I get a sleep study done, and set the new pressure in my manual CPAP, thus saving on the APAP cost.

What do you suggest?

[Michelle-OH]

I much prefer my apap, and you'll be able to change settings as needed. I told my doc I never wanted another sleep study, he acted like that would be ok, hoping he was serious, cause I was

[Julie]

I strongly suggest that you download Sleepyhead software (free) and use an SD card along with your Apap so you can see what's going on and not just assume things are OK even if your AHI is low. I haven't seen a doctor for OSA/Cpap in 10 yrs, but I keep track of what's happening and don't 'just' go by how I feel as that can change due to other things at times.

[sanjaychak]

Thanks a lot, Michelle-OH, and Julie. Looks like I am on the right track then. I should simply buy an APAP, download SleepyHead, and that's it!

[Gasper62]

How much $$ is your co-pay for a sleep study- any other big reasons that you'd want to avoid one ? There are things measured and recorded in a study that an APAP can't. I don't want to have another any time soon due to inconvenience, mainly. Then again, My AHI stats are almost never above 0.50 and I regularly get 0.00's. If that changes drastically, I'll be getting a new study, pronto. Good luck.