Introduction, Boyce

Boyce · Post by **Boyce** » Fri Jun 22, 2012 7:54 am

Well here I am. Sleep study being scheduled in July. Put this off waaaay too long.

Been reading tons of great stuff here. You guys are a cult aren't you? I don't think the general public knows about you.

One of the signs of a cult is that they will not let members opt out and you fit that description.

Anyway, back to me. I wonder if I should ask for a "split-study" since I am 100% sure I have sleep apnea?

It seems like that would save me a lot of money and get me up and running quickly with a CPAP machine.

This is going to be the rest of my life for sure - a mask, a hose, a machine, a humidifier.

You gotta do what you gotta do.

Be talking with you some more. OK?

Pugsy · Post by **Pugsy** » Fri Jun 22, 2012 8:06 am

Split studies are pretty much done automatically if certain criteria is met the first couple of hours of the initial diagnostic part of the sleep study. I didn't meet criteria because I didn't sleep well and when I finally met criteria there wasn't enough time left to do the titration. Delayed me a little but sometimes they can get you right back in pretty quickly.

Welcome to the forum. Read, read and read some more.

Have you seen these blogs written by a couple of our forum members?
http://maskarrayed.wordpress.com/what-y ... me-part-i/
http://maskarrayed.wordpress.com/
http://adventures-in-hosehead-land.blog ... -with.html

sleepycarol · Post by **sleepycarol** » Fri Jun 22, 2012 8:58 am

I, too, didn't qualify for a split study, as I didn't sleep enough. I was able to get in a week later for my titration study. I was disappointed I didn't have a split study, but in hind sight feel that by doing the titration a full night allows the tech more time to find the correct pressure if there are any issues that make it difficult to zero in on it.

Some people spend money on fancy cars, televisions, etc. We spend money on cpaps and supplies, always on the quest for the perfect mask and the play toys associated with sleep apnea!! At least we are doing something to increase our life span!!

chunkyfrog · Post by **chunkyfrog** » Fri Jun 22, 2012 9:18 am

Well, I am sure the DME's think we are a cult; insofar as we may cut into their profits just a teensy bit!
I prefer to think of us as a patient advocacy group.
Most of us want every apnea sufferer out there to have comfortable, refreshing sleep, and a healthier life.
We have suffered the misery of restless nights, drowsy days, and too many health complications to count;
much of this due to poor public education (including our doctors) and the unwillingness of
suppliers and insurance to provide us with optimal treatment.
We are fed up with ignorance and greed; and the fears that prevent so many from seeking a diagnosis and equipment.
We have felt the frustrations that drive so many others to abandon their treatment.
No, we're not a cult, but there are probably a few out there who think of us that way.

ekubaskie · Post by **ekubaskie** » Fri Jun 22, 2012 8:47 pm

chunkyfrog wrote:Well, I am sure the DME's think we are a cult; insofar as we may cut into their profits just a teensy bit!

"Teensy" may be right. Insurance companies of course have a contract rate with the DMEs - the "Allowed" amount compared to the billed amount. But even so, they collected a touch over 8 thousand dollars for the two nights of my sleep study, and another $2,700 for the system. The study itself is a high-profit operation, and looking at cpap.com's price for the gear, they had a significant markup there, too. My deductible is a painful $2,400 - a requirement for an HSA type setup, where ALL your medical expenses through the HSA end up being tax deductions, and that's good for anywhere from 500 to 1,000 bucks a year off my taxes. Paying Dr. Sam rather than Uncle Sam (or both) helps!

Welcome to the club, Boyce. I figured to go for the "split" study, but it didn't work out. I was too keyed up for them to get good data on the first night. They tried, too, but my claustrophobia kicked in with the attempt to use a full-face mask and it just wasn't happening. If you have even a touch of clautrophobia, you might do well to start the study night a bit sedated. See your regular doc first about some Xanax or something like that, which (along with using a nasal pillow mask instead) made my second night successful.

Good luck with the study... Hmm, we need a catch-phrase, like actors' "Break a leg!"

MaxDarkside · Post by **MaxDarkside** » Fri Jun 22, 2012 8:58 pm

I, three, didn't qualify for a split study during my sleep study, as I didn't sleep enough... took me more than 90 minutes to fall asleep, all wired and then late in the game they had me sleep on my back, took a while to sleep again and then I erupted in events but there was not enough time to put the mask on me. I never had a "titration". They gave me a Resmed S9 AutoSet and set the pressures from 5-15 and let it "rip". I have dialed myself in well.

Welcome and yes, later you can opt out, if you like, but you'll probably stay around, hopefully, for a good while

osako · Post by **osako** » Fri Jun 22, 2012 10:53 pm

I had a split study. The upside is that you are treated quickly. The downside is that there is much more information in a full sleep study that you won't have access to. For example, I don't know my full AHI. After two hours my AHI was 59 and they split the study. But my apneas are much worse during the last sleep cycle than the first. So my true AHI is probably much higher than 59. Does that matter to my treatment? Probably not. I use APAP and it works great (average AHI of 2-3). However, I do wish I knew what my entire sleep architecture looked like and the true severity of my OSA.

zoocrewphoto · Post by **zoocrewphoto** » Fri Jun 22, 2012 11:00 pm

I did the split study too, I am glad I did since I got treatment faster with only one night in a strange setting.

But like you, I do also wish I knew what my full night AHI would have been. I did not reach REM sleep during the first 2 1/2 hours, and that is typically when sleep apnea is worse. So, I can guess that my 79 AHI would have been much higher for a full night. But like you mentioned, it probably doesn't make much of a difference once you have already proven to be severe. About the only thing it can help with is to make us that much more determined to make our treatment work.

user from Singapore · Post by **user from Singapore** » Sat Jun 23, 2012 12:26 am

Not sure if they know what is a split study here
I had a long sleep study (9 hours) and after that had an appointment with the sleep doctor who suggested the machine I am using with the standard pressure range. The rest has been done thanks to the helpful people here.

Lizistired · Post by **Lizistired** » Sat Jun 23, 2012 12:35 am

Welcome to the cult Boyce!

mrghos · Post by **mrghos** » Sat Jun 23, 2012 4:35 am

Welcome Boyce. I am new here also and just finished my second study. Going in next Wednesday to get results and a machine. I see you are in Atlanta. I don't know who you are using for the sleep study but the folks I used got me in and out quickly thru entire process. I did first sleep study on May 24th and will get cpap on June 27th. Don't know if I can say their name so PM me if you want the name of sleep clinic.

Tino2You · Post by **Tino2You** » Sat Jun 23, 2012 5:22 am

Hi Boyce,

I too, got a split study. Going in I knew I had OSA. My wife is a nurse and would "poke" me to start breathing when I was asleep. Got so I had sore ribs. My AHI was 96 during the second phase of my study. Even with the split study, the process was a long one. It took three weeks before my doctor got the results of the sleep study and another week for the insurance company and DME to get me my equipment. But that is where they screwed up. During that time,I met the fine folks here, got fitted for my saffron robe (oh wait I wan't supposed to say that). Read LOTS of stuff and when I went in to my DME, I knew I was not going to accept a machine that I could not get clinical information from (lovingly referred in here as a brick). It just is crazy to think that the treatment used during a 3 hour sleep study would be exactly the correct treatment for the next 12 months.

So read...educate yourself, be your own best advocate. We are not looking for anything over and above, just making sure what we get is not short changing our treatment.

Cheers,
-tino

insomniacInToronto · Post by **insomniacInToronto** » Sat Jun 23, 2012 5:33 am

I'm addicted to my mask and machine now, I can't sleep without it. Doesn't bother me too much anymore. It does take getting used to though. I just joined cpaptalk as well. Good luck all the best!

Sleep2Die4 · Post by **Sleep2Die4** » Sat Jun 23, 2012 9:42 am

ekubaskie wrote: The study itself is a high-profit operation

Do you know what the profits are in the sleep lab you attended or any other sleep lab?

Do you know the definition of "high profits"?

What is your definition?

chunkyfrog · Post by **chunkyfrog** » Sat Jun 23, 2012 1:59 pm

We are aware, S2D4, that the prices of sleep studies vary insanely.
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=40605&st=0&sk=t&sd= ... cost+study
One can only presume that a fair amount of that difference is not due to
increased quality and comfort so much as bonus take-home for the lab owners.

Introduction, Boyce

Introduction, Boyce

Re: Introduction, Boyce

Re: Introduction, Boyce

Re: Introduction, Boyce

Re: Introduction, Boyce

Re: Introduction, Boyce

Re: Introduction, Boyce

Re: Introduction, Boyce

Re: Introduction, Boyce

Re: Introduction, Boyce

Re: Introduction, Boyce

Re: Introduction, Boyce

Re: Introduction, Boyce

Re: Introduction, Boyce

Re: Introduction, Boyce

Mask