Who gave you your sleep apnea diagnosis?

General Discussion on any topic relating to CPAP and/or Sleep Apnea.

Who gave you your sleep apnea diagnosis?

My physician
39
59%
My DME
6
9%
Another healthcare provider
21
32%
 
Total votes: 66

needzzzzs
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Who gave you your sleep apnea diagnosis?

Post by needzzzzs » Sat Apr 02, 2011 4:19 pm

I'm asking this question because a friend of mine was just told yesterday that he had it by the DME. I realized that that's how I learned about my diagnosis, from a phone call from the DME, not my primary care physician, who ordered the test. My friend was so confused, he barely understood what was wrong. Thought the machine he was getting was for oxygen therapy. All he was told was that he didn't breathe enough. He's a university professor, so not unintelligent, but I think that the way he was notified was terrible. I work in the medical field (as a librarian) and already knew some basic info about sleep apnea (at least what it was, and the major modalities of treatment), yet I think in both cases that the physician should have been the one to contact us and give us the diagnosis.

That's why I'm curious about how *you* all found out. Was my friend's and my experience the exception, or the rule?

Debbie

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LinkC
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Re: Who gave you your sleep apnea diagnosis?

Post by LinkC » Sat Apr 02, 2011 4:28 pm

I answered "my physician", but it was my sleep doc, not my PCP.

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nanwilson
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Re: Who gave you your sleep apnea diagnosis?

Post by nanwilson » Sat Apr 02, 2011 4:34 pm

Ditto what Linc said.
Nan
Started cpap in 2010.. still at it with great results.

DocWeezy
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Re: Who gave you your sleep apnea diagnosis?

Post by DocWeezy » Sat Apr 02, 2011 4:37 pm

And ditto again....my sleep doc, not my pcp.

Weezy

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mayondair
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Re: Who gave you your sleep apnea diagnosis?

Post by mayondair » Sat Apr 02, 2011 4:53 pm

needzzzzs wrote:I'm asking this question because a friend of mine was just told yesterday that he had it by the DME. I realized that that's how I learned about my diagnosis, from a phone call from the DME, not my primary care physician, who ordered the test. My friend was so confused, he barely understood what was wrong. Thought the machine he was getting was for oxygen therapy. All he was told was that he didn't breathe enough. He's a university professor, so not unintelligent, but I think that the way he was notified was terrible. I work in the medical field (as a librarian) and already knew some basic info about sleep apnea (at least what it was, and the major modalities of treatment), yet I think in both cases that the physician should have been the one to contact us and give us the diagnosis.

That's why I'm curious about how *you* all found out. Was my friend's and my experience the exception, or the rule?

Debbie
Ditto your friends experience, but I was told to come to the lab at 8 pm for a tritation, but what they really wanted was for me to sit through a group CPAP class and sign up for a 3000$ brick!!!, and then get the tritation.! follow up was supposed to be a call from the DME to send in your card for compliance.! I fired the DME and the doc, I'll never return to that lab either. What a scam! Kathy, done ranting now
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jimnsc
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Re: Who gave you your sleep apnea diagnosis?

Post by jimnsc » Sat Apr 02, 2011 5:06 pm

It was my sleep doc's nurse practitioner ( I answered my doctor) who covered my sleep study and my DME who gave me a copy of my titration. My Cardiologist referred me for the sleep test due to three bouts of Atrial Fibrillation. It was her theory that If I tested positive for sleep apnea, OSA might just be the culprit for the onset of A. Fib. By the way, I haven't met my sleep doc yet.

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PST
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Re: Who gave you your sleep apnea diagnosis?

Post by PST » Sat Apr 02, 2011 5:10 pm

The sleep doctor told me, but waking me up in the middle of the night to slap a mask on my face and begin a titration study qualifies as a gentle hint. I will spare everyone the entire old joke, but I felt like the tech was telling me, "Your cat's on the roof."

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BlackSpinner
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Re: Who gave you your sleep apnea diagnosis?

Post by BlackSpinner » Sat Apr 02, 2011 5:14 pm

I knew I had it but my pcp confirmed it.

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Tip10
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Re: Who gave you your sleep apnea diagnosis?

Post by Tip10 » Sat Apr 02, 2011 5:16 pm

I answered my Physician but ....

My sleep doc told me that she highly suspected I did in our consult, she explained that if it was confirmed in the first part of my sleep study then they'd put me in a mask for the titration part of it. And then the technician at my sleep study said there were "very very strong indications of OSA" in the middle of the sleep study so they were going to go ahead and put me in a mask for the titration part of the sleep study. And then my sleep doc called 1st thing Monday morning (sleep test was Friday night) with the prelim results and confirmed it.

So I suppose that perhaps the most accurate answer would be none of the above... Or perhaps "another health care provider" if that's what you wanna call the technician.

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rested gal
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Re: Who gave you your sleep apnea diagnosis?

Post by rested gal » Sat Apr 02, 2011 5:21 pm

I didn't mark any of the choices. I diagnosed and treated myself.

My story - why/how I started using "cpap":
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Drowsy Dancer
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Re: Who gave you your sleep apnea diagnosis?

Post by Drowsy Dancer » Sat Apr 02, 2011 5:43 pm

PST wrote:The sleep doctor told me, but waking me up in the middle of the night to slap a mask on my face and begin a titration study qualifies as a gentle hint. I will spare everyone the entire old joke, but I felt like the tech was telling me, "Your cat's on the roof."
Likewise.

DD

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Jersey Girl
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Re: Who gave you your sleep apnea diagnosis?

Post by Jersey Girl » Sat Apr 02, 2011 6:16 pm

My sleep doctor first did a written screening with me. I was fatigued, diabetic, slightly depressed, etc. etc. He said that given the results of my sleep screening I should go ahead and have a sleep study, as he strongly suspected OSA. He explained in detail what OSA was and took the time to answer my questions. I had the sleep study and then a follow up visit with his PA. I then had a titration and was grateful that my doctor recommneded a DME that worked really well with my insurance and my doc ordered me an s8 apap (the best one out at the time, IMHO). I had a follow up after 45 days of being on cpap. I had to mail my card into my DME and they sent the reports into my doctor and insurance co to show that I was compliant. The entire experience was a good one for me. We then repeated the whole thing for my husband, who did not have OSA but DOES have UARS and snored very, very loudly. So, we are the proud owners of an s8 and an s9 and our room now only has the sweet, soothing noise of 2 cpaps at night.

Regards to all,

Jersey Girl

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kempo
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Re: Who gave you your sleep apnea diagnosis?

Post by kempo » Sat Apr 02, 2011 7:54 pm

My GP, who is a friend of mine said, " I know what your problem is because I have OSA myself but I'm not a sleep Doc so we will confirm it with a sleep test and a sleep doctor.

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DreamDiver
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Re: Who gave you your sleep apnea diagnosis?

Post by DreamDiver » Sat Apr 02, 2011 8:09 pm

My PCP suggested it, but only as a last ditch consideration because we couldn't figure out what was wrong - why I felt like garbage all the time. All the other tests ruled out everything else. I don't snore, so it was not thought of as a real consideration by many PCP's at the time. The sleep doc made the diagnosis.

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the reach
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Re: Who gave you your sleep apnea diagnosis?

Post by the reach » Sat Apr 02, 2011 8:36 pm

My PCP suspected it 8 years ago but the sleep clinic said no - I wasn't achieving REM sleep but they didn't know why. I also have depression and since that's a bit of chicken and egg as to whether poor sleep causes depression or vice versa, they treated that but I was still exhausted all the time. This summer I started falling asleep at work and was no longer able to read a page, never mind remember it. My doctor decided that we really needed to revisit that sleep study at a different clinic. The sleep specialist confirmed her suspicions after my overnight study (and gave me a 70% chance in the prestudy assessment). Really, I am very greatful that my doctor decided that it was worth investigating again.

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