How to seek a second opinion on sleep study

[Soup Fork]

Hello cpaptalk community! I've been a long time reader of the forum but this is my first post. I had a sleep study done August 2015 (I attempted to post an image of the report I received) that did not show sleep apnea but it did show 0% stage 3 sleep and 11 spontaneous arousals per hour.

Fast forward to almost a year later and I'm still dealing with many symptoms generally associated with a sleep disorder so I dug into my test results again and have concerns about the 4% desaturation criteria (AHI Recommended) they used to score my test. I found a few articles (from the AASM and a few medical journals) the show the AHI Alternative criteria might have scored some or all of my arousals as AHI events, which would then possibly put me in the range for mild sleep apnea.

Has anyone had a sleep study rescored? Is that even a thing?

My primary care physician would like me to see a pulmonologist who specializes in sleep medicine to push this forward and get some answers. However, the first few I've called that accept my insurance do not have appointments available until October or November. 4-5 months feels like an eternity to wait for some answers, the exhaustion I'm feeling is really taking a toll on my day to day life.

I've also had no luck getting any more information about my test results other than the one page report I've tried to link to. I've made two written requests and also a few phone calls and all they give me is another copy of what I have.

Ultimately I have no idea what is causing all my sleep issues, but I'd really like figure out if it's apnea or something else.

And advice or suggestions will be greatly appreciated!




https://goo.gl/photos/qwTYuMCgxoh1MFmZ7

[Julie]

Your full sleep report is yours by law, so I'd show up at the doctor's office and tell them you're not leaving without it. Otherwise, ask your MD for a new referral, or one to a pulmonologist or neurologist who can set up a new study for you if they think it's needed (they should have your own MD's reports which your MD would have sent them on referral).

[SewTired]

The criteria is primarily for Medicare or Insurance companies. If you are willing to pay out of pocket, the doc will likely give you a prescription without any problems. It's because you want someone ELSE to pay for it that you have to jump through hoops. I really doubt that the sleep clinic is going to rescore - they would have to explain why they screwed it up in the first place. I do sympathize. I've spoken to a couple of people who didn't quite qualify for machines and were quite miserable. They later got prescriptions ANYWAY and bought lower cost machines from Second Wind. With the current discounts on S9 auto and 560 autos, you would probably pay only slightly more than your copays.

[avi123]

Your full sleep report is yours by law, so I'd show up at the doctor's office and tell them you're not leaving without it. Otherwise, ask your MD for a new referral, or one to a pulmonologist or neurologist who can set up a new study for you if they think it's needed (they should have your own MD's reports which your MD would have sent them on referral).

The above is not correct that a sleep clinic in the U.S. must give YOU your own sleep results. State laws specifically state that if you're not competent to read it correctly and might take actions such as harming yourself then the clinic is not obligated to hand the report to you.

[klv329]

This might be a Respironics 560 (but could be a 550 auto) auto for $150 nearby. Maybe haggle down the price to $100. Don't know how many hours, or the condition.

Not sure what you pay using insurance. Mask fitting is always a challenge, seemingly forever.

Of course, you don't know if you have sleep apnea after a sleep study, so it could be something else entirely....

https://tampa.craigslist.org/pnl/hab/5619061333.html

[LSAT]

Your full sleep report is yours by law, so I'd show up at the doctor's office and tell them you're not leaving without it. Otherwise, ask your MD for a new referral, or one to a pulmonologist or neurologist who can set up a new study for you if they think it's needed (they should have your own MD's reports which your MD would have sent them on referral).

The above is not correct that a sleep clinic in the U.S. must give YOU your own sleep results. State laws specifically state that if you're not competent to read it correctly and might take actions such as harming yourself then the clinic is not obligated to hand the report to you.

Avi is wrong...as usual

HIPPA Law entitles you to copies of medical records for services that you have paid for
http://www.hhs.gov/hipaa/for-individual ... index.html

[avi123]

Soup Fork , is this your PSG result:

https://photos.google.com/share/AF1QipP ... 8tWHdYcU9B

[avi123]

Your full sleep report is yours by law, so I'd show up at the doctor's office and tell them you're not leaving without it. Otherwise, ask your MD for a new referral, or one to a pulmonologist or neurologist who can set up a new study for you if they think it's needed (they should have your own MD's reports which your MD would have sent them on referral).

The above is not correct that a sleep clinic in the U.S. must give YOU your own sleep results. State laws specifically state that if you're not competent to read it correctly and might take actions such as harming yourself then the clinic is not obligated to hand the report to you.

Avi is wrong...as usual
Reply:

Here are the North Carolina state laws (same as in ALL states):

YOU SHOULD HAVE READ THE HIPPAHs till the end!
If you were a sleep clinic owner would you not rely on this clause to deny direct requests by all patients?

CAN MY PROVIDER DENY MY REQUEST FOR MY MEDICAL
RECORD?

Yes. Your health care provider can deny your request to see or get a
copy of your medical record, but only for a few reasons. For example, if
your provider believes that letting you see your medical record might
physically endanger you or another person they can deny your request.
The rules that control whether a provider can deny your request to see or get a copy of
records related to mental health or substance abuse conditions or treatment may be
different and are not discussed in this guide.

[chunkyfrog]

. . . Mental health or substance abuse.
Personal experience?
In most places, those are the primary exceptions, for obvious reasons.
Most the rest of us pay no mind, as it's only referenced when the impairment is substantial.

[avi123]

. . . Mental health or substance abuse.
Personal experience?
In most places, those are the primary exceptions, for obvious reasons.
Most the rest of us pay no mind, as it's only referenced when the impairment is substantial.

Even in Nebraska there is no chance that a sleep clinic would give you as a patient and not to your Docter the PSG results. So what is the discussion about impairments? The issue is that the clinic does not know if you yourself are an Islamic Terrorist.

[palerider]

Even in Nebraska there is no chance that a sleep clinic would give you as a patient and not to your Docter the PSG results. So what is the discussion about impairments?

and yet, they routinely do.

[chunkyfrog]

Especially when the impairment is so obvious.