Unemployed, hi-deductable Ins., Can I Self-diagnose?

[BeautifulLooser]

CPAPtalk is a god-send. Thanks to all who contribute. I really need some advice:

I'm a 49 year old male who know he has sleep apnea. (..due to my arrhythmic snoring I've been politely banished from the bedroom by my wonderful and otherwise delightful wife.)

Feels like I haven't had a good night's sleep in 10 years.

I'm also unemployed, on an emergency rationing budget, and I have insurance with a ridiculously high deductible.

Sleep studies seem to cost around $2k. I can't afford both that and the cost of a CPAP machine. Do I really need the sleep study or can I buy the CPAP machine, at least temporarily, configure it myself?

Please advise!

[Gerald]

Check this article...........

http://ajrccm.atsjournals.org/cgi/conte ... type=HWCIT

It'll give you the answer.

[track]

The banished from the bedroom and high insurance deductable sounds familiar. My daughter purchased a machine for me as a christmas present and I have been using it now for 2.5 years. I immediately returned to the bedroom....don't snore anymore....and my AHI is down to 2 or below on a regular basis....but I have to wear a gizmo on my back so I don't roll on my back and send the AHI up. Get a machine on craigslist and get busy titrating....all the help you will need right here at cpaptalk.

[sagesteve]

Here is what I found that I would have done. Bought the RemStar M series and Quattro Full face mask (for starters). Run the machine on AUTO for about a week and see what your "average" pressure number is. Take THAT average and then set your RemStar to CPAP and to the average pressure you came up with. This really works. You also need to learn ( here on the board) as much as you can. You'll get the most help and best prices from https://www.cpap.com
When you call to order your equipment, ask questions!
Here: https://www.cpap.com/cpap-machine/remst ... -flex.html
mask: https://www.cpap.com/productpage/resmed ... dgear.html

the reason for the full face mask is that it's a good place to start ( we don't know if you are a mouth breather or nose breather etc. You can change later) After all of this we can talk about a humidifier after you get started (even if you need one?) I recommend the Fisher Paykel : https://www.cpap.com/productpage/fisher ... ifier.html

You WILL need to get a prescription from your doctor! If you can't do that, then you will need to get your equipment on craigslist, or here on the board from somebody ( this is always a little iffy at best ). This is the catch 22 in cpap because it IS medical and you'll need a perscription to buy this equipment through regular channels.

[DreamStalker]

CPAPtalk is a god-send. Thanks to all who contribute. I really need some advice:

I'm a 49 year old male who know he has sleep apnea. (..due to my arrhythmic snoring I've been politely banished from the bedroom by my wonderful and otherwise delightful wife.)

Feels like I haven't had a good night's sleep in 10 years.

I'm also unemployed, on an emergency rationing budget, and I have insurance with a ridiculously high deductible.

Sleep studies seem to cost around $2k. I can't afford both that and the cost of a CPAP machine. Do I really need the sleep study or can I buy the CPAP machine, at least temporarily, configure it myself?

Please advise!

If you plan to self-titrate ... you will definitely need the software. An APAP machine may make sef-titration a little easier but it can be done methodically with patience using a CPAP ... just make sure regardless of whether you get APAP or CPAP that the machine provides "efficacy" data also referred to as data capable.

Your best bet will be to check Craigslist for getting a machine without an Rx. If your primary care physician is willing to write you an Rx without the sleep study, then your options increase significantly and you can buy new online or from the host auction site cpapauction.com.

[roster]

I agree that you should start with a full face mask and a Respironics M series auto.

You will need the software and card reader.

If it were me, I would set the machine pressure range at 8 to 12 cm. Check the daily detail reports every day and ask for help here.

A reasonably intelligent and committed person can self-titrate the pressure settings. In fact, many of us here did it because the lab did not prescribe the correct pressure.

It is thought that about 95% of the cases you describe are simple obstructive apnea. After self-titration and some experience with a good therapy, you can think about how you are feeling and whether you may have one of the more complicated "5%" cases.

Good luck,

[rested gal]

Sleep studies seem to cost around $2k. I can't afford both that and the cost of a CPAP machine. Do I really need the sleep study or can I buy the CPAP machine, at least temporarily, configure it myself?

Welcome to the message board, BL!

Here are some links you might find interesting as you make your decision:

How I got started on cpap:
Jan 25, 2005 subject: not diagnosed yet, many ? brand new here my story and Poisson's reply with good reasons why a PSG sleep study is important.
viewtopic.php?p=5977#5977

My eventual sleep study:
Nov 19, 2005 subject: First Sleep Study...finally! - rested gal sleepydave on that board is StillAnotherGuest here on cpaptalk. Many thanks to him for helping me get a real sleep study. Well worth waiting for!
http://www.apneasupport.org/viewtopic.php?p=7956

Link to a Powerpoint presentation by board certified pulmonolgist/sleep doctor (Dr. Barbara Phillips) at a meeting of the American Lung Association of the Central Coast - November 2004:
"Not Every Patient Needs to Go to the Sleep Lab"
http://www.alaccoast.org/pdf/Phillips_0830. pdf
(Remove the space before "pdf" -- I keep getting an Internal Server Error message when I try to submit this post with the URL written correctly with no space.)

Link to a study that concluded, "yes."
"Can Patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnea Titrate Their Own Continuous Positive Airway Pressure?"
http://ajrccm.atsjournals.org/cgi/reprint/167/5/716

My list of machines that record "full data" and those that don't -- as of October 2008:
viewtopic.php?p=307168#p307168

LINK to Mile High Sleeper's great information resource for cpap users.
http://www.smart-sleep-apnea.blogspot.com