Sleep Study at home?

[Mr PR]

I'm not a big fan of going to a sleep center to get tested for Sleep Apnea, especially since my life is pretty hectic right now. The reason I would like to get tested is because I am always feeling exhausted throughout the entire day. This occurs even if I go to bed early. I don't know how I sleep at night because I am sleeping and my wife wouldn't have a clue of the symptoms for sleep apnea. If I am diagnosed with OSA, I know want kind of CPAP machine I would get but I am unsure of what type of mask to get. Would I be able to be tested at home or will I be forced to go to a sleep center to be tested?

[Gerald]

Your smartest move is to educate yourself....fast.....by clicking on the yellow lightbulb ("Our Wisdom") at the top of the page. Start reading everything you can get your hands on that concerns sleep apnea. Then, if you want to check your nightly O2 saturation levels, purchase a recording Oximeter.....and record yourself for a week or two. Once you've gathered some good data on your blood O2 saturation levels while you're asleep, you'll know what you need to do. Here's a good tool that'll do the job.

http://www.turnermedical.com/SPO_PulseO ... imeter.htm

Gerald

[kteague]

I was offered the option once (10+ yrs ago) of a home sleep study done by the sleep center, where they come set you up and then return in the morning to get the equipment. Didn't chose that route because I didn't want to deal with wires coming off or maybe having to repeat it. Don't know if it's even offered these days. There are those who go the do-it-yourself route, but we usually hear about that when insurance or money is an issue. If you have run-of-the-mill OSA as most do, you'll likely do fine on your own. If you are one of the smaller group who has central apnea or complex sleep disordered breathing, you may wish you'd gone ahead and spent a night at the sleep center, as figuring it all out would take more than a notion. Along with oxygen, the study at the center also monitors brain waves, limb movements, heart function, and reports your sleep stages and fragmentation. If you don't deem these things that important to you, that's your call. Just wanted to make sure you make an informed decision. An oxygen monitor is a good place to start and will warn those whose oxygen levels are an issue. It may not be a conclusive answer as to if you have OSA as some have brief events that are not enough to drop the oxygen much, but enough to fragment sleep and repeatedly flood the body with stress hormones. Then again, one night on a monitor could provide the evidence you seek. I'm sure there's plenty of folks on here who wish they'd bypassed the sleep study, for what good it did them. I personally am glad I had the study or I would have still been blaming OSA for all my symptoms while limb movements share the blame. Whatever you decide, best wishes on feeling better soon.

[weebl]

Both sleep studies I've ever had done were at home. 5 years ago when I lived in British Columbia, I had one done (didn't choose to get a CPAP back then, chalk it up to ignorance). It was very basic, I know for sure an oximeter, there may have been one other sensor, but I honestly can't remember what it was. This was done by one of the hospitals out there.

In Alberta, they are done by private sleep study clinics. This time around, I was sent home with an oximeter, a loop with prongs into my nostrils to sense my breathing (forget what those are called), and a microphone/positional sensor taped just under my Adam's Apple.

Both time I remember having trouble falling asleep with these weird things hooked up to me. First time around, the oximeter fell off a few times, but it was the clip on type. Most recent time, nothing came off, the oximeter was a taped on type.

I think if they use newer equipment, you need not really worry about it falling off. I'm sure it can happen, but I think with anything that is taped on to you, it is not likely to come off. Both times I managed enough sleep to provide useable data.

[Section1]

I ran across this site http://www.aviisha.com/sleep-well/home-sleep-test

I have never used them or known anyone who has. I'm not really sure how or what they use either. It is cheaper than a traditional sleep study and it is done at home.

[OldLincoln]

Mr PR, I wasn't a fan either and was tricked into doing it. Once committed I decided if thousands of others could do it I can too, so I did. When I found out my oxygen levels became dangerously low in the night, and was told it leads to brain and heart damage, I wish I had done it years before. The point is don't wait until your memory is fading or you get confused during the day when you used to be to go-to person. Just do it.

If no insurance coverage for it, I suggest, as others have, to measure your O2 levels over night for 3 nights. The whole purpose of OSA therapy is to get the O2 levels safe. IMHO, safe is 95% or higher, but it can momentarily drop to 90%. As an example, mine dropped into the mid 70's and hung around low 80's for a good bit. If the O2 is low, ask about machines and the process.

[Mr PR]

Thanks everyone for the help. I will probably just get one done at a sleep center just to be sure. I would rather get tested and find out I don't have OSA than to not get tested and have it. If I do have it the good thing is I will get a free CPAP because of where I work.