How often do you think you should have a new sleep study?

[DreamStalker]

That free-market parrot should be squaking in any moment now ... Brrack!

[WearyOne]

That free-market parrot should be squaking in any moment now ... Brrack!

Is this a joke with someone else that I missed along the way or are you saying a free market a bad thing? Or in my sleep-deprived state today did I miss the mark completely?

In answer to the poll, it depends on how you're feeling and what the data says. I don't believe there's one set answer.

[JohnBFisher]

That free-market parrot should be squaking in any moment now ... Brrack!

Is this a joke with someone else that I missed along the way or are you saying a free market a bad thing? Or in my sleep-deprived state today did I miss the mark completely?

In answer to the poll, it depends on how you're feeling and what the data says. I don't believe there's one set answer.

DreamStalker thought Rooster will soon counter the previous post. It's a running "dialog" ... most of us just focus on helping others and let them debate such things on the side.

Hope the "sleep-derived state" will soon get better for you!

[WearyOne]

Thanks, JohnBFisher! It's mostly my own fault, really, as I haven't been going to bed early enough lately!

[pitrow]

This might differ in some countries but in the UK it's free, you just have to have one scheduled by a doctor. I believe in the US it's covered by insurance? Maybe there's something still to pay.

There is no such thing as a "free" sleep study. Whether payment comes out of your pocket or mine (through taxes), the doctor still gets paid, and so therefor someone is paying for it.

[OCSleeper]

How 'bout an optional status check/review of the THERAPY results once a year from the prescribing doctor. Kinda like a physical, only for sleep. We should give doctors a chance to do their jobs, right? Hmmmm..now that I think about it, why not add SDB screening for everyone. Never mind...not going to happen.

[kevincoop]

There ain't no "free lunch" (or sleep study or healthcare). SOMEBODY is paying for it. The more people who take advantage of it, the more it costs everyone else.


I absolutely agree...and this also goes for the people that are getting supplies each month from their DME whether they need them or not......hey..."it's not costing anything, it's free!"

Yeah, If people keep this up, one day the government is going to break in and regulate healthcare. Glad it hasnt come to that yet...oh wait.

[Dantebenuto]

This might be a stupid question, but I recently lost about 50 lbs and am working on another 30. I am wondering if a) the weight loss might change my titration, b) might impact my need to use CPAP at all? and c) would a sleep study be worth it to find out both a and b? I had my initial sleep study about 3 years ago and at the time, I had 70 apneas per hour, blood O2 content of 78%. I eat right and exercise now and am wondering (hoping) if this could make any possible difference?

[Hawthorne]

That weight loss could certainly make a difference in your pressure setting. It may not mean that you can do without cpap though. Your sleep apnea was in the severe range when you were titrated.

I see you have an auto machine. Do you have the software and card reader to see what is happning in your sleep? If you had it, you may be able to discover if you needed a lower pressure now and make the pressure adjustment yourself.

Another sleep study would be another way to find out.

[cptcoolie]

I'm a newbie, but in my inexperienced opinion it should be as needed by the patient. I would imagine that it would differ from person to person. Additionally, if we in the U.S. were not so handicaped by not really being given the tools (software) to self monitor, we could use the data to determine if there is something wrong with our treatment. I slept less than average (statistically) during both my intial sleep study and then my titration study which occured less than two weeks apart. But since I had done a lot of research so I could understand what the results meant for myself, I was able to participate with the Dr. in determining what would work for me. He thought I was not a good candidate for CPAP due to my small amount of sleep, but I pointed out to him I didn't sleep much without the CPAP and it was all relative.

9 days down and not one problem with compliance for me. I did insist that my DME provide me with the S9 instead of the popular S8, but I wanted the new technology to help me with my compliance. Of course they wanted to give me what they had in stock...but I can be bull headed when I need to be.

Bottom line, I hope to never do another sleep study. It was the most painful experience with and without the CPAP. I'm not interested in being hooked up like Frankenstien again...unless my treatment stops working that is. Thanks for reading and sorry for the long post.

[Bonnie]

I can't imagine having another sleep study after having my therapy under control and feeling great. The thought of going in and sleeping with out my machine is frightening. For 5 years I have slept with my machine every night and every nap. Learning to install the software, reading & understanding the data and seeing my 100+ events per hour drop to a stable 0.5 to an occasional 1 has made a huge difference my life. (all made possible by learning on this forum and extra help from Den & RG). Even if I was offered a completely free sleep study in a 5 star hotel and my RT was Brad Pitt I would still say no thanks, not needed!