% of patients who do sleep studies NOT diagnosed with apnea

[KarenK]

I don't know that many people with apnea, but I have never met anyone who had a sleep study who did not get diagnosed with apnea. Comments?? [Lots of my friends think it's a giant health industry scam]

[Lukie]

I had two different sleep studies in which the doctor refused to give me a diagnosis of Sleep Apnea because I
did not sleep long enough during the study to give me this diagnosis. I was sent home without CPAP.
Now twenty years later I have sleep apnea related heart problems according to my cardiologist
who sent me for a recent sleep study which confirmed the diagnosis of sleep apnea.
The difference this time was that because of my earlier experiences and medical history
they gave me some Ambien after about an hour into the study to make sure I got some sleep.

[BlackSpinner]

I don't know that many people with apnea, but I have never met anyone who had a sleep study who did not get diagnosed with apnea. Comments?? [Lots of my friends think it's a giant health industry scam]

I do. A friend of mine went to a sleep study with great hopes but her AHI was normal. She has narcolepsy instead. By the time you take a sleep study you have already been diagnosed as having some sort of other major issues like extreme fatigue, depression, heart problems, snoring and such. You don't get sent to a sleep study on a whim without issues.

[SleepyToo2]

Now twenty years later I have sleep apnea related heart problems according to my cardiologist.

Diagnostic techniques/criteria have changed in the last 20 years. Also, highly likely that your apnea has gotten worse. Congratulations on getting it diagnosed now, with the opportunity to stop your heart problems getting fixed. CPAP may even be part of the fix, but that would need your docs and/or time to confirm or deny. Good luck, and keep on using the mask despite what your "friends" tell you.

[chunkyfrog]

Diagnostics and therapy have improved vastly over the last two decades.
Also the criteria for treatment--a "mild" case, I would imagine, was simply not treated.
Even after cpap came along, they were probably so ungodly expensive, they were sold to only the worst cases--with the best insurance.
Most of us would have never seen one, as so many in previous times--who died of "heart attacks" and type II diabetes--caused by apnea.

[NateS]

I don't know that many people with apnea, but I have never met anyone who had a sleep study who did not get diagnosed with apnea. Comments?? [Lots of my friends think it's a giant health industry scam]

Of course the percentage of people coming up positive is going to be high - if the symptoms possibly consistent with sleep apnea are not there in the pre-study, no insurance company or Medicare is going to pay for the test.

However, my girlfriend/sig.other was referred for a sleep study a little more than a year ago. We thought we would end up with matching machines at each side of the bed. But the study came up back negative. She and I went over her multi-page report with a fine-tooth comb, comparing it with mine from a year prior. It was very clear I had sleep apnea and she did not. End of story.

Best wishes, Nate

[2 B Sleeping Soundly]

People have to live their own lives and make their own decisions, good and bad, and live with the blessings/benefits or issues/problems that result from their freedom to decide for themselves.

Like most things in life, our proximity to a problem, whether medical in nature or not can have a real sobering, acutely awakening effect on our lives and of those we know and love.

With SA/OSA or other sleep disorders the severity in duration or number of events, the health complications that result from having them, may never be understood or acknowledged by others not in the midst of it. I say, so be it! I will hope and pray that they will never lose a love one or friend, have their own health compromised or life cut short. To late for them is the would have, could have, and should have. Denial and dismissing that SA/OSA exists and the treatments that have proven to be of great benefit to many will not matter to them until it is probably too late and someone is unfortunately lost or severe health issues bring it into reality.

For me PAP therapy has been nothing short of a miracle. It has transformed my life and given me back good health and restful sleep. Not a scam for me and my friends and family that still have me around, but others may disagree and that is ok.

[bavinck]

I know 2 people that had a study with a negative for apnea. The fact that most get the study get an apnea diagnosis cannot possibly identify an industry seeking to benefit itself as the sample population of people that volunteer to get a sleep study is highly biased towards people that do not sleep well in general, and those suffering from apnea in particular. Arguing that too many people that get diagnosis of apnea as a result of a sleep study is like trying to argue that too many of the people that seeking a non-routine appointment with their gp are found to be sick - of course they are, that's why they made the appointment!

[zoocrewphoto]

I suspect not many people volunteer for a sleep study unless they believe something is wrong. I know I waited over 10 years before I was willing to do the sleep study even though I knew I had it.

Also, insurance companies don't like to pay for random, expensive tests. So, they want to know that there is a reason for the test.

[BlackSpinner]

I know 2 people that had a study with a negative for apnea. The fact that most get the study get an apnea diagnosis cannot possibly identify an industry seeking to benefit itself as the sample population of people that volunteer to get a sleep study is highly biased towards people that do not sleep well in general, and those suffering from apnea in particular. Arguing that too many people that get diagnosis of apnea as a result of a sleep study is like trying to argue that too many of the people that seeking a non-routine appointment with their gp are found to be sick - of course they are, that's why they made the appointment!

Yes and most people who get xrays for a possible broken leg actually have a broken leg! There must be collusion between Xray techs and doctors!

[Lambeau]

Here's the somewhat reverse corollary to the question posed in the posting's title.

I have 3 personal friends who have had sleep studies done in a sleep lab per their doctor's instructions in the past two years. All 3 were diagnosed with severe apnea and prescribed CPAP machines. The most recent of them (a 66 year old male) absolutely refused to get a machine. He would not even put a mask on during the sleep study. His wife (also 66 years old) had a sleep study done two years ago with the same outcome. Claustrophobia is her insurmountable reason for being unwilling to even put one on.

The 3rd person I know is a 45 year old male who is a cop. He got the machine after diagnosis of apnea. He tried to use it for about 3 weeks and called it quits. Said it is too uncomfortable for him to sleep at all wearing the hose, so he just ditched or returned the equipment to the DME provider.

So not everyone who is diagnosed with apnea goes on CPAP therapy even when it is prescribed by a physician.

[chunkyfrog]

Denial kills; and there is nothing like support and education.
"Claustrophobia" seems to be a common excuse when confronted with something they don't want to do.
I wonder how many of these people are only "claustrophobic" around cpap machines.

[BlackSpinner]

Denial kills; and there is nothing like support and education.
"Claustrophobia" seems to be a common excuse when confronted with something they don't want to do.
I wonder how many of these people are only "claustrophobic" around cpap machines.

I have some claustrophobia but the mask doesn't bother me a bit. Just how can two pillows in your nose be considered an enclosed space?

[Katana]

My brother...

Had a sleep study...negative for apnea.

[Lambeau]

Denial kills; and there is nothing like support and education.
"Claustrophobia" seems to be a common excuse when confronted with something they don't want to do.
I wonder how many of these people are only "claustrophobic" around cpap machines.

Actually, the woman I referred to is claustrophobic to the extreme. She cannot even tolerate the thought of getting an open sided MRI for diagnosis of a herniated lumbar disc. Elevators freak her out to the point of using stairs. The two men have no issues with claustrophobia. They just refuse to use a CPAP due to "comfort" issues and being not able to sleep at all wearing a hose.