Sleep Study comparing ResMed to Respironics ASV

Last night was my sleep study to compare the ResMed to the Phillips Respironics - it is my 5th overnight sleep study after getting diagnosed with Sleep Apnea . . . Typically I would get about 0 or 1 or 2 hours of sleep if that much, in past sleep studies.

The first part of the night I was on the ResMed Algorithm and I slept well, and was not aware of any sounds or noises coming from the device . . .

The technician came to put a chin strap on me, and that woke me up, and shortly after that they switched to the Philips Respironics - and I had a very difficult time getting back to sleep, I was very aware of the sounds/noise of the device, and also I noticed I was burping. I think after the switch, it took me about 2 hours before I fell asleep again, but only for a short time . . .

I am waiting to hear back from my Sleep Doctor on the results and if they will switch me to a ResMed . . .

Looking around the CPAPTalk, anecdotally, ResMed appears to be the clear favourite.

However sleeping the first half with one brand, being woken up, switching to another, is a poor way to compare brands. For me, almost always after having been woken up during the night, getting back to sleep is much more difficult and often just a poorer sleep quality.

Having said that, get the ResMed.

Dog Slobber wrote: ↑

Tue Jan 08, 2019 11:10 am

Looking around the CPAPTalk, anecdotally, ResMed appears to be the clear favourite.

However sleeping the first half with one brand, being woken up, switching to another, is a poor way to compare brands. For me, almost always after having been woken up during the night, getting back to sleep is much more difficult and often just a poorer sleep quality.

Having said that, get the ResMed.

fyi, they have a way of making a device follow the algorithm of either ResMed or Respironics, so they don't have to switch to a different machine . . . probably if the technician put the chin strap on at the beginning of the study, that may have been helpful

beautifuldreamer wrote: ↑

Tue Jan 08, 2019 2:43 pm

fyi, they have a way of making a device follow the algorithm of either ResMed or Respironics, so they don't have to switch to a different machine . . .

This is *not* correct, no matter what you may have been told.

palerider wrote: ↑

Tue Jan 08, 2019 5:16 pm

beautifuldreamer wrote: ↑

Tue Jan 08, 2019 2:43 pm

fyi, they have a way of making a device follow the algorithm of either ResMed or Respironics, so they don't have to switch to a different machine . . .

This is *not* correct, no matter what you may have been told.

Thanks Palerider - For now I will wait and see what my sleep doctor says when he calls me with the results (which can take up to 3 weeks)- and see how he interprets the data.

My doctors never take 3 weeks to provide the results of any test.
I will get a complete copy of the raw data within a day or 2, no mater what the test.
I may wait a few days or a week to get the docs review, but I will have developed my own opinion of the results
and a list of questions for the doc.

If I don't get results after my first call, the office staff will quickly grow tired of my voice on the phone all day.

We must all learn to train our doctors.

bwexler wrote: ↑

Tue Jan 08, 2019 6:56 pm

My doctors never take 3 weeks to provide the results of any test.
I will get a complete copy of the raw data within a day or 2, no mater what the test.
I may wait a few days or a week to get the docs review, but I will have developed my own opinion of the results
and a list of questions for the doc.

If I don't get results after my first call, the office staff will quickly grow tired of my voice on the phone all day.

We must all learn to train our doctors.

I admire your assertiveness in working with Doctors (yes, I often will wait until I am contacted)- Usually I can only request the data from the sleep study, if the data has been reviewed by the Doctor - well, let's just say I have tried asking before for raw data, and what I receive is the Doctor's report without the data . . .

Sometimes we have to stop dreaming and start doing.
If I don't get the results I am looking for, I have been known to show up with a bed pillow
and let the receptionist know I won;t be leaving until I have what I have been requesting.

The doc and staff soon learn it is easier to comply than to put me off.
I do my best to stay calm and polite, but clear as to the needed outcome.

bwexler wrote: ↑

Wed Jan 09, 2019 1:59 pm

Sometimes we have to stop dreaming and start doing.
If I don't get the results I am looking for, I have been known to show up with a bed pillow
and let the receptionist know I won;t be leaving until I have what I have been requesting.

The doc and staff soon learn it is easier to comply than to put me off.
I do my best to stay calm and polite, but clear as to the needed outcome.

Not only this, but in the United States, HIPAA (Health Information Portability and Accountability Act) explicitly allows a patient to get their own medical records, with a few exceptions. Your raw data sleep study is not one of those exceptions, so you can get it.

HIPAA does allow health care providers to withhold certain types of medical records, including:

1: Psychotherapy notes
2: Information the provider is gathering and compiling for lawsuits, and;
3: Medical information that the provider believes could reasonably endanger your life, your physical safety, or the safety of another person. (If they try to withhold the data, this is the one they would likely try to use, by arguing that you're
attempting to treat yourself outside of the purview of a qualified specialist.)

Usually, if the provider denies your request for medical records, it must provide you with a denial letter. In some cases, you may be able to appeal the denial.

Today I went to the Medical Secretaries Office to see if I could put in a request for at least the raw data, but that hasn't been posted to my medical record yet- I was told it takes sometimes 1 to 2 weeks to post . . .

I have gone directly to the sleep lab to pick up my raw data 24 hours after my first lab test.
The second sleep test lab emailed my results to me a couple days after the test.
Once they understand your mind set and determination, they wil either be very cooperative or totally obstructionist.
It doesn't take long to learn which.