Bedbugg

Has anyone tried this? Or know anything about it?

Now there's a simpler and less costly way to determine if you have sleep apnea. The BEDBUGG TM self-testing service as a viable way to evaluate snorers for forms of sleep-disordered breathing such as obstructive sleep apnea. And people can do this in the privacy of their own homes.

The Bedbugg TM System is a unique and sophisticated way to gather lots of information about your breathing while you are sleeping. It is easy to use and very comfortable.

The Bedbugg TM was developed by Sleep Solutions Inc., of Palo Alto California. This is a privately held, Internet-enabled provider of at-home patient testing for sleep-disordered breathing. This system can be ordered by a physician, by phone, fax or using a secure web site. Once ordered, the Bedbugg TM is delivered to the patient at his home. The patient applies three sensors, one to the upper lip, one to the chest and and one to a fingertip. He or she then pushes the "Start" button - the only button on the machine - and that's it! The Bedbugg TM then monitors for episodes of breathing cessation (apnea) and prolonged decreases in airflow (hypopnea), oxygen saturation, pulse rate, respiratory effort and snoring intensity, the same things monitored in a sleep lab. This can be done for up to three nights.

These results are forwarded to the physician who can then make his diagnosis based on the data. Simply put, this amounts to three nights of intense monitoring for less than half the cost of a single night in a sleep center.

So, for far the less the expense, it's now possible to test for sleep apnea in the privacy of your own home, reducing the stress and anxiety often caused by a night (or more) spent in a sleep lab. Sleep will probably come easier and be more relaxed, giving more accurate data to the physician. This also decreases the waiting list at sleep labs, and allows patients to receive the treatment they need sooner.

http://sleepdisorders.about.com/od/diag ... edbugg.htm

At home testing is becoming a more viable option, however many insurance companies do not provide coverage for this testing. We have ordered a new PSG system for the hospital and with the system we are getting a smaller system that is designed to be a take home screening test. We hope that this will be a good initial screening, for patients that are self pay, for less than a full PSG. The system we are ordering is provided with our full PSG setup. I don't recall the manufacturer right now.