Home Sleep Study $100 Deal or No Deal?

extremeliver · Post by **extremeliver** » Mon May 26, 2008 11:04 am

Hi all,

I have been on CPAP for about 5 or 6 years now and have been at pressures as high as 18. I have an auto bipap, so I have seen my pressure needs go down during the pase 18 months as I have lost a bunch of weight. My latest 90% pressures are 10.2 and 6 according to my auto bipap machine. My AHI is around 4, so I know the therapy is working properly.

This summer I want to go camping with my sons and so I need to know how much I really need the machine. I know I can buy a battery pack, but I would rather not do so. I am really hoping to get off CPAP one day.

Anyway, I called my DME for advice (he is much more helpful than my sleep doc) and he said that he has equipment that would let me do a Home Sleep Test of some sort. He says it is quite easy to hook up, gives lots of information and apparently does not involve using the CPAP machine that night. No machine for a night makes me a bit nervious because I have not slept a single minute without it since I received it. The cost would be $100. I assume insurance will not pay for the study, however I will check in to that.

Does anyone know what this test is, if it safe and if it is useful?

Scott

rested gal · Post by **rested gal** » Mon May 26, 2008 11:19 am

Ask your DME what the full name of that particular home study equipment is, and exactly how many things it monitors (how many channels.)

Goofproof · Post by **Goofproof** » Mon May 26, 2008 11:31 am

It would be a no deal for me, I have a sleep study available every night for free. I know I will no longer need XPAP when I die, until then I will use it. I can't swim that far in DeNile. A AHI of 4 isn't good enough for my standards.

Jim

Snoredog · Post by **Snoredog** » Mon May 26, 2008 11:51 am

If you have an auto bipap why do you need a home study?

tell ya what, send me $50 and that will save you $50.

extremeliver · Post by **extremeliver** » Mon May 26, 2008 12:00 pm

I must say that I am honered; responces from Rested Gal, Goofproof and Snoredog right off the bat!

Rested Gal, I will try to get more info this week from my DME.

Goofproof, I know that I might go to my grave still using the machine, but I can at least hope that will not be the case. As to the AHI, my understanding from this forum is that anything under 5 is really good.

Snoredog, the check is in the mail...well maybe it is.

Scott

Goofproof · Post by **Goofproof** » Mon May 26, 2008 12:18 pm

A AHI under 5 is considered by the medical profession to be normal, every day we are being told what is safe and normal, and every year the people in power change their rules.

I say the more time you don't deprive yourself of O2, the better life will be, but next year I may have to change my rules too. Jim

But it won't be to secure better funding......

If you want truth, follow the money.

Linda3032 · Post by **Linda3032** » Mon May 26, 2008 1:04 pm

If you want a no-cost home study, try this to see if you can go without cpap for a few nights.

Set your machine at a pressure of 4, straight cpap. Check your numbers for a night or two. See what your AHI is. If your numbers are high, then you shouldn't go without your machine. If your numbers are under 5, then it's your call.

My guess is that you will have a high AHI and you will feel lousy. But you will be $100 richer.

dllfo · Post by **dllfo** » Mon May 26, 2008 1:20 pm

The Respironics BiPap Auto my wife is using, with the HH, etc. just used 64 watts max. Without the HH, it was around 25-30 watts.

I am using the "Kill A Watt" for measurement.

If you went to a local Kragens Auto Parts, Pep Boys, Checkers, etc. you can find an inverter on sale for $25 or so. Modified Sine Wave will work fine.

You can buy a deep cycle battery at Batteries Plus, Walmart, Costco for about
$50-$70 and for under $100 you can go camping (car camping) and still have your Auto BiPap.

I have used an 80 amp hour 12 volt deep cycle for several days on our boat.
AND you can look for a sale on Solar Panels to recharge it. I had one of those until our kids borrowed it. Hmmmm, so now when I need a solar panel, I guess I will have to buy another one. Aren't kids great

Obviously, if you are hiking in some where, all bets are off on carrying a deep cycle battery very far.

BTW, my wife had a "professional" home sleep study that was worthless. I don't know why, but she still had to go in for her sleep study. I hope you get a good check.

Kaiser hospital did a sleep study on a 330 pound, 52 year old friend of mine and it consisted of him wearing a oximetry device overnight, then dropping it off at Kaiser. Later they told him to run his vacuum cleaner on the blow side and see if that stopped his problems. If it did, they had a cpap adapter for his vacuum cleaner. HEY, I am only half kidding. Kaiser gave him a cpap eventually (took a couple of months). So when you are told it is a "sleep study" ---- ASK what all it has in it. Best wishes

extremeliver · Post by **extremeliver** » Mon May 26, 2008 1:38 pm

Linda3032 wrote:If you want a no-cost home study, try this to see if you can go without cpap for a few nights.

Set your machine at a pressure of 4, straight cpap. Check your numbers for a night or two. See what your AHI is. If your numbers are high, then you shouldn't go without your machine. If your numbers are under 5, then it's your call.

My guess is that you will have a high AHI and you will feel lousy. But you will be $100 richer.

I thought going without the machine and seeing how I feel, but having not missed a night of CPAP in 5 years, I'm kinda paranoid that I might die in my sleep without it. That is one reason I am hesitating to do this new home sleep study.

However, I had not thought of setting the machine low like you suggest so that my AHI would be recorded. It would also give me minimal pressure support. Might be worth a try.

Oh, if I do this and save the $100, do I send half of it to you, or to Snoredog? I hope not to each.

Scott

ps dllfo, we are planning to go backpacking is we do the trip.

xyz · Post by **xyz** » Mon May 26, 2008 2:13 pm

> My latest 90% pressures are 10.2 and 6 according to my auto bipap machine.
> I need to know how much I really need the machine.

You have answered your own question. You need the machine.

> My AHI is around 4

While the insurance industry would say that number is fine, if it's possible to lower it you will probably feel (even) better.

You have gotten good advice from all of the other posters.

rg says get the details from your DME. Details matter.

GP says no deal. With your numbers (10.2/6) I agree.

As snoredog points out, you already have a "home study" apparatus. It's your auto bipap. Every morning it tells you your numbers. Do you read your numbers daily?

As dllfo points out, without a HH your machine uses around 30 watts.

When you go camping will you be at a campground that has power at the campsite? Many do these days to accommodate RVs (big and small). But tent campers can use those sites too. Maybe you could plan a trip around campgrounds that do have power at the campsite.

His info about marine batteries is good. If you do that, don't wait until the last minute. Buy it and test it (including the recharging process) well before you leave. If you stay at a campground with power, you can recharge it with a typical car battery charger every couple of days.

Back on your AHI. What does EP say about how is that split between apneas and hypopneas? How many apnea _events_ (not AI) do you have per night on the average. For how many seconds?

I have the same machine but am not familiar with your mask. What does EP say about leaks (max, 90%, avg)?

Slinky · Post by **Slinky** » Mon May 26, 2008 3:14 pm

Very few people can breathe comfortably w/a mask on at 4 cms of pressure.

extremeliver · Post by **extremeliver** » Mon May 26, 2008 3:30 pm

Slinky wrote:Very few people can breathe comfortably w/a mask on at 4 cms of pressure.

So I wonder what would happen if I set it to straight cpap at 6 or perhaps 7. I also wondered about 4 being uncomfortable.

Also to clarify. For now, I am not looking at going off my machine permanately. I love that little guy! I am just trying to figure out if I can go without it for a week of backpacking.

Scott

goose · Post by **goose** » Mon May 26, 2008 6:14 pm

I was told around last August that there is a "home" test available for those people that are leery about a full PSG. The only thing it determines is if you need a full PSG and it is not covered by insurance. My neurologist knows about it but does not recommend it because of cost.
What it consists of -- I don't know.
But if all it tells you is that you need a PSG a logging oxymeter will pretty much do the same thing.

extremeliver -- you kind of answered your own question with the numbers. I'm glad to read you're not considering dropping your treatment. I would not be happy with an AHI of 4. Yes, it is considered "normal" by the medicos, but what is normal?? Do your test at about 7cm or so -- it'll give you pretty much the same indications as at 4cm and you'll be able to breathe!!

I would go for the battery solution (I already have at the house for when we lose power. Lost it for 6 days in January and spent one miserable night without my machine!!! Used the generator to keep the battery charged).
If funds are not an issue, you might want to look into a smaller portable machine with a small battery pack. There are some listed at cpap.com and it has been discussed here if you search for it.....

Bottom line -- save your $100, or at least $50 of it.....

take care
cheers
goose

Fredman · Post by **Fredman** » Mon May 26, 2008 8:30 pm

My doctor sent me to a DME and prescribed a home study.

Before going home - to practice, I had to attach and then at bedtime:

Oximeter to my finger
Candula to my nose
Microphone at my throat where it meets chest
A strap around my chest.

The report was then sent to a sleep doc for interpretation. Hypopneas were over 200 an hour. I had the report but need to find it for specifics.

I was then given a Respironics Auto to take home for a week and returned and with that a recommendation for therapy was made using both sets of data.

GumbyCT · Post by **GumbyCT** » Mon May 26, 2008 8:51 pm

extremeliver wrote:My latest 90% pressures are 10.2 and 6 according to my auto bipap machine. My AHI is around 4, so I know the therapy is working properly.

You have some very good advice so far. Just to pound it into your head tho - if ahi=4 is good & effective just try dropping your pressure 1cm to see if you remain in your comfort zone.

ps. A hosehead & his money are soon parted. Gumby said it - I sent your $25 off coupon, too for a Take home study - "As Seen on TV". ha

Home Sleep Study $100 Deal or No Deal?

Home Sleep Study $100 Deal or No Deal?

Re: Home Sleep Study $100 Deal or No Deal?