Do I need a sleep study to get CPAP?

I am new and have experienced many of the symptoms described. I do not,however, snore chronically nor do I experience common symptoms every night. I went to a pulmonologist, she said based on my described symptoms she wants me to have a study done. She said even if I display mild problems she would pursue CPAP. My question is, if I don't display the symptoms during my sleep study is it common not to trial a CPAP therapy? Can you have symptoms one night and not the next? Can they prescribe CPAP based on described symptoms or does it have to show up in a one night test?
Thanks
David

Do you HAVE to have a sleep study? Well, no. You can scout garage sales and craigslist and find a machine. Get a data capable one if you can.

You can get your regular doc to order one and pay out of pocket, however, if you want to use insurance to get a CPAP, you have to follow their rules.

Actually you have to have a prescription for a cpap to get a cpap, unless you find one on Craigslist, at a garage sale or "privately". If you find one this way you don't need a prescription and, therefore, you don't need a sleep study.

You would usually have a sleep study to determine whether or not you have sleep apnea and, if it is determined you do, you will have another sleep study night with a mask on attached to a machine while it is determined what pressure will keep your airway open. Sometimes, if it determined in the first night that you have severe sleep apnea you will be awakened that same night and will be on a mask and machine for the rest of the night. From either, of these, if it determined that you have sleep apnea, you should be told all your options - surgery, dental device or cpap machine. The cpap machine is by far the most successful and non-invasive treatment for most people diagnosed.

You do not necessarily have to have all the symptoms to have some degree of sleep apnea that should be treated. The best thing to do is follow your doctor's advice and have the study.

I'm guessing since you saw a pulmonologist that you have insurance. Get the study done. They can happen on the weekends. Leverage the professionals to help you. Remember a lot of the people on these boards who are going it alone either are long time users or can't get access to medical help. I would suggest scheduling the study and I'd take them up on the sleeping pill option. It's not exactly easy to get to sleep hooked up to that stuff.

Your insurance company is being smart. They don't want to give you treatment for something that hasn't been properly diagnosed. Your physician has information from you that suggests sleep apnea. He/she isn't sure you have it. The only real way to get information that is really definitive is the test.

Would you really want to buy a new transmission for your car without having your mechanic check the problem first?

To aquire a CPAP machine through a DME (even the online ones) you need a prescription. Some doctors can be convinced to give you a prescription for an Auto machine without a sleep study. You can find many individuals who are willing to sell a used CPAP machine to you. Check craigslist and such.

I didn't think I showed symptoms every night for OSA until I got a sleep study done. The night I had my sleep study was definitely one of my better nights (most people sleep terribly for the study though). I was even able to go on a long motorcycle day trip the day after. I was soooooo worried that I had just payed $900 (after insurance) and the sleep study wouldn't show anything. To my surprise I was shown as having moderate sleep apnea. I often wonder what it would have shown if I had a bad night. Now that I am on CPAP I realize that I just didn't know what a good night of sleep felt like. Over the years I had learned to push through the tiredness and chalked up any motivational issues to depression. I am so happy I got diagnosed and am being treated successfully. My life is really changed.

Guest wrote: Your insurance company is being smart. They don't want to give you treatment for something that hasn't been properly diagnosed. Truthfully odd's are your INS doesn't give a darn about you getting treatment, it's all about them taking in the most premiums and spending the least they can on claims.

Would you really want to buy a new transmission for your car without having your mechanic check the problem first?

If Guest was running a Transmission Shop, his answer would be, Yes! But most people would look under the car, to see if the transmission was still there, and if it was would put it in gear and see if it turned the driveshaft.

You could also have someone that uses XPAP, buy what you need online. The rules may say you can't buy from a DME without a Script, they can't control what happens with the machine after it's bought. Me, after I looked under my car and found the transmission still attached, I'd repair it only fools replace things that can be fixed. Jim

I understand one of the OP's concerns - the validity of the study.

When I had my first study done about 15 years ago, I'd been snoring horribly at home, so I was looking forward to getting a handle on it. Lo and behold, at the study I didn't snore one time the whole night. No one ever was able to explain that or offer any possible explanations.

My 2nd study was June '08 - when my snoring had become so bad my wife had begun sleeping in a spare bedroom. At the study, some mild snoring was noted, but nothing approaching their criteria for a split night study, which was what my doc ordered.

He ordered a 3rd study specifically for a CPAP trial which was just done 3 weeks ago. At that study I did snore more and they were able to stop it with CPAP. They also discovered something I'd brought up with my doc a number of times, which was that my oxygen saturation was low (~82%) while sleeping. Those two factors together resulted in a Rx for CPAP.

So, I guess the concern is valid - you can have a study done and not do the things you do at home. However, I'm not sure it's very common for that to happen.