CPAP without a Sleep Study?

I currently have one of the auto-cpap machines because the regular machine drove me crazy, my pressure changes throughout the night and I needed something that could adjust itself or I couldn't stand wearing it all night long. So now I have the auto-cpap and a regular one. My question is..

My boyfriend has never had a sleep study, but we both know he has sleep apnea. He is not quite as overweight as I am, but close - he snores loud enough to rattle windows, and he is constantly waking up in the middle of the night gasping for air. However he does not have health insurance and there is no way we can afford to pay for a sleep study out of pocket. I was thinking I could just hook him up to my auto-cpap for a few nights to find his pressure and then set the other regular cpap to it and he can use that... has anyone ever done this? It seems to me it's not really any different then what they do in the sleep study.

It IS quite bit different than what is done in a sleep study. However, people have set someone up with an auto and found out what is happening.

To do it, you would really need to have the software and card reader so that you could see, on the computer, what events were happening and how the pressure went during the night.

To do it effectively, without software would be almost impossible, I think.

My new machine does have all the software and such, thats why I figured it would be about the same.

You will need to fill in your profile and list your equipment so that people know what brand and model of auto machine you have and the software you have, to be able to help you do this.

Hawthorne wrote:You will need to fill in your profile and list your equipment so that people know what brand and model of auto machine you have and the software you have, to be able to help you do this.

Ditto.

Go for it. But you really should have the software to achieve good results.

Hawthorne is correct....she's giving you good advice.

In addition to what she is suggesting, you might want to purchase a recording oximeter with software....and use it to determine....in advance, just how bad his O2 desats really are. Going at it this way will accomplish a couple of things: First, your boyfriend will be able to see for himself how bad (or good) his O2 levels are while he's sleeping. There's nothing like seeing the chart showing the O2 levels way too low to make a person get serious about CPAP therapy.

Second, using a recording Oximeter with its own software...along with an auto CPCP machine with its own reporting software....gives you a "2-way" view of his problem. If the machines are showing you his problem from two different standpoints.....breathing irregularities....and O2 depravation.....and each machine confirms what the other one is "seeing", you'll get a pretty good idea what is needed.

The recording Oximeter I use is good....and I like it better now than I did when I first got it. Here's a link to where you can buy one.

http://www.turnermedical.com/SPO_PulseO ... imeter.htm

You might also do a "search" on this forum for "self titration"....because that's what you're proposing......and there's some good material available that'll tell you that you can do just about as good as going to a "sleep center" for "professional" testing.

Over the past 10-years, I've spent 3-nights doing sleep studies....and all were miserable experiences with mediocre quality...at best.

Based on my experiences, I think you'll do just fine......doing it yourself. In my opinion, the "professional" sleep centers are grossly overpriced for what we get.

Gerald

Do it....NOW. Don't waste a day...get him on a machine.

Certainly it can be done. But you will have to spend some time reading here to learn what you should be doing and how.

You can get a variety of reasonable (for home use) recording pulse oximeters for under $200. Try a web search for "cms-50" or "cms-60" and "pulse oximeter".

If one were going to do a 'self sleep study' - what auto CPCP machine/reporting software would everyone chose to do it with?

Davidwnc wrote:If one were going to do a 'self sleep study' - what auto CPCP machine/reporting software would everyone chose to do it with?

Dave I have recently purchased and sent a Resmed S8 Autoset II machine to a mate in England after he was told he had suspected sleep apnea. I think he said he was diagnosed not by sleep study just an oximeter overnight. He's very happy with his sleep now and the price he paid for the machine.