Periodic Breathing

mreewh wrote:... he doesn't seem to have any significant desats. ... We live at 7200 feet elevation. ... Should I push for a sleep study, or will it tell me enough, above what I can already observe, to be worthwhile if it's not covered by his insurance?

If he does not have full apneas, it is quite unlikely that an ASV unit would be prescribed. In fact, it is much more likely the altitude has more of an impact than anything else. Still, considering his medical background, a central nervous system origin for this periodic breathing might be possible. You might talk to his doctor about the periodic breathing and ask if this might be due to the altitude. There are several different approaches to addressing altitude related breathing issues, including medications and/or oxygen. From what I understand, if he does not have significant desats, it is not likely it poses a significant health risk.

mreewh wrote:... he doesn't seem to have any significant desats. ... We live at 7200 feet elevation. ... Should I push for a sleep study, or will it tell me enough, above what I can already observe, to be worthwhile if it's not covered by his insurance?

JohnBFisher wrote:If he does not have full apneas, it is quite unlikely that an ASV unit would be prescribed. In fact, it is much more likely the altitude has more of an impact than anything else. Still, considering his medical background, a central nervous system origin for this periodic breathing might be possible. You might talk to his doctor about the periodic breathing and ask if this might be due to the altitude. There are several different approaches to addressing altitude related breathing issues, including medications and/or oxygen. From what I understand, if he does not have significant desats, it is not likely it poses a significant health risk.

Thanks for your input, John. It's much appreciated.

It's interesting to see how many people ARE on supplemental oxygen here. Makes sense ... if someone's right on the edge, this amount of altitude would be enough to tip the balance, it seems to me.