Visiting Your Doctor
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The Sleep Apnea Diagnosis
1. You talk to your family doctor. Tell him about your symptoms. He will decide if a sleep test would make sense. If it does he will refer you to a sleep specialist, usually a nuerologist or a respiratory expert with a specialty in sleep science.
2. You meet with the sleep doctor, who will evaluate you to confirm that an overnight sleep test makes sense for you. If it does, you will be scheduled to sleep overnight at a clinic.
Treatment Process
1. You take the sleep test. The nurses and technicians will strap some wires to measure your heart rate, breathing and other factors. You may not think you’ll be able to sleep with the wires attached, but you do. They will measure whether or not you have episodes of apnea, and, if you have apnea, they will estimate the right pressure from the CPAP machine to keep your airway open. The last few sleep clinics I talked with indicate that about 90% of those tested have a serious level of apnea, where a CPAP should be used by the patient.
2. You get a prescription for a CPAP machine and masks from the sleep doctor. You can fulfil the prescription at a local HME (home medical equipment) dealer, or buy the machine and masks through the mail or the internet. The key factor in what brand to buy is actually which mask type is easiest for you to use. As with any medical condition, there are options. There are a few people who will be better off with surgery to prevent the airway from closing during sleep. Listen to your doctor and consider what is best for you.
3. The CPAP machine and masks arrive at your home. You set it up next to your bed. The masks, even the best ones, take some getting used to. Don’t give up.
4. The sleep doctor may ask you to come back into the sleep lab for a second night of observation. You bring the CPAP, and the test is to confirm that it is working for you, preventing the apnea episodes. The doctor may change the pressure level of the CPAP after getting the results of your sleep test.
5. Keep using the CPAP machine. At the last Sleep Medicine conference I attended, I heard a lecture that compared the lifespan of those with apnea who use the CPAP versus those who decide it is too much trouble. The result? Lifespan increases by several years and the quality of life is much better because of better sleep.
- Diagnosing Sleep Apnea without Insurance (Mile High Sleeper)