Has Anyone Gotten A Cpap Machine Without A Sleep Study?

[Lenna]

My son's insurance company denied the request for a sleep study - as expected. We can appeal but I know that this all can take months and still might not be successful. I'm wondering if you need to have a sleep study first in order to try a cpap machine? Do you rent cpap machines or buy them? Is there any outcome of a sleep study other than learning that you have apnea and trying a cpap machine? In the end, would it make a difference if a sleep study showed that someone has central apnea vs. obstructive apnea? Doesn't it all end in the prescription of a cpap?

Thanks!

[bellgirl]

Yes, it does, but the key word is prescription. The prescription is the amount of pressure used to open your obstructed airway, depending on your anatomy; the mask is used in the last part of the study to determine the prescription, and whether O2 is needed also, depending on O2 saturation...and if even if you get one, a new one costs 2,000 dollars without insurance. I would be very reluctant to use a used one. Why is your insurance company refusing the request? 30% of those with dysautonomia have sleep apnea!! My sleep apnea doctor says that most apnea is obstructive with some central nervous system apnea, anyway, but there is no such thing as a little apnea; you either have it or you don't. Then there are sleep studies that check for other things other than apnea, EEG's, EKG's, O2 saturation, movement of limbs, chest movement, stages of sleep (you need about 5 REM periods to get a good night sleep), etc. My Cpap has been a God send. I was sleepless for years without it. It has made all the difference for me in my life. I would suggest to appeal it, if I were you!!

[Katybug]

I had both a nighttime and a daytime sleep study. The nighttime tests for apnea and I don't know what else. I didn't have any significant apnea but it dd show that I do experience tachycardia while I sleep (which didn't mean much until we got he POTS dx from my TTT 3 days later.) The daytime tests for narcolepsy and hypersomnia. I d not have narcolepsy but I do have significant hypersomnia (I fall asleep and stay asleep much faster and more frequently during daytime hours than what is considered normal.) It again isn't a disease, but, it did back up my claims that I was experiencing overwhelming fatigue and soemtimes struggles to stay awake and that if I did force myself to stay awake, I would then experience other symptoms (which we now know are POTS.) My doc justified the sleep studies basd on my pre-syncopal/syncopal episodes.

[tinkerbella]

It took 4 sleep studies before I got my machine. I had so much acting out in my sleep before and honestly when I got to this study I was so exhausted that I fell asleep before they got me ready to go to sleep. I have the frightening experience of sleep paralysis day and night at home.If you are in the hospital they told me they have a hospital one that they use on people. GROSS ~ So I think I would go without while I was there. I wouldn't want to bring mine in there and risk getting any bad germs.