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Sleep Apnea Test: Take it home and sleep on it - ApneaNews - 03-29-2012
Sleep Apnea Test: Take it home and sleep on it
PLANO, TEXAS—
Jake Lambert has been snoring for years--but now after a gentle nudge from his girlfriend it's time to learn if he also has sleep apnea.
For that--he didn't go to a sleep lab; he went to Simple Sleep Services in Plano.
"It's a take home sleep study so I don't have to stay somewhere overnight and be monitored, they kind of give you the option to do it yourself at home and it's less invasive than other procedures that I've read and heard about out there to get the issue taken care of," Jake said.
The Food and Drug Administration cleared device is worn on the head and records heart rate, airflow, respiratory effort and oxygen saturation.
Bobby Barajas took it home about two months and learned that he wasn't just snoring.
"They found I had a moderate to severe sleep apnea which makes sense because I was tired waking up still sleepy," Bobby said.
Simple Sleep Services CEO John Truitt said that home sleep testing is new but catching on. The patient returns in the morning with the headgear and information.
"Those measurements are downloaded into a HIPPA compliant portal where our medical director, who is a board certified sleep physician, can read and interpret that data and in most cases come up with a diagnosis," Truitt said.
The home sleep test, exam and diagnosis cost $299.00--much less than spending the night in a sleep lab which can cost upwards if $1,500.00.
Bobby had a choice between a CPAP device or this custom fitted oral device--he chose the oral device which cost $1,900.00.
Truitt said the test and oral device are generally covered by insurance.
The oral device must be prescribed by a physician and fitted by a dentist.
"It increases the muscle tone in the back of the throat and stops the soft tissue from vibrating thus stopping the snoring,” Truitt said. “In many cases stopping the apnea."
Jake is hoping his home sleep study reveals nothing more than a snore--if not--like Bobby he won't lose any sleep over it.
"I noticed a change that night, the very next morning," Bobby said.
fair use from:
http://www.the33tv.com/about/station/newsteam/kdaf-sleep-apnea-test-take-it-home-and-sleep-on-it-20120302,0,2220544.story
RE: Sleep Apnea Test: Take it home and sleep on it - zimlich - 03-29-2012
Sounds good if it gets people without serious comorbities diagnosed. His dental device costs more than many CPAPs. I hope it works. Wonder if there is any follow up testing or he just goes with subjective symptoms.
RE: Sleep Apnea Test: Take it home and sleep on it - PaulaO2 - 03-29-2012
Who would you do the follow-up with? The sleep doc that looked at the report could live in Outer Mongolia.
RE: Sleep Apnea Test: Take it home and sleep on it - Chuck - 04-09-2012
(03-29-2012, 05:03 PM)PaulaO2 Wrote: Who would you do the follow-up with? The sleep doc that looked at the report could live in Outer Mongolia.
In my experience, there isn't much follow-up, just a lot of winging it among doctors and DMEs. Many insurance plans limit the number of sleep doc visits per year. The DMEs in my area won't do anything unless you pay them, including changing pressures, etc. Mine charged $25 just to check the settings on my machine, which took them all of 90 secs. If you have a MD who is comfortable working with you on sleep therapy, great. If you don't, I suspect you're in the majority.
Since diagnosis and getting therapy started are the important first and second steps, I think this is a good development in tx of SA. Costs need to come down.
RE: Sleep Apnea Test: Take it home and sleep on it - truckerdad57 - 05-03-2012
HST then prescribed an APAP set wide open...wireless data monitoring of the PAP with remote pressure adjustment based on PAP data.
The doc from outer mongolia treats OSA without ever seeing the patient.
BTW this is the norm for low cost OSA treatment required for commercial motor vehicle operators required to be under current and effective treatment for DOT physicals.