Home Sleep Study

[qwiksting]

Can someone tell me what happens when you are scheduled for a home sleep study. I have an appointment at noon at the pulm clinic. I think my VA MH doc put in a consult a few months ago.

[USMC5811]

I had a sleep study, but it was at a sleep center instead of the home sleep study. I could not fall asleep at all - so much for that test. One of the tech's told me that they might have me do a home sleep study down the road. I have NOT had one done yet so I'm only relating what was told to me by this tech. He stated some VA treatment centers have/use a portable home monitoring system where the person goes to the VA center/hospital/doctor...they give them portable device and instructions (both orally and in writing) on how to use and how to connect the sensors to yourself before going to bed. The next day the vet either mails the device back or brings it back to the doctor and they analyze/review the recordings it made while you were sleeping in the comfort of your own home.

[qwiksting]

Thank you USMC for your reply. I have been trying to find out how it works. My gastro doc and my MH doc recommended I get a sleep study done. I checked myhealthvet and seen where I have an appt to go to PULM clinic. I am assuming this is a pulmonary clinic.

[Vync]

Tried to get setup to eval with a portable study model, but they dont have them at Birmingham. The solution for me was to have a study done through a local hospital which happened to have excellent facilities. Within two days I was evaluated and a tech came to my house to install and train me how to use a BIPAP machine. When compared to previous sleep studies I had, going this route with my private insurance was a much better experience. Now just have to fill submit the SC DBQ and go from there.

[Computer Tech]

I've done the home sleep study twice, once through Kaiser and the second time with the VA at Sepulveda. Basically when you go in the tech will explain how to hook everything up plus give you written instructions. You go home and when you go to bed you have a little box about the size of a pack of cigs strapped to your chest, in the morning you return the unit, with the VA I could send it back UPS, they even gave me a box and prepaid label. With Kaiser I had to take the machine down to Woodland Hills during rush hour traffic. Less than a week after I sent the recorder or whatever it was to the VA I got a call to make a appointment to pick up a APAP machine. As I understand it all of the machine are basically the same, whether they're APAP, BiPAP or CPAP depends on how they're setup, With the APAP machine the pressure will adjust as needed between the set pressures, with the CPAP machine the pressure is always the same, I'm not familiar how the BIPAP machine is set up but I imagine that it uses two different pressures. To me the masks are somewhat of a pain to get adjusted so they don't leak yet are comfortable and you can sleep. Before I got my APAP I was having to take a nap a couple of hours after getting up, with the APAP I can go all day without a nap.

If the sleep study shows that you have sleep apnea please get and use you machine as it can save your life, people have died of sleep apnea plus it can be hard on your heart.

Rick