I have been dealing with sleep apnea for the past three years and most likely, I have had some level of it for over twenties years. Truthfully, I don’t know how they can diagnose you with just an oxygenation sensor. There is so much more to it. They need to see how well you are sleep, how quickly you enter REM and most important what level your cpap needs to be set at, so that you get a good night sleep.

It took three full sleep studies before they got the right levels on my bipap and I am still dealing with day fatigue. In Feb, I am going to the Mayo Clinic for another sleep study.

Are you having dreams of suffocation, heart palpations, and night sweats along with the loud snoring?

Hey Frederick...

I am not a doctor. But O2 levels are part of a diagnosis - I am thinking that while your home test obviously does not show how often your sleep is interrupted, the O2 reading will help indicate the presence of apnea.

The other thing - and this is not to affirm or validate (nor is it to criticize) the route your doctor is taking with you - is that I think there is difference, clinically speaking, between the personal experience of being woken up to what your brain and brain waves see as sleep interruptions. When I had my sleep study done, I really wasn't experiencing being woken up more than 1-2 a night (eyes open, aware I am not sleeping). However, my sleep study showed my sleep patterns were interrupted 40-50 times a night.

This is only speculation, but I am thinking the following might be in play:
- Initial diagnosis without sleep study and only a CPap machine prescribed (not a Bi-Level but single pressure going in or out)
- If that does not work, or the Cpap is intolerable or complications arise, maybe a real study and possibly and upgrade to a Bi-level

I do think there is possibly a big difference in comfort between CPap and BiLevel. I rented a CPap once and exhaling seemed incredibly intimidating. If you have no way of going around the system in play, I suggest complaining repeatedly and consistently about the discomfort in exhaling once you do get a CPap so your doctor might be more inclined to get a BiLevel and a real study prescribed.

If you have a choice with the first machine (regardless of type), I suggest you ask for one that has a ramp setting - this allows the pressure to start at virtually nothing and you can set the amount of time it takes to ramp up to full level allowing you to fall asleep easier.

I don't know of any smart machines that only kick in when there is an obstruction - but then I haven't researched in awhile. Something to look into.

Good luck. BTW, are you new here? If so - welcome. If not, all apologies.
Peace.
MC

Oh yeah...Back to one of your primary questions.

I gave opinions about O2 levels and all....but about diagnosis without a real study? I agree with Lee - not sure how they can really diagnose you without a real sleep study. You may be right - they might be trying to save money hoping you fall into a predictable category of patient.

Oh well.
MC

MC is right about the insurance companies. And, that is a whole other circle. I cannot imagine that a sleep is cheap. I am sure they hope the oxygen levels fall within the norm so they don’t have to pay out those dollars. However, the only way to be sure is to have a true sleep study.