ONLINE home testing?

[nila]

Hello folks :)

I'm trying to figure out how to document my apnea, when I am homebound by a multi-year illness (which may be exacerbated by the apnea -- a classic catch-22).

The local sleep clinic does home testing, but only if I can first come in for a consultation. None of the local medical supply places rent home test machines.

Is there anywhere online that does?

I found two places by googling, but they appear to be the SAME place (similar layout and same photos) and also pretty skeezy. My impression is that they are scam sites. (Is it ok to post links to show what triggered my concern? I am too ill today to understand the TOU here, but i thiiiink they say it's not ok?)

Thanks so much for any suggestions you folks have, of useful sites or how I should proceed :).

[zonk]

I would go with the local sleep clinic at least you have face to face consultation.
Have you had a sleep study/titration before (profile, CPAP pressure: 10 and Mask type: nasal mask)

Welcome to the new forum
(may be SS can transfer your post count)
Edit: Just recalled that you posted in the old forum
http://www.apneaboard.com/forums/Thread-...e+untangle

[greatunclebill]

Hello folks

I'm trying to figure out how to document my apnea, when I am homebound by a multi-year illness (which may be exacerbated by the apnea -- a classic catch-22).

The local sleep clinic does home testing, but only if I can first come in for a consultation. None of the local medical supply places rent home test machines.

Is there anywhere online that does?

I found two places by googling, but they appear to be the SAME place (similar layout and same photos) and also pretty skeezy. My impression is that they are scam sites. (Is it ok to post links to show what triggered my concern? I am too ill today to understand the TOU here, but i thiiiink they say it's not ok?)

Thanks so much for any suggestions you folks have, of useful sites or how I should proceed .

welcome to the forum.

it sounds like your apnea is already documented if your pressure is 10 and you have a nasal mask. do you have a cpap and are you using it? you need to talk to your doctor about this. i'm not sure why you need to do whatever you are trying to do.

[iSnooze]

Hi Nila,

Have you told the sleep clinic that you are homebound and can't get to their office for the consultation? If it is important that they see you in their office or can you schedule a phone consultation or perhaps a Skype call via your computer? If they insist you come in, is there the possibility of calling a service that deals specifically with transporting ill and/or disabled patients to doctor appointments and such? I know this type of service exists in some locations but not everywhere.

In home sleep apnea tests are just starting to flourish. If you didn't like the site of the one that you found on a Google search, keep looking. You can also check with the Better Business Bureau to see if any complaints have been filed against the company you're looking at.

Keep us updated on your progress. We want to hear how your situation turns out.

[SuperSleeper]

Welcome to the new forum
(may be SS can transfer your post count)
Edit: Just recalled that you posted in the old forum
http://www.apneaboard.com/forums/Thread-...e+untangle

Transferred Nila's post count...

Right, no DME links allowed, especially scam sites like the one you're asking about. You can send a Private Message (PM) to someone with the link, that's fine.

[nila]

Wow, I can't believe you folks remember me! That's so touching .

>Have you had a sleep study/titration before (profile, CPAP pressure: 10 and Mask type: nasal mask)

I haven't done anything at all, officially. Because my doc and I didn't know home testing existed, and i couldn't go to the lab, I bought a CPAP machine and titrated myself while awake. Funky, but better than nothing. From this I learned that I cannot exhale against pressure, due to a back injury (permanent).

I couldn't figure out how to register for the forum without giving answers to the equipment questions. (I was feeling pretty sick.)

If I go to the doc for consultation, the exertion of getting to the office makes me unable to speak coherently when i am there. This is a major obstacle in obtaining health care, and if anyone has suggestions I would love to hear them. I do get a ride from a friend, lie down in the back seat, use a wheelchair at the clinic, etc.

Anyway, that's why I'm hoping to find something online. Thanks for your help .

[Daveb1972]

I would first contact a clinic and ask them to refer you, or ask some doc's who do this type of work. Your (general) location may help narrow down some advise....

[greatunclebill]

you can not test for sleep apnea if you are not asleep. you said you did it while awake. sleep apnea by definition is anea episodes during sleep. if you are stopping breathing while you are awake it is some other medical condition. if you are in such poor medical condition that you effectively can't go to the doctor and function you should be in a medical facility or nursing home. you need to go to the doctor on a gurney via some kind of ambulance service to get proper treatment. "Funky, but better than nothing" is not always true and in this case is most likely not true. see the doctor any way you can before you actually hurt yourself. this is another good example of why cpap machines must be sold by prescription from a doctor only.

[iSnooze]

If I go to the doc for consultation, the exertion of getting to the office makes me unable to speak coherently when i am there. This is a major obstacle in obtaining health care, and if anyone has suggestions I would love to hear them. I do get a ride from a friend, lie down in the back seat, use a wheelchair at the clinic, etc.

Communicating with your doctor is essential. If you think you are not going to be coherent when you get there, write your questions down. Take your friend or someone with you who will be your voice. Talk to this person about your questions and concerns several days before you go see the doctor so that you can focus on the questions on a day that you don't have to worry about getting to the doctor.

Have you asked about having a phone consultation?

[nila]

>you can not test for sleep apnea if you are not asleep. you said you did it while awake.

No, no, I did not do that!

I know that I have apnea because I am aware of waking up gasping for breath every few minutes during the night. After careful observation over a period of a year, I learned how to deliberately replicate the obstruction while awake.

The obstruction DOES NOT occur spontaneously while I am awake.

However, because I can replicate it while awake, I was able to test the CPAP machine. i am fully aware that this is not ideal, as I said.

>Communicating with your doctor is essential. If you think you are not going to be coherent when you get there, write your questions down. Take your friend or someone with you who will be your voice. Talk to this person about your questions and concerns several days before you go see the doctor so that you can focus on the questions on a day that you don't have to worry about getting to the doctor.

I did try this. However, I failed to anticipate every possible question the doc might ask, so communication broke down once the doc moved off the script my friend and I had worked out.

>Have you asked about having a phone consultation?

Yes. My understanding is that it is either illegal or at least considered professionally unethical.

--

I realise that my problem is a difficult one, and that the fact that I have tried the easiest solutions already is frustrating for people.

I am very grateful for your suggestions -- I am hoping someone can think of something :).