Sleep Dr Rec's in Phoenix, AZ

[PerChancetoDream]

Help, does anyone have a sleep dr they really like in this area? One who doesn't hear one say that they are having problems and tell that patient to, "Sleep more"?

[ardenum]

There are 3 main types of doctors that deal with sleep apnea: ENT's, Pulmonologists, Neurologists.

If you have problems with the therapy while having low AHI, you need a Neurologist that deals with sleep apnea.

[SarcasticDave94]

Part of the way I found the pulmonologist I use was to check in with insurance and see who was in-network. I checked online to gather research from X Y and Z, and then decided from there. Before I started Medicare in May, I had to have Primary doc do a yearly referral to the pulmonary office.

[sheepless]

that's what I thought (about the neurologist). I was diagnosed with central apnea in 1987 with no treatment available. when I sought help again in 2016 I made sure I saw a neurologist sleep doc. older and fatter, I'd developed obstructive apnea as well. my 2016 sleep test produced nearly equal central and obstructive apnea at the rate of more than 72/hr. my neurologist sleep doc diagnosed obstructive apnea and prescribed apap.

it's useful to know a little more about our condition than I did because finding a good sleep doc is hit or miss; I wish I knew then what I know now so I might have asked more questions and been more assertive about getting the proper treatment.

I have to say the 2 pulmonary sleep docs I saw way back when were even more useless.

in my admittedly limited experience, it's not easy to find a doc that deals with anything other than plain vanilla obstructive apnea; prescribing cpap/apap and sending you on your way. after sale support is practically non-existent, in theory shunted off to durable medical equipment providers, so many of whom know less than we patients.

[Sleeprider]

I'm here to say most "sleep doctors" are useless. My number one go-to is my primary care physician. He can prescribe a home sleep test if needed and issue all prescriptions. Any interpretation of that sleep test or suggestion for machines and equipment will be more complete and useful simply by posting on this forum. We do not practice medicine, but we surpass the competence of the majority of sleep clinics, and are not driven by the need to maximize your costs. The only reason to use a specialty like pulmonology, neurology or otolaryngology is if you actually have a problem relevant to that specialty, that that specialist should evaluate. A sleep practice is simply a way for a doctor to easily increase profits by signing off on sleep technician recommendations and sometime earn commissions on DME referrals or equipment. A sleep practice with in-house equipment dispensing is a conflict of interest that must be avoided at all costs.

[SarcasticDave94]

I agree with Sleeprider. For me, I'd do exactly that but for my COPD. So here's an example of why a specialist should be sought out and not for sleep expertise that is almost always lacking. Or if you want it rephrased, the sleep specialist doctor is normally asleep at the wheel.