[Treatment] Any recommendations for sleep doctors in San Antonio, TX?

[ricknfli]

I would like to find a San Antonio, TX doctor experienced with mixed central/obstructive apnea who will work with me using SleepyHead (or ResScan, but I prefer SleepyHead).

If posting names is not allowed, I would appreciate a private message.

Thanks much!

[trish6hundred]

Hi ricknfli,
WELCOME! to the forum.!
Hang in there for answers to your question and good luck to you as you continue your CPAP therapy.

[Beej]

You may need to do a Google search and then check the reviews.
Once you've found candidates, have a list of questions to ask, such as what CPAP brands do they prefer, what hours are they open, do they sell the equipment (conflict of interest), etc.

[Sleeprider]

I would like to find a San Antonio, TX doctor experienced with mixed central/obstructive apnea who will work with me using SleepyHead (or ResScan, but I prefer SleepyHead).

If posting names is not allowed, I would appreciate a private message.

Thanks much!

Rick, any reason you couldn't just work with your primary physician? Lots of sleep doctors seem too involved with sleep clinic and polysomnograpy work, and never even meet with patients. Many of us use our regular doctors. They an refer you for a study if you need it, but the rest is really with the person that works on the rest of your health needs. I find that works best.

[zonk]

I'm not in San Antonio at the moment but you find one here ...
http://www.sleepeducation.org/find-a-facility

[Mosquitobait]

I don't have a specific recommendation, but if you have central apnea issues, I would recommend a center that features neurologists. I see that the Alamon Sleep Disorder clinic has such, but others may also. Ask to speak to a nurse or PA to answer your questions - the receptionist won't have a clue.

What is the sleep study area like? My sleep clinic had those sleep number beds for your primary test, allowing you to raise head and feet if you wanted. Very comfortable and enables more patients to actually fall asleep in a strange environment.

[ricknfli]

Thanks for replies Trish6hundred, Beej, Sleeprider, mosquitobait and Zonk :-)

One sleep doctor told me "This isn't like the old days when we did a study, the person got the machine and we didn't see them until the next follow up visit." I was there because the prescribed settings were not working. I think they are not set up for patients who actively review the data when the machines are not performing as expected. He quit answering my calls after 2 or 3 calls. My main problem has been central apneas.

Here is a copy of my best day at the pressures I determined by trial and error. This setting only worked for a week. Afterwards my AHI averages 7-12 with the same pressures. I also titrated my pressures from about 7/11 down to 10.4/11.0 using what I learned here. So I got about the same results, but AHI only went down to about 6.5.



I plan to verify my BiPAP's pressures with a separate gauge, in case the machine is the problem. Then see if I can get a trial with a new sleep doc with an ASV device to see if it can drop my central apneas. I have a year's worth of data in Sleepyhead showing all of the pressures I have tried. Hopefully that will satisfy Medicare.

Meanwhile I'll go back to the 10/11, PS of zero for several days to get more data. And keep learning about central apnea.

Thanks for your support. :-)

I would like to find a San Antonio, TX doctor experienced with mixed central/obstructive apnea who will work with me using SleepyHead (or ResScan, but I prefer SleepyHead).

If posting names is not allowed, I would appreciate a private message.

Thanks much!

Rick, any reason you couldn't just work with your primary physician? Lots of sleep doctors seem too involved with sleep clinic and polysomnograpy work, and never even meet with patients. Many of us use our regular doctors. They an refer you for a study if you need it, but the rest is really with the person that works on the rest of your health needs. I find that works best.

I don't have a specific recommendation, but if you have central apnea issues, I would recommend a center that features neurologists. I see that the Alamon Sleep Disorder clinic has such, but others may also. Ask to speak to a nurse or PA to answer your questions - the receptionist won't have a clue.

What is the sleep study area like? My sleep clinic had those sleep number beds for your primary test, allowing you to raise head and feet if you wanted. Very comfortable and enables more patients to actually fall asleep in a strange environment.

[ricknfli]

I don't have a specific recommendation, but if you have central apnea issues, I would recommend a center that features neurologists. I see that the Alamon Sleep Disorder clinic has such, but others may also. Ask to speak to a nurse or PA to answer your questions - the receptionist won't have a clue.

What is the sleep study area like? My sleep clinic had those sleep number beds for your primary test, allowing you to raise head and feet if you wanted. Very comfortable and enables more patients to actually fall asleep in a strange environment.

Hi Mosquitobait,

Yes, I have had a lot of luck talking to PAs and nurses. And the sleep clinic I went to did not have a bed that can raise the head. I will see if the new doctor I am going to see has a PA and a better bed setup.

Thanks for your reply.

---

You may need to do a Google search and then check the reviews.
Once you've found candidates, have a list of questions to ask, such as what CPAP brands do they prefer, what hours are they open, do they sell the equipment (conflict of interest), etc.

Hi Beej,

Thanks for your reply. Yes, the list of questions helps! Otherwise I forget something.

[ricknfli]

I'm not in San Antonio at the moment but you find one here ...
http://www.sleepeducation.org/find-a-facility

Thanks Zonk, It worked