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ERRORS MADE BY SLEEP STUDY LAB
I finally received a copy of my sleep study tests from my PCP and have discovered that they are wrong about something I consider to be important. That is, they claim I fell asleep quickly and that I slept for a lengthy period of time. I know for a fact that they are wrong. I tried calling the phone number on the test results, but I was told that my PCP would have to speak directly with the doctor who interpreted the data.
Since I know they are wrong about that, I can't help but wonder if they're wrong about other things they've claimed to have happened. My PCP is suggesting that I take another sleep study test. I'm thinking perhaps I should try a different lab. Has anyone had this sort of problem? I'm scheduled to be fitted for a CPAP on Wednesday, Feb. 18. My initial sleep study was last May. At the end of October, I had a second sleep study. This time, I was attached to a CPAP machine. I barely slept at all that night. I'd love to know how they can claim I slept for 8 hours or so.
I just read elsewhere that a person had a home sleep study done. How does one arrange that? I think it would be much better to do it at home.
Since I know they are wrong about that, I can't help but wonder if they're wrong about other things they've claimed to have happened. My PCP is suggesting that I take another sleep study test. I'm thinking perhaps I should try a different lab. Has anyone had this sort of problem? I'm scheduled to be fitted for a CPAP on Wednesday, Feb. 18. My initial sleep study was last May. At the end of October, I had a second sleep study. This time, I was attached to a CPAP machine. I barely slept at all that night. I'd love to know how they can claim I slept for 8 hours or so.
I just read elsewhere that a person had a home sleep study done. How does one arrange that? I think it would be much better to do it at home.
Views: 1638
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Mike on
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not all insurers will reimburse for home testing. so you might want to check that out before you head down that road. that said, it's a couple hundred dollars compared to several thousand for an overnight study, so you might go out of pocket on one.
also, because so few insurers have reimbursed for home testing until very recently, your PCP might not know where to refer you to get one done. It's worth asking him/her about, although he/she may give you a blank look when you ask, or kind of pooh pooh it as not being as accurate as an in-lab study...
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Permalink Reply by Darillyn Patterson on
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Thanks, Mike. I had a feeling insurance wouldn't cover home testing.
Do you have any idea why they would say I slept a long time when I know I didn't? I'm absolutely positive that I did not fall asleep in 6 minutes, either. It took me quite awhile, especially when I was hooked up to the noisy machine.
Mike said:not all insurers will reimburse for home testing. so you might want to check that out before you head down that road. that said, it's a couple hundred dollars compared to several thousand for an overnight study, so you might go out of pocket on one.
also, because so few insurers have reimbursed for home testing until very recently, your PCP might not know where to refer you to get one done. It's worth asking him/her about, although he/she may give you a blank look when you ask, or kind of pooh pooh it as not being as accurate as an in-lab study...
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Permalink Reply by Judy on
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Another thing to consider is that Stage 1 sleep is very light sleep, its more like a preliminary to actual sleep. It is a time of dozing in and out of awareness. Brain waves, via the EEG leads on your skull, detect and indicate the various stages of sleep. Look closely at your sleep staging numbers. We all end up sleeping more than we estimate that we did during a sleep evaluation and/or titration.
Certainly, given your skepticism about this report and your results I wouldn't bother w/another sleep study w/this sleep facililty and would investigate my other sleep facility options: accredited? sleep doctor/patient consults? sleep doctor certified? all RPSGTs? etc.
I'd certainly have more confidence in an in-lab sleep evaluation than an at-home evaluation. On the other hand, an at-home titration can sometimes be more accurate than an in-lab titration as far as pressure needs go. Personally, I'd prefer an in-lab evaluation AND titration and an at-home titration only for more closely "tweaking" my pressure needs if needed.
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it's actually possible that your insurer will reimburse. medicare reimburses, for example, for home testing. just something to verify.
about the sleep lab experience, i'm not sure what went on there, but i can tell you that those reports are not black and white -- they are subject to interpretation, and the quality of the person interpreting them makes all the difference. i know from personal experience that they miss stuff and make mistakes. they're human. i know that doesn't make your problem go away, it's just one possible explanation. one thing to keep in mind is that they also have a different definition of sleep than you do. they consider you asleep as soon as you go into the first stage of sleep, in which you still might think you're awake. . .
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Permalink Reply by sleepycarol on
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We typically sleep longer than we think. I read in a report that when subjects were asked how long they had slept all most all of the subjects thought they had slept LESS hours than they actually had.
What was the length of time you spent in each stage of sleep?
My report had the number of minutes spent in bed and the number of minutes actually asleep. Double check to make sure you are reading the number of minutes slept and not the number of minutes in bed.
If you could post your report we could help you figure out what is what maybe and if the report is way off base, help with questions to present to your doctor in order to get insurance to pay for another study.
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How would I post it? There are alot of pages, too. My son has a scanner. Would that be something I'd need to do? I"m not all that computer literate. :)
I'm hoping to meet with my twin sister tomorrow so she can look at it. Her PCP referred her to a pulmonologist (sp?) who explained her report to her recently.
sleepycarol said:We typically sleep longer than we think. I read in a report that when subjects were asked how long they had slept all most all of the subjects thought they had slept LESS hours than they actually had.
What was the length of time you spent in each stage of sleep?
My report had the number of minutes spent in bed and the number of minutes actually asleep. Double check to make sure you are reading the number of minutes slept and not the number of minutes in bed.
If you could post your report we could help you figure out what is what maybe and if the report is way off base, help with questions to present to your doctor in order to get insurance to pay for another study.
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you can scan it in, save it as a .pdf, and then use the "Upload Files" link on the bottom of the box you use to post a reply to a topic. alternatively, you can save it as a .jpeg and use the "add an image" link in the toolbar on the box you use to post a reply.
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Mike, what constitutes the first stage of sleep? Are we still conscious of our environment?
Mike said:it's actually possible that your insurer will reimburse. medicare reimburses, for example, for home testing. just something to verify.
about the sleep lab experience, i'm not sure what went on there, but i can tell you that those reports are not black and white -- they are subject to interpretation, and the quality of the person interpreting them makes all the difference. i know from personal experience that they miss stuff and make mistakes. they're human. i know that doesn't make your problem go away, it's just one possible explanation. one thing to keep in mind is that they also have a different definition of sleep than you do. they consider you asleep as soon as you go into the first stage of sleep, in which you still might think you're awake. . .
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during stage 1 sleep we retain some awareness of our environment, although not as much awareness as in a wakeful state. body activity slows down by about half, and if you're awaken during this time you will likely deny ever being asleep.
Darillyn Patterson said:Mike, what constitutes the first stage of sleep? Are we still conscious of our environment?
Mike said:it's actually possible that your insurer will reimburse. medicare reimburses, for example, for home testing. just something to verify.
about the sleep lab experience, i'm not sure what went on there, but i can tell you that those reports are not black and white -- they are subject to interpretation, and the quality of the person interpreting them makes all the difference. i know from personal experience that they miss stuff and make mistakes. they're human. i know that doesn't make your problem go away, it's just one possible explanation. one thing to keep in mind is that they also have a different definition of sleep than you do. they consider you asleep as soon as you go into the first stage of sleep, in which you still might think you're awake. . .
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I do not have any advice to give you on at home sleep tests.I wanted to tell you though that I had the same thing happen to me when having a sleep test.I have extreme fatigue that controls my life.I had a sleep exam two years ago and had slept 12 hours before having the test so I was unable to fall alseep at the sleep lab.I dozed off for 11min I watched the clock the rest of the night.I was told by the sleep lab that I had slept 7 hours.I was so shocked and thought maybe sleep tests are just a scam.
My doctor believes I have sleep apnea and wants me to have another one but I paid 2500 dollars for the last one and cant pay that again especially for a test thats not very reliable.
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MableCat, the in-lab study is MUCH MORE RELIABLE for detecting not just OSA but other sleep disorders as well. I totally understand not being able to afford yet another in-lab PSG given you have to pay that $2500 out of pocket!!! Do you not have insurance? Does your insurance not cover sleep studies? Or was this sleep lab NOT "in network" w/your insurance?
While everyone stresses that you make sure any sleep lab you go to is accredited and that the sleep doctor is also an accredited sleep doctor I've found accrediation doesn't necessarily mean it is a good sleep lab. I would look for ones not only accredited but hopefully one that others on CPAP have gone to and been impressed and happy with. Word of mouth can be a powerful source of information. You could contact A.W.A.K.E. and ask if they have a local apnea support group and calll your local hospital and sleep labs to ask about any local apnea support groups. Attend a few meetings. Those who have been there, done that w/the various local sleep labs and tell yuo which are the truly good sleep labs.
PSGs, as w/so many medical tests, are interprative, and their value is determined by the person conducting the test as well as the person interpreting the results. (Think xray technician and radiologist).
If you spent most of the night in Stage 1 sleep it is totally understandable that you are sure yuo did not sleep at all.
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Permalink Reply by Duane McDade on
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I agree With Judy, A sleep tech has to score the 1st 16seconds of sleep as stage 1. Too many times to count patients have thought they took hours to sleep (during a sleep study) when it took 2 minutes till sleep onset. The traces we look at when we analize test make it VERY easy to tell the difference between awake and sleep.
Judy said:MableCat, the in-lab study is MUCH MORE RELIABLE for detecting not just OSA but other sleep disorders as well. I totally understand not being able to afford yet another in-lab PSG given you have to pay that $2500 out of pocket!!! Do you not have insurance? Does your insurance not cover sleep studies? Or was this sleep lab NOT "in network" w/your insurance?
While everyone stresses that you make sure any sleep lab you go to is accredited and that the sleep doctor is also an accredited sleep doctor I've found accrediation doesn't necessarily mean it is a good sleep lab. I would look for ones not only accredited but hopefully one that others on CPAP have gone to and been impressed and happy with. Word of mouth can be a powerful source of information. You could contact A.W.A.K.E. and ask if they have a local apnea support group and calll your local hospital and sleep labs to ask about any local apnea support groups. Attend a few meetings. Those who have been there, done that w/the various local sleep labs and tell yuo which are the truly good sleep labs.
PSGs, as w/so many medical tests, are interprative, and their value is determined by the person conducting the test as well as the person interpreting the results. (Think xray technician and radiologist).
If you spent most of the night in Stage 1 sleep it is totally understandable that you are sure yuo did not sleep at all.
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