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Hi,

So my first post here.

I was refereed for a sleep study in May this year.  I have had two sleep studies (both at home); a two night finger oximeter and one night Respironics Alice PDx test.  The Alice PDx test wasn't a very good representation of a nights sleep, because I couldn't fall asleep on my side like I usually with the box strapped to my chest.

I finally got to see the consultant today for the results and I feel as if I have been fobbed off.

She said I don't have OSA, but do under-breath and stop breathing in my sleep and said I should spend £150+ on a dental device thing (I don't think the device would work very well, because it would probably put quite a bit of pressure on my teeth, which aren't great) and I was discharged straight after that.

I walked out of the place in disbelief at the fact she gave the impression that I wasting her time as soon as I walked into the room.

Tom. :)

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purchase an apap from this site and away to go

99 said:

purchase an apap from this site and away to go


There don't a appear to be any for sale at the moment.

So I sent a letter to the consultant last week and got a reply today. I have a CPAP trial on the 9th October.

It says in the information leaflet that came with the appointment letter that they give an opportunity to try and sleep for 30 minutes with the CPAP on...  that should be interesting, trying to sleep at 9:30 in the morning.

The appointment letter and leaflet seam to be standard, because they only mention nasal masks.

Rant follows.

I am increasingly of the opinion that anyone who has OSA and is willing to try cpap, with all its inconvenience and fun, should be given the opportunity. It makes me cross that those who are happy to give sleeping with a lump of plastic hooked to a tube connected to a machine don't get the opportunity to avoid more invasive therapies, or  the potential consequential related chronic or acute diseases that go hand-in-hand with OSA.

We have auto-cpap machines, they can be programmed to auto titrate. They cost less than a few hours of a doctors time, or two nights in hospital. They have SD and USB memory so followup could all be online (the new resmed has wireless!)

I am so glad I had the opportunity and means to fund my own testing and therapy, it has changed my life in the way a £1000 holiday, watch, ring, TV or smartphone and tablet never could. If there is a doctor out there who is willing to start a new venture running an online sleep clinic I'm in, contact me and I'll sort out all the internetty stuff.

I reckon my CPAP costs me less than £35 quid a monthy in consumables, and  another £20 quid a month towards a new machine. It enables me to go to work every day and be productive, earn more, be a better dad and husband, and means I sleep without keeping my wife awake (or my kids friends who sleep over!) by snoring like a train. I no longer have nightmares, waking up with a pounding chest and headache, or high blood pressure (though type II diabetes is looming, which is making me move onto a better diet / exercise regime)

And I no longer have to rely on my passengers to keep me awake.

My goodness NHS. In fact in the four years I've been on CPAP I've doubled my earnings, so I would more than pay for my costs.

I hear you loud and clear Symmit, but would still encourage people to have face to face consultations where possible and really hope that things in the NHS improve rapidly.  I personally know a sleep consultant who does do online testing when has has to, but always prefers to see the patients.  Upon examination of his face to face patients he has twice spotted throat cancer, amongst other issues.  I know what you're saying with straightforward OSA, but nobody knows if they're straightforward if they're not examined.  Worse still, is that some people don't have an examination.  My own consultant always examines people thoroughly before they are issued with CPAP, but he's an ENT consultant so knows what to look for.  Another problem I've heard of quite a lot of times is that people have had online tests, bought machines, then later discovered they have central sleep apnoea, so were on the wrong machine.  It's a difficult one, but I do understand what you're saying.

Sorry I missed your earlier post Tom, but glad to see you persisted and have persuaded them to give you a CPAP trial.  When you go to the clinic ask them for a copy of your original sleep study to find out exactly what your AHI was and oxygen levels.  Make sure they give you either a full face mask or a chin strap with a nasal one if you're a mouth breather, or the trial will be very difficult.

airbusA346 said:

So I sent a letter to the consultant last week and got a reply today. I have a CPAP trial on the 9th October.

It says in the information leaflet that came with the appointment letter that they give an opportunity to try and sleep for 30 minutes with the CPAP on...  that should be interesting, trying to sleep at 9:30 in the morning.

The appointment letter and leaflet seam to be standard, because they only mention nasal masks.

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