Are sleep studies generally required? If so, by the insurance company or a doctor?

I am starting the process of hopefully getting approved for a sleeve, and I really have no interest in a sleep study. I don't have any sleeping problems and don't get fatigued during the day or wake up tired. I don't even use an alarm clock because I always wake up on my own between 5 and 6 AM and feel perfectly happy and refreshed. I do snore though, so I am concerned that some doctor will be convinced this means I have sleep apnea that needs to be fixed.

I am very leery of sleep studies and their results, mostly because my sister worked in a sleep lab part-time while she was in medical school (a very respected sleep lab) and she had extremely unflattering things to say about the legitimacy of their diagnoses. She thinks they basically diagnose every single person with sleep apnea and then prescribe CPAP machines that make them sleep even worse than they did before. Like I said, I don't have any problems with sleep and don't want to shell out several hundred dollars for a sleep study and a CPAP machine that will make my nights miserable.

I know this is a bizarre thing to be worried about in the pre-op journey but I need to save my money for other things . . .

I've had a sleep apnea test before and was told I didn't have sleep apnea. I know that in order to have a referral for my surgeon, it was required to have a sleep apnea test. I know that people that go to Mexico don't have to take this test so maybe it's a surgeon's requirement. I am interested in hearing about this from other people.

Doctors require sleep studies for a couple of reasons...if your BMI is under 40 and you do not have 2 comorbid (weight related) illnesses your doctor is trying to help you qualify. Otherwise, some doctors require them for all patients who are morbidly obese due to the risk during surgery while under anesthesia.

By the way, I did the sleep study, was diagnosed with sleep apnea, had surgery, then refused the CPAP!

I did not have any sleep apnea testing. I filled out a questionaire and didn't have any symptoms of it, so I'm assuming it wasn't required by my Dr.

Are sleep studies generally required?

Buffehead

my PHP suggested that i take the sleep study test because i am a big snorer. my

DH says i am a big snorer - personally since i never heard me snore, i don't believe it

study was positive. have worn the CPAP a couple of years now. CPAP's are really small these days, doesn't bother me at all. There was no cost to me for test or CPAP machine w/my insurance covering it..

The "test" is no big deal. You sleep, you have this junk in your head with wires, they monitor you, periodially, really no big deal.

you are usually checked for sleep apnea if you are tired and stuff during the day & if you snore. I have both problems. Even though you only snore - its not a bad idea for the test.

If you test positive - thats considered a co-morbitity (msp) woopi - you have another ailment that insurance loves. contradiction in terms.

good luck

take care

kathy

thanks for the replies everyone! I think if a sleep study is suggested I will do everything I can to refuse it without jeopardizing my chances of approval. And, sadly for me, I am definitely big enough that I don't need any co-morbidities to fit in the standard approval criteria. In fact, it was my insurance company that suggested to me, completely unsolicited, that based on my BMI I should consider bariatric surgery. Hopefully that's a good sign for approval

I was required by my surgeon to have a sleep study done and I have no symptoms at all (not even snoring)! I tried to get out of it a couple of times, but the surgeons office kept insisting that I have it done. My surgeon had me have one done because I told her that my dad had sleep apnea and he uses the CPAP machine, but I didn't think it was needed because I knew I didn't have it.

Then I tried to call again to see if I really had to go (because like you said Bufflehead it it not cheap to have these tests done) and they told me that everyone who had a BMI over 50 had to get it done. That was the first time I heard that, but anyways I ended up having it done and $700 Later (that is my portion after insurance covered some of the cost) they told me I did not have sleep apnea. I hope you can get out of it since you really feel you don't need it.

You'll probably end up taking it. It's pretty much standard procedure from an insurance company's standpoint.

In my case, I went in for a sleep study 2 years ago. The first half of the night I could hardly sleep; the second half, they strapped the mask on me.

I spent 22 *minutes* in REM sleep. Yes, that's minutes. Normal people get about 11-20 seconds of REM sleep in any given night. I woke up feeling like a tiger and the best I'd felt in years.

I can't imagine life without my CPAP. Having said that, it's not for everyone. Good luck in your Quest to refuse the test - you would think that they could use other criteria to base their decision on.

I do snore

Buffehead

When you snore, you could possibly stop breathing . When you stop breathing periodically, hmmmm, thats not a good thing Thats where the test and CPAP come into the situation. You don't want to die - then you can't be sleeved

Per my PHP a huge huge huge amount of people that are overweight have sleep apnea

I guess i was lucky, insurance did cover total thing - test and CPAP. If you have to pay for some of test or macine, i do see your concern.

when and if you are diagnosed w/sleep apnea - insurance then considers it another co-moribity. WooPii (sarcastic)

Kathy

good luck

I had a sleep study done, but it was done with a machine the company mailed me. I stayed hooked up to it for a few hours each day for 3 days, then I mailed it back to them. I tested negative, and my copay was $13 bucks for it.

I had to have a sleep test done five years ago. I was hospitalized with 10 broken ribs and that was when they discovered that I had sleep apnea. The test was no big deal. Took awhile to get the junk out of my hair. But like quietcougar said, The first 1 1/2 hrs I just tossed and turned then they woke me up because I had stopped breathing 20 time for 30 seconds up to a minute each time. They put the mask on me and I slept like a baby. They actually had to come and wake me the next morning. I've used a cpap ever since and can't believe how much better I feel. It not only gives you more energy but also helps lower your sugar levels and high blood pressure because your body isn't stressing any more from lack of sleep.

But it isn't for everyone, just saying that if you do have sleep apnea it will definately make a difference, just like this surgery! Good luck to you and please keep us posted.

I had a sleep study done, but it was done with a machine the company mailed me. I stayed hooked up to it for a few hours each day for 3 days, then I mailed it back to them. I tested negative, and my copay was $13 bucks for it.

That's what I want. The time and money for this test is really not something I am looking forward too. So far the surgeon's office hasn't pushed it but I have a 6 month medically supervised diet to get through so I'm sure they will add more things as time goes on.

I was told by a few doctors that they were convinced I had sleep apnea,so I did the study,I never thought for minute that I had sleep apnea. they told me I did,still didnt believe it.I wasnt going to get the cpap machine,but was told I need to have it for surgery.So I got it and I had the hardest time using it,dont like things on my face,and then it would lose suction and I would have all this air blowing in my face,feeling like im being suffocated..I took it to the hospital and it was never used during surgery, And I havent used it since.I absolutely cant stand to hav it on my face.My insurance compnay paid for it,but does ask if you are not using it to return it and thats what im going to do

I think it's important to have the sleep test because it will help you in the long run. From what I've been told, it aids the anesthesia department take care of you properly (if you have a sleep disorder) and also when you are post-op, they will put your CPAP on you if you're blood oxygen levels get too low. If you are heavier and have a snoring issue, I would at least have it checked out -- I know my doctor required me to do it, and it aided in exhibiting comorbities to my insurance company.

A sleep study is really not a bad thing. As we're all overweight, there is a really good chance of having sleep apnea. Besides the fact that the condition can help you get insurance approval, it really is a safety issue. During the night you stop breathing but your body realizes what's going on and will cause you to start back up. However, after surgery when your body is still full of sedatives and anesthesia, your body may not start breathing again. This is why anybody who has sleep apnea is required to bring their CPAP machine to surgery with them so you can be on the machine while you're in recovery.

While I'd admit that the sleep study wasn't a pleasure, having the CPAP has really helped me sleep better at night. Plus after finding out the above info from my pulmonologist, I made sure that I had the dang thing with me when I went in for the surgery. I didn't want to take any chances.