Little brother has sleep apnea

[KSmi]

Hello,

Went out camping with the family recently and discovered youngest brother may have sleep apnea.
Would you happen to know how much a trip to a sleep apnea doctor costs? Also, what should we expect from such visits?

Thanks

[moldy]

100 bucks for the first visit, 2500 for test one, which involves sleeping at the hospital with all these wires hooked to you. Then it's another trip to the doc so he can read the results thats another 100. Then it's another night in the hospital so he sleeps with a CPAP machine hooked to wires again for another 2500. Then it's back to the doc to read the results again for another hundred. Now you have to purchase a mask, hose and CPAP machine for 5000. Thats a grand total of 10,300 bucks. Then he has to force himself to use the machine which takes lots of work. You know why I know this? This is my story. Of course this is the bill if you have no insurance. If you had insurance the bill the crooked corporate hospital would bill crooked insurance company is 800 bucks. My advice, move to Canada.

[vibbertations]

I had awesome insurance back in 2005 when an ear, nose, and throat doctor referred me to the sleep lab. I paid 10 bucks 3 times and got pissed he kept having me come back to his office to talk for 20 minutes. I decided he was milking the insurance and forgot about it. Flash forward to 2010, my wife graduates as a respiratory therapist and works at the same sleep center. She reads my study and refers me to a sleep doctor who sends me home with a CPAP machine. We had our deductible covered last year so that visit was free and the CPAP rental was like 25 bucks a month. This year I'm paying 140 bucks for the rental. My wife says I have huge tonsils and I'm wondering if I just need to get them removed and maybe I wouldn't need the CPAP machine.

[yaduck9]

100 bucks for the first visit, 2500 for test one, which involves sleeping at the hospital with all these wires hooked to you. Then it's another trip to the doc so he can read the results thats another 100. Then it's another night in the hospital so he sleeps with a CPAP machine hooked to wires again for another 2500. Then it's back to the doc to read the results again for another hundred. Now you have to purchase a mask, hose and CPAP machine for 5000. Thats a grand total of 10,300 bucks. Then he has to force himself to use the machine which takes lots of work. You know why I know this? This is my story. Of course this is the bill if you have no insurance. If you had insurance the bill the crooked corporate hospital would bill crooked insurance company is 800 bucks. My advice, move to Canada.

My experience was different in this respect; I went to a sleeping disorder clinic and did all of the above in one overnight visit. Of course, I had health insurance, and the insurance company probably only pays for one visit.

Over the years I have worked on my allergies ( my sinuses would clog forcing me to breath through my mouth while sleeping ) and exercise more. I have pretty much weaned myself off of the cpap.

I still remember that visit to sleep clinic and the morning after. I had only used the cpap for about 5 hours that night and in the morning I felt fantastic.

[Reid]

Just buy a CPAP and good luck getting use to it (not a doctor just a suggestion if you can confirm the results.) Some medical research places do sleep apnea tests too so you may want to check that out......and they pay you too. I don't think mother paid nearly those amounts but she has it where she wakes up in the middle of the night heart beating fast and short of breath/not breathing. Hope you get this under control brother. I don't see how my mother sleeps with that thing.

[Cool Hands]

Isn't this a hiking/backpacking forum....

[weary]

100 bucks for the first visit, 2500 for test one, which involves sleeping at the hospital with all these wires hooked to you. Then it's another trip to the doc so he can read the results that's another 100. Then it's another night in the hospital so he sleeps with a CPAP machine hooked to wires again for another 2500. Then it's back to the doc to read the results again for another hundred. Now you have to purchase a mask, hose and CPAP machine for 5000. That's a grand total of 10,300 bucks. Then he has to force himself to use the machine which takes lots of work. You know why I know this? This is my story. Of course this is the bill if you have no insurance. If you had insurance the bill the crooked corporate hospital would bill crooked insurance company is 800 bucks. My advice, move to Canada.

I don't buy all the corruption. It's just the way the system we have evolved works. But your figures do suggest that the claim that those of us with insurance are paying the costs of the non insured is grossly wrong.

The uninsured are routinely billed at prices several times higher than my health insurance provider is charged. When I complained to my providers that when they thought that I may not have insurance they wanted to charge me much more than the insurance paid. they explained, Yes, but when you didn't have insurance, we didn't really expect you to pay anyway.

That strikes me as an atrocious answer. I don't totally understand the new health care legislation, but, I suspect, nothing could be as bad as the system we now have.

[Bonjour]

Split studies are common so you can get it done in one night in most cases. If he really has sleep apnea it is important to get it treated. Not only will he feel better and not fall asleep at the wheel it will most likely extend his life. Most apnea people are large and loosing weight can sometimes turn it around. I heard of a person who took a battery operated CPAP camping. I doubt that it would be practical on the trail.

[Snowleopard]

Sleep apnea can lead to very serious health complications. He must see a doctor about it!!
"Those with it have increased risks of hypertension, arrhythmias and sudden death. " orangebug, from another thread.

Sometimes losing weight can improve or eliminate it. That's what I did. In more serious cases, it's pretty hard to do the exercise you need to do when you're exhausted all the time. My cousin was able to start losing weight only after he started using a CPAP machine.

Other threads on sleep apnea:
http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/show...ighlight=apnea
http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/show...ighlight=apnea

[nufsaid]

I don't buy all the corruption. It's just the way the system we have evolved works. But your figures do suggest that the claim that those of us with insurance are paying the costs of the non insured is grossly wrong.

The uninsured are routinely billed at prices several times higher than my health insurance provider is charged. When I complained to my providers that when they thought that I may not have insurance they wanted to charge me much more than the insurance paid. they explained, Yes, but when you didn't have insurance, we didn't really expect you to pay anyway.

That strikes me as an atrocious answer. I don't totally understand the new health care legislation, but, I suspect, nothing could be as bad as the system we now have.

You admit that you don't understand the new legislation but "suspect" that nothing can be as bad as the system we now have. I have a hard time taking you seriously.

[Sierra Echo]

Perhaps you should let a doctor make the actual diagnosis. Just saying.

[Chaco Taco]

You should look into a more natural approach. Treating apnea with drugs can do some major damage to lungs and heart. Id suggest oriental medicine practitioner or some sort of holistic or naturopathic doctor. Good luck and you dont need a diagnosis from a doctor to treat symptoms, just sayin

[Chaco Taco]

I must say that this is very relevant to backpacking. Alot of people on the trail have this issue.
Im not trying to start any controversy but taking a natural approach to SA is very important. Herbs and holistic medicine go back much further than modern medicine and you could probably do your own research and find a way to help him. I know in Australia there are many naturopaths and holistic practitioners.

[DBCFlash]

I must say that this is very relevant to backpacking. Alot of people on the trail have this issue.
Im not trying to start any controversy but taking a natural approach to SA is very important. Herbs and holistic medicine go back much further than modern medicine and you could probably do your own research and find a way to help him. I know in Australia there are many naturopaths and holistic practitioners.

I can reel this into a Hiking/backpacking forum. My brother can't come hiking with me because of his CPAP and sleep apnea. If there was a realistic way to solve this problem, we'd be able to hike together.

There. That was easy, wasn't it?

[Chaco Taco]

I can reel this into a Hiking/backpacking forum. My brother can't come hiking with me because of his CPAP and sleep apnea. If there was a realistic way to solve this problem, we'd be able to hike together.

There. That was easy, wasn't it?

Haha nice. Just curious, how is his overall health? I know that some of the causes include obesity, diet and smoking. Do any of those apply? I did some research on SA in school

[weary]

The problem with traditional remedies is that there rarely is any scientific investigation about whether they work or not. Just folk lore. Bleeding is also an ancient remedy that was used long before modern medicine became the vogue, but for good reasons is rarely used any more.

I would start with a google search. A site that strikes me as especially valuable is: http://www.helpguide.org/life/sleep_apnea.htm

It suggests several medicine free ways to treat the disorder that are worth trying since they are free and easily accomplished.

[Tennessee Viking]

You will probably need your family doctor to refer your brother to a ENT specialist and a sleep study. Then they are going to have your brother get an Xray, CT, or MRI of the throat, sinus cavity, and nose. To learn the extent of the apnea. Then he will probably be required to get surgery. Sinus drain, septum re-alignment, removal of tonsils, uvala, & adnoids. He will probably maybe need to get a CPAP machine.


Some easy solutions to help with the symptoms.
If your brother is on the heavy side, he will need to lose some weight.
Sleep sitting up or side.
Use nasal strips.
Sleep a minimum of 8 hours.
Drink plenty of water.
Sinus rinse.

[Ol Mole]

100 bucks for the first visit, 2500 for test one, which involves sleeping at the hospital with all these wires hooked to you. Then it's another trip to the doc so he can read the results thats another 100. Then it's another night in the hospital so he sleeps with a CPAP machine hooked to wires again for another 2500. Then it's back to the doc to read the results again for another hundred. Now you have to purchase a mask, hose and CPAP machine for 5000. Thats a grand total of 10,300 bucks. Then he has to force himself to use the machine which takes lots of work. You know why I know this? This is my story. Of course this is the bill if you have no insurance. If you had insurance the bill the crooked corporate hospital would bill crooked insurance company is 800 bucks. My advice, move to Canada.

I went through the sleep center twice. Once for diagnosis and once with the CPAP testing to find the right pressure. Insurance covered a large amount of it, cost me about $500 for each visit.

After 2+ years on a CPAP, it is the best thing for me in many years. I can now get a good nights sleep and the O2 levels in my blood are back to where they should be.

Sleeping on the trail has been challanging as I do not get a restful nights sleep. I add naps to my hiking day to compensate. Last weekend I got a portable CPAP battery that I can carry with me. I will field test it next week. It is not good for more than several nights at a time without recharging and the weight of the battery is not for the UL hiking crowd. But it will keep me hiking on!

Happy Trails.

[DBCFlash]

Haha nice. Just curious, how is his overall health? I know that some of the causes include obesity, diet and smoking. Do any of those apply? I did some research on SA in school

Oh yeah. He's brutally overweight and was just diagnosed with diabetes. He's never smoked, though. We used to go on adventures together, but his health now stops him almost every time. It's a shame too, because the very activities that he can no longer do, are the exact type of things that could help him shed the weight and get his health back.

High stress job (lawyer), two little kids and an awful American fast food diet will be the death of him, and it breaks my heart.

Anyway, a CPAP clicking and hissing away in a shelter on the AT is just about as unlikey as those Teva Stillettos.

[Chaco Taco]

Oh yeah. He's brutally overweight and was just diagnosed with diabetes. He's never smoked, though. We used to go on adventures together, but his health now stops him almost every time. It's a shame too, because the very activities that he can no longer do, are the exact type of things that could help him shed the weight and get his health back.

High stress job (lawyer), two little kids and an awful American fast food diet will be the death of him, and it breaks my heart.

Anyway, a CPAP clicking and hissing away in a shelter on the AT is just about as unlikey as those Teva Stillettos.

Well unfortunately, the one thing that will drastically reduce it, and Im sure yourself and he have both heard it, lose weight. The problem is that traditional sleep studies ignore the most common problems that are right in front of you. I recently became a massage therapist and my wife a chiropractor and both of these will help the situation more often than traditional meds. Meds cover up the problem in these cases. It really isnt a disease so to speak, as the medical profession loves to tie labels to things. I strongly encourage you to get your brother out on the trail If the CPAP is a pain, then tent away from shelters. You will thank yourself as will your brother. Good luck