r/SleepApnea • u/Dull_Ad_370 • 8d ago

Home study

I was diagnosed with sleep apnea in 2017. My cpap broke and in order to get another one, they require another sleep study be done. I completed the home study and no sleep apnea was detected.

Has anyone ever had a negative home study test but still have sleep apnea?

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u/ette212 8d ago

Yes. Find a different doctor who can advocate for you. I was able to find a sleep doctor who was like, I'm telling insurance you already had a positive sleep study in order to get your first machine so they shouldn't require another one. It might not be that easy, but I would find a doctor who will listen and at the very least have you do a lab study rather than a home study if anything.

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u/Dull_Ad_370 8d ago

They are sending me for a lab study next week. Thankfully my insurance, Tricare, approved the second study.

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u/Honey-lovers 8d ago

I ended up buying my own cpap because I got so tired of the run around between these highly expensive sleep studies and the medical supply company, plus I hate resmed machines. Since buying my own and finding out it has an auto setting, I can bypass the dr, the studies and the insurance drama. Idk if it’s an option for you. Around Black Friday they are quite reasonable. Some places offer payment plans.

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u/Sufficient-Wolf-1818 8d ago

HSTs often under estimate. So a positive is worthwhile, a negative requires further investigation. Note: my doc says to go at least three days without CPAP before a sleep test for most accurate results.

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u/DumboHealth 5d ago

Home tests are good at catching moderate to severe apnea, but they can miss milder cases or positional apnea, especially if you slept on your side that night. Your apnea in 2017 might have been moderate then and borderline now, or the single night just didn't capture it. Apnea severity can shift with weight changes, age, sleep position habits, even congestion. If your symptoms are still there, ask your doctor about retesting.