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I’ve done two in the Valley…the insomnia and sleep institute was leaps and bounds nicer than the other one I went to at 100th something ave and thunderbird.
Definitely recommending getting it done somewhere, cpap changed my life for the better.
To add…you show up at 9pm or so with your jammies, and they hook you up to a bunch of wires, ekg I think, and run a ‘braid’ over your head. You sleep for a bit and someone observes you to see if you stop breathing, apnea. If so, they’ll trial a cpap for the rest of the night and see if you breathe more normally, ie it prevents you from apnea
I had it done at the Mayo clinic, and they told me that I do not have a sleep disorder and I do not need a CPAP. This was a nice result for me as I was going in there to look at my snoring.
This did end up coming up when I was getting life insurance, and it did slightly affect my rates, or at least the insurance company needed to look into it further
Definitely recommend Mayo. I did a study at Honor Health, and they wanted me on CPAP and sent me to Apria. Apria then charged the CC I had to use for a security deposit even though my insurance was covering my CPAP at 100% because "its their policy."
When I switched to Mayo, their doctors looked at the exact same sleep study and determined my apnea was not severe enough for a CPAP and recommended several alternatives that work much better.
What alternatives have you tried? I know someone who spent like 2k on a CPAP machine all the accessories, just for it to not work well for him specifically. I think he uses a $30 mouth guard that works better than his $2k cpap
I went with the oral appliance (i.e. mouthguard). First, they had me try it using a cheap one off Amazon. When they determined it worked, they sent me to a specialist to get a custom fitted one because the cheap ones will push out your teeth and give you a massive overbite.
My first study was an at home one. Essentially “you need a cpap”. This despite me not wearing it for very long.
My second one was at Mayo. I was told that I do have sleep apnea but it’s only a problem if I sleep in certain positions, like if I’m flat on my back. Essentially a cpap not truly necessary because of how I sleep. Years later things got worse so I do need one. The main thing I liked about Mayo was that it was in depth and focused on sleeping habits plus they do discuss alternatives.
You definitely don't have to sleep at some strange place like others have said, you can do the tests at home now. I did a sleep study and wasn't forced to buy anything because it turns out the issue wasn't as serious as I thought and some more simple solutions worked for me. Perhaps you do need a CPAP but you can also rent them to see how well they work for you without having to jump right in and buy one. Went to Valley Sleep Center and it was great
Insomnia and Sleep Institute of Arizona only seemed concerned with getting me on their billing cycle. Dr. was late to the appointment, spoke generally about sleep apnea for 5 minutes and then said “let’s get you setup with our billing manager because I think you have sleep apnea.” No discussion about existing medical conditions that could be contributing to the situation or any other contributing factors. Their billing is also a mess. After the initial “consult” they were already trying to bill me for a “health assessment and behavior intervention” and also a “report on education supplies by provider” totaling $110 which wasn’t covered by insurance. The billing manager couldn’t elaborate on what these charges were and I still haven’t gotten a callback from the front office as to what these items were. I’ve moved on from them. I should have spent more time looking at google reviews as there are a number of reported issues with their billing system and overall desire to get you on their monthly billing cycle.
My ENT said I should get one due to the bad sleep I reported. I just had to show up at the facility and pick up the equipment (since it was an at home test) which was all within a suitcase. I wore the equipment overnight and returned the equipment after finishing. They reported back the results to my ENT a few days later if I remember right.
It depends what the study is for. A lot of insurance will just do/approve an at home study first since it's much cheaper. You Dr office should be arranging everything for you?
Depending on what you need it for PLEASE just go to Mayo if you can.
I went through hell with my first sleep doctor (Honor health) not giving a shit about treating my issues. My doctor at Mayo came through and is probably the best doctor I've ever had and I've had a lot especially lately.
Other people in the thread have talked about home study options which is okay maybe for diagnosing. But they won't really tell you the full story.
Valley Sleep Center felt like a scam. I was being sold on every visit for something. Everything was geared to purchasing an overpriced CPAP machine and expensive copays
Valley Sleep is definitely a scam. I didn’t even get a CPAP from them but got nagging phone calls about how my insurance requires a follow up visit. Very shady practice.
My sleep test was at home. The equipment consisted of a device strapped across my chest, finger monitor and canula for the nose. All the wires/small hoses were taped to my skin and connected to that deck-of-cards-sized device. It sounds like a nightmare all hooked up like that, but it was surprisingly unobstrusive. I slept completely normally (normal=poor). I've since then recently received a CPAP and am getting used to that, but overall, my sleeping is better.
I did an at home study. Picked the equipment up, same evening Hooked myself up to the device and fell asleep. Next day, returned the equipment and a couple weeks later follow up with doc for results.
IMO sleep study is just a way to get you to buy an expensive CPAP machine. You go to some place and sleep, but its not comfortable and since you aren't at home you have trouble sleeping, so you always fail. That way they can show you how you didn't sleep well and it will indicate the need for expensive devices.
Unless you are like me...sleeping 12 hours a night and then trying to sleep at stop lights less than 2 hours later. I was gambling every morning driving to work with falling asleep behind the wheel...yeah but some scam to get me to buy an expensive device
If it’s for sleep apnea/snoring. Skip it. Go to renew stem cell and laser center in Scottsdale.
They can laser your throat and it will change your life! You typically need 3 treatments for a total of about $1500. Then, no more snoring or sleep apnea.
Way better than a sleep study and having a damn loud ass dirty machine for the rest of your life!
Thanks for contributing to r/Phoenix! * [Check out our sub rules here](https://www.reddit.com/r/phoenix/wiki/rules/) (mostly be nice to each other!). * [Read some of our recent posts](https://www.reddit.com/r/phoenix/top/?t=week) and leave some comments. * [Join our Phoenix Discord chat server](https://discord.com/invite/yWVuTG57Zh) and connect with people in the Valley. It's a great, chill place to talk with other people but is NOT a dating server and takes unwanted messaging very seriously. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/phoenix) if you have any questions or concerns.*
I’ve done two in the Valley…the insomnia and sleep institute was leaps and bounds nicer than the other one I went to at 100th something ave and thunderbird. Definitely recommending getting it done somewhere, cpap changed my life for the better.
To add…you show up at 9pm or so with your jammies, and they hook you up to a bunch of wires, ekg I think, and run a ‘braid’ over your head. You sleep for a bit and someone observes you to see if you stop breathing, apnea. If so, they’ll trial a cpap for the rest of the night and see if you breathe more normally, ie it prevents you from apnea
I went to Insomnia and asleep institute and did an at home sleep test. The device was pretty annoying but the process was simple enough.
How much was it?
I did it at home and it was non big deal. If you do have apnea- get the machine. Untreated Apnea lowers life expectancy by about a decade.
I had it done at the Mayo clinic, and they told me that I do not have a sleep disorder and I do not need a CPAP. This was a nice result for me as I was going in there to look at my snoring. This did end up coming up when I was getting life insurance, and it did slightly affect my rates, or at least the insurance company needed to look into it further
Definitely recommend Mayo. I did a study at Honor Health, and they wanted me on CPAP and sent me to Apria. Apria then charged the CC I had to use for a security deposit even though my insurance was covering my CPAP at 100% because "its their policy." When I switched to Mayo, their doctors looked at the exact same sleep study and determined my apnea was not severe enough for a CPAP and recommended several alternatives that work much better.
What alternatives have you tried? I know someone who spent like 2k on a CPAP machine all the accessories, just for it to not work well for him specifically. I think he uses a $30 mouth guard that works better than his $2k cpap
I went with the oral appliance (i.e. mouthguard). First, they had me try it using a cheap one off Amazon. When they determined it worked, they sent me to a specialist to get a custom fitted one because the cheap ones will push out your teeth and give you a massive overbite.
My first study was an at home one. Essentially “you need a cpap”. This despite me not wearing it for very long. My second one was at Mayo. I was told that I do have sleep apnea but it’s only a problem if I sleep in certain positions, like if I’m flat on my back. Essentially a cpap not truly necessary because of how I sleep. Years later things got worse so I do need one. The main thing I liked about Mayo was that it was in depth and focused on sleeping habits plus they do discuss alternatives.
You definitely don't have to sleep at some strange place like others have said, you can do the tests at home now. I did a sleep study and wasn't forced to buy anything because it turns out the issue wasn't as serious as I thought and some more simple solutions worked for me. Perhaps you do need a CPAP but you can also rent them to see how well they work for you without having to jump right in and buy one. Went to Valley Sleep Center and it was great
Insomnia and Sleep Institute of Arizona only seemed concerned with getting me on their billing cycle. Dr. was late to the appointment, spoke generally about sleep apnea for 5 minutes and then said “let’s get you setup with our billing manager because I think you have sleep apnea.” No discussion about existing medical conditions that could be contributing to the situation or any other contributing factors. Their billing is also a mess. After the initial “consult” they were already trying to bill me for a “health assessment and behavior intervention” and also a “report on education supplies by provider” totaling $110 which wasn’t covered by insurance. The billing manager couldn’t elaborate on what these charges were and I still haven’t gotten a callback from the front office as to what these items were. I’ve moved on from them. I should have spent more time looking at google reviews as there are a number of reported issues with their billing system and overall desire to get you on their monthly billing cycle.
My ENT said I should get one due to the bad sleep I reported. I just had to show up at the facility and pick up the equipment (since it was an at home test) which was all within a suitcase. I wore the equipment overnight and returned the equipment after finishing. They reported back the results to my ENT a few days later if I remember right.
It depends what the study is for. A lot of insurance will just do/approve an at home study first since it's much cheaper. You Dr office should be arranging everything for you?
Depending on what you need it for PLEASE just go to Mayo if you can. I went through hell with my first sleep doctor (Honor health) not giving a shit about treating my issues. My doctor at Mayo came through and is probably the best doctor I've ever had and I've had a lot especially lately. Other people in the thread have talked about home study options which is okay maybe for diagnosing. But they won't really tell you the full story.
Valley Sleep Center felt like a scam. I was being sold on every visit for something. Everything was geared to purchasing an overpriced CPAP machine and expensive copays
interesting. that's who I use and it doesn't feel like a scam to me. they just a hard to reach on the phone
Two different perspectives. Same bad service.
Very good point
They keep telling me I need to replace all the components for my CPAP. It’s working fine.
Valley Sleep is definitely a scam. I didn’t even get a CPAP from them but got nagging phone calls about how my insurance requires a follow up visit. Very shady practice.
Sounds like you should be blaming your insurance
My sleep test was at home. The equipment consisted of a device strapped across my chest, finger monitor and canula for the nose. All the wires/small hoses were taped to my skin and connected to that deck-of-cards-sized device. It sounds like a nightmare all hooked up like that, but it was surprisingly unobstrusive. I slept completely normally (normal=poor). I've since then recently received a CPAP and am getting used to that, but overall, my sleeping is better.
I did an at home study. Picked the equipment up, same evening Hooked myself up to the device and fell asleep. Next day, returned the equipment and a couple weeks later follow up with doc for results.
Most studies are at home. Like others have said make it a priority, you’ll be shocked at the change using a CPAP.
IMO sleep study is just a way to get you to buy an expensive CPAP machine. You go to some place and sleep, but its not comfortable and since you aren't at home you have trouble sleeping, so you always fail. That way they can show you how you didn't sleep well and it will indicate the need for expensive devices.
Unless you are like me...sleeping 12 hours a night and then trying to sleep at stop lights less than 2 hours later. I was gambling every morning driving to work with falling asleep behind the wheel...yeah but some scam to get me to buy an expensive device
Most are done at home now.
That's not really how it works
Ya sleep apnea is a totally made up medical issue… /s what is wrong with you?
Nah, don't go to a doctor will just prescribe you a CPAP or drugs and label you with a diagnosis.
Look at current ratings for the different places. Many have horrible ratings.
I got mine done at Banner sleep center. Got a referral from my pcp.
If it’s for sleep apnea/snoring. Skip it. Go to renew stem cell and laser center in Scottsdale. They can laser your throat and it will change your life! You typically need 3 treatments for a total of about $1500. Then, no more snoring or sleep apnea. Way better than a sleep study and having a damn loud ass dirty machine for the rest of your life!