“Sleep apnea”

You will need a prescription for the pressure on the CPAP device. You could visit one sleep doctor who may prescribe a CPAP for you to use. Yes, it will help with Afib. And your sleepiness.

Saddly the best way to diagnose and treat sleep apnea is with an attendended multisensor study that will record your brain activity, effort, airflow, cardiac activity, and movement plus minus video. There are ways to diagnose at home, however not a good idea if you have cardiac issues. Your technician could start treatment if needed in the middle of the study, etc, etc. In terms of buying a cpap ... well.. some types of sleep breathing disorders get worse with cpap.. one must weight the benefits vs the risks when selecting a home study as in lack of availability of polysomnography, resources, etc.. but in the end an attended study is best.
Sleep apnea does not happen from sleep deprivation. It is a multifactorial condition, where the most comon variables are laxity of the muscles of the throat and overcrowding at the level of the nose, all the way down to the oropharynx. Some people, particularly young ones, go back to normal by fixing the nasal obstruction they migh have... not so for older folks.
Sorry for your wait. I hope you get your answers and treatments soon.. maybe talking to your case manager might speed up things? Respectfully.

CPAP has to be prescribed by a licensed physician in United States

Before you can treat the diagnosis of sleep apnea you need to make the right diagnosis through a home sleep test or in laboratory sleep test. Sleep apnea can come in different severities like mild moderate severe and very severe.
A CPAP can be self adjustable and it’s not always safe for the very severe sleep disorder breathing without a proper monitoring. You need a prescription at a diagnosis to buy a machine whether it’s self purchase or insurance coverage. The minimum test is a home sleep apnea test confirms the diagnosis and severity severity.

If no other comorbidities, a home sleep study is recommended to confirm the diagnosis, and then treatment can be started.

Your medications suggest that you have hypertension and cardiac issues. Positive pressure treatment is the gold standard for your health issue. It is a life saver with getting you a high quality of life, longevity, and decreasing the morbidity and mortality. Regular use of PAP for 7-8 hours can contribute to good health and happy living. The cost of a pap device is high, but bearable.

It is not only about getting a CPAP, but rather about adjusting pressure and making sure the patient is compliant. The best way is to get a split study and CPAP sooner than later.

Good news is that at BlueSleep.com, you can see a sleep specialist right away on our web site by telemedicine, you don't have to wait, go to: www.bluesleep.com to make an appointment.

You definitively need to establish the diagnosis before you would qualify for CPAP therapy and have it covered by your insurance. The only way to accurately establish the diagnosis of sleep apnea is by a seep test. This can be done in a sleep laboratory or at home. Also, you need what is called a "PAP titration" when you are studied in the sleep lab (AFTER the diagnosis is confirmed) to find the exact CPAP pressure you need to resolve your apnea. Talk to your sleep doctor about your options.

Dr. Gingras