im very overweight and would like to have the lap band surgery done. i dont have health insurance because i live in ny and i supposedly make too much money, i dont see how 200 a week is a lot of money but…thats governor pataki for ya lol…anyway im well over 400lbs, i have all the symptoms: sleep apnea, high blood pressure…you name it. i was in the hospital in 2002 for heart arithmia and charity covered it, i was wondering if i can do the same for the surgery?
yea but i have to live in pa dont i lol?

I was just diagnosed with Severe Sleep Apnea. My insurance only covers 80% of the cost of a CPAP machine after a 0 deductible. There is no way I can afford that right now. I see my Dr. next week to get the full study results & I will talk to him then but I want to know now, what happens if you leave sleep apnea untreated? How many people REALLY die from it? All the sleep tech told me was that my oxygen level dropped to 65% & I had no REM sleep, I slept 90% of 4 1/2 hrs…

For the past 3 months I have been off and on sick, usually around the same time of month, but not during my period. The symptoms are nausea, fatigue, diarrhea, low grade fever, chills, headache, bodyaches, joint ache, congestion, chest pain, and sometimes a racing or pounding heart. I do have anxiety, but during these occurrences I don’t feel anxious until the third or fourth day. The first month I was diagnosed with a virus, the second month I had a uti. I haven’t gone to the doctor yet because I can’t afford it due to no insurance and no job. I have looked up the symptoms on webmd but none of the causes explain all my symptoms. I was thinking sleep apnea because it usually occurs in the morning and disipates throughout the day. I am not pregnant. Any ideas?

My husband has Sleep Apnea and depression. Both have caused weight gain and both are made worse by weight gain. Every doctor he has seen in the past year has told him to get gastric-bypass (weightloss) surgery. He is non compliant with his sleep apnea treatment and is not only retaining fluid but one of his calves is swollen as big as his thigh. Because of the depression and lack of restfull sleep at night he is tired all the time. He will nod off during a conversation. The excess fluid and weight are taking a toll on his knees. He is barely able to walk and uses the scooter stores provide if we have to go out shopping. To top it off he has lost his job and insurance. How do I get him to comply. I can’t go to the appointments he has to attend prior to surgery for him. I am doubly frustrated because coincidentally, my mother had similar health issues. She was non compliant and died. We have two young children. Do I push him or do I just watch him die?

I was diagnosed with mild sleep apnea about a year ago but cant afford a CPAP machine.

I’ve been taking benadryl to help me sleep but lately it seems that it started to wear off at 3am and I toss and turn the rest of the night and I and am continually tired during the day. I’;d like to try a prescription medication to help be sleep better but I currently don’t have any health insurance.

Any suggestions on what I can do to help me get some sleep?

my boyfriend told me that he thinks he may have sleep apnea. he snores so incredibly horribly and always has. he literally sounds like a dying animal or bear. sometimes i have caught him stop breathing for like 10 to 15 seconds, maybe more. i have actually woken him up in a panic a couple times because the amount of time he stopped breathing worried me. anyways ive been sleeping with him for about 2 and a half years and just recently his snoring seems to be getting progressively worse. he does not have insurance so cannot afford to go to the doctor or get a sleep test done. is there anything we can get for him (that doesnt involve seeing a doctor at this point in time) to help the snoring go away and his breathing get better? anybody ever use those retainers? if so, how did they work for you/significant other? anything else?? any suggestions would be great. i literally cannot sleep with him at all anymore, he keeps me up and wakes me up and honestly worries me.

My husband was snoring and not sleeping very well for a few months. We had a lot of issues going on and neither of us were sleeping well. He went to a sleep clinic and spent one night. His AHI was 5 point 1. 5 through 14 is classified as mild sleep apnea. His oxygen saturation was 89%. He had heard all kinds of horror stories on how uncomfortable the CPAP machine was so he decided to lose some weight (20lbs so far), start exercising and eating better and taking melatonin at night for a more peaceful sleep. Both of us are doing so much better.

His DOT physical dr required a release from the sleep clinic. The sleep clinic refused to release him until he spends another night in the clinic and receives a CPAP machine. We have very good insurance and I see this as a subtle display of insurance abuse. They congratulated him on the efforts he has made to become more healthy but they refuse to acknowledge that he may be maintaining his MILD sleep apnea without any medical interference. Could I be wrong about the sleep clinic? Could he really need this contraption for his face? Can’t we control this on our own? He is sleeping fine now. Should he get a second opinion?

My doctor recommended I do a sleep study because I am constantly tired. Before I go any further with his suggestion, I wanted to know the approximate price. I have health insurance, United Healthcare. About how much should I expect to pay? Just an estimate would be helpful please

Wow! I need that insurance. Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alabama has told us a 0 deductible with 75% covered after that IF the center is in network, 50% if out of network.

Apparantly the testing is ridiculusly expensive, even with insurance. My Dr. has perscribed me Restoril which is a heavy sleep aid. It does put me to sleep, but I wake up within a few hours after it wares off. I generally get about 3-4 hrs. of sleep a night. I am so tired I feel like crying all the time and I constantly feel sick. Does anyone have any ideas until I can afford the Apnea testing. (please don’t suggest nasal strips, they do not work). Help Me.

I have sleep apnea which is well controlled through the use of a CPAP machine, but I was turned down for health insurance by Blue Cross Blue Shield because of it. I recently left a job through which I had health insurance and am now self employed and need to find an individual policy for myself.

Money is an issue and I dont have insurance. I’m also interested in anyone’s experiences in using manual vs. automatic machines. Thanks!

I have has insomnia ( dr. diagnosed) for the past 6 years and have always had trouble sleeping prior to that when I was younger. I can’t beleive that after going to a doctor ( and seeing other doctor’s) for the past 5 years or so that NONE of them has ever reccomended a sleep clinic/study! I read another post where someone stated that the medical community in in the dark about sleep health issues. A warm glass of milk or doing light excersize before bed ain’t going to cut it buddy. This a Real Health issue for millions of people and is not something "all in your head". That’s the ignorance most people have about Insomnia. And no, It’s not always about being stressed or wondering thoughts. Sure all of those things can lead to insomnia but in my case, even if all is well, there is still nights that it takes me 3 hours to fall asleep if at all. My question is: If i spend the money ( insurance wont cover it) to go to a sleep clinic, What types of things will the study show?
By the way, My Insomnia is not caused by sleep apnea or RLS. It’s simply Insomnia.

I have Aetna insurance and they have been giving me the run around in not being clear with me on how I get full benefit if I get a SnoreGuard sleep apnea device created. They have told me I will get 90% coverage if it is billed under medical. All dentists I go to only bill under dental which Aetna only gives a 50% coverage to me. I have yet to find a dentist or oral surgeon who bills under medical and I find myself at point A, after going to 2 separate dentists/oral surgeon in search of them creating this device for me. This is ridiculous. All I want is a Snoreguard for my sleep apnea. Use of the CPAP machine is nuts in my case.

I was diagnosed with sleep apnea 12 years ago. I had the uvulaplasty surgery twice and have recently noticed that it’s still getting worse. I don’t have health insurance now and I was wondering if there was anywhere out there to get a C-PAP machine at a discounted rate. Does anyone know of anything?

Did you ahver to have an overnight sleep test done at the hospital-and did your dr. of neurologist have to order it. Did Insurance give you a hassel. I am newely diagnosed but am on an oxygen converter and it does not help me sleep. I understand a CPAP does and would like to hear of your experience and if possible, the brand you use for the base unit and mask.
this would be of such help to me in my old age.

thank you for taking time to share with me.

I have sleep apnea which is well controlled through the use of a CPAP machine, but I was turned down for health insurance by Blue Cross Blue Shield because of it. I recently left a job through which I had health insurance and am now self employed and need to find an individual policy for myself.

I think i have severe sleep apnea, i wake myself up a million times a night and i dont feel rested ever. my family says that when i sleep im coughing and stop breathing. i would like to get a sleep study done, but do not have any kind of insurance. i didnt return to work after having my second child (3 months ago) and i dont have medical or dental (and i really need the dental)
I live in Simi Valley (southern California), Does anyone have any advice for me?
Like how much it would cost to pay out of pocket for a sleep study and apnea machine, or how i can obtain a medi-cal type program?
what does the DHS office stand for in the second persons comment?

I have a lot of the common symptoms of sleep apnea: I snore, I wake up tired, I’m tired and/or groggy all day, I could honestly sleep for 12 hours straight if the alarm didn’t wake me up, and I usually wake up with a headache. The trouble is, I have no insurance and little money to spend on a doctor. I mean, truthfully, my income is very fixed and I couldn’t afford anything more than a few hundred dollars for this. It’s depressing. I’m always told I’m lazy, but the truth is, I’m always really tired. Is there anything I can do on my own to help this? At least for another year or two until I can get a job with insurance (I’m a college student ATM). Thanks in advance.
Please, read my question before posting an answer. If I had the thousand bucks to spend on a sleep study and CPAP machine, I WOULD. But I don’t. So I guess I’m just out of luck :(

I'm pretty sure I have sleep apnea. I'm getting a study done next month, but all the symptoms are there. I'm scared it's going to cost me a ton to treat it. Does insurance cover CPAP machines? If so, how much usually? I have Blue Cross Blue Shield PPO. I so desperately wish for a good night's sleep.
Sorry.. spelled dealt wrong.

My boyfriend has no insurance. He cannot afford a machine. He wakes tired from this condition and he is a carpenter. Hard work with power tools. I worry about him.

I am pretty sure I have Sleep Apnea as I am tired all day and do not sleep well at night. It takes me forever to go to sleep and as soon as I do I wake up gasping for air. I may get 1-2 hours of sleep off and on through an 8 hour time frame. I looked on my insurance and they do not cover sleep studies or Sleep Apnea. How much sould a sleep study cost and the machine cost that you wear at night to fix it?

I have been looking for sleep studies as they have them now and again for free but none have been offered for the past 6 months.

Thanks in advance!!!!

My boyfriend has sleep apnea and we are looking for a sleep apnea forced air machine to buy. He does not have insurance and the doctor wants him to stay overnight at a sleep center to confirm that he actually has sleep apnea. The cost of the sleep clinic is 00.00 for (1) night!! I know he has sleep apnea and the only treatment for it is a forced air machine. In the meantime he is not getting any quality sleep and is affecting his daily life!! Please Help Us!!

I am looking for some sort of idea of how much a sleep study costs. I had two performed and I'm worried about the insurance aspects. The pay a percentage of this much and that much. Just need an idea. Help!

I am considering switching insurance during open enrollment to CareFirst, from Kaiser. I have sleep apnea and am on a CPAP machine. Is this considered a pre-existing condition that would nto be covered, or can it be transferred to the new insurance as durable medical equipment?

I am waiting on an answer from CareFirst, but need to make a decision by next week.