Anyone in UK
Question:
"Clive Sollish" <clivesoll…@REMOVEyahoo.com> wrote in message
news:cs11r2$oo9$1$8302bc10@news.demon.co.uk… – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -> Hi to all who have been following my case. > I have just got back from visit to GP (that in UK-speak is primary health > care provider). Not my usual GP – seeing your regular GP is a rare luxury > in > inner city practices now! With the advice of the support group in my ears > I > presented my symptoms and found I was listened to with understanding. > After > a few more questions and blood pressure check he referred me to the local > hospital for a full set of blood tests. I can walk in for those tomorrow. > Then I go back to see the GP in two weeks and depending on the results of > the blood tests he says he would refer me to a "sleep clinic". I felt that > was a pretty satisfactory outcome? > Clive. > "Tal" <goer…@hotmail.com> wrote in message > news:34fij1F4bdkjtU1@individual.net… >> > So, as I said, tomorrow I have a doctor’s appointment and I’m looking >> > forward to it. I hope between us we will arrive at the conclusion that > the >> > next step should be a sleep study. I’ll let you know how I get on. >> the next step SHOULD be a sleep study, if your doc suggests otherwise, >> please seek a second opinion.
mmmm….. can only think that the blood tests are to rule out other medical conditions…. With witnessed breathing disorder tho I would have expected that these would have been done along with a referral to either the pulmonologist or even better a sleep clinic. Most GP’s do not have a clue about sleep apnea ….my doc is superb but admits that his education on sleep disordered breathing is scanty. …regular docs receive very little training in sleep disorders, minutes as apposed to hours. Bear this in mind when you see your doc next… If a referral isn’t forthcoming to either of the above start getting proactive and demand one! Frankie
Response:
- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -On Tue, 11 Jan 2005 19:14:22 +0000, Tony Polson <t…@nospam.net> wrote: >"Clive Sollish" <clivesoll…@REMOVEyahoo.com> wrote: >>Hi to all who have been following my case. >>I have just got back from visit to GP (that in UK-speak is primary health >>care provider). Not my usual GP – seeing your regular GP is a rare luxury in >>inner city practices now! With the advice of the support group in my ears I >>presented my symptoms and found I was listened to with understanding. After >>a few more questions and blood pressure check he referred me to the local >>hospital for a full set of blood tests. I can walk in for those tomorrow. >>Then I go back to see the GP in two weeks and depending on the results of >>the blood tests he says he would refer me to a "sleep clinic". I felt that >>was a pretty satisfactory outcome? >Hi Clive, >It sounds like the GP didn’t listen, and/or doesn’t understand OSAS. >Your blood results will show nothing that could conceivably inform a >diagnosis of OSAS, one way or the other. >OSAS results in oxygen desaturation DURING EPISODES OF APNEAS. >Period. (Full stop). >OSAS has no measurable effect on your daytime blood characteristics. >Oxygen desaturations will show up while you are asleep, that’s all. >One night sleeping while wearing a recording pulse oximeter will >identify that. A proper polysomnograph (comprehensive sleep study) >will show much more. >I cannot imagine what your doctor is looking for in blood tests. I >suspect you will have much persuading to do in order to obtain the >sleep study you need.
The concern would be if this is used as a gating factor to getting a referral for a sleep study. If it is not, then there is nothing wrong with getting a set of blood tests done to make sure that there have been no effects from OSA (if indeed that is what it turns out to be); or indeed that there aren’t other things (I mentioned diabetes) which can have common factors with OSA. >However, if you can afford it, a private referral to a sleep clinic >will achieve the diagnosis you need. Typically, a consultation, >overnight sleep study and interpretation of results should cost less >than
