Mild to moderate SA treatments?

I just had an overnight sleep study and have yet to get the results, but earlier in the week I did an ApneaLink test that came back positive for SA with 6 (yes, six) respiratory episodes.  The longest "episode" lasted 12 seconds.  With that info, I was scheduled for the overnight test and an appt with a pulmonologist.  The tech said that I would automatically be put on CPAP no matter the degree of SA and have 30 days of compliance before anything would be forwarded to my surgeon.

Here's my conundrum.  I haven't seen anything in my research showing that CPAP is normally used for mild to moderate SA.  I see that it is used for moderate to severe, so there is some gray area so I guess that would be left at the discretion of the pulmonologist?  What I'd really like to know is if anyone else has had this happen -- mild SA and required to use CPAP for 30 days.  Isn't there some other alternative?  

Also, can anyone give me an average cost of CPAP?  My insurance doesn't cover DME until my deductible has been met.

My husband has mild SA and uses a CPAP every night and has for over a year.

As far as costs, our insurance covers the rental. I found a site that sells them and the range is huge.  (http://www.cpapsupplyusa.com/CPAP-Departments/CPAP-and-BiPAP-Machines/Auto-CPAP-Machines.aspx)  The type we both have are the automatic ones but our models have been discontinued according to this website.

The bill for my CPAP and accessories ie mask, filters, and hose came to $2500 but my insurance covered it.

Well, the pulmonologist said he didn't even know why the sleep center referred me other than the fact that it was for bariatric surgery.  He said that I have very mild apnea and if I weren't having surgery, he would recommend different sleep positions and a sinus spray.

I'm in the same boat you're in.  I have all my approvals just waiting for a date to have surgery.. depending on what my sleep results are.  It's a pain i know.  I know with my insurance (Athem Blue Cross) they said they would cover 65%.  This is still too much for me.  If (fingers crossed it won't) if my test come back that I need a cpap, then I have to use one for 2 weeks before they will schedual my surgery.  I'm just going to rent one.  Apria.com is a pretty big supplier with lots of local branches.  I'd rather pay $200 for rental and equiptment.. than God knows how much else for the machine and stuff. 

I'm wondering how things ended up for you...I just got a call from my sleep center that I need to come back for another night to be fitted for a cpap. I can't remember all the details now because I was so distraught over this. I have to call back and ask how many episodes, which sleep stage, etc. They said it was "mild sleep apnea" and like you, the research I've done this evening suggests very conservative treatments. I'm beginning to think this is all a big insurance scam. I wish I wasn't feeling so negative about this, but really, I don't even have any symptoms. I was merely sent for the sleep study as a pre-op for surgery.

Hi Denyse.  You sound very much like me.  I don't remember if I put it in my above posts, but even after the final study, it came back very mild with 6.8 episodes per hour, none over 11 seconds, none dropping my o2 sats more than 3% (so my o2 never went below 95%).  

The pulmonologist said that being I don't have any symptoms of sleep apnea aside from the study findings, he would release me and okay the surgery as long as I  appointment to get another apnea link 6 months after my surgery. 

I'm glad things worked out well for you. Your o2 sounds great...they mentioned that mine dropped to 85% at some point. But I question why they would say 85% when that's a cut-off number for safe o2 levels...just sounds fishy to me. Why wasn't it 87% or 82% for example? And I wonder if it happened only once or ten times. It seems odd to me that they would say I have mild sleep apnea when my o2 went that low and you also are considered mild having never gone below 95%. So confusing! I do have a friend from high school who now is a sleep specialist so I think I will ask his opinion. Thanks for responding!

91% is the o2 cut off before they put you on oxygen - consistantly. o2 drops are not the only sign of apnea but one of the diagnostic criteria