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Sleep Apnea Specialist
updated: Jan 11, 2013, 1:45 PM

My boyfriend has sleep apnea and he needs to see a specialist. What type of specialist does he need? I see that both Neurologists and Pulmonologists help to diagnosis sleep apnea. If anyone has a recommendation for either a Neurologist or Pulmonologist in the Santa Barbara area, please let me know. Or if you have any guidance as to how to move forward with getting properly diagnosed and treated. thank you.

Places People Are Talking About:

Dr Jeffrey Sager

Dr. Binder

Dr. Schroeder

What People Are Saying:

COMMENT 362562	2013-01-11 01:56 PM
A medical specialist
COMMENT 362564	2013-01-11 02:01 PM
My boyfriend has sleep apnea too... we should coordinate and make sure he's not the same person. ;-) Cottage has a sleep specialist, and the Santa Barbara Sleep Center is a good resource. He needs treatment asap: sleep apnea is a very serious condition that can kill the patient. My advice to you: really savor your last days of cuddling. He'll probably get fitted for a CPAP mask; it's a life-saving but dorky looking thing that's completely obstructive to any sort of nighttime cuddling.
COMMENT 362565	2013-01-11 02:04 PM
Dr. Binder @ SB Sleep Center is the man. They'll hook your BF up. Trust me, CPAP is much better than snoring, at least that what many women have told me!
COMMENT 362569	2013-01-11 02:08 PM
Your primary care doctor should evaluate your symptoms first. Then he or she will decide whether you need to see a sleep specialist (lung, nerve, ear, nose, and throat doctors).
COMMENT 362570P	2013-01-11 02:11 PM
There has to be a better device then CPAP. I tried it and could not sleep worth beans with it on.
COMMENT 362571	2013-01-11 02:12 PM
dr. binder is no longer with the sleep center, hasn't been for about 6 years. dr curalto (sp?) or another neurologist is the type of specialist needed. i have sleep apnea and have used a cpap machine for years. hope this helps. oh, and women develop sleep apnea also.
COMMENT 362579	2013-01-11 02:23 PM
Dr. Binder is the best!! He still works a couple days a week in Goleta, but mostly works down in Ventura with Dr. Billy. Check out at: www dot drbillybariatrics dot com. for their medical practice...Good luck! Sleep apnea is very serious and it's important your BF get treated for it ASAP.
COMMENT 362581	2013-01-11 02:27 PM
My primary care doc diagnosed it and wrote up the paperwork for me to go to sleep center (in Oxnard) to confirm it. I could sleep with the CPAP machine but then the nightmare with Aetna Insurance and Apria (machine supplier) started - Aetna refused to allow me to "buy" the machine and forced me to stay on a "maintenance" contract with Apria. I ended up paying far, far more in copayments and "maintenance" fees than I could buy the machine for new on the internet. If you are using insurance make sure you find out how this works up-front.
COMMENT 362583	2013-01-11 02:32 PM
I have used a CPAP for years, it really saved my life! New masks are sleek and much better, but you are 'in your own world' when it's on...cool thing is you can cover your head totally and still breathe--kinda like a scuba diver!
COMMENT 362588	2013-01-11 02:44 PM
Most insurances won't pay for detailed overnight sleep studies. They cost $500+. Is your boyfriend overweight? Does he drink a lot? If so, spend the time and money on losing weight and drying out first. The sleep apnea will magically disappear.
COMMENT 362594	2013-01-11 02:57 PM
Hello, I am the original poster for this thread and thank you so much for your replies (so far). My BF did not have insurance and has been seeing SB Public Health doctors, who have MIS-diagnosed him with epilepsy due to him having seizures. He ONLY has these in the early morning hours, and has also woken up with severe cluster migraines for years. I have experienced his sleep apnea personally (waking up gasping for breath) but the doctors at Public Health have not acknowledged this. All they do is keep him on these crazy anti-seizure meds that make him very anxious and nauseous. He ended up in Cottage for 4 days with pancreatitis (very scary) due to severe reaction to Depakote; the nurses witnessed and documented his sleep apnea while he was in the hospital. We've been able to keep him from seizures with the tennis ball approach, but now I've put out the BIG BUCKS and added him to my insurance. We will look into the Santa Barbara Sleep Center for sure.
COMMENT 362600	2013-01-11 03:01 PM
I'd also like to reply to one of the posters that he is not overweight, actually is underweight, and does not drink very much (the max I've ever seen him drink is 2 beers). His father evidently had sleep apnea. We sincerely believe it is obstructive, and not central apnea. I've done LOTS of research...so much one can learn the Intranet. But, we've got to get him diagnosed properly!!
SBVOICE	2013-01-11 03:03 PM
Your BF is lucky to have someone helping him to explore options for addressing this critical healthy issue. Good luck -
CHERPLAN	2013-01-11 03:07 PM
Dr. Schroeder at Sansum Clinic is a pulmonologist and certified sleep specialist. He will send you for an overnight sleep study if necessary to diagnose sleep apnea. I recommend Provent nasal devices (adhesive over nose) which are an excellent substitute for the old-fashioned CPAP mask. Much more comfortable, but not covered by insurance and cost about $70/month. Sleep apnea is a very serious disease so get it taken care of before you fall asleep while driving.
AQUAHOLIC	2013-01-11 03:08 PM
Another nod to Dr. Binder...the nicest guy you will ever meet.
COMMENT 362612P	2013-01-11 03:09 PM
Dr Jeffrey Sager is a top pulmonologist in town. He is triple board certified, including in sleep disorders. He diagnosed and treated my sleep apnea and two friends' as well. Two of us had high blood pressure related to sleep apnea which resolved a month later. That was a welcome benefit indeed!
COMMENT 362613P	2013-01-11 03:12 PM
I love my hose nose!
KIDS	2013-01-11 03:42 PM
How nice to see such positive, supportive, and helpful comments on this thread! Good luck to your BF and you!
COMMENT 362628	2013-01-11 03:54 PM
If you can't wear CPAP (or choose not to), you should consider wearing an oral appliance made by a qualified dentist in your area. A dentist who works with these regularly will know how to bill your medical insurance for you also. This is far too important to just chunk your CPAP and do nothing else. Suffocating during sleep is not the healthiest activity for anyone.
COMMENT 362630	2013-01-11 04:01 PM
Thank you re: Dr. Jeffrey Sager. We actually left a message for him at Santa Barbara Pulumonary Consulants yesterday due to finding the post re: CPAP machines on edhat. But his receptionist called my BF today and stated that he does not deal with sleep apnea! It was very strange.
COMMENT 362632	2013-01-11 04:07 PM
Charles Curatalo the neurologist in SB sees people for sleep apnea.
COMMENT 362635	2013-01-11 04:32 PM
OP, now that you have your BF on your insurance, some insurance companies (Anthem, for example) allow you to do in-home sleep apnea tests. You should talk to them about that. If not, the alternative is a visit to Drs. Curalto and Binder. They'll take good care of him.
COMMENT 362637	2013-01-11 04:40 PM
C: good on you for taking such good care of J. He doesn't drink much, but does inhale ... be sure the doctors know.
COMMENT 362640	2013-01-11 04:43 PM
I believe Dr. Polito took over the practice of Dr. Binder. Both are good and specialists in this area. Dr. Polito is now affiliated with the Santa Barbara Sleep Center. If its Anea, these are the specilists in that field.
GREG	2013-01-11 05:13 PM
Dr. Binder and his receptionist Abby - tops. Highly recommended. He only works a few days a week; call soon for an appointment.
COMMENT 362644P	2013-01-11 05:16 PM
Apria - it's all about billings and business. Didn't like working with them.
COMMENT 362655P	2013-01-11 05:56 PM
Apnea - wishing you well on this. Unconsciously I would remove the mask most nights. Gave up a few years ago; if there've been substantive advancements, I should be open.
COMMENT 362665P	2013-01-11 06:29 PM
I used my CPAP machine for many years - used nasal "pillows", not the over-the-entire-nose facemask. That was not for me. I lost weight and it went away... I regained some weight and it came back at the same weight it had gone away at. I've now lost the weight again, haven't used my CPAP in quite some time. But I don't get rid of it, either - I really believe it helped me survive. As for cuddling - if someone loves you and wants to cuddle, you both find a way to snuggle while asleep. When you "interact" while awake, well you just take off the mask & turn off the machine! BTW, I am a lady, and did indeed have serious apneac (sp?) episodes.
COMMENT 362682	2013-01-11 07:20 PM
569's comment is the only one you should take seriously here, OP. Everyone is well meaning but what your boyfriend needs is a doctor to evaluate what's up with him. A specialist will focus in on the apnea symptoms, but it's very possible he has something else going on. And a CPAP machine is costly, comes with side effects like a very dry mouth and throat etc and it's not something you want to get hooked up to if you don't need it. Please, urge your bf to see his regular doctor, or to find one and start there.
MERIDEE	2013-01-11 09:48 PM
I had a sleep study after falling asleep on the frwy (other symptoms and history also). I saw Dr. Curatalo (neurologist and sleep specialist), and was found to have moderately severe sleep apnea. It took some time to get used to using the machine and mask, but notice a lot of improvements including breathing better, more alert, and less sinus probs to name a few. I am now a true believer in the use of the machine. Dr. Curatalo was very responsive and professional. I wish your boyfriend good luck!
COMMENT 362721P	2013-01-11 10:18 PM
Hey C, Facebook your old pal Robo, he has Sleep Apnea too. My experiences: had it undiagnosed for a couple of years, wifey started noticing "seizures" at night which are typical of Apena, in particular Obstructive. I saw Dr. Young (Neurology) at Sansum, he's a bit brisk/brusque, but he sent me off for a sleep study, which was covered by Blue Shield (I was lucky). That's when it was definitely diagnosed as Apnea, which sounds to me like G indeed has. Dr. Young's take on both the dental appliance and the Provent is that they're not nearly as effective as a CPAP machine, and from what I've read I agree. The people who did my sleep study here in SB were "Sleepmed", who like Apria is what's called a DME (Durable Medical Equipment) provider. I like Sleepmed and have heard nothing but horror stories about Apria. Yeah, avoid Apria at all costs. Sounds like you have insurance now, but check out cpap.com for various equipment and accessories. I think it takes a good 2-3 months to get used to using a CPAP machine and wearing a mask, especially if like me you have to wear a full-face mask (there are reasons for that). Even then there will be nights when you just yank the sucker off, sometimes without remembering the next morning that you did so. It requires a LOT of perseverance, but there really is no other choice as Sleep Apnea can indeed be deadly if left untreated. You may have found this already, but you can find tons of good info and lots of support at cpaptalk.com. Wifey also finds the machine not obtrusive and appreciates it much more than snoring and jerking all night. A few other tidbits: an attached humidifier is an absolute necessity; in some cases losing weight can help but maybe not applicable to G; yes, mention the inhaling to the docs; whenever I don't use my mask I wake up feeling lousy, and usually with a headache. Finally, I love my hose nose too! So just go for it, and be very patient with the whole process. Luv ya, C!
COMMENT 362725P	2013-01-12 03:44 AM
ENT (ear nose throat) folks at Samsun clinic took good care of me. Cpap is a life saver for me
COMMENT 362726P	2013-01-12 03:49 AM
Apria used to a nightmare of Kafkaesque proportions. Recently though, they've been great. Must have been a major shakeup in management, because I noticed a dramatic improvement in customer service. Before, though, it was truly truly rage inducing.
COMMENT 362734P	2013-01-12 07:31 AM
OP: I confirmed that Dr Sager does continue to see new patients for sleep apnea. He does share a receptionist or two with the 3 other pulmonologists in his office and it appears you unfortunately got an incorrect response. I'd urge you to give him another try. He does now have an option for a home sleep apnea test machine. I'm not sure if its appropriate in all cases, but certainly ask whether it is a fit for your BF.
FRENCH FROG	2013-01-12 07:56 AM
Call Hesu Whitten, a kinesiologist at (805) 637-5650. He treated people with Sleep Apnea. Worth talking to him at least. Good luck.
COMMENT 362751	2013-01-12 08:39 AM
I had an overnight monitor measuring oxygen level 2 different times. First time covered by insurance the second time $30. I ended up being at the borderline of when something might be necessary and now wear a "snore guard" at night. My wife says that I still snore at times though. Got the snore guard from my dentist. I see ads on the internet for snore guards that you "create yourself" that are quite inexpensive.
COMMENT 362788	2013-01-12 10:37 AM
Sleep apnea can often be confused with acid reflux or other conditions such as a prolapse of the lower esophageal shpincter (LES). The behavior of that muscle can produce similar symptoms by either allowing stomach acids to come back into the esophagus during sleep (nocturnal refluxing) or it can physically close off (prolapse) in reclining postures preventing normal body fluids like saliva and mucous to descend into the stomach through the esophagus and build up. In either case the upper valve (UES) controlling air intake may shut down in a defensive reaction to prevent material detected in the esophagus from entering the lungs thus preventing air from entering the lungs and have the same bad effects by preventing normal breathing during sleep. One should see perhaps both and Ear Nose and Throat doctor and/or an Internist to get an accurate diagnosis and determine what is going on in the esophagous.
COMMENT 362796	2013-01-12 11:11 AM
google kinesiology+quack before considering that approach.
PROGRESS	2013-01-12 12:27 PM
My Santa Barbara sleep center experience was eye-opening. My neurologist said that I was a candidate for using a mouth appliance (upper & lower retainer combo that holds my jaw forward when I fall asleep), because I have obstructive s.a. It worked beautifully, and it costs much less than a CPAP. My dentist/ortho George Walseth set me up with the appliance, and I have been sleeping ever since without being plugged in!