Doctors Answers (2)
To have a diagnosis of SEVERE sleep apnea followed by a sleep study which did not reveal evidence of sleep apnea is unusual. Your sleep study during which you only slept for an hour is possibly not diagnostic. Any board certified sleep specialist should be able to treat your PLMD although there are some sleep doctors such as pulmonologists and ENT doctors who often limit their practice to only treating sleep apnea may feel more comfortable referring you to a neurologist. PLMD is usually easily treated. A sleep specialist who is also a neurologist would be your best referral source.
Don't lose trust! The differential diagnosis between sleep apnea and periodic limb movement disorder can be difficult to make. In some cases, sleep apnea produces limb movements (due to arousal to breathe), making the diagnostic work a bit more complicated. The main thing is to continue on the path of evaluation and treatment until you find resolution. Selecting a provider who is board certified in sleep medicine, and going to an accredited sleep disorders center helps to ensure that you are getting state-of-the-art care.