VETERANS, are you here?

[Sir NoddinOff]

Thank you for your service to our country!

Know that the "mask search" will happen and don't be discouraged about it. I went through a half a dozen masks before finding one that is comfortable and doesn't leak.

Welcome to the forum. Work all your issues here.

Sheriff

I agree with Sheriff. However you might want to start with the ResMed Airfit F10 (which Sheriff uses), that is, if you're willing to try a full face mask (FFM). It's pretty amazing IMO and I've tried a lot of them. It might just save you several months of looking around.

[Sir NoddinOff]

if you need an appointment it can take up to 2 months to get it. Other than that I have had no problems with the VA. The therapists are good.

That's about the same wait period I get here in CA, and I'm just talking about regular appts with sleep doctors outside the VA.

[fdw]

U.S. Army.....Honorable Discharge
Active Duty April 1978 - April 1982
Fort Leonard Wood
Fort Hood
Dexheim, Germany

Will V.A. help me out in my Sleep Apnea problems. I have insurance but it does NOT cover Sleep Studies, CPAP equipment or supplies.

Thanks

[palerider]

*pulls fingers from ears*

I notice a lot of enthusiastic yelling in your posts...

I'd be willing to bet you're not late of the air force or navy. I've worked with a lot of navy people in my day, and they've all been pretty laid back. weird, but laid back.

anyway, as to software, encore, if you're masochistic, or sleepyhead if you'd like something friendlier.

[greatunclebill]

thank you for your service. i'm retired usaf and was using tri-care prime until recently when i turned 65 and switched to medicare and tri-care for life.

[Denial Dave]

U.S. Navy. 1978 -1984

I have yet to use the VA. I'm using my employer's coverage via BCBS.

Sleepyhead is the program of choice for me.

[Sleepy Veteran]

Is your machine the model 550 or 560? The model number is on the bottom of the blower unit. May have REF or DS in front or behind it.
You have the model 550 chosen in your profile right now. If it's the 560 you need to choose the same machine but it says "60 series" in the model name for both machine blower and humidifier.

Thanks for prodding me to get it straight.
My machine says REF 560 on the bottom of it

(Note to self: Remove humidifier tank BEFORE attempting to turn machine over next time....caught it in time, no harm done.)

I have attempted to update my equipment in my profile. Hope I got it right, but I'm sure I'll receive notice if I didn't.
I'm also dropping you a PM. I noted that the VA sleep disorder clinic was using Encore on Windows and I'm still a "hold-out" on Win XP at home so I would like to match up to the people over at the VA so that I see what they see.

Once again, THANK YOU for all the help.
I'd say y'all are a "breath of fresh air", but I'm sure you've heard that one before!

[Guest]

During my CPAP class at the VA here they issued each of us our own individual SD card for our machine that we were told had our individual "prescriptions" on them, ( the CPAP machine settings I am assuming).
Then in typical Government fashion they proceeded to instruct us how to adjust the settings on our machines
Later they told us that they would periodically send out a handy-dandy prepaid envelope and we would be required to return the SD card to them so that they could evaluate the data on it and if we were not properly complying with our therapy we would be called in for a "one-on-one" counseling.

Yes, the machine settings are what they are calling the prescription. The clinic can change them by sending you a new card or you can change them back right on the machine; be careful with that tho.

Get a notebook to make notes in for all your sleep stuff. Be sure to write ALL machines settings down BEFORE even thinking about changing one. Then track any changes you make. I'm sure you know the drill.

Sounds like a good program they have there - I had to figure out the machine settings myself. Told ya each VA is different which can be good or not depending on your situ.

I have put up with enough military BS to last me a lifetime and I have a very low tolerance for people LYING to me...

ME TOO

Don't forget to copy the SD card to your pc or to another SD card BEFORE you send the card in but then again these new machine will copy "most of the data" to any new card you put into the machines minus some data you may or may not be interested in.

Just follow Pugsy's lead, she will hook you up.

[Sleepy Veteran]

U.S. Army.....Honorable Discharge
Active Duty April 1978 - April 1982
Fort Leonard Wood
Fort Hood
Dexheim, Germany

Will V.A. help me out in my Sleep Apnea problems. I have insurance but it does NOT cover Sleep Studies, CPAP equipment or supplies.

Thanks

I absolutely had to respond to a fellow "Fort Lost In The Woods" alumni !
Had the "joy" of doing basic there in the winter of 76'

Short answer; YES, the V.A. does cover sleep studies, CPAP equipment and supplies, (and surgery if you're that bad off).

Here's the sad part from what I've learned: Only about 40% of eligible Vets enroll and use the V.A.

I'm guilty myself. I put it off for a long time and I heard from other Vets that told me that it was substandard "Walmart Healthcare" and to stay away. So I did.
18 months ago I finally broke down and enrolled.
What I discovered here in Tampa Florida was that SOME of what I was told is true and LOT of what I was told is completely FALSE.
The most important thing is that the actual CARE is magnificent. First rate.
Getting TO IT is another story.
Like you have seen and heard in the news, getting appointments at some VA centers and hospitals around the country can be a nightmare.
At other places, like here in Tampa, it's not as bad depending on what sort of treatment you need.


The upshot is..GO SIGN UP TROOPER! Get what you earned.

[Guest]

If a VA facility is backed up for the sleep study portion there are two options -
1. Ask to be put on a cancellation list. The VA gets lots of no shows and cancellations that delays everyone else.
2. If you have other insurance you can get your sleep study done at another certified facility and bring a copy of your sleep study & prescription to your primary care doc. The doc should be able to get that process going for you.

No matter where you have a sleep study at always, always get a copy of the results for yourself, always.

ok three..
3. I am not sure if the VA accepts the home sleep study yet but they should just be sure to check first - your primary should be able to find that out.

Once they get your sleep study AND prescription you can get your equipment from the VA.

[Pugsy]

So you have the model 560 PR S1 APAP
Wonder if you have the optional heated hose or if the machine is even capable. Might come in handy to know.
Look on the power supply brick to see if it says 60 watt or 80 watt. You need 80 watt to power the optional heated hose.
The lid on the humidifier needs a little plug in for the electric to heat the hose and the hose needs to have a black end on it where it attaches to the humidifier.
Some machines come ready for the heated hose but without the heated hose. Some don't come with the necessary adaptive components to accommodate the heated hose but it can be added later if needed.
Depending on where you live and your preferred bedroom temps and preferred humidity needs that heated hose can come in handy especially in the winter

[Sleepy Veteran]

So you have the model 560 PR S1 APAP
Wonder if you have the optional heated hose or if the machine is even capable. Might come in handy to know.
Look on the power supply brick to see if it says 60 watt or 80 watt. You need 80 watt to power the optional heated hose.
The lid on the humidifier needs a little plug in for the electric to heat the hose and the hose needs to have a black end on it where it attaches to the humidifier.
Some machines come ready for the heated hose but without the heated hose. Some don't come with the necessary adaptive components to accommodate the heated hose but it can be added later if needed.
Depending on where you live and your preferred bedroom temps and preferred humidity needs that heated hose can come in handy especially in the winter

Nope, I didn't get that lucky. I am an unheated hoser.

I really love breathing nice cold air when sleeping, so when they started talking about *heated* humid air I didn't like what I was hearing. The idea of breathing in hot wet air all night just does NOT appeal to me as restful sleep at all, so I refused to turn on the humidifier.

After the first night with my old "fighter pilot" Quattro mask I had a pretty dry throat.
The guys at the VA class, told us we could do what they called a "cold blow over" by just filling the humidifier tank and not turning on the humidifier.
I tried that and it was *ok* with the Quattro mask, but since switching to the new P10 nasal my sinuses really took a beating the past few nights.
Tonight I'll try the very lowest humidifier setting and see if I can tolerate it, but if it feels like having someone else breathing into my nose, I'm shutting' it down!

[Pugsy]

Actually using the "heated" hose opens you up to a lot of options in terms of air temp and moisture combinations.
That cold air won't feel so good in the winter. I call it "ice cube nose" and it can be really uncomfortable.
The heated hose actually starts with the room air and you can have it only slightly warmer than the room air and not give up moisture as the 2 settings are independent of each other.
https://www.cpap.com/productpage/pr-sys ... ifier.html
This humidifier offers three levels of humidification (70, 80 or 90 percent) and the heated tube has five levels of temperature available, ranging from 4 to 16 degrees above the room temperature. These two features work together to deliver the optimum humidification level at the mask.

You can set it on the lowest temperature setting and it only warms up the air by 4 degrees from the ambient room temp but you can still have the moisture that your nasal mucosa might want or need with 3 different choices

Right now with the default humidification system...don't be afraid to increase that temp a little...it doesn't warm the air much at all. It just warms the water mostly. When I used it and had it on the max of 5 the air was painfully cold during winter...feels good in the summer but not so good in the winter.

Should you decide you want to try the heated hose...there is a little kit available. Easy to do...I did it without issues.

[Guest]

Should you decide you want to try the heated hose...there is a little kit available. Easy to do...I did it without issues.

The VA can add this feature. Should it not work for you it can easily be turned off and/or disconnected. It is a nice to have feature esp. when new to cpap and you don't know either way. I found a FFM harder to deal with in the cold than nasal pillows. For me the moist air open up my sinuses.

[Pugsy]

For me the moist air open up my sinuses.

As it does for me too. I would snort water if I could. In fact I guess I do that every time I use Simply Saline.

People hear "heated hose" and automatically assume that the air has to be sauna like warm and nothing is further from the truth.
Yes, it can be rather warm but it doesn't HAVE to be that warm and still get the job done and feel cool to the face.
And too cold to the nose or face will be a disruptive factor to sleep in general. If the face and/or nose is cold we simply don't sleep well. I had that happen to me with the PR S1 non heated hose machine set to max of 5 in that default mode. My nose hurt from the cold...but then in the winter my bedroom temps go to the low 50s. And that was with a hose cozy and barrel cozy being used to try to warm things up a bit. Just not enough for ideal comfort.

Having the heated hose available is a big plus...always better to have something and not need it than need it and not have it.
It opens up a whole new world in terms of incoming air temperature control along with independent humidity control.