A dme feels your pain...

Ok, so one of the sleep labs we deal with is involved in a clinical study and needed volunteers to participate. So of course I volunteered. It consists of keeping a sleep diary, having three office visits and spending five nights in the sleep lab. You heard me right...FIVE NIGHTS. Three in a row then a month later two in a row.

Last night completed my first three nights. It was not fun, not even a little bit. I am the type who can sleep anywhere, and I've seen a sleep study so I knew how I was going to be hooked up. The first night was terrible. I was uncomfortable all night long. The second night I slept like a baby since I was so tired from the first night. The third night again, I didn't sleep well.

I can only imagine a person going in for a sleep study not knowing what they were in for. At least I knew what I was getting myself into. I have bruises behind my ears from the electrodes and permanent red spots on my chin and forehead from them also.

Just wanted to let you know that this is one dme-er who got a taste of what patients have to go through.

MelMel

MelMel,

You are a good sport to participate. I'm sure it will help you in understanding what we are all up against.

Wow Melmel,

That's amazing what you did. Don't know how you could stand it. Gratefully mine was a two nights in a row number, one half for the sleep test, the other half for the masks and treatment. Did you have that mask thing? Gosh, how I hated that. Cried near the end out of sheer frustration with the test. Miserable. And they added oxygen to my mix. That wouldn't have been too bad, except they must not have used a humidifier, for the air was cold and dry and made my throat and nose all a mess.

I do appreciate the fact that you went through this to experience it. Thanks.

Linda

Hi MelMel:

I am very pleased to see that you a professional in this field took the time to experience all we've harped about. Isn't it a challenge? All the DME'ers should be like you.

You will love this story! I rec'd one of those famed "patient satisfaction survey's" over the wkend. Needless to say I have not filled it out. I don't want to get the DME lady I had in trouble, but if I start writing, it's not going to be pretty. So I'd best just ignore it for now.

You are an exception (and a good one) DME rather than the rule.

MelMel wrote:Ok, so one of the sleep labs we deal with is involved in a clinical study and needed volunteers to participate. So of course I volunteered. It consists of keeping a sleep diary, having three office visits and spending five nights in the sleep lab. You heard me right...FIVE NIGHTS. Three in a row then a month later two in a row.

Last night completed my first three nights. It was not fun, not even a little bit. I am the type who can sleep anywhere, and I've seen a sleep study so I knew how I was going to be hooked up. The first night was terrible. I was uncomfortable all night long. The second night I slept like a baby since I was so tired from the first night. The third night again, I didn't sleep well.

I can only imagine a person going in for a sleep study not knowing what they were in for. At least I knew what I was getting myself into. I have bruises behind my ears from the electrodes and permanent red spots on my chin and forehead from them also.

Just wanted to let you know that this is one dme-er who got a taste of what patients have to go through.

MelMel

Our DME guy is a good guy, too. He doesn't have sleep apnea but he told us that factory reps ask him to test new masks so that he can give his opinion. He takes them home and sleeps with them (the masks, not the reps). I don't know what pressure cm H2O he subjects himself to though. He said sometimes he throws the mask back at the rep saying it's no good, or that it smells weird, or whatever. At least he is trying to put himself in our shoes so that he can do his job better!

Last night I tried my new Mirage Swift nasal pillows for the first time and loved them! (bought from cpap.com thanks to this great group here)

Also in the same order received the Ultra Mirage Full Face Mask to have as a backup for when I have a cold and can't nose breathe. I took it apart and washed it. Argh, what a lot of pieces and parts to disassemble! Finally got it back together and will try it out tonight just to test it.

lynn