Doctor won't increase settings

My husband has been on CPAP (after about two years of initial resistence) since 2001. He was recently complaining about experiencing problems; prior to this, he had done quite well with it and only one small adjustment.

He asked his doctor for a sleep study ref (it had been about 4 years since his last one). After the test, we were told the new setting was 18. I called the doctor's office back and asked them to fax a scrip with the new settings to our respiratory equipment company. Now, after almost a week of waiting, the company rep called me back and said the doctor doesn't want to reset the machine -- no explanation why.

Has this happened to anyone else? Why would a doctor refuse to allow a reset?

Just curious, what was the original setting?

I highly recommend that your husband get a data capable machine with software and check his own statistics at home. He can adjust the machine better at home over many nights to get a proper pressure than a sleep lab can do in one night in strange surroundings.

I have no medical training but learned this through personal experience.

Good luck.

[quote="jmacleve"]My husband has been on CPAP (after about two years of initial resistence) since 2001. He was recently complaining about experiencing problems; prior to this, he had done quite well with it and only one small adjustment.

He asked his doctor for a sleep study ref (it had been about 4 years since his last one). After the test, we were told the new setting was 18. I called the doctor's office back and asked them to fax a scrip with the new settings to our respiratory equipment company. Now, after almost a week of waiting, the company rep called me back and said the doctor doesn't want to reset the machine -- no explanation why.

Has this happened to anyone else? Why would a doctor refuse to allow a reset?

6-7 years on his original CPAP? He might well be able to get a new insurance-paid CPAP.

I would send a written request for the doctor's dictated report of the results (1-2 pages) AND the full scored data summary report w/condensed graphs (5+ pages) of this latest titration study. They are a part of his medical record and assuming you are in the USA he has a LEGAL RIGHT to them under HIPAA.

That should give you the info you need to know whether your husband needs a pressure change or not. PLUS it gives hubby the info he and his family doctor need for your family doctor to write an equipment order (script) for the specific autoPAP your husband wants to titrate his own pressure. Just remind your family doctor when ordering an autoPAP to specifify a pressure range rather than one set pressure. Usually mentioned here is 1-2 cms below your titrated pressure and 2-3 cms above your titrated pressure giving a pressure range of about 4-5 or even 6 cms of pressure.

Don't forget to have his family doctor include a heated humidifer in the equipment order - and a new mask if he is due for one.

And while you're at it, if he hasn't been particularly happy or satisfied w/his current local DME supplier it would be worth your while to call his insurance company and ask what local DME suppliers they are contracted with. Hopefully, he has the option of more than one. That gives him some bargainng and negotiating room to find the local DME supplier willing to provide the equipment he wants that also has a lenient mask exchange policy just in case your husband would like to try one of the newer masks. Altho, if he is having good luck w/his current mask, why fix what doesn't need fixing? But its always nice to have a backup of the same mask as long as he is eligible for one.