How long for a follow up after starting CPAP

General Discussion on any topic relating to CPAP and/or Sleep Apnea.
winehead
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How long for a follow up after starting CPAP

Post by winehead » Wed Aug 27, 2014 10:38 am

Just wondering, how long should I wait for a follow up with the sleep Dr after starting my CPAP? (SPOILER ALERT) they said 6 weeks but twisted their arm for Sep 8th. Opinions?

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Additional Comments: CPAP mode, pressure = 12. No ramp, EPR = 3,

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Julie
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Re: How long for a follow up after starting CPAP

Post by Julie » Wed Aug 27, 2014 10:42 am

Unless your insurance co. demands a follow-up for compliance purposes, you could always download Sleepyhead free from this forum and track your own progress, thereby being able to see if everything's going well or not, and being able to tell what's not working and why (with our help, of course ).

I haven't been back to a doctor re apnea since getting my orig. machine almost 10 yrs ago.
Last edited by Julie on Wed Aug 27, 2014 11:21 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Pugsy
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Re: How long for a follow up after starting CPAP

Post by Pugsy » Wed Aug 27, 2014 10:48 am

It depends. Depends on why you are seeing the doc and whether or not you are having problems.

If your insurance was Medicare they want the follow up face to face appt between the 31 and 90th day after therapy has started.
Also if your insurance requires X amount of days of use proof then it wouldn't make much sense to have the visit prior to the needed time unless someone just wants to pay for 2 office visits.

Now if someone was having significant issues or problems that would be a different story. The sooner the better.

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winehead
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Re: How long for a follow up after starting CPAP

Post by winehead » Wed Aug 27, 2014 12:06 pm

Well I'm still pretty new to all this having just started on 8/20 but my results seem to be all over the place and after i have a little more time with it I will post some Sleepyhead screenshots and see if I can get where I need to be. Thanks.

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Mask: AirFit™ F10 Full Face Mask with Headgear
Humidifier: S9™ Series H5i™ Heated Humidifier with Climate Control
Additional Comments: CPAP mode, pressure = 12. No ramp, EPR = 3,

Wulfman...

Re: How long for a follow up after starting CPAP

Post by Wulfman... » Wed Aug 27, 2014 12:16 pm

winehead wrote:Well I'm still pretty new to all this having just started on 8/20 but my results seem to be all over the place and after i have a little more time with it I will post some Sleepyhead screenshots and see if I can get where I need to be. Thanks.
Additional Comments: CPAP mode, pressure = 12. No ramp, EPR = 3,

Yeah, it's a little early to make judgments, but, a little food for thought........ Did you realize that with your EPR setting of "3", your "effective" therapy pressure is only "9 cm." at the point of completing your exhale and beginning the inhale cycle. You might want to try a lower EPR number (at some point) to see if it improves your numbers. Sleep position can also make a big difference.


Good luck.

Den

.

winehead
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Re: How long for a follow up after starting CPAP

Post by winehead » Wed Aug 27, 2014 12:22 pm

Thanks Den I have played with EPR a bit but one day it ws good and next with same setting it was worse . I tried 3, 0, and 2 . Leaks dont seem to be a problem . I'm gonna keep at it and hope i can get some steady results soon.

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Mask: AirFit™ F10 Full Face Mask with Headgear
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Additional Comments: CPAP mode, pressure = 12. No ramp, EPR = 3,

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englandsf
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Re: How long for a follow up after starting CPAP

Post by englandsf » Wed Aug 27, 2014 12:26 pm

What's your before and after AHI?

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Pugsy
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Re: How long for a follow up after starting CPAP

Post by Pugsy » Wed Aug 27, 2014 12:58 pm

winehead wrote:s having just started on 8/20 but my results seem to be all over the place
7 nights and changing EPR multiple times. There's not much chance of adjusting to anything if you make changes every night.

Go ahead and post last night's report. Let's see what happened last night.

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englandsf
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Re: How long for a follow up after starting CPAP

Post by englandsf » Wed Aug 27, 2014 1:09 pm

Am I missing any AHI figures from the OP?

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Mask: AirFit™ P10 Nasal Pillow CPAP Mask with Headgear
Humidifier: S9™ Series H5i™ Heated Humidifier with Climate Control
Additional Comments: Sleepyhead SW. NeilMed and Alkalol Nasal rinses. Veramyst. AutoPAP 11-20 cms. Started June '14, untreated AHI 31-38, with PAP around 1.

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Pugsy
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Re: How long for a follow up after starting CPAP

Post by Pugsy » Wed Aug 27, 2014 1:22 pm

englandsf wrote:Am I missing any AHI figures from the OP?
No, you aren't missing anything. That's why I asked for last night's report. Give us something to look at and a starting point instead of blindly guessing. For all we know he could be in the middle of leak city which would invalidate any of the other data.

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englandsf
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Re: How long for a follow up after starting CPAP

Post by englandsf » Wed Aug 27, 2014 1:57 pm

Whew - thought I'd lost it then...

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Mask: AirFit™ P10 Nasal Pillow CPAP Mask with Headgear
Humidifier: S9™ Series H5i™ Heated Humidifier with Climate Control
Additional Comments: Sleepyhead SW. NeilMed and Alkalol Nasal rinses. Veramyst. AutoPAP 11-20 cms. Started June '14, untreated AHI 31-38, with PAP around 1.

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Krelvin
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Re: How long for a follow up after starting CPAP

Post by Krelvin » Wed Aug 27, 2014 3:00 pm

I don't recall ever seeing a Sleep Dr the first study I had 8yrs ago. I pushed my PCP to get a study referred and after the study, they sleep center sent the RX to the DME... Never saw a "Sleep Dr".

After I got the machine, I showed my PCP a couple times the report but never got much feedback from him and then her.

My new PCP however is very interested in my use of the machine, actually recommended that I see a sleep dr and referred it. When I saw him and showed him the data, he said 8yrs was a long time and ordered a new study. I am supposed to see him Sep 10th and will get a new RX then. I kinda doubt I will be seeing him on any running basis though. Expect I can provide the data to the PCP instead if interested.

The new study was very similar to the last one, so I don't expect any change to the machine type, RX etc..
Current Settings PS 4.0 over 10.6-18.0 (cmH2O) - Resmed S9 VPAP Auto w/h5i Humidifier - Quattro Air FFM
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winehead
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Re: How long for a follow up after starting CPAP

Post by winehead » Thu Aug 28, 2014 3:59 pm

What info needs to be included in the Sleepyhead screenshots?

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Additional Comments: CPAP mode, pressure = 12. No ramp, EPR = 3,

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Pugsy
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Re: How long for a follow up after starting CPAP

Post by Pugsy » Thu Aug 28, 2014 4:51 pm

We all seem to have little different preferences in what we like to see.
This is what I like to see.

Detailed daily report (I don't care for long term trends in general)
The AHI bar graphs on the left side that show the event category breakdown.
On the right I like to see
Events graph
Flow rate graph
Pressure graph only if auto adjusting pressures are used...if fixed pressures are used there will be no movement so don't need it
Leak graph
and for S9 machines maybe the Flow limitation graph only if it is very active.
I don't need the AHI graph or mask pressure graph...mask pressure mimics the pressure graph and the AHI graph is sort of useless.
Graphs can be resized to get the main ones in one screen shot.

On the left side it sometimes helps to have the statistics show with the AHI bar graphs...you can turn off the pie chart and hide the calendar and then everything is all in one nice screen shot.

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Machine: AirCurve™ 10 VAuto BiLevel Machine with HumidAir™ Heated Humidifier
Additional Comments: Mask Bleep Eclipse https://bleepsleep.com/the-eclipse/
I may have to RISE but I refuse to SHINE.

If you want to try the Eclipse mask and want a special promo code to get a little off the price...send me a private message.

winehead
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Joined: Sat Aug 23, 2014 9:49 pm

Re: How long for a follow up after starting CPAP

Post by winehead » Fri Aug 29, 2014 8:34 am

Thanks I am out of town till the 3rd. I will get some screenshots up then.

_________________
Mask: AirFit™ F10 Full Face Mask with Headgear
Humidifier: S9™ Series H5i™ Heated Humidifier with Climate Control
Additional Comments: CPAP mode, pressure = 12. No ramp, EPR = 3,