Very frustrated/Getting Bipap Precertified

[49er]

Sleep Disturbed - I have had good luck with patient advocates in the past. But I am very confident that contacting them won't be necessary in this case. Hopefully, I will get a resolution today regarding the situation.

Pesser - LOL at your post in suggesting I ducktape my machine to my chest. I am visualizing myself laying on the stretcher in that crappy hospital gown with it on top of it and all the hospital employees trying to get it off. Thanks for putting a big smile on my face.

Sleep2DieFor - For various reasons which was discussed in a previous thread, I am simply not comfortable not being on the machine coming out of anesthesia. Now several years ago, I remember waking up so fast in recovery that the nurse had a hard time convincing the one she was giving a report to on the floor that I was fully awake and alert. But I didn't have sleep apnea. Then again, if the anesthesiologist listens to my concerns about minimizing the medications, perhaps history could repeat itself so who knows?

Anyway, my point is with my cognitive issues, I prefer to be as cautious as possible and have the machine ready to go. Obviously, the anesthesiologist that I spoke with seemed to agree.

Here is a good site on nasal valve collapse:

http://www.sinussurgeryprocedure.com/ve ... -collapse/

If I understand my ENT correctly, he intends to use grafts from the septal cartledge to strengthen them. Said it would be like having a permanent breath rite strip.

LSAT - I was so much a believer in cpap that if I had been told I didn't have sleep apnea when I got the diagnosis at the beginning of 2012, I would have become extremely depressed. I did struggle with using the machine because I couldn't find a full face mask to wear that didn't massively leak without massively tightening the straps which was extremely uncomfortable.

And yes, I know the irony of that statement since I have to use one for a week after surgery. The FitLife Full Face Mask has massively leaked in the past but hopefully, the liner I have ordered from Padacheck will help and that using a leak strap across the top will keep the leaks to a minimum. But it is my best option since the ENT didn't want me to use a mask that touched the nose and most FF masks come very close to doing it. Wearing the oral mask was not going to happen.

Anyway, when I switched to the Elan Cloth Mask, my use of the machine greatly increased although my sleep was still lousy probably because of the nasal obstruction issues. But it was better than not doing anything.

Normally, I wouldn't respond to a post like yours and frankly, I get pretty tired of your negative responses and assuming the worst about people. But I wanted folks to know the real story and that I never gave up even though it was tempting. One doctor I saw whom I was considering using as my PCP was incredulous that I pursued using the Pap machine for as long as I did.

JDS74, thanks I will make sure that is done when an anesthesiologist calls me back today. Do I assume correctly that when that order is written, if I bring my machine that there can't be any delays in getting it approved? Trying to understand hospital procedures since it isn't like I do this on a regular basis.

Thatgirl - Thanks for the suggestion regarding calling maintenance, I will look into that.

CG - Good point about not stereotyping all medical professionals. I consider my ENT and my regular cardiologist (not the one who overdosed me on a BP med) to be included in lists of great doctors. And when I ended up in ER the other day due to a being prescribed too much of a starting dose, I felt I was the recipient of very caring medical professionals who were trying to get me back to full health as quickly as possible.

[Sleep2Die4]

I prefer to be as cautious as possible

Maybe a better approach would be as cautious as reasonably practicable.

[TexasTom]

SMH on behalf of all the great doctors, nurses and other medical professionals I have known.

SMH? Just not sure on that one, but I get the gist of it.

Between myself, my wife, and our kids..... have meet some great folks out there. Even better was my ex-wife is a OR Nurse who knew the best of the best, so my wife's cervical fusion was overnight and she was up and around within a day. Fully recovery on using her arm/hand!

Great Robbin Williams movie.... The Awakening. Wasn't that long ago they didn't know what to do with Parkinson's Patients. Just amazing to see the progress (sadly there are a lot of snake oil salesman out there).

[ChicagoGranny]

SMH?

http://lmgtfy.com/?q=SMH+acronym

Just amazing to see the progress

It certainly is and I am very glad for it!

[49er]

I prefer to be as cautious as possible

Maybe a better approach would be as cautious as reasonably practicable.

Hmm, I think we see things differently as far as the need for having the pap machine in the recovery room. I don't see it as a reasonably practicable issue as I feel it is mandatory in light of my already existing cognitive issues.

But I get your point that in many areas of life, you do have to compromise and not always push to win every last argument, especially if in the end, it is not going to make a difference in the scheme of things.

49er

[49er]

Update - My doctor has to write an order to allow me to bring my own machine because otherwise, it will not be allowed. So I just called his administrative assistant explaining the situation and she said she would email him to get it done. I will follow up tomorrow with the hospital to make sure that it was received and find out if I need to bring it in ahead of time to get inspected.

Still waiting for callback from anesthesiologist but since my surgeon will take care of the order, I can move on with getting a meeting with someone ahead of time to go over my concerns since they should know by Tuesday or Wednesday who will be doing my surgery. I realize things can change.

The latest excuse by the way (after hearing the we don't want to deal with 4000 different machines one) was we don't let people bring machines because we don't know what is in them. Legitimate concern but that can be solved by asking people to bring it ahead of time for inspection. If there are any concerns, the person can't bring theirs. Plain and simple.

49er

[ChicagoGranny]

existing cognitive issues

You keep repeating that over and over. Don't you think you might be better off to not dwell on it?

[SGearhart]

Pesser - LOL at your post in suggesting I ducktape my machine to my chest. I am visualizing myself laying on the stretcher in that crappy hospital gown with it on top of it and all the hospital employees trying to get it off. Thanks for putting a big smile on my face.

49er - That would definitely be a YouTube moment. Please post links to the video if you try it.

[49er]

Pesser - LOL at your post in suggesting I ducktape my machine to my chest. I am visualizing myself laying on the stretcher in that crappy hospital gown with it on top of it and all the hospital employees trying to get it off. Thanks for putting a big smile on my face.

49er - That would definitely be a YouTube moment. Please post links to the video if you try it.

Thanks for a wonderful laugh SGearhart. Unfortunately, I am not going to be the guinea pig but I will keep that thought in mind as I take the machine in on the 19th.

[palerider]

existing cognitive issues

You keep repeating that over and over.

perhaps that's the root cause of not being able to consider the wisdom of any opinion other than her own preconceived one?