Hi to all on the forum

wading thru the muck! · Post by **wading thru the muck!** » Tue Oct 19, 2004 3:44 pm

Greetings to all!

I'm new to CPAP - actually I am waiting for preauth. from my insurance for my CPAP. For those interested I will cronicle my ordeal so far.

October 2003 - My doctor suggests I have a sleep study done because of difficulty with weight loss program do to overeating to compensate for exessive daytime sleepiness. I had lost 90lbs years ago and was able to eliminate the need for my hypertension meds. Over 15 years I have gained it all back and also developed reflux which I also take meds for. I resisted pursuing the sleep study feeling it was just another medical treatment that could be avoided by weight loss.

April 2004 - Another visit to my doctor and another suggestion of a sleep study along with some information showing the connection between patients with sleep apnea and hypertension and uncontrolled weight gain and exessive daytime sleepiness convinced me. The hard part is over right?...

May 2004 - After finding out that my insurance has NO in network sleep study provider I was faced with paying 30% of $2400 for my sleep study the sleep center I had contacted agreed to limit my out of pocket to 10% of the total bill. I scheduled my "split night" sleep study for a sunday overnight. All went well that evening until my tech woke me for what I thought was to be hooked up to the cpap for the second half of my "split night" study. I was shocked when he said it was 6:30 AM and my study was over - beyond that he would not give me any details - I would have to talk to my doctor about the results. After 2 weeks of waiting to hear regarding the results I received a call from my doctor's nurse asking if I would be willing to sign a form to be submitted to my insurance for a repeat sleep study. As it turns out I had an AHI of 12 and the sleep tech decided I did not qualify for CPAP even though I had diagnosed hypertension and exessive daytime sleepiness along with witnessed (by my wife) apnea like events numerous times each night.

September 2004 - After denial of the request and a subsequent successful appeal I had my second sleep study done for which I refused to pay a dime, though my insurance paid the 70% of the $2400 (and we wonder why health insurance is so costly). This time I was on the CPAP from the moment I laid down.

October 2004 - Today I sit writing this waiting for the 72 hour "RUSH" insurance preauth. for my CPAP equipment wondering what my insurance will approve and whether I should buy the equipment from my local DME for $2200 (my insurance will pay 90%) or order online for $850 (my insurance will pay 70%) - tough choice - HA!

Thanks to all that have an interest. I have learned alot from all you shared experience.

Good Luck!

rested gal · Post by **rested gal** » Tue Oct 19, 2004 11:50 pm

Hi wader,

Love the picture you use under your name. heheh
Have been enjoying reading your posts on the board.

Good luck!!

Titrator · Post by **Titrator** » Wed Oct 20, 2004 11:55 am

Greetings wading through the Muck,

Gotta love that animated gif..

Welcome to cpaptalk.com!

We are happy to have new members and to learn all we can about sleep apnea and equiptment.

Thank you for introducing yourself.

Regards,

Ted the Titrator

tbrown9290@msn.com · Post by **tbrown9290@msn.com** » Wed Oct 20, 2004 10:08 pm

Hi everyone. I have had my c-pap for a few yers but I can count the times on one hand that I have used the darn thing. Now I realize that I never wake up feeling "refreshed". I am always tired so now I am committed to utilize the C-PAP. Does anyone have any suggestions to help me adpat to the treatment. The problem I have is at a certain point (usually around 5 a.m.) the machine seems untolorable and I take it off. Please advise. Thanks!

rested gal · Post by **rested gal** » Wed Oct 20, 2004 10:49 pm

Hi tbrown, and welcome back to the world of cpap again.

Hope it works better for you this go round, and it may very well since you've got more resources (this message board, for one) to give you better support while you try to get the therapy going for you.

If you'll click the words "cpaptalk.com Forum Index" up at the top and then click "cpap and Sleep Apnea", and post your questions in that Forum, I think you'll get more responses. People check that forum more often than they do the "Introductions" forum here. But it's good you introduced yourself here.

Good luck! It can definitely get better than the way it was for you when you started.

Hi to all on the forum

Hi to all on the forum

$$$$$ lol

Reply

I need encouragement to use My CPAP

hi tbrown