CPAP disabled by provider? Or something else?

Hi everybody, been reading for a long time - just registered an account to ask a question.

I've been using a Phillips Dreamstation for the last 14 months or so. Things have been going great. I recently got a call from BP Gamma - the filter/mask/replacement supplier provider, telling me that since my work had changed insurance companies, they wouldn't be able to provide supplies to me. I told them ok, and made a mental note to check with my new GP about getting a prescription with a new provider.

This morning, I woke up at 3AM unable to breathe. The Dreamstation was putting out almost no air, and the backpressure on exhale was very high. I tried restarting it, different things - nothing worked. I ended up going back to sleep without it.

Now - I know there's remote monitoring, and they can even change your prescription remotely - I'm wondering if they've turned something off or changed settings due to my insurance change. Anybody know if this is a thing?

thanks.

You have full control of your machine....You can get the Clinical Manual here
http://www.apneaboard.com/adjust-cpap-p ... tup-manual

As bad as some DMEs are, I have not yet heard of one doing anything that might leave them open to a charge of attempted murder.

It would also be difficult for a machine to manage both "putting out almost no air" and "backpressure on exhale was very high" at the same time, as I understand it--although I ain't no Columbo.

But it is always good for most of us to learn how to look at the settings on our machines to confirm them so that we can be informed, actively involved patients in our own PAP therapy, as the info just posted by LSAT will help you to be.

Which model DreamStation?

After 14 months of use the provider would consider you as the owner and have no reason to monitor the data or do anything. Most likely they quit doing that after the first 3 months if they ever did. They wouldn't change a pressure setting without a doctors order and they certainly wouldn't disable or mess with the machine. They would have no reason to. The only thing they lost by not being a provider to you was the sale of further cpap equipment..masks, hoses, etc.

Don't know what might have happened in the middle of the night but the DME who sold you the machine didn't have anything to do with it.

Depending on the model of machine you may be able to use available software and see if the machine is reporting anything weird going on right before you woke up and removed the mask.

https://sleep.tnet.com/equipment

What mask do you use BTW?

It wouldn't be impossible for the machine to die or have faulty sensors or problems develop out of the blue.
"putting out no air" and "back pressure on exhale was very high"....can't really happen. If it is putting out no air flow the air flow can't be high.
Now it might be perceived that way for some reason but you can't have no air flow and high air flow at the same time.

Thanks for the responses and links- I went back over the machine, and I think it's an issue with the filters. When I take them out, it functions as normal - when in, air doesn't flow well either inbound or outbound. I'll put it up as my paranoia, the timing just seemed suspect. Dreamstation AutoCPAP w/ Wifi, Resmed Airfit F-10 Mask.

uuzinger wrote:Hi everybody, been reading for a long time - just registered an account to ask a question.

I've been using a Phillips Dreamstation for the last 14 months or so. Things have been going great. I recently got a call from BP Gamma - the filter/mask/replacement supplier provider, telling me that since my work had changed insurance companies, they wouldn't be able to provide supplies to me. I told them ok, and made a mental note to check with my new GP about getting a prescription with a new provider.

This morning, I woke up at 3AM unable to breathe. The Dreamstation was putting out almost no air, and the backpressure on exhale was very high. I tried restarting it, different things - nothing worked. I ended up going back to sleep without it.

Now - I know there's remote monitoring, and they can even change your prescription remotely - I'm wondering if they've turned something off or changed settings due to my insurance change. Anybody know if this is a thing?

thanks.

If you have the right manual and what you stated is the case, you can put back your settings. If needed, you can remove the modem to prevent further remote tampering. Also, before you try anything else, try unplugging for ten seconds. That will "reboot" the machine just like your smart phone or computer.

Also, check that the humidifier door is closing properly. I had an issue with this.

Ahh...the filter thing. I have heard of this happening now that you mention it.
Get a new filter(s)...wash the foam filter you have really well.

+1 on the humidifier tank as well. Make sure every part of your machine is seated and sealed correctly. If something is loose it will leak like a sive.

uuzinger wrote:This morning, I woke up at 3AM unable to breathe. The Dreamstation was putting out almost no air, and the backpressure on exhale was very high. I tried restarting it, different things - nothing worked. I ended up going back to sleep without it.

Now - I know there's remote monitoring, and they can even change your prescription remotely - I'm wondering if they've turned something off or changed settings due to my insurance change. Anybody know if this is a thing?

thanks.

They can change settings, but that's something you can change. they can't disable it though.

Maybe your hose was full of water?

Another thought, Them changing your pressure, legally, requires a prescription change from your doctor... so if they DID monkey with the settings because of insurance, they could get in a world of legal trouble.

If "trying everything" did not include unplugging the cord from the wall,
or even trying a different outlet, there are still things you could try.
Power outages (even short ones) can happen any time of year.
We heard thunder the other night--no rain or snow, just dark clouds.