Sending Card to the RT

Received a reminder voice mail today from the RT today asking me to mail her the data card from my CPAP machine. She will download the data and send the results to the doctor. He will be analyzing my data before my visit. I have been on CPAP for 5 weeks and am only able to tolerate approx 4 hours per night and it took me several weeks to get the right mask.

What kind of useful data do you suppose the doctor will get from the download?

How may days/weeks of data will the data card hold?

I am still experiencing leaking from my nasal pillows but the leaking is getting better.
My appt is May 11th. Should I send it now or wait? The RT is unaware of the appt. date change. She says they need it a minimum of a few days prior to the appt. (I rescheduled the appt due to out of town business trip and the fact that it is taking me time to adjust to the equipment.)

Since you only have a Plus machine, they'll only get whether you are compliant and using the machine every day for sufficient time....

The Dreamer.

If they have the ability to download the card at all, and forward the info to your doctor. He will know that your machine turned on, and for how long. He also may be able to figure out the machine you were sold has NOT ABLE to collect any useful data, at all and they made the MAXIUM profit from your treatment. Jim

NO useful data is available from a Plus machine. Read the top of your machine to make sure that IS what you have, write down the 'exact words'.

As indicated above, your doc will only be able to tell that you used the machine and for how long. Will not be able to tell anything about leaks or any events which could impact your health.

Make a note to ask your doc to prescribe a Respironics with Aflex, then you can tell exactly how your treatment is going each nite. If doc hesitates find another doc.

Good Luck
ps. get a copy of your prescription and your sleep study while you are there.

Atom,

I would call the DME back and ask her to send you a replacement card first before you send her your card. As the others have stated, with a Plus, the only data recorded is the compliance data, but some insurance companies require a periodic print out of the compliance report before they will settle your claim. If your insurance company is like mine, I wouldn't leave the card out for one night. It gets really messy and not all DME's are willing to fess up to "it's our fault there's no card in her machine" and agree to eat it if they couldn't get the insurance company to paid the claim.

As for your compliance, yes you have an issue, but this is what your doctor is supposed to be for. I'd ask about upgrading to at least a Pro(Auto would be better) so you can get a better picture of what is going on.

Oops, actually I have a Pro M Series.

AThom10731 wrote:Oops, actually I have a Pro M Series.

NOT an uncommon mistake.

Get another card first. Your DME should understand, if not just buy one at cpap.com

Pro M Series
# Data Storage Capacity SmartCard: 6 months a 3 usage sessions per day, 7 days in-depth analysis
# Data Storage Content SmartCard: Date/time, hours of use, usage patterns, AHI, leak, snore, FOSQ
from here- https://www.cpap.com/cpap-machine/Respi ... ifications