What should a RT be able to do for you?

General Discussion on any topic relating to CPAP and/or Sleep Apnea.
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Beachmeezer
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Re: What should a RT be able to do for you?

Post by Beachmeezer » Tue Aug 31, 2010 7:44 pm

Desperate_in_DM wrote: I guess I'm usually too nice. I need to channel my rage more.
Exactly and good for you! I see in a later post you still didn't get the full report? Keep at them.

BTW - I was given a first mask that the DME tech said was "the best". I told him it wasn't the one that was recommeded for me by the sleep specialist was not the one I wanted to try. I slept the entire night through my study in a mask. At my first study without a mask I only slept 90 minutes. So I wanted THAT mask - the one I slept the night through in. But no like a sheep I accepted "the best". I was back in 72 hours with blisters on the bridge of nose, in tears, and hadn't slept in 72 hours. I hads to assure my big truck driving hubby I could handle it as he was really upset and also sleep deprived.

The Tech's comment when I showed up and complained? - that is the mask we are told to push first. OMG - I was pissed. Enough that he had to alert his boss. I also compained to the sleep disorders clinic and my specialist. I'll never see that DME tech again. It's why I booked my next appointment with the RT. She wasn't as familiar with my equipment but the appointment was all about me and what I needed and she tried to do her best by me.

Give them heck! Unfortnately, some of them herd us like sheep and we're too tired to argue

While I can't feel your pain - I've been through nerve tests, MRI's, PT, years on RA meds because they thought that would work, and tired, tired, tired without finding an answer.

It's taken me about a year but I'm finally starting to feel better and better.

Hang in there and keep switching up the docs. That's what it took here. Finally got one who was intrigued by my medical records and started really digging and we took it all back to scratch in case someone missed something. In my case it was the Vitamin D issue and my sleep disorder.
Kim

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stephanie13724
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Joined: Tue Jun 23, 2009 8:29 am
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Re: What should a RT be able to do for you?

Post by stephanie13724 » Wed Sep 01, 2010 8:41 am

I'm so sorry you've been having so much trouble. What a nightmare!!! Your mask probably needs to be refitted and resized and probably changed. Its like shoes: how can you run a marathon if they don't fit right? And it doesn't matter what one person says about a mask. There are tons of different ones out there because there are so many different facial sturctures and comfort levels. Honestly, that is complete and utter laziness on that RTs part. I'm so sorry.

If your not sleeping "long enough" then someone should help you with that, possibly by suggesting different sleep hygiene tips and maybe over the counter sleep aids of some sort. You can go to http://www.sleepeducation.com and click on sleep tips (or hygiene - I can't remember, I haven't been to that website in a while) and it will give you a list of tips that you should follow strictly in order to ensure that you are protecting your sleep and providing yourself with the most "sleep friendly" lifestyle and environment. These really do make all the difference in the world.

Something to help your doctor better evaluate your situation would be to keep a "sleep diary." You can download and print one from http://www.sleepeducation.com/pdf/sleepdiary.pdf or http://www.mckinley.illinois.edu/Handou ... _diary.pdf. These are great since it is a hard copy you can give your doctor. Doctors need data and this is tons of it to give them. I would make a couple copies of the templates and fill them out for each day/night from now until your appointment. If you have an iPhone, there is an app called Tylenol PM Sleep Tracker. You enter the amount of hours you slept and how you feel. The best part of this app is the sleep tips icon. It has tips for during the day, before bed, when you can't sleep, when you travel, your sleep environment, etc. Its a free app.

I hope some of this information was helpful. Good luck. I look forward to seeing how it went.
Stephanie13724