UARS/OSA newbie

Pugsy wrote: ↑

Thu Sep 12, 2019 11:20 am

The get in in writing part really probably isn't needed but the bitch in me would march right down to the "former" DME and wave it in front of their faces.

Hah, that's exactly my intention, and also with the sleep center so they are aware!

slowriter wrote: ↑

Thu Sep 12, 2019 11:25 am

Pugsy wrote: ↑

Thu Sep 12, 2019 11:20 am

The get in in writing part really probably isn't needed but the bitch in me would march right down to the "former" DME and wave it in front of their faces.

Hah, that's exactly my intention, and also with the sleep center so they are aware!

Can I share a little OT story with you? Some years ago I was in the market for a brand new truck. So I called up 3 dealers in my area that carried the brand that I wanted and I talked to 3 different salesmen. I had all my specifics about what I wanted on the truck so they all got the same spec list. 4 X 4...certain size engine...certain size towing specs, etc....all exactly the same.

I ask them to give me their best cash only price....no trade in or anything like that. I told each of them that they got 1 chance to get my business that I was buying from the lowest bidder and they didn't get a second chance.
So 2 of the dealers came in with bids within $100 of each other and the one that was a little higher had an extra little off road package on one of the trucks they had on the lot. I was okay with that difference.

The 3rd salesman came in with a whopping $10,000 more price difference. I told the 3rd guy that he was out of the running because of the price difference. He had the nerve to tell me that maybe I wasn't getting a price for a 4 X 4 and then said "maybe I didn't know what I was driving" when I told him that I test drove the cheapest bid already..
Well as you can imagine that was like waving that old red flag in front of a bull. Condescending as hell to start with and them question my intelligence because I am a woman. I had smoke coming out of my ears I was so mad.

So....I bought the lowest bid because I didn't really need the extra off road thing since I wasn't planning on going off roading.
Took delivery and drove up to that 3rd dealer and ask to see that asshole salesman and showed him that I indeed did know exactly what I was buying and driving and it was a 4 X 4 ....and he just lost any chance of my ever buying anything from him and his dealership because he tried to screw me because I was a woman....and then marched out and got back up on my high horse and left.
And I have never, ever driven onto that dealers lot since then...

I was immensely proud of myself. I was single at the time. No man at all in my life and I was walking 10 ft tall.
Don't insult my intelligence while you are trying to screw me....I will get even and revenge is very sweet.

Great story!

I had a similar one last time I bought car, though not quite as dramatic.

Update:

So experience so far with the insurance company was terrible. I spent like 20+ minutes on the phone with a rep who simply didn't understand what I was asking, even though I was clear as can be. She kept wanting to focus on reimbursement rates and such, and I kept insisting I was asking about compliance requirements related to supplies.

Still waiting on a return call from her supervisor.

But I then called Greg at Nationwide, and what a difference! Between he and one of his colleague (who was more familiar with the insurance angle) they confirmed what I was told was bogus, and that they were happy to work with me on what I want (Bleep + other supplies for my used machine now + new bilevel machine when I'm damned ready). Am already setup, and wheels in motion there.

Already sent the termination note to my original DME, and explained to my sleep center.

Like you, Pugsy, I have zero patience with businesses that lie to me.

Since in explaining some of the details of how and why I use the Dreem 2 headband I've included some details that are relevant here, related thread.

I'm intending to update this thread when I have a bit more data.

I actually called my insurance while in the DME office.
They backed down.
Later, I fired them for a different con.
Some people never learn.

Since I always find it a little frustrating when threads seem to die prematurely, without update, here's mine, and maybe some tips for UARS newbies to consider:

• key variable turns out to be the FL data, which you likely want to get as low as possible (pugsy had a good hunch on this in her original reply to me)
• key way to achieve that is pressure support/EPR
• if EPR 3 doesn't almost eliminate FL on your APAP (let's say FL max of less than 0.10, and an almost clean graph), you may need a ABPAP (bilevel)
• don't be bashful about communicating your needs to your medical folks; you can easily waste months of poor sleep if you don't, or even fail treatment entirely; if they're unresponsive, look for a used Resmed Aircurve VAuto
• I think for people with low arousal thresholds (which would seem to define UARS), minor changes in settings can have big impacts on sleep quality. In the past week, for example, small changes in pressure + changing the VAuto trigger setting from "high" to "very high" resulted in an AHI (CA) drop from 3-5, down below 1, and then to 0 for past two nights. Not coincidentally, these are the first two nights I've slept through night in a long time.
• don't ignore mask fit and leaks. Aside from impacting your comfort, it seems leaks can also impact CA events (based on a recent article I read). I went through a few masks before settling on the Bleep, at least for now.
• finally, I suspect my body and brain has needed time to adjust; in this case a bit more than three months in total, six weeks or so on bilevel. I was prepared to give it another 3 months before getting too frustrated. So be persistent but patient.

Edit: I forgot to add the below screenshot includes the hypnogram sleep stage data from the Dreem 2 headband (review on this thread).

slowriter wrote: ↑

Wed Oct 16, 2019 8:11 am

[*]don't ignore mask fit and leaks. Aside from impacting your comfort, it seems leaks can also impact CA events (based on a recent article I read). I went through a few masks before settling on the Bleep, at least for now.

Would you mind sharing that article please?

I should have checked the source when I originally wrote it, when fresher, but I have no idea now. It was in a medical journal, is all I remember.

slowriter wrote: ↑

Fri Apr 10, 2020 6:33 am

I should have checked the source when I originally wrote it, when fresher, but I have no idea now. It was in a medical journal, is all I remember.

Here it is!

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3700705/