Forgot my biggest caution/forewarning. University hospitals attract big names who in turn attract people who may be desperate for some good medical care and advice--the person you have initial contact with may be an intern, resident or fellow, or even a nurse practitioner. The Big Name is the Attend...

According to the docs at Stanford the Respironics machines under report UARS-don't have a clue about whether that is true for other PAPs too. Some insurance co's require referrals. Some specialist require referrals-it is a way for them to sort out patients that don't really have the condition/diseas...

You are probably already doing this -but just in case you're not-8 ounces of fluid every hour. Tick them off on a chart. A pulmonologist I once worked with claimed that water in suffient quantity was better than any pharmceutical expectorant. The nurses had to chart liquids like medication for his p...

I don't know your situation re insurance & finances; or your personal health history/risk factors. In Salt Lake there are good physicians connected to the universities. What about your sleep physician? Hopefully you went to a lab that monitored UARS. Look at the report of your sleep study. If UARS a...

I'm not familiar with the eyedrops recommended-had no blinking after brain surgery and used a number of products. Most water based products would need to be reapplied after a few hours and were good during the day when I could do that-at night I used lacrilube as it lasted longer.

If it is a major concern check it out with a doctor that listens. Your symptoms could be due to a number of conditions including inadequate treatment of your SDB and depression/anxiety, and PH. Benign PVC's are common. You have a baseline echo and EKG so future changes can be easily detected. In spi...

Do you get EOB's?

Sharks & sleep apnea-except for the equipment makers/suppliers not sure about that connection. Connection between diving masks and XPAP masks is a silicone mask sealant designed for diving masks that some of us experimented with last summer. Rather expensive, it melted in the mail, softened the mask...

Before you accept delivery on that FFM. Have you tried some of the tips to stabilize the mask on your face such as tying it with a nylon stocking or modifying the headgear with extra strips of velcro. The idea is NOT to make it too tight...just to keep it in the right place on your face. If too tigh...

Actually-everything Apria said is verified on the MyMedicare website. And it is even "worse" than getting it in the mail. They have "patients" come in for an appointment at the local oxygen depot they maintain up here in the hills-an RT comes up one day a week for appointments. I get all my info rig...

It not too personal. I've had a diagnostic PSG and a CPAP titration after which I got a APAP and have been a user since Feb 2, 2006. Generally good AHI but always with aerophagia which at times causing enough discomfort to wonder if it is cardiac-had an angiogram. After they decided it wasn't heart-...

I have not ordered the machine yet-but Apria has told me they will issue an ABN based on the fact that Medicare is unlikely to pay because the rental of my CPAP reached its cap in May 2007 and it is too soon to get a new machine. In reading the Medicare info on ABN's they do say a denial does not me...

I'm on the third read of the book. First was a speed read-then an in depth read-now a read and practice the techniques/exercises. I can't agree with the person who said your techniques were simple. At least for me it is taking a fair amount of practice. I've found out some things about myself that s...

.....plus we each have a deep first hand knowledge of our own body-that cannot be taught in medical or nursing school. The thing that could be taught is to respect the patient's story of his/her illness and the response to treatment.

Have just been introduced to Medicare's Advance Beneficiary Notice process and trying to decide if it is worth the gamble. Anyone out there that has had experience with ABN's or the appeal process. Thinking it might just be better to order the BiPAP from cpap.com. Have to call BC/BS to see if & what...