Need advice after 1 month

Torch97 · Post by **Torch97** » Mon Dec 17, 2007 9:16 am

I have now used my cpap equipment every night for one month. I don't seem to feel any better than I did before I started using it. I am still really tired. Unfortunately I don't have any reading ability with my equipment.

What suggestions would you have that I could try, since I don't seem to be achieving the results I expected.

Thanks in advance for your help.

Slinky · Post by **Slinky** » Mon Dec 17, 2007 9:34 am

Is insurance purchasing your CPAP? Do you know how insurance handles the purchase? Rental for so many months? Outright, immediate purchase?

Generally insurance isn't even billed until 30 - 60 days after you start using the CPAP. It "might" be possible to trade your current CPAP in for a fully data capable CPAP "IF" you explore that possibility NOW and don't waste any more time.

You should call your insurance company to find out just what your CPAP DME equipment benefits are, how they are purchased/rented (and for how long if a rental) and what local DME CPAP suppliers they are contracted with.

Never mind mentioning what TYPE of CPAP you are interested in. Insurances only pay by HCPCS code so a bare bones CPAP is the same as a fully data capable autoPAP to them. HCPCS code E0601. (Bi-levels are a different HCPCS code).

Ask the doctor who wrote the order for your equipment if he is aware that your DME supplier provided you w/a bare bones compliance data only CPAP and you are concerned because he won't have the data to determine WHY you aren't responding to CPAP therapy nor the data to know what adjustments need to be made to make your CPAP therapy successful. Tell him you are NOT comfortable w/that and that you would prefer a fully data capable CPAP so that you can have more confidence in the adjustments he proposes to make. Ask him to please re-write your equipment order for a fully data capable CPAP "after" you've explained WHY you want one, so that you can have more confidence in his "quickly" making the proper adjustments. Making adjustments by guess and by gosh will most likely take considerably longer.

But you are running out of time here to make any such exchange. It would also help if you have the option of more than one local DME supplier. Once that first insurance payment has been made to your current DME supplier it will be next to impossible to get another DME supplier willing to provide you w/equipment, much less one w/a fully data capable CPAP.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Mon Dec 17, 2007 10:47 am

Welcome, Torch!

Sorry to hear you're not feeling any better. Besides Slinky's good advice, I'll add that there could be any number of possible reasons you aren't feeling better.

First, are you feeling any better at all? Some feel better fairly quickly and others take a couple of months.

Second, if you have other medical conditions they may mask improvement from CPAP therapy.

I'd check with your doc and discuss with him/her your lack of progress.

Good luck!
Mindy

Wulfman · Post by **Wulfman** » Mon Dec 17, 2007 10:52 am

Torch97 wrote:I have now used my cpap equipment every night for one month. I don't seem to feel any better than I did before I started using it. I am still really tired. Unfortunately I don't have any reading ability with my equipment.

What suggestions would you have that I could try, since I don't seem to be achieving the results I expected.

Thanks in advance for your help.

In addition to the non-data-capable machine, I also put a vote in for "mouth-leaking" as a reason you're not feeling the benefits of the therapy.

Seal your mouth with tape, Polident adhesive denture strips or a full face mask.

Den

Torch97 · Post by **Torch97** » Mon Dec 17, 2007 1:16 pm

Thanks for the input. They said that it was on outright purchase with no monthly rental. I am actually changing health insurance companies at the end of the year.

I will give them a call.

WillCunningham · Post by **WillCunningham** » Mon Dec 17, 2007 5:24 pm

There are many things that can affect your cpap threapy. I would say the biggest problems I personally faced were mask leaks and acid reflux. I eventually found a mask that made a good seal for me and became convinced I was not mouth breathing. After I learned acid reflux irritates and stiffens the soft tissue in your throat I started treating that too even though it alone did not bother me much.

I did not think I was doing better either after a few weeks. When I first started I was so sleep deprived that I would fall asleep against my will at work, watching tv, playing video games, ect. I was totally dependant on caffeine to allow me to even pretend to function. After being on cpap for a while I was a bit discouraged because I didn't notice a huge difference...but it was there. It happened pretty gradually for me and I realized how much better I was doing when I was unable to get my caffiene fix for a day and had no trouble staying awake. I quit caffiene for a number of weeks and was very pleasantly surprized to not require it. That gave me the hope I needed to stick with my cpap and over time I noticed other things and felt more energetic and better overall.

Cheaking for leaks, mouthleaks, and whatnot is a great idea. Looking for other things that could be affecting your sleep is also a good thing to do. Even with cpap you still need to get enough hours of sleep, I had some trouble short-changing myself for a while. Now I view sleep as one of my most important daily tasks. Good luck!

Need advice after 1 month

Need advice after 1 month

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