frustrated with equipment guy at sleep lab

[mountaingirl23]

I was diagnosed with sleep apnea after a split night study about a year ago. AHI of 7-all hypopneas, oxygen dropped to about 92, little stage 3 or 4 sleep. Tried CPAP and could not fall asleep with it on, so I gave up. I know not a good decision but the doctor said that my sleep apnea was mild and it would not be a big deal not to use it, just lose weight. Hmmmmmm. Well, for the past couple of months I have woken up with chest tightness and my heart racing. So to say the least it has been kind of scary. Had a stress test and chest xray-everything OK. So I got a new doctor and he ordered a new sleep study-titration only. Well I have not gotten the report yet but they want me to start CPAP again at 7. I should get the report tomorrow, but in the meantime I went today toet my CPAP, Fisher & Paykel Sleep Style 600 to try out for a month until I buy one online-unemployed and have temp insurance that will not pay for anything. So.........I said that I wanted an APAP that I can see my AHI's in the a.m. He got annoyed and said I don't need that, and why do you want an APAP we know what pressure you need. Well.... do you think it is Ok to use this machine for a month to see if I can tolerate it or should I insist on another machine. Whew, thanks for listening.

[desmondwl]

First I would see the sleep doc and seek his advice. Noticed I said sleep doc. By this I mean a doctor as in MD but in addition to the MD or whatever initials they have but they are also American Acadamy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) board certified Sleep Specialists (Physicians). The equipment guy is not the one who is going to use the machine, you are. The Sleep Specialists is the one who figures out the correct pressure to start you at not the equipment guy. Equipment guy needs to go away. Talk to the Sleep Doc.

[ozij]

So.........I said that I wanted an APAP that I can see my AHI's in the a.m. He got annoyed and said I don't need that, and why do you want an APAP we know what pressure you need

If he refuses to give you an APAP for a trial period I'd drop him ASAP.

If you can't tolerate this machine, you'll never know why. Maybe you need different pressure when you sleep at home? Does your mask leak badly? Are you leaking out of your mouth? Each of those conditions look different in the software report from a fully data capable machine.

Tell him you want to see the nightly leak details of your therapy at the prescribed pressure, in a graph of the night. Tell him you want to see the relationship between events and leaks. Tell him pressure is the least of worries in getting used to this therapy.

O.

[Wulfman]

And, I don't believe that Sleep Style 600 gives any meaningful data, so how are they going to determine how you're doing after that "trial" month?

It's YOUR therapy and health......not his.

Do you have a prescription yet?......from the current or previous doctor? If you do, you can get an APAP from CPAP.COM with a CPAP prescription and dump these jokers.

Den

[rested gal]

unemployed and have temp insurance that will not pay for anything.

I'd forget the DME guy, his F&P Sleep Style 600, and his "I know better than you" attitude. If you're going to be paying for your equipment out of your own pocket, I'd never walk into the DME guy's store again. Ever.

If it were me.....

I'd do all my shopping online.

I'd get a copy of my Rx that says "cpap" on it.

I'd fax the Rx to cpap.com.

I'd buy a Respironics REMstar Auto with A-flex M series machine, either from cpap.com or through cpap.com's auction site -- cpapauction.com.

I would not buy the integrated M series humidifier for it.

I'd buy the Fisher & Paykel HC 150 heated humidifier, instead -- which is a separate humidifier that can be used with any brand/model machine.

I'd buy the Encore Viewer software so I could monitor my own treatment. I'd shop around the online cpap stores to find the best price for that software -- cpap.com will price-match if you find it for less at another store.

I'd buy the necessary card reader for about $31 including shipping to the U.S.. This card reader at this Hong Kong store:
http://www.two-factor.com/shop/index.php?productID=115

I'd use this link to dig into this message board...looking for every tip, hint, and trick I could find to make this crazy kind of treatment work COMFORTABLY enough so that I could actually SLEEP with a mask on and a machine going.

viewtopic/t17435/ALL-LINKS-by-rested-gal.html

I'd dig into this message board as if I were a med student studying for the exam of my life. 'Cause that's what it is, mountaingirl. The exam of your life.

You're gonna do fine.