How long did it take you to get your machine?

[Sleepymum]

I was diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea at the end of October. So I was sent back to the sleep lap to do my titration study.

I have been waiting more than 8 WEEKS now for the results so I can buy the machine and start using it and GET MY LIFE BACK.

How long did it take others? Anyone have any suggestions on things I can do to help while I wait?

[MoneyGal]

Have you called your doctor? The lab itself? (Sorry - those are obvious questions. But I wanted to check anyways...)

I'm in Ontario too. I had my sleep study on a Friday and my machine the next Friday. My AHI was very severe, so I understand I was rushed through the queue a bit. But still -- 8 weeks is unacceptable!

[Sleepymum]

The study was done at the hospital the specialist works from. So I've been calling the doc's office, as he heads both anyway. I don't even get calls back. I just get "he's busy, he looks at every study, blah blah blah"

I've even asked my other doctors to try calling for me, because my treatment for depression (probably from years of no sleep) is essentially on hold until I can get my sleep fixed. And no luck. Oh, they also keep reminding me that the office was closed for 2 weeks for the holidays.

I can't remember what my API was now, no one expected me to have OSA. My family doc wouldn't even send me in for a study years ago when I asked her for one. But even the specialist was surprised at how bad my sleep was, I think it was about 79% ineffective. Grrrrr.......

[MoneyGal]

OK. That sounds really sucky.

Here's one suggestion, for what it's worth: when I had my sleep study, they didn't bother to do a second study. Instead, because of the severity of my results from the first study, they just gave me an autoPAP machine as a loaner for a month and essentially had me treat and titrate myself over that month. So I didn't have to wait for or participate in a second study.

What if you called your doc and asked whether he works with a DME that loans out autoPAP machines?

Alternately, I'd be happy to give you the name of my sleep doc (in Toronto). I don't know whether it would help, but my sense of him is that he's extremely compassionate and does not let people suffer with OSA after the diagnosis is made. You could even potentially request another sleep study through his office. I was on a cancellation list and got my sleep study with him less than a week after it was ordered.

[Hawthorne]

I am in London Ontario. I was diagnosed 7+ years ago. It took forever to get the titration study. I had to keep calling and finally got in on a cancellation. This is all despite the fact that the PSG (in June) showed that I had severe sleep apnea.

I had the titration in Septemer of that year and got a letter, just a week or so after the titration, saying that the Specialist would see me in December to go over the sleep study and discuss treatment options.

I had already done some research and knew I wanted to go on cpap. I made an appointment with my GP and complained that 3 months was much too long to wait for a serious condition. He said that all I needed was the titrated pressure. He called the Sleep Specialist while I was there, got the titration pressure and immediately wrote me a prescription.

I took it to the Provider within the week(I had to make an appointment) and had my machine.

Talking to my GP worked for me. It may work for you. It's worth a try maybe.

[Kickthefog]

You are not alone in the waiting game. I had my first sleep study and the sleep tech told me i had it, fairly badly and would no doubt be getting a machine. Of course, once you know you need it, and add in how bad most of us felt befre therapy and 1 week seems like 6 while waiting. My first sleep study was in the beginning of October of 2009 and i waited until December to get my Machine and THAT was becuase i hounded the crap out of them and they bumped me and put me in someone else's cancellation (appt) for my 2nd study with the mask on to figure my pressure.

Seemed like an eternity. I would no doubt still be waiting becuase my appt was for late December for my 2nd study wearing the mask and it took almost a month after that to get my machine. unreal. Very fustrating for sure.

I wish you the best... hand in there... your day too will come.

Pat

[frazzled-snoozer]

That's a pretty long wait. I would go crazy. I'm really lucky. My dr suggested the study at my office visit. That afternoon I got a call from the sleep lab to set up an appointment. Their local office was booked for the next 2 months so they'd opened up a center in a hotel in a neighboring town for the overflow. They were able to give me an appointment a for few weeks later. I saw my dr a week later for the test results. That afternoon the sleep lab called to schedule my titration study. Once again the local lab was too booked so they set me up for the overflow center at the hotel for a few days later. The next day they got the signature from my dr for the prescription and in 2 days I had my machine. It would've been that day except the local center didn't have any machines so they had it mailed to my house from their main office.

I'd say a month might be a normal amount of time. But once the prescription is made I think it should be within days.

[ycartf]

Although my subsequent units have been obtained from cpapauction, I got my initial one at the same office that did my sleep study. I woke up from the second night of the study (titration), realized I felt better immediately, asked how soon can I get one of those, received a call back that afternoon, and picked up my machine that afternoon. I have slept on CPAP every night since.

[Sleepymum]

Thanks for all the advice and well wishing.. its good to know I'm not the only one getting the run around. Sad, but good to know.

You'd think that I would have had to wait to get into the lab itself, but that didn't take long at all.. just the results!

Guess I'll have to continue the waiting game for the rest of the week... the secretary seem to be getting pretty annoying so maybe it'll mean good things for me (haha!)

Lisa

[TWW]

Not to brag -- after all, this isn't anything I achieved -- but I went in for the two-part sleep study (in a sleep center) on a Sunday evening; was titrated at about 2 AM; got up, showered, and saw the doctor Monday morning; met with the DME -- at the sleep center -- immediately afterward; and drove home with a BiPAP machine and mask by noon. Total of 16 hours.

Make that 18 hours, since I had visited the sleep center a couple months before to try masks and schedule the sleep study. It would have been one month, but logistics were set back by a family death.

I consider myself fortunate, or maybe the right word is blessed.

It can be done well if things are patient/customer centered. If it's bureaucrat-centered, see the above postings.

[Imacpaper]

I went to my doctor in November and told him I thought I had sleep apnea and that I had met my deductible (due to wife having baby) and if it was possible to have things wrapped up be fore year end. Two days later the sleep lab called and got me in in two weeks. Three days they called me in for my titration study, they said someone cancelled that night and was wondering if I could come in now. Within three days I had all of my equipment, all before the New Year .
Sorry for your waiting, but it is worth it when you get your stuff.

[Patrick A]

On October 3rd. my machine in my RV quit. I got home that same day. I had another machine at home. It was working. I called my Dr. the following Monday. She sent a new prescription to Apria.......They demanded a new sleep study.Long story short I got a new sleep study on the 14th of December. My doctor sent the new prescription in on Friday 18 Dec. I got a call from the DME that afternoon. I had to be out of town on 21 Dec. I got my new machine on 22 Dec.
I did not get it from Apria.

[tomjax2]

My story is probably not representative and most sleep centers would not do what mine did.

I had a study done @1996 and the center was affiliated with a DME on premises.
When I got ready to go, I fibbed a little and told then my doc said I could get the machine immediately.
The techs made a call to the sleep center director and I took the machine I was titrated with home with me when I left the clinic.
They set it according to the study and the doc OKI'd it later.

I took it home with me that morning.

Your results may vary, but I am a very pushy person.