Newbie just joining .... after a fight with DME

[kc5tty]

Hello folks,

First, thank you all very much for the advice you gave even though you did not know it.

I went to the DME with my homework done and info from you and fought my way out of getting a S8 Escape for $70 initially and instead got the S8 Autoset II with Humidifier and no out of pocket costs.

They had me set for the Escape and said it was "Top of the line" and said "you don't need to see your data" and "we're not making any money from this".

I told them what the insurance company had CONTRACTED with them and what I wanted. Walked out once and got my way this time. The info from CPAP.com helped too.

I've already (since 2 pm today when I got my machine) learned how to get in the clinician setting and make it right. And how to fit it right. Not the "here's the start button and goodbye".

So much to learn but learn I will. I do not find doctors or DME's here to be very knowledgable (or at least not as much as this forum). So I will take charge of my therapy. And again, thanks to all of you.

Now I just gotta get software to read all my data.

[jdm2857]

Place a post on this thread for a PM about obtaining ResScan software.

[BleepingBeauty]

Welcome to the forum (officially, anyway), Steve!

You did a great job getting the equipment you wanted, so congrats to you!

[Janknitz]

Way to go, KC. Stand firm and get what YOU want. It's your therapy, and your body.

Sounds like your DME was quoting the "bad DME book" line for line. Why don't they wseem to have a "good DME book"???

Pat yourself on the back for studying up in advance and failing to fall for their lines.

[kc5tty]

I'll take the congrats but the credit goes to all on the forum before me. I read, took notes and followed the links.

Now, if I can help out anyone at all. Just ask. Especially if they are in this neck of the woods ....... er... plains.

[Sandra]

Good on you, kc, and welcome!

[echo]

Good for YOU! And the congrats really do go to YOU! This forum knowledge is here, it's great, it's fantastic, but it takes EFFORT and DETERMINATION and yes, sometimes even COURAGE, to read and make sense of everything here, figure out what you want, what you need, and to go out and ask for it. You WILL succeed with your therapy with this kind of attitude!

Now let the fun begin! Let's see, mask leaks, mouth leaking, humidifier settings, hose management, data obsession, tweaking settings, ... You will figure it out.

[Wulfman]

I'll take the congrats but the credit goes to all on the forum before me. I read, took notes and followed the links.

Now, if I can help out anyone at all. Just ask. Especially if they are in this neck of the woods ....... er... plains.

Congratulations!

Actually, I WAS in your "neck of the woods/plains".......about 27 years ago. I was doing a bank computer conversion in Hobart. I still have a "souvenir" cap someone brought me from the Planter's Co-op in Lone Wolf.

Good luck with your therapy.

Den

[joeattardi]

Congratulations! I recently just went through this same fight with my DME. Same deal - they gave me an S8 Escape. After the great advice of everyone on here, I've got an appointment this Wednesday to swap it for an S9 AutoSet!

[rested gal]

Way to go, both of you... kc and joe!

You're doing a good job being proactive about your own treatment.

[Popi]

I really do wish that I had found this site prior to my sleep tests and meeting wiht my DME. Ignorance is bliss, right?

I had no idea that I had a choice of DMEs. No idea that there was anything other than full-face masks. And as for machines, why wouldn't a company give me the best that they had to offer...you know, wanting me to get the best treatment possible.

I really trusted my doc to hold my hand and walk me through the process, knowing that the whole OSA experience was new to me, and give me all of the info that he knew, from years of experience, that I didn't know.

The whole experience just left me feeling dirty. I didn't know what I didn't know, and had no idea that there were so many options. Lesson learned.

[kc5tty]

What I see (with my vast....ha ...ha... experience--- a month?) is that most doctors don't know about apnea. They write the rx and send it off. Patient fixed. The DME gets RX for cpap. Give patient cheap cpap. Patient fixed. Teach patient - push this button for on and off.

Several DME folks I have met were insurance salesmen, but wanted to change. Retired Army (like me) and got into another job. In one case the guy was a minister who didn't like ministering and works for a medical supply firm. Training consisted of ...... this is the machine we give out. Here is the button for on and off. Here is the form you have the patient sign. Any questions? No?.... good, now go to work.

Remember: I'm no expert, I don't play one on TV and if you think I am then you're CPAP is not working right.

Gotta go to work now. Good nights sleep with new APAP and really do feel better this morning. (after 1 night)

[joeattardi]

Yeah. It's absurd how much I had to fight to get a better machine.

[elena88]

Congratulations!

That must have made you feel good to ESCAPE FROM THAT "ESCAPE!"


Hope your therapy is a smooth ride!


elena

[brazospearl]

Nicely done, Steve! Good for you! I think you're correct that most doctors don't know enough about cpap therapy to be much help to their patients. Case in point involving a colleague of mine: She has allergy problems, asthma, high blood pressure, anxiety attacks, depression, and is overweight. Hmmmm, what could be contributing to all of these? So, her doctor does the right thing and sends her for a sleep study, which showed "ambiguous" results. Her words now, "They gave me a cpap for a couple of nights but I couldn't use it because I sleep on my stomach and the mask was in the way." So she took it back. A more enlightened doctor might have directed her to this forum. At this point she isn't interested in trying again with cpap. It just breaks my heart. If doctors knew more this whole thing might be a bit easier...
Anyway, glad you've learned what you needed to so that you can get the best therapy possible. Let us know how things go!