How long from your PSG to your next appointment?

[MagicCityDawg]

When I call the sleep clinic, I keep being told "we'll call you back tomorrow".

What is a usual wait?

[robysue]

Keep in mind that I'm atypical in many ways: I've had a difficult adjustment period, but I've only been diagnosed with run-of-the-mill OSA. My adjustment problems are NOT caused by problems with central apneas or periodic breathing or other rarer variations of SDB. And I've got a top-notch PA in my sleep doc's office who has NOT ignored my many issues even though I've been diagnosed with nothing but OSA.

Time between diagnostic PSG to initial consult with sleep doc: About 25 days (They let me know diagnosis was sleep apnea within a couple of days and the appointment was set up within a week of the study however.)

Time between initial consult with sleep doc to CPAP titration study: I think it was 4 days.

Time between CPAP titration study to picking up machine: About 25 days---but I was doing comparison shopping of DMEs and stalling the doctor's office which was trying to steer me to the DME next door to them, which would NOT provide me with a full data machine. Could have gotten a compliance only CPAP from that DME within 24 hours of the titration study if I'd wanted it. I do NOT regret the 25 extra days of untreated apnea in the least.

Time between picking up machine to first scheduled follow-up appointment with PA: About 25 days. I didn't last that long---had an emergency follow-up a week early due to some serious problems caused by pressure issues. The emergency meeting resulted in a week of autotitration, a change from CPAP to APAP, and a slight lowering of the pressure. The slight lowering of the pressure alleviated, but did not eliminate, most of my adjustment problems. The insomnia triggered by the CPAP continued to grow out of control.

Time between PA+doc's recommendation for bi-level titration study to bi-level titration study: 5 days.

Time between bi-level titration study and follow-up appointment with PA: 7 days.

Time between follow-up appointment and picking up BiPAP machine: 21 days. I had to do some research and machine had to be ordered.

Time between picking up BiPAP and next scheduled follow-up with PA: 22 days. I didn't last that long---had an emergency follow-up after only 10 days due to on-going severe insomnia issues that pre-dated picking the BiPAP up. The emergency "insomnia" appointment served double duty, however, and the regularly scheduled follow-up was delayed for a month to give me time to work on the insomnia issues since the early BiPAP report looked good.

Time between follow-up insomnia appointment and 2nd bi-level titration study to 2nd bi-level titration study: 7 days This titration study wound up being done because the PA noticed a pattern in the insomnia log that she had me keep that convinced her I might still be over titrated as far as EPAP setting was concerned. And we've had several conversations about my lack of getting into Stage 3/4 sleep on previous titration studies, but not the diagnostic study.

Time between 2nd bi-level titration and next follow-up: 14 days. But PA phoned me 4 days after the study to let me know that my prescribed pressure could be reduced and that the sleep doc's office would fax the prescription over to the DME that day.

[OutaSync]

I had my PSG on a Friday. The doctor called me on Tuesday (Monday was a holiday). I had my CPAP that evening. I don't remember when I had a follow up with the Doctor. Too many dead brain cells ago.

[MagicCityDawg]

Thanks. I'm interested in hearing everyone's stories.

First of all, I'd normally not be that concerned. But here is my story.

My wife noticed a few weeks ago I quit breathing one night. My GP referred me to a sleep doc, and it was scheduled for 2 days later. At the initial consult, he told me we'd do a sleep study, and the sooner the better. If I had "real" problems, they would go ahead and start me on CPAP that night. So, I schedule the sleep study for two days later. Sure enough, a few hours into it they come in with the mask. The next morning, the tech told me I had "real problems" and "severe episodes". Of course, I'm off to the internet to read as much as I can. I've read these forums, I've read white papers, I've decided which machine I'd like, I ordered an oximeter to help me manage my problems, etc.

Now, what was seemingly "rushed" to me at first, moved into "you've got real problems", and now it's as though the sleep clinic is dragging. "Your study hasn't been scored. It will be today, and we'll call you this afternoon to schedule a consult." "The doctor should be in today to sign orders, we'll call you back tomorrow." "The doctor only comes in on Tuesdays (my initial consult was a Thursday), we'll get back to you next week."

The "real problems" comment had me concerned. What is a "real problem".

If it weren't for that comment, I'd probably just blow it off. But now, I'm pretty anxious, and probably for nothing. I was just wondering what everyone else went through, and it sounds as though maybe this is par for the course.

[Pugsy]

Now, what was seemingly "rushed" to me at first, moved into "you've got real problems", and now it's as though the sleep clinic is dragging. "Your study hasn't been scored. It will be today, and we'll call you this afternoon to schedule a consult." "The doctor should be in today to sign orders, we'll call you back tomorrow." "The doctor only comes in on Tuesdays (my initial consult was a Thursday), we'll get back to you next week."

Pretty common. I once had a discussion with sleep doctor's nurse along the lines of "well if this machine is so damn important to use every night for the rest of my life, why does it take so long to jump through all these hoops before I get all this stuff done?"
It took over a month for me to get all the hoops jumped. She sort of laughed and said she understood and that it doesn't make a lot of sense when in one hand they tell is it is so important and they take so long but in reality we have had this for a long time and they don't look at it like it is an emergency. "It hadn't killed me yet". Her words.

Use whatever time it takes to educate yourself. It helps a little... So sorry.

[Emilia]

My followup with the doc after the titration study was about 4 or 5 days, but then the fun began with the insurance company and them denying each Rx the doc wrote! It took me another 3 weeks to finally decide to buy my own machine and get started. Best decision I ever made!

[jmelby]

My doctor met with me right away in the morning after the PSG before I left the sleep lab. Then it took just under 2 weeks to get the equipment approved by insurance and into my hands. I think is on the short end of the timeframe most people wait, though.

[snnnark]

It sounds like your oximeter will arrive before your Cpap! If you ordered the recording one then at least you can get an idea about how bad your OSA may be.
If it's real bad then you can do things like sleeping in a recliner or on your side till your machine comes.

Hang in there!

[Underdog]

These are breakneck speeds. My primary care did not diagnos the apnea but made a referral to nuerologist. The nuerology appointment was 3 months later. The nuerologist make a referal to the sleep clinic and the first consult at the sleep clinic was 6 weeks later. The sleep doctor ordered the titration study that was scheduled for 2 months after that initial consult. The DME showed up at my door with the CPAP 4 weeks later and that was only after me continuously pestering. The waiting had to be one of the most frustrating aspects of this entire ordel. When I requested a second consult the wait was 6 weeks. This is my first foreray into the the health care system, before this I got an annual physical and flu shot and that was it. I had no idea what I was in for. When I asked staff people making the appointments if these delays were normal they all said, "yes." Blue Cross and Blue Sheild Massachusetts.

You speedy folks must have "connections"

[Janknitz]

From the patient's standpoint, medical care is often "hurry up and wait".

You've been sleeping this way for a LONG time without dropping dead, so another few weeks will probably not matter. The hoops must be jumped through.

I've seen people who are really in trouble here with very low 02 levels. Often they are put on oxygen in the interim. So take some comfort that nobody called you after your study and suggested that.

Meanwhile, put the time to good use. Study up on insurance, DME's and what machine you might want. Be sure to read "What you need to know before you meet your DME" in my signature below--required reading

[chunkyfrog]

It is in the DME's best interest to make you feel desperate, then make you wait.
This way their patient, um victim will be more willing to settle for the useless brick they want to sell you.

[kalaco58]

It may have to do with the fact that there are a lot more folks getting diagnosed with OSA. Twelve years ago when I first saw a doctor and was studied and diagnosed. it was a matter of days between each appointment. I had to go through family doc, ear eye nose and throat, then sleep specialist. And the sleep specialist read the study that morning as soon as I woke up, and I was in touch with the respiratory therapist in another hour and had my machine and stuff an hour after that. Now I just get in contact with a sleep clinic and make an appointment with their consulting physician. ( I have moved around a lot.) But now it is always a week or so before the study gets written up and the doctor sees it. And I am paying cash for most of my stuff now, so I shop around. Which is something that was not possible back then. Also back then, one had to have great insurance or lots of money. Now it can be handled on a budget (without insurance) because there is so much more demand (patients). With the crowds comes, more and better choice, but longer waits.........