I am new to this and was wanting anyones insight. I just got my results from my sleep study and my AHI index was 106/hr. I am waiting on the company to come out to my house now and I am wondering what questions do I need to ask and what to look for. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Newbie here needing some insight
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rested gal
- Posts: 12881
- Joined: Thu Sep 09, 2004 10:14 pm
- Location: Tennessee
Hi Chaso,
The #1 bit of advice I'd offer is that you call the home health care people before they come to your house and tell them you want to try these four masks:
1. Activa
2. Swift
3. Breeze
4. Ultra Mirage full face
Be sure to get the name of the person you talk to on the phone. Have him/her read back the names of the masks you want to try.
If the person who comes out to give you your equipment doesn't have those first two masks in particular for you to try, tell them you don't want to be locked in to whatever mask they did bring until you get to try those masks.
Why be so picky about a "first mask"? Well, because the mask is EVERYTHING to whether this treatment will be comfortable enough to stick with it. Most home health care places will toss a Respironics mask at you, and you're pretty much on your own from that point on.
Hope yours is better than the average DME (Durable Medical Equipment... message board shorthand for the store or person that supplies you with your medical equipment.) They can prove they are a better than average, if they'll let you try those masks.
If you choose the Swift (very popular, and rightly so with many people) be SURE the DME leaves ALL THREE SIZES of the nasal pillows there with you. Don't let him/her give you just one size and take the other two sizes back to the store. The Swift is sold with all three size of nasal pillows. That's how it comes from the manufacturer -- with all three sizes. Don't let the person talk you into being content to have just one of the sizes. You and/or your insurance will be paying for all three sizes, so keep all three. It's not unusual for a size that feels ok to start with, to not be the best size for you as the night goes on. You need the other sizes there so you can switch, if need be.
Also make sure they give you a heated humidifier and that they show you how to adjust the heat on it.
There's lots more to help you later, but getting a good mask and a heated humidifier from the get-go will get you started.
Oh, and if the DME enables the Ramp feature on your machine, ask him/her to set the Ramp to start out at 5 cm's, not 4.
Good luck and keep posting!
The #1 bit of advice I'd offer is that you call the home health care people before they come to your house and tell them you want to try these four masks:
1. Activa
2. Swift
3. Breeze
4. Ultra Mirage full face
Be sure to get the name of the person you talk to on the phone. Have him/her read back the names of the masks you want to try.
If the person who comes out to give you your equipment doesn't have those first two masks in particular for you to try, tell them you don't want to be locked in to whatever mask they did bring until you get to try those masks.
Why be so picky about a "first mask"? Well, because the mask is EVERYTHING to whether this treatment will be comfortable enough to stick with it. Most home health care places will toss a Respironics mask at you, and you're pretty much on your own from that point on.
Hope yours is better than the average DME (Durable Medical Equipment... message board shorthand for the store or person that supplies you with your medical equipment.) They can prove they are a better than average, if they'll let you try those masks.
If you choose the Swift (very popular, and rightly so with many people) be SURE the DME leaves ALL THREE SIZES of the nasal pillows there with you. Don't let him/her give you just one size and take the other two sizes back to the store. The Swift is sold with all three size of nasal pillows. That's how it comes from the manufacturer -- with all three sizes. Don't let the person talk you into being content to have just one of the sizes. You and/or your insurance will be paying for all three sizes, so keep all three. It's not unusual for a size that feels ok to start with, to not be the best size for you as the night goes on. You need the other sizes there so you can switch, if need be.
Also make sure they give you a heated humidifier and that they show you how to adjust the heat on it.
There's lots more to help you later, but getting a good mask and a heated humidifier from the get-go will get you started.
Oh, and if the DME enables the Ramp feature on your machine, ask him/her to set the Ramp to start out at 5 cm's, not 4.
Good luck and keep posting!
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wading thru the muck!
- Posts: 2799
- Joined: Tue Oct 19, 2004 11:42 am
Chaso88,
Have you had the titration portion of your study yet? This is where they hook you up to a cpap and determine your pressure requirements. If you have, find out what percent of time you spent in apnea/hypopnia. Even though an AHI of 106 is high, if the duration was not long of if they came in clusters you may benefit from the use of an auto-adjusting cpap. This machine will be able to keep the pressure low for a large part of the time. The lower the pressure the less mask leaks and the easier it will be to tolerate the therapy.
Have you had the titration portion of your study yet? This is where they hook you up to a cpap and determine your pressure requirements. If you have, find out what percent of time you spent in apnea/hypopnia. Even though an AHI of 106 is high, if the duration was not long of if they came in clusters you may benefit from the use of an auto-adjusting cpap. This machine will be able to keep the pressure low for a large part of the time. The lower the pressure the less mask leaks and the easier it will be to tolerate the therapy.
Sincerely,
wading thru the muck of the sleep study/DME/Insurance money pit!
wading thru the muck of the sleep study/DME/Insurance money pit!
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Guest
wading, yes I did it as a split study and after 2 hours they came in and put the mask on me, I think they said i am at a 13 for pressure.
The nurse called me with the results and she said that i never got into REM sleep and then when they were doing the titration of the mask they got it down to 2 apneas or something an hour. and she said the pressure was 13.
Rested gal,
I am calling them first thing in the morning and talking to them about that.
Thank you.
The nurse called me with the results and she said that i never got into REM sleep and then when they were doing the titration of the mask they got it down to 2 apneas or something an hour. and she said the pressure was 13.
Rested gal,
I am calling them first thing in the morning and talking to them about that.
Thank you.
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Guest
Previous posts offer some great advise. Your doctor should make recommendations about equipment - cpap, apap, bipap, setting, and hopefully insist on a heated humidifier, etc. If the doctor has not made these things clear, check with him/her to verify what they advise before meeting with the DME. If you are working with a sleep specialist, they are well versed in how to help you comply.
One important point that you should inquire about is how often equipment should be replaced. Since you have a mask from the sleep study, you may want to try another option - variety can help. Questions to ask: how often are you eligable for a new mask, hose, humidifier tank (little plastic thing), filters, etc. Ask if you have to contact them or will they contact you.
Success depends on how easily compliance is for you, and you need to be your own advocate. I left the sleep study with 4 masks and was issued one from the DME - they have all helped me adjust and I'm very thankful to the tech at the sleep study for her diligence in helping me with these issues.
Good luck and stay well.
One important point that you should inquire about is how often equipment should be replaced. Since you have a mask from the sleep study, you may want to try another option - variety can help. Questions to ask: how often are you eligable for a new mask, hose, humidifier tank (little plastic thing), filters, etc. Ask if you have to contact them or will they contact you.
Success depends on how easily compliance is for you, and you need to be your own advocate. I left the sleep study with 4 masks and was issued one from the DME - they have all helped me adjust and I'm very thankful to the tech at the sleep study for her diligence in helping me with these issues.
Good luck and stay well.
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rested gal
- Posts: 12881
- Joined: Thu Sep 09, 2004 10:14 pm
- Location: Tennessee
Resmed s8 elite
Good machine for a straight cpap. Can use EPR for pressure relief when exhaling. Can use Autoscan software (if you decide to buy software for it) to see overnight data.
Sounds like they're fixing you up nicely, Chaso. Sounds especially promising that they're willing to bring out so many masks!
This probably won't fly, but... all they can say is "no". Since they are being so cooperative, ask them to leave several masks with you for you to try all of them for a week before you make your final selection. If they'll do that, then they really are an absolute jewel of a DME worth hanging onto from now on!
Good machine for a straight cpap. Can use EPR for pressure relief when exhaling. Can use Autoscan software (if you decide to buy software for it) to see overnight data.
Sounds like they're fixing you up nicely, Chaso. Sounds especially promising that they're willing to bring out so many masks!
This probably won't fly, but... all they can say is "no". Since they are being so cooperative, ask them to leave several masks with you for you to try all of them for a week before you make your final selection. If they'll do that, then they really are an absolute jewel of a DME worth hanging onto from now on!
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rested gal
- Posts: 12881
- Joined: Thu Sep 09, 2004 10:14 pm
- Location: Tennessee
I wouldn't bother with getting the software unless you just really, really want it. I personally don't think the Autoscan software has a good graph for showing "events".
With RESMed machines, you don't even need software at all to get info about your overnight AHI, AI, and HI. You can push a few buttons to see that info in the display on top of your machine in the mornings. Get the DME to circle the section in the User's manual that will tell you which buttons to push to show AHI.
With RESMed machines, you don't even need software at all to get info about your overnight AHI, AI, and HI. You can push a few buttons to see that info in the display on top of your machine in the mornings. Get the DME to circle the section in the User's manual that will tell you which buttons to push to show AHI.
10 posts
• Page 1 of 1