Just have to vent!

[Spinory]

SPOILER: lots of whining ahead; turn back now....

I am so frustrated with EVERYONE EXCEPT my DME! (Hometown Healthcare in Watervliet NY-so far they have been great)

My sleep NP won't give me an Auto and data capable (you don't need to know your numbers; we follow that for you!...ugh!) unless I meet with the Medical Director about my concerns and he's booking into the end of April.

My PCP won't write a script for the AUTO; he says the sleep center needs to do it.

My psychiatrist won't write a script because of the liability. However, he is going to either fax a letter or call the sleep center to hopefully get a script faxed to the DME.

I'm about to call my dentist!! and I keep going through my head of any possible doctors I might know who could do this for me. What is the big freaking deal about wanting an AUTO machine that shows me, the patient, some data!!!??

I feel like I am all alone but when I get on the board I know I'm not. I will get the machine I want, just not as SOON as I want. And THAT is turning me into a mess-I actually WANT to use a CPAP. I come home from work and immediately take a nap. My son asks if I will be less tired once I get my machine. I tell him, "I hope so".....I see all the problems/issues newbies have with their cpaps/masks and I'm very nervous that it will take forever to feel a difference.

Thank you all for listening if you've gotten this far. Anyone else out there frustrated with the process? We can start Whiners Anonymous together.

Heather

[poppi2]

I printed off a copy of CPAP.COM's standard prescription form http://c0149421.cdn.cloudfiles.rackspac ... on-LMN.pdf and had my family doctor sign it.

I could gotten the signature from any of the following care providers:
-Medical Doctor
-Doctor of Osteopathy
-Psychiatrist
-Physicians Assistant
-Nurse Practitioners
-Dentist
-Naturopathic Physicians

Looks like you know that just about any medical doctor can sign a prescription.

Good luck, Earl

[CpapPorkchop]

Hello Heather i am sorry you are having such a difficult time. I am very new also and have only been on a cpap machine for about two weeks. I have not been able to get a full nights sleep using it. It will happen though. I get a little farther every night. I have also been noticing a difference during the day as well. I am not as tired even though the longest i have been able to sleep without waking is 4 hours using the machine. It took me a long time to get the machine cause of insurance problems too. I am only a part timer and have a limited insurance plan. It also took a while for insurance to kick in cause i just got a new job a while back. So hang in there it's worth it. Good Luck.

[rolisrgti06]

FYI...You don't have to have an APAP to follow your progress. Just a machine that is data capable that can be retrieved. The fact that your Sleep Clinic can track your progress means your machine is probably data capable. Please fill out your profile with your machine and mask data. Chances are someone here can help get access to the data from your machine.

I personally have a Resmed S9 Elite that is not auto but does have data capability. I pull my numbers from the card every morning to track my progress.

[Pugsy]

Online purchase will allow an APAP machine purchase even if the RX states CPAP because the APAP machine is just a CPAP machine with auto adjusting mode. It also has a straight CPAP mode.

Did they tell you which machine they wanted to supply you? Brand and model? The presence of a SD card doesn't mean squat because the compliance only (hours of use) data also goes onto a SD card.

Give me a minute or so and I will send you a private message so check your private message box.

[-tim]

I went to a doc in a box place and gave them a copy of my Aussie Rx and now I have a nice US one.

[Spinory]

Thank you all-

I learned that I can get an AUTO machine from a straight CPAP script from online places; cpap.com and secondwindcpap.com AND I can change the pressures myself. I can pick what machine I want, so I'll probably go with the PR S1 Auto with A-Flex.

I have 50% co-insurance so price wise online is probably comparable.

Thanks again for listening to my rant; I feel much better

Heather

[greatunclebill]

Thank you all-

I learned that I can get an AUTO machine from a straight CPAP script from online places; cpap.com and secondwindcpap.com AND I can change the pressures myself. I can pick what machine I want, so I'll probably go with the PR S1 Auto with A-Flex.

I have 50% co-insurance so price wise online is probably comparable.

Thanks again for listening to my rant; I feel much better

Heather

i'm not a salesman, i just happen to be a person that recently bought exactly what you are trying to buy. the place i bought it from has the lowest price i could find for a brand new machine. they also include the secret manual to set it up. the unit comes in the unopened factory box just like the dme gets it. this price my be as low as or lower than a 50% copay deal. i don't know if i'm supposed to give a link to something like this in the forum, so e-mail or pm me for a link to what i'm talking about. if a mod reads this and says i can post the link, i will.

[NightMonkey]

Thank you all-

I learned that I can get an AUTO machine from a straight CPAP script from online places; cpap.com and secondwindcpap.com AND I can change the pressures myself. I can pick what machine I want, so I'll probably go with the PR S1 Auto with A-Flex.

I have 50% co-insurance so price wise online is probably comparable.

Thanks again for listening to my rant; I feel much better

Heather

Until you get your machine make sure you do not sleep on your back. Sleep exclusively on your sides or stomach.

The back is the worse position for sleep apnea because gravity is working directly to pull the soft palate and tongue into the airway and cause blockages.

You are doing well to get an Auto with data capability. Make sure you get the sofware!

[Grand-PAP]

i'm not a salesman, i just happen to be a person that recently bought exactly what you are trying to buy. the place i bought it from has the lowest price i could find for a brand new machine. they also include the secret manual to set it up. the unit comes in the unopened factory box just like the dme gets it. this price my be as low as or lower than a 50% copay deal. i don't know if i'm supposed to give a link to something like this in the forum, so e-mail or pm me for a link to what i'm talking about. if a mod reads this and says i can post the link, i will.

Hi greatunclebill,

I would be interested in the link!

Thanks,

Harold