Got answers? I've got questions!

[GoofyUT]

Congrats!

It sounds like your study went well and that you've got a very good attitude and outlook, which is certainly THE MOST critical factor for maklng this stuff work. You'll begin experiencing positive results on a consistent basis soon, and that too will fuel your commitment and excitement about your new life as a hosehead!

I love my S8 Vantage and I'm getting great results from it in treatment after about two weeks getting used to it (as I would have to with ANY machine). It'll fit the bill nicely as a good travel companion cause of its small size, and very COOL royal blue carry case.

Another poster here posted a comment on the new Respironics M series as a travel machine. Though he found it to work on a basis very similar to the old Remstar Plus, he was disappointed about its size since, though the new M series blower and humidifier is small, the size specs don't include the large and heavy three-corded power supply which has to be packed too. It was so cumbersome, that this fella was forced to leave the M series humidifier home.

None of that with the S8 Vantage/H3i combo. Tiny, well built, self-contained, no separate power supply, and one single, small, power cord.

Anyhow, welcome and congrats!!! Let us know how the journey goes for you!

Chuck

BTW, I have absolutely NOTHING to do with ResMed or any other xPAP or respiratory entity. I'm a government slug.

[Linda3032]

It sounds like your sleep study went well, congratuations.

Now, don't get your heart set on a certain machine - because the S8 might not meet your needs. I say that because you wrote that the tech said she bumped up the pressure a couple of times. You also wrote that they had a Bi-Level machine in cpap mode.

If your pressure is quite high, you may need a BiLevel. It will be much heavier than the S8, but the S8 may not work for you.

Talk in depth with your doctor about how much you travel.

Did you contact your insurance company or billmyinsurance? Be sure to address that before you get a machine and sign on the dotted line.

[Guest]

You are on the right track!
I have a PB420E I use for travel, and a ResMed Spirit I use on a daily basis. The only reason I use the Spirit at home is the integrated humidifier (I always forget to turn off the 420E's). In my opinion, the PB420E would be a fine choice for you for both travel and/or everyday use. I've had mine a little over a year now, and travel quite often. It comes with a great bag that has plenty of room for the machine, humidifier, mask ands hose, it weighs next to nothing and provides excellent protection for your machine. I see no difference in the quality of sleep I get with either of my machines, and they are both very quiet. One drawback is that the humidifier requires a separate plug. The good news is the machine can use different voltages without a problem. Based on my experience I would buy a PB420E all over again. Another option for you might be the BreatheX machine. Take a look at the reviews posted on this forum for that one. It might prove to be a good travel machine for you.

[nodding off]

sorry, I got logged out somehow! Guest above was me. Contact me if I can be of further help!

[SleeplessInVirginia]

Goofy,
Thanks for all of the positive feedback on the Resmed. I like several qualities about that machine, the size, the EPR feature, the fact that it only takes one plug for the entire unit (machine and humidifier). I like the auto mode because of the wide differential in my AHI with my sleeping positions, but since my entire study was on my back last night they might have some new data for me. Will just have to wait and see. I like the EPR because the pressure on exhalation really bothered me, even though I know that feature doesn't work in auto. It would just be nice to have both options in one machine. Thanks again for all the info.

Linda,
You have given me so much good advice, I really appreciate all of it! I hadn't even thought about the chances of me needing a bilevel, thought I would be okay with the auto since my OSA isn't that bad. I have no idea what my final setting was, wish my tech had been more talkative. I asked her about an "auto" machine and she didn't have any idea what I was talking about. She said they only make a regular CPAP and the bilevel. My doctor does know about my frequent travel; hey, maybe this will be a good excuse to finally retire!! I am the research queen and don't worry, I won't sign on any dotted lines until I have all of my ducks in a row. Thanks again for all of your help!

Nodding Off,
Thank you for your reply as well. I originally really liked all of the features with the PB420, the only two drawbacks are the need for 2 plugs (outlets are a premium at many hotels in Europe ) and the fact that it doesn't have the exhale features of the Resmed. I loved the humidifier and really think that I will need it, flying dries me out so much so that I need all the help I can get so the BreatheX is out for me. It's a great idea though, very unique. If I start swaying back to the PB420 I will be in touch. Thanks again!

[SleeplessInVirginia]

I went in for my cpap titration over 3 weeks ago, and finally got into my doctor this morning to get the results. I stopped by the office 2 weeks ago to see if they had received my results and they had; they said he would call me with the results but I never heard back. I called a couple of times and was always told he would call me back, but it took me making an actual appt. this morning to get my results.
My results, very confusing and frustrating. They started me at 6 cm and increased it to 8 cm during the night. That was the highest they ever set it, and I was still having 12 AHI with pressure at 8 cm. Their conclusion is that my apnea is not effectively treated with cpap. Now, correct me if I am wrong, but shouldn't they have tried bumping the pressure up higher to get my AHI down? My doctor stated that since my original AHI was only 16 that an AHI of 12 with cpap wasn't enough of an improvement to try cpap at home. At my original sleep study my total AHI was 16, but when I slept on my back my AHI was 41. During my titration I only slept on my back.
After going back and forth my doctor did agree for me to try cpap at home and he suggested starting my pressure at 10. Am I way off base to insist on doing a trial basis of cpap at home? Even though my overall AHI is only 16, I am primarily a "back" sleeper and my husband tells me that I struggle the majority of the night at home trying to breath. What also concerns me is the duration of my events, the longest one I had was 57 seconds and several times during my original study my O2 dropped to 84%. I am no doctor, but I think I do need to try every avenue to try and treat this before it gets worse.
Thanks for listening, just needed to vent for a few minutes.

[GoofyUT]

Well, it IS strange, as you've said. In general, you need an AHI>20 to "qualify", though an AHI>5 with certain cardinal symptoms like excessive daytime drowsiness can qualify you too (in terms of meeting Medicare requirements for payment for treatment).

Your AHI is low, but you mention an AHI of 41 when you were on your back. I'm not sure how you had such a high AHI during that segment, but a non-qualifying AHI overall.

However, most of all, it sounds like your doctor is a slug who you ought to fire and replace. Your AHI of 41 on your back qualifies you, and that in its own right REQUIRES attention and treatment.

Chuck

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CPAPopedia Keywords Contained In This Post (Click For Definition): medicare, AHI

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CPAPopedia Keywords Contained In This Post (Click For Definition): medicare, AHI

[Guest 2]

SleeplessInVirginia:

I think they should at least let you try an Auto machine at home to see how you fare! What you describe should be treated in one way or another! I would Change Doctors immediatly!

[Guest]

I would love to switch doctors at this point, but I feel as though I have so much invested in this that I can't really afford to start all over some place else. I haven't been impressed with this doctor from the beginning, and he didn't do anything this morning to change my opinion. When he walked into the exam room this morning he asked me how I felt, if I had any nausea and if the antibiotic was working. HUH? I told him I didn't have any nausea and wasn't on any antibiotics and he finally realized he had the wrong chart! Didn't do much to instill confidence on my part!
I did ask him about an auto and he said that I didn't need one since I had already had a sleep study and that pulmonologists don't really like autos. I thought I would benefit from one since my AHI varied so much with my different sleeping positions but he disagreed.
My insurance company is BCBS, and they're requirement is that you have an AHI of >15 so I do qualify for a cpap through them.

[SleeplessInVirginia]

oops, that last post was from me, I didn't realize I wasn't logged in.

[GoofyUT]

Regardless, you QUALIFY based on your AHI=41 whn you were on your back, and its those positional changes in airway patency for which the auto is designed in the first place.

Many pulmonologists don't like auto because they either believe that the bugs haven't been worked out, or they believe in the slight evidence that autos are dangerous for those with heart failure. If you don't have a histroy of heart failure, you ought to be able to talk to your doc about APAP, since it doesn't make semse to blow you at a higher pressure throughout the night just to take care of those times when you are on your back. That's when an auto would adjust pressures based on airway patency changes that result from positional changes.

BTW, ResMed lists a LOT of literature with links to the actual articles, on their web-site. You ought to reveiw them yourself, but you can also copy them and give them to your doc.

Chuck

[Linda3032]

That is confusing, and I'm not really sure I understood what I just read. That being said, I would get a copy of my sleep study and see another doctor. See if a new one agrees with what you were originally told, and go from there.

I would think that an Auto should be used (one with a smart card that a doctor knows how to read), with a pressure set from 8 to 12. The report from the card will provide lots more info.

[Wulfman]

Has he written you out a prescription yet? Or, is he saying you don't qualify?
If he hasn't, see if you can at least get him to write you one with a prescribed pressure......then you can go from there. (like run away from him as fast as you can.....this guy is "bad news" in my opinion).

Den