Would you recommend purchasing CPAP without an Rx?

[Guest]

I am considering purchasing CPAP equipment without a sleep study or Rx. I am having increasing insomnia, snoring and waking frequently "gasping" for air. My husband has used CPAP with noted relief for over five years. In desperation I did try his machine after a few days of sleep deprivation and was amazed at the restorative sleep in only two hours. I have a painfully high deductible with my insurance and any studies and equipment would be an out of pocket expense. I would so appreciate any advice and/ or suggestions anyone could offer. Thank you!

[JDS74]

If you are going that route, then get a Respironics 760 or equivalent. I'm not up to speed on the ResMed machines.
It is a BiPap machine with full efficacy data and will give you information that is very helpful but not as complete as a sleep study.

Prior to that, I would suggest getting a recording pulse-oximeter and using it every night for a week. Print out detail data for each day.

With that oximetry data in hand, see if you can see your husband's sleep doctor and discuss the financial difficulties of getting sleep studies done. Ask if he would write you a scrip for an auto bi-level machine and review your data. The initial settings should be somewhat lower than you experienced for EPAP and somewhat higher for IPAP on your husband's machine. That way the machine will be doing a mini sleep study. He will probably listen to your lungs to make sure you don't have any problems that would put you at risk.

You can do it.
Good luck.

[Pugsy]

What pressure did you use when you experimented with your husband's machine?
That model 760 is a bilevel machine and while it would cover higher pressure needs potential quite well...those are hard to find in the secondary market and quite expensive.
You might not need that higher pressure capability or the relief it offers.
What machine does your husband use?
And while Auto adjusting machines are nice to have...people can do what you want to do with a straight cpap machine. Might take just a little more work but it can be done.

If looking at auto adjusting model...the PR System One Auto cpap model 560 would do you well and is usually a little less expensive than its ResMed counterpart the S9 AutoSet.
If you go looking at the bilevel models...your prices will nearly double and they are hard to find in the secondary market.
Now they are really nice...I use them myself so if you can find one...it's nice to have but they aren't always easy to find.
Online you would have to have a bilevel RX...single pressure cpap/apap RX won't allow you to buy a bilevel machine so using your husband's RX wouldn't help.

[archangle]

If you are going that route, then get a Respironics 760 or equivalent. I'm not up to speed on the ResMed machines.
It is a BiPap machine with full efficacy data and will give you information that is very helpful but not as complete as a sleep study.

Prior to that, I would suggest getting a recording pulse-oximeter and using it every night for a week. Print out detail data for each day.

With that oximetry data in hand, see if you can see your husband's sleep doctor and discuss the financial difficulties of getting sleep studies done. Ask if he would write you a scrip for an auto bi-level machine and review your data. The initial settings should be somewhat lower than you experienced for EPAP and somewhat higher for IPAP on your husband's machine. That way the machine will be doing a mini sleep study. He will probably listen to your lungs to make sure you don't have any problems that would put you at risk.

You can do it.
Good luck.

A Respironics 760 is a bilevel machine and tends to cost a lot more than an Auto CPAP. It's unlikely you'll need bilevel, so the extra expense is probably not worth it. However, if you buy the non-bilevel machine, and find out later you need bilevel, you will end up paying twice.

As to whether it's a good idea to go without a prescription, I don't recommend it. CPAP machines aren't just "plug it in and forget it" machines, even the auto ones. Someone needs to monitor the results and see if it's working, and ajust pressures.

Even if do it yourself CPAP doesn't directly harm you, it presents the risk that you have some other medical problem and you're ignoring it because you're trying to treat it with CPAP. You might be using CPAP, but still not be effectively treating your apnea.

You would need to learn how to read your own data, diagnose your own problems, find the right pressure, adjust your machine, solve problems, etc. It's not necessarily that easy, even with help from anonymous people on the internet.

If you do it anyway, do be sure to get a fully data capable machine and commit to learning how to monitor your own therapy. A Resmed S9 AutoSet or a Philips PRS1 Auto. These are auto machines which help you find the right pressure, but you still need to know what you're doing to set the right pressure range. The ResMed S9 Elite or PRS1 Pro are good manual pressure CPAP machines where you'll have to find the right pressure by varying the pressure yourself.

There's some info in my signature line on how to not get the wrong CPAP machine, whether you go through a doctor or not.

Some people do roll their own treatment without a doctor, but it takes a lot of commitment and work to get it right. Unfortunately, you often don't get good therapy management even with a doctor. You still need to learn a lot about CPAP even if you do go through a doctor.

[cdean]

Would you recommend purchasing CPAP without an Rx?

It is one of those things . . If you have to ask, the answer is clear . . . No, do not do it without an RX.

However, IMO, under doctor supervision an at home sleep study can cost pretty close to nothing more than the rental of a little equipment for a couple days that the doc may provide, plus the cost of the doc appointment. Now, the home study is not as comprehensive as a study at an overnight facility. But, I'm beginning to think it is a scam to require it for every patient where Obstructive Sleep Apnea is suspected.

If you do get a cpap make sure it is fully data capable so you can properly track your treatment, etc. In the Respironics line that would mean at least a 460. It is the "Pro" model.
You can see it here . . . https://www.cpap.com/productpage/pr-sys ... chine.html

[kaiasgram]

You said that you had a positive experience with your hubby's machine. What is the exact make and model?

[somnolentdoc]

Would you recommend purchasing CPAP without an Rx?

It is one of those things . . If you have to ask, the answer is clear . . . No, do not do it without an RX.

However, IMO, under doctor supervision an at home sleep study can cost pretty close to nothing more than the rental of a little equipment for a couple days that the doc may provide, plus the cost of the doc appointment. Now, the home study is not as comprehensive as a study at an overnight facility. But, I'm beginning to think it is a scam to require it for every patient where Obstructive Sleep Apnea is suspected.

If you do get a cpap make sure it is fully data capable so you can properly track your treatment, etc. In the Respironics line that would mean at least a 460. It is the "Pro" model.
You can see it here . . . https://www.cpap.com/productpage/pr-sys ... chine.html

Sound advice IMO.

[LenAnd]

Thank you everyone for your informative replies - so appreciated. As to the questions regarding my husband's machine - he has a Fisher-Paykel Sleepstyle 254 Auto Pap with integrated heated humidifier. Again, he has had this for almost 5 years, with no issues or concerns. I do have more research to do before I commit to a purchase and will also discuss with my physician. Again, if I can bypass the expense of a sleep study, I may obtain the same machine my husband is using as this seemed to be helpful. Thank you again for your helpful information!

[archangle]

Thank you everyone for your informative replies - so appreciated. As to the questions regarding my husband's machine - he has a Fisher-Paykel Sleepstyle 254 Auto Pap with integrated heated humidifier. Again, he has had this for almost 5 years, with no issues or concerns. I do have more research to do before I commit to a purchase and will also discuss with my physician. Again, if I can bypass the expense of a sleep study, I may obtain the same machine my husband is using as this seemed to be helpful. Thank you again for your helpful information!

Do NOT get the sleepstyle. The ResMed and Philips Respironics machines I listed have many very important advantages over that one. Read the links in my signature line.

[JDS74]

The SleepStyle 254 is now out of production as of January of this year making that particular model not the best choice.
You will get much better data if you get one of the data capable machines and that will help you adjust your own settings if you need to omit the sleep study.

You will need to be able to see the breakdown of Obstructive Apneas, Central (clear airway) Apneas, Hypopneas at a minimum as well as information on breathing rate and tidal volume. The better models of the Respironics and ResMed machines provide that information. I'm not sure what level of machine in the Fisher-Paykel line of CPAP machines provide that information.

Because you are trying to do without the sleep study, one of the auto bi-level machines may be a better choice. They can be set to straight CPAP mode if that works better for you. OTOH, a straight CPAP cannot be set to any bi-level mode at all.

In addition, the software to self-monitor is readily available for ResMed and Respironics machines.