Have dx, can't get rx

[bellab]

Hi,

I had a home sleep study done, it took me a long time to get the appointment to the sleep center, and then another wait for the home sleep study...I called so I could get my results, and they wouldn't see me for another month so I asked to have a copy of my written results. I have a dx of obstructive sleep apnea with a recommendation for an APAP or another study to determine pressure for a CPAP. I would prefer an APAP. I asked the receptionist for a prescription, she told me they won't give me a prescription until I come in for an appointment...a month from now. No, they can't give me a prescription beforehand, and no, they cannot fit me in any earlier.

I'm so mad! I can't function, I fall asleep at the wheel when I'm driving. I've had to pull over by the side of the road, I've fallen asleep in parking lots, I've had to miss work because I couldn't drive there...I have this piece of paper (finally!) that says I DO have a condition and there IS treatment, but I don't have a 2nd piece of paper to actually allow me to get the treatment and they won't give it to me for another month! I'm at the point where I need to sleep 12 hours to function for 4 hours before I start to feel sleepy again.

I'm thinking about walk in clinics or those online doctor services that can give prescriptions...can I get a doctor to just write me the RX considering I have my test results that list an APAP as my recommended course of treatment?

Help!!!!

[bellab]

Another note, last night I had a mundane dream that suddenly turned into a nightmare, someone was beating me and I was trying to catch my breath so I could scream. When I finally did, I woke up suddenly and violently gasping for air in my bed. It left me with a nasty adrenaline rush and it took me an hour before I was calm enough to go back to sleep. I'm getting desperate!

[Wulfman...]

Hi,

I had a home sleep study done, it took me a long time to get the appointment to the sleep center, and then another wait for the home sleep study...I called so I could get my results, and they wouldn't see me for another month so I asked to have a copy of my written results. I have a dx of obstructive sleep apnea with a recommendation for an APAP or another study to determine pressure for a CPAP. I would prefer an APAP. I asked the receptionist for a prescription, she told me they won't give me a prescription until I come in for an appointment...a month from now. No, they can't give me a prescription beforehand, and no, they cannot fit me in any earlier.

I'm so mad! I can't function, I fall asleep at the wheel when I'm driving. I've had to pull over by the side of the road, I've fallen asleep in parking lots, I've had to miss work because I couldn't drive there...I have this piece of paper (finally!) that says I DO have a condition and there IS treatment, but I don't have a 2nd piece of paper to actually allow me to get the treatment and they won't give it to me for another month! I'm at the point where I need to sleep 12 hours to function for 4 hours before I start to feel sleepy again.

I'm thinking about walk in clinics or those online doctor services that can give prescriptions...can I get a doctor to just write me the RX considering I have my test results that list an APAP as my recommended course of treatment?

Help!!!!

Sounds about normal.
Are you using insurance to pay for some of this?
There are many venues to acquire equipment without an RX. A number of (respected) forum members have them for sale on a frequent basis. Another option may be http://www.secondwindcpap.com

In all probability, the costs are fairly similar.......out-of-pocket costs.......with insurance paid costs.

I would recommend registering as a member of the forum so folks can contact you.


Den

.

[bellab]

I have good insurance, so I would only have to pay a $100 deductible since it's the start of the year, and then no more deductibles for the year after that.

I guess I'm heading to craigslist...

[Pugsy]

Find yourself a decent machine on craigslist...if unsure about what models do this or that...just ask.
Later once you can get the RX and insurance provided machine the craigslist machine can be delegated to backup status or travel machine.

[BlackSpinner]

Anyone who can write a prescription can write one for you, including your dentist. Take your dx and get a prescription form someone

[grayghost4]

I have several new and used machines these are both auto cpap :

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/hab/5365353009.html

http://sfbay.craigslist.org/eby/hab/5380276198.html

PM if interested

[bellab]

Thanks,

I can't afford to go too high, I found someone local on craigslist selling an s9 auto for 150, I just need to find a mask...

[Wulfman...]

Thanks,

I can't afford to go too high, I found someone local on craigslist selling an s9 auto for 150, I just need to find a mask...

Be sure you know your S9 Autos. There's the Autoset (which is fully data-capable) and the Escape Auto. You don't want anything with the word "Escape" in it. No meaningful, if any, data.


Den

.

[palerider]

Thanks,

I can't afford to go too high, I found someone local on craigslist selling an s9 auto for 150, I just need to find a mask...

what Den said... make sure it doesn't say "escape auto" they're not good for anything besides drying your hose, trying to use that would be like trying to drive your car with your windows painted over.

it needs to say "autoset" or maybe even "VPAP Auto" by the big round power button on the top, and have a REF number on the back of 36005(a) or 36006(a) if really lucky.

also, meet at a starbucks or other coffee shop, or a library, somewhere you can plug in the machine before handing over money, and there's other people around to cut down on the chances of you getting robbed.

smell the inlet and outlet ports of the blower without it plugged on, get your nose right up in there, because if there's any cigarette or other bad smells, they're really hard to get rid of, though not impossible.

[Pugsy]

Mask purchases online from online cpap sellers like cpap.com will require a RX be on file.
The RX doesn't have to be from a sleep doctor...it can be from anyone who legally can write prescriptions like your primary care doctor or Nurse practioner or similar person.
Having the RX would mean you could get masks with return insurance (sometimes free and sometimes you pay a small fee) so that if the mask doesn't work out and you hate it you can return it and get a refund.

There are other ways to get a mask without a RX but there's no refunding when you buy a mask either privately or if you just buy the replacement parts (which don't require a RX) and you build a complete mask from parts purchased individually.

Do you have any idea what type of mask you want to try?
If you normally can breathe through your nose just fine and don't have chronic nasal congestion issues then I would suggest that you look at either the nasal pillow masks (check out the one I have in my profile) or one of the nasal cushion masks that just covers the nose. These masks have minimal surface area in contact with the skin and less surface area means less area that needs to seal and stay sealed.

If you have chronic nasal issues and you simply have to mouth breathe then you might as well start looking at full face masks (cover the nose and mouth in some fashion) because if you just have to use your mouth to breathe you want the mouth to be included in the sealed circuit otherwise when you open your mouth the air pressure will go out your mouth instead of down in your airway and it can compromise your therapy.

If you think you need a full face mask...I might have one you could just have for cost of postage only...so essentially free. I have 3 or 4 that were donated...don't know which ones or sizes at the moment...so slightly used but clean and if I didn't know they were used I wouldn't think they were because they sure weren't used much and look brand new. Get with me privately if you want to try a full face mask and I will check out my inventory.

[bellab]

I called everywhere I could- my primary has no openings next week but I was told they would see what they could do and I would hear back from them sometime next week. So I tried an urgent care next, they told me that insurance wouldn't accept an authorization from them because they are an urgent care facility, and I should call the hospital emergency room. I called them, and they told me they can't prescribe anything unless I did the sleep study through them. It seems no one is willing to write a prescription based on a test they didn't personally order and the provider who ordered it won't write one until they can bill my insurance for a couple extra dollars. So frustrating!

The craigslist ad is for an s9 autoset with H5i, but it says no SD card. Can I just stick any old card in it?

I'm very interested in the full face mask- I'll register and contact you.

I was going to go with the cheapest nasal mask I could find. I do mouth breathe in my sleep but I think it's a side effect of the sleep apnea and I could probably get used to breathing through my nose.

Thanks a ton for the advice and tips! I've been stalking the threads for weeks, you guys are awesome

[Pugsy]

Yes, you can use any generic SD card in these machines.

I thought I was a mouth breather also because my mouth was often dry but I breathed through my nose only during the day.
I was mouth breathing..rather more like gasping...at night only due to the apnea. Once the apnea was treated it took me a little while to break the open mouth habit but I never have used a full face mask (didn't want to for various reasons).

I have an idea about how to get a cheap nasal pillow mask that is actually "cheap" in dollars only and is in fact a very decent nasal pillow mask.
Or I just saw the one I use on EBay.
Send me a private message and I will explain further.

[bellab]

I agreed with the seller on $150 for the resmed s9 autoset, and I am planning on picking up tomorrow. They said they have small children so they would prefer to meet at their home- I'll bring my boyfriend along

[SewTired]

Great, glad to hear that you are getting some help. As to masks, I would go with the most popular, so come back here and describe what you are looking for. Then get the 'parts'. I was not a mouth breather so went with the Swift FX nose pillows. That is still my go-to mask. Someone else will have to recommend nasal masks or full masks. I use Circadian, but they are bit pricey.