how long did it take to get CPAP after diagnosis?

[knitterwanabe]

I am a 31yr old female andI was recently diagnosed...about 3 weeks ago...I still have not discussed the results of my sleep lab with anyone and I am still waiting for my CPAP...I was told after the 2nd lab that someone would call me in a week or 10 days...no call,I called...I was told that someone was supposed to come to my home last weekend...I'm getting a little frustrated because of the poor communication.I just don't know what I am supposed to do...
Is this normal?...am I being impatient?When am I supposed to go back to my Dr?
I feel lost.

Thanks for listening.
If anyone can share about how this is supposed to go...it would really help.

-Ginger

[idahogal]

Hello, Not that it helps you at all but yes, it can take a while. I think I waited a month before I got my results, equipment and mask. They say that the hang up is with the sleep lab reading and interpreting the results. I was told that the report is 800 pages. I am not sure how true this is but this was my experience.

[krousseau]

2 days-and I live in a rural area. When I left the clinic the day after my titration I left with a report of the first study, the report on the titration from the night before, and the prescription. I waited for about an hour for the titration report. I called & faxed the Rx to the local DME while still in the Stanford area. (It is a four hour drive home and I was hoping to pick the machine up along the way-sleepiness got the best of me and I checked into a friend's home a few miles away-so didn't get it that day.)

DO NOT give up your prescription-make several copies-your copy is a copy anyway. If you already gave the Rx to the DME get a copy for yourself.

If you have not seen the Rx get it from the clinic/doc ASAP. Also get copies of your sleep study and titration study.

If you have the prescription, insurance, and are tied to a specific DME; copy it, take it to the DME and tell them you will pick it up.

If you are paying out of pocket-order online-cpap.com has been good to order from.

If you have insurance and can use any DME-order online and get reimbursed by insurance-if you can do that-or use billmyinsurance.com (part of cpap.com)

By the way if you have not already done so start a crash course in CPAPs right here . Up in the header there is an option called CPAPopedia-check out the different features of the different xPAPs. Use the search feature on popular brands/models. The Rx may say CPAP but you may want an auto CPAP-especially if you are paying out of pocket-you can get what you want. If insurance is paying try renting until you know if you need/want the auto titrating machine. Some insurers require you to fail CPAP before they will pay for APAP.

[OwlCreekObserver]

I think it was somewhere between four and six weeks after my sleep lab before I got a call from the doctor's office. They gave me a list of four DMEs that they normally work with and let me pick the one I wanted. After that it was just a day or two before I got a call from the DME to arrange for a delivery of the equipment and I received it shortly after that.

All I know about the reasons for these delays is what I've read from other folks here. I eventually got what I was supposed to get and I didn't have to threaten anyone to get it. I can't say whether or not I'd have gotten it any faster if I'd been more pushy.

[Guest]

3 days, respiratory therapist came to my home.
Live in town of 15,000, SW of New Orleans.

marie

[inacpapfog]

Appointment scheduled, sleep study #1, sleep study #2, meeting to discuss results, faxed prescription, and picked up machine and supplies-
All within 30 days!

[Guest]

If you are unsure what the timeline is supposed to be, I would suggest nothing more than a friendly polite call to the MD office that referred you to the sleep lab.
Just something like 'Hi this is So-And-So, and I was sent to the sleep lab for a sleep study and was just wondering what you guys typically see for a turnaround time on looking over the sleep study? I've never been through this and I really have no idea what I should expect from a day to a month or somewhere inbetween!'.
I think with something like that you should be able to find out where things are.
I suspect I'm seriously on the low end of things but I got the call from the dme the day after my sleep study!

[Goofproof]

Just over a Week, But I was already getting O2 from Lincare, so I was in their system, and I didn't wait for them, I camped out on their doorstep. Jim

[Wulfman]

It was close to 4 weeks after my sleep study before I got my results. Then, the doctor's office screwed up and didn't get the sleep study to my insurance provider, which wasted another 10 days or so. I had had my prescription in my hand from the meeting with the doctor about my results, but couldn't have CPAP.COM ship my stuff until I got the official OK from my insurance provider because THEIR doctor had to review them, too.
Too darned long, considering the nurse that ran my sleep study, confirmed it to me that morning after I asked her if I had "passed" my test!
So, from sleep study to finally "getting hosed" was about 7 weeks.

Best wishes,

Den

[cpapjack]

My sleep study was done on May 2, I had my follow-up appt. with my Dr. on May 10, and had my equipment on May 17.

[newtom]

My experience is much worse. I did my 1st sleep lab May 2nd, got my diagnosis 2 weeks later but couldn't schedule a titration study until August 4! I saw the doctor again August 14 and he assured me a DME would get in touch with me in 10-15 days. In all, it will be at least 4 months between my 1st sleep study and when I will have my equipment.

[ladytonya]

As you can see from all the responses here, it really varies depending on your sleep lab, doctor, insurance company, and DME. I had my sleep study in August, titration in November and got my equipment in December. I had a delay because first my insurance company said that it was a pre-existing condition. It was not because I had a sleep study five years before this one and at that time I did not have sleep apnea. Past that hurdle. Then my sleep lab moved. That put a little delay in scheduling because at first they had less beds until they got completely set up. Now they have more beds. We have an actual sleep center where you go for the study and there are two doctors there. It still takes them a little time to review the sleep study but not as long as it used to take! No matter what route you go, be vigilant and get the proper equipment. You're in the right place to educate yourself! Good luck!

[Sleepless in St. Louis]

I was lucky enough to get my sleep study and equipment the same week. In my case, the diagnosis was "severe apnea". I wonder if they expedite the "severe" cases? While logical, I would bet that that is not how it really works. It seems to me that there would be a certain amount of liability to the sleep center if there were unaccountable delays between diagnosis and treatment. What if someone where to stop breathing and forget to ever start again during that time period. What would be the excuse? "We just had not gotten around to him yet?" Can you imagine how that would sound coming out of a tort (sp) attorney? Can you say "cha-ching". It would be interesting to me to know why it takes so long in cases of weeks or months to deliver equipment. It does not seem that complicated.

[Patrick A]

It took a month. I had my sleep study done on 21May2005, My doctor called the following Monday with the results of the test and it took until 24 Jun 2005 to recieve my Remstar Plus.

Seems even that my insurance approved the study and the unit PRIOR to the test my DME would not issue the item until they were paid up front for the first months rent. And then to top iut off I had to pay a co-pay up front. 10% of the cost.

[ladytonya]

Actually, my husband did get expedited service because he has severe OSA. He had a split night study. He only slept for an hour before they woke him up and put the mask on him. He ended up with a bi-pap less than a week from his study. He had the equipment before his follow-up appointment which according to both the DME and the sleep center is very unusual.