Sleep Deprived: Caring Doc Saves The Day

telly · Post by **telly** » Fri Dec 22, 2006 11:49 am

I'm getting ready to leave for the Sleep Doc and I get a call from the office and they are palming me off to another office. All I want is my freakin' Rx! Awaiting a call from this "other" office where I learn that there is NO Doc there today and "Can't I wait until Tuesday?"

Help. I need support. I'm going out of my mind I am so tired.

snoregirl · Post by **snoregirl** » Fri Dec 22, 2006 12:06 pm

Hang in there.

Is there no way you can talk the original Friday office into taking you, plead beg? Your other doc who palmed you off to this new office because she wasn't comfortable writing your script can't make a few calls to get you in as promised?

Can't think of anything else.

Too late to not answer the phone or not get the message that the appt was canceled. Otherwise that would have been a good strategy if the cancelation message was left on your phone answering machine.

telly · Post by **telly** » Fri Dec 22, 2006 12:13 pm

Already 10 minutes late for the original appointment and still no call from the "other office". The original office found a BS reason to palm me off. I should not have let them do that.

Man, my Endo screwed this one up royally. She sent to a place that were not sleep specialists so now they have reason to palm me off. ...

I won't be surprised when I get blown off by this other clinic. ...

Rabid1 · Post by **Rabid1** » Fri Dec 22, 2006 12:13 pm

My process started around Oct. 1st, and I haven't even had my titration study yet!

Now I'm hearing it may be some time in February before I finally get an Rx.

4 1/2 mos is too long!

I feel ya dude.

telly · Post by **telly** » Fri Dec 22, 2006 12:14 pm

Rabid1 wrote:My process started around Oct. 1st, and I haven't even had my titration study yet!

Now I'm hearing it may be some time in February before I finally get an Rx.

4 1/2 mos is too long!

I feel ya dude.

Thanks Rabid, I am 'bout to raise some H-E-double toothpicks to get SOME kind of Rx today. I'm just gonna get in the car and drive down to my original appointment and see what they say.

You hang in there yourself. I'm going into warrior mode.

telly · Post by **telly** » Fri Dec 22, 2006 12:27 pm

telly wrote:I won't be surprised when I get blown off by this other clinic. ...

Guess what? Blown off by the new place now. ...

Linda3032 · Post by **Linda3032** » Fri Dec 22, 2006 12:27 pm

I know you are tired, but you are only driving yourself nuts and getting more exhausted. Calm yourself.

Don't be in such a rush that you accept equipment you don't want. Proceed slowly and with caution. This is a long process and you need the correct equipment.

I had to wait two months for my first sleep study, and then one month for my second one. Then another month for my doctors visit, and prescription. It was a total of 4 months from suspecting sleep apnea until I got my equipment.

But I got the equipment I want and need. Plus I have peace of mind. That's what's important.

telly · Post by **telly** » Fri Dec 22, 2006 12:29 pm

Linda3032 wrote:I know you are tired, but you are only driving yourself nuts and getting more exhausted. Calm yourself.

Yeah. You're right. I just don't like getting jerked around by "the man".

tbrown1 · Post by **tbrown1** » Fri Dec 22, 2006 12:38 pm

raising hell is the only way - at least it was for me. I told them I wanted relief and wanted it now and I was not leaving their office without something. they gave me the usual excuses " won't know what setting until your titratoin... blah, blah, blah. I told them to make an educated guess - they finally relented sent me home with a loaner machine - told me how hard it was going to be.... BULL!!! I took to it like a duck to water after 3 days. I think you are where I was. If was determined it was going to work for me because i was sooo tired. I still am but it is getting a little better each day. If you look back at some of my earlier posts you will see I was whining a little about a little of everything. This morning I was so excited. The doc gave me sleeping pills & some ativan to help me get deeper sleep. I decided I already had enough problems without getting hooked on drugs so I started putting the sleeping pill on my night stand and if I woke up after 2 hours sleep (which i HAVE DONE FOR THE PAST 2 YEARS) that I would take the pill. This morning I woke up ,still dark outside so I am figuring it is probably midnight or 1'ish..... look at the clock and IT WAS 6:30 pill still on the nightstand... YIPPEE!!! The only complaint I have at this time is my DME provider has been passing me around for the last 2 weeks - probably because it is Christmas.

blarg · Post by **blarg** » Fri Dec 22, 2006 12:42 pm

telly wrote:I am 'bout to raise some H-E-double toothpicks to get SOME kind of Rx today.

I never had a titration study. We were going to do one, and then I called them and said, "Hey, I'm looking to get an APAP anyway, so why spend another night in the sleep lab and waste everyone's time if we're just going to be handing me an APAP anyway?"

So, you could always ask for a script for "Auto Titrating PAP with C-Flex" and no specific pressure. It's what I did. Then you get to deal with the DME over it instead of trying to get into the sleep lab again.

oldgearhead · Post by **oldgearhead** » Fri Dec 22, 2006 12:50 pm

Of course you could always go here (below) and buy the machine. Then
go to cpap.com and get the rest of the stuff. Be very careful though, this
stuff is dangerous, it can blow low pressure air right past your lollipop.

http://auctions.yahoo.com/search?p=CPAP&cat=0

telly · Post by **telly** » Fri Dec 22, 2006 1:00 pm

snoregirl wrote:Hang in there.

Is there no way you can talk the original Friday office into taking you, plead beg? Your other doc who palmed you off to this new office because she wasn't comfortable writing your script can't make a few calls to get you in as promised?

Can't think of anything else.

Too late to not answer the phone or not get the message that the appt was canceled. Otherwise that would have been a good strategy if the cancelation message was left on your phone answering machine.

Hey SG,
Yup. That's where I'm back to. My Endo palmed me off, now I'm getting her office to see if there's another doc that can see me down there.

DME says if I get my Rx today, then they can deliver my machine later this afternoon.

C'mon Doc, help a brother out. I don't want to kick off in my sleep over the holidays.

telly · Post by **telly** » Fri Dec 22, 2006 1:19 pm

My DME suggested I call a few sleep clinics in LA, as a last resort. I did and one clued me in. Only 2 people can write my Rx: my Endo or the MD that interpreted my original Sleep Report.

DING!

So I tracked down the MD online and find he's in Northern California, but I call anyway. I tell my story to the Office Mgr. and she's sympathetic. She catches the Doc before he heads out for the holidays. He will write the Rx if my DME can fax over the sleep report. "Oh, and one small favor doc? Can you make it an auto-titrating machine with C-Flex?"

BADDA BING BADDA BOOM.....

The Rx is on the way to the DME and telly is in good shape for getting the machine this afternoon. Hope the Doc honors my request. I'm so glad I don't have to stalk my Endo now. ...

telly · Post by **telly** » Fri Dec 22, 2006 4:47 pm

One last hurdle:
My DME doesn't have the APAP ordered by the Rx in stock.
I will rent a straight CPAP which will be delivered to my house tomorrow.

Rx will be mailed to my house. When I get that in a few days. I'll get the machine I want online. I think I could deal with straight up CPAP for a week or two.

Looks like I will have a Happy Birthday AND a Merry Xmas. Kewl. .

snoregirl · Post by **snoregirl** » Fri Dec 22, 2006 4:52 pm

way to go!!!!!

Persistance pays off.

Sleep Deprived: Caring Doc Saves The Day

Sleep Deprived: Caring Doc Saves The Day

YES! Caring Doc to the Rescue...

bumpy ride, but it's over