Newbie that is about to start the PAP therapy...

[OxyJo]

Hi, everyone in this community:

My name is Joseph, and I live in San Diego, CA. I just switched my medical service provider to Scripps. When I visited my new PCP for the first time, I didn't complain about getting tired/sleepy easily, but somehow he just got the feeling to prescribe me a nocturnal oximetry test, which helped my find out that I have moderate Sleep Apnea. I have done my Split Night Sleep Study on 08/26/08, which I was woke up around 2 A.M. by the technician saying that I was qualified to be hooked onto the CPAP machine. Now I am waiting for my next visit with my doctor in the Sleep Center on the end of Sept. 08, and I am trying hard to re-schedule this visit (learned this from this website ) so that it can be done as early as possible. Although I still don't know what my sleep study result is, I think I am one of the people suffered from the OSA and will be prescribed with the PAP therapy.

From my nocturnal oximetry result, I learned that my nocturnal oxygen saturation dropped to around 70% 3 times in that night, for a duration of total 35 minutes or so. Since then I was collecting information on how to cure this, and that's how I found this website. Thank you all very much for all the useful info you provided here. I learned a lot from this website so that when I first visited my doctor in the sleep center, he is kind of surprised by me being well informed about OSA, Sleep Study, and what will happened next. Although I don't know whether I am well prepared to accept wearing the mask and being hooked onto the PAP machine for the rest of my life, now I am eager to try out the PAP machine and the mask. However, I don't know which machine/mask I should start with.

From this website, I saw that a lot of you use RemStar M series with A-Flex, so I assume that this is a good machine that I can try out first? How about the ResMed S8 AutoSet II? Is this also a good machine for me to try out? If the doctor suggests me to use the BiPAP machine, which one do you suggest? RemStar M Series BiPAP Auto or ResMed VPAP III ST Bilevel or others?

I also suffer from allergic rhinitis since I was a small kid, and most of the time at least one of my nostrils is half or completely stuffed, so I do mouth breathing a lot, especially during the night. I have sought the medical help from an otolaryngologist, and he prescribed me with Nasonex spray. Now the spray is almost used up. Should I continue using Nasonex while I use the PAP machine? Is it possible for a person like me to use the nose-mask or nose-pillow? Should I try out the full-face mask first before I consider nose-mask or nose-pillow? Which kind of mask is better - nose-mask, full-face, nose-pillow, or other (for fewer leakage, easy to get accustomed to wear, fewer obstruction when tossing and turning, ...)? I saw a lot of you use ResMed Mirage Quattro, so I assume that this is a good mask that I can try out first?

Now my health insurance plan is PacificCare SignatureValue HMO, so does anyone knows how much this health insurance plan covers the expenses on the PAP machine and mask? Do they provide PAP machine and/or mask try-out? I think I also need a humidifier because I coughed a lot and felt a dry throat when I stepped out the Sleep Lab the morning I finished my sleep study. So how should I tell my doctor in the sleep center so that he can issue the prescription correctly to help me get the PAP machine and mask I need? By the way, can I choose the DME person? If so, how should I find a good DME person? The DME person will also be there in my next doctor's visit, which I will know my sleep study result. Is this OK? Or should I talk to the doctor and know my sleep study result first before I meet the DME person?

Again, thank you all very much for providing us with so much useful info. Nice to be a member of this wonderful community, though OSA is not something I actually want.

Joseph

[RipVW]

Hello & Welcome, Joseph! Glad you found this forum--SO much useful info and SO many helpful people here!

I love my M Series auto, but the Resmed is great machine as well.

"You are getting sleepy . . ."

[Slinky]

Welcome to the forum, OxyJo. You're off to a good start.

Call your insurance company and ask them what local DME CPAP suppliers they are contracted with. Hopefully, you will have the option of more than one so you can explore your equipment options and select the one who will provide you w/the best equipment, have the most lenient mask exchange policy and an RT (respiratory therapist) staff person you feel comfortable working with.

You can also ask them about your DME (durable medical equipment) benefits. Copays? Deductables? Annual limit? Out right purchase or rental? If rental for how long before it comes your sole property?

The Resmed S8 II AutoSet is an excellent autoPAP. It is fully data capable and the data is EASY to access via the LCD screen. It has a trouble-free, easy to use integrated, heated humidifer and most sleep doctors today include a heated humidifier in the equipment order (script).

The Resmed VPAP Auto or VPAP Auto 25 are the newest Resmed bi-levels available and more fully data capable than the Resmed bi-level device you've mentioned.

Renew your script for the Nasonex for now. You may get lucky and the CPAP integrated humidifier will negate the need for future use of it, but until you know that for sure, use your Nasonex if it is working for you.

As far as mask styles the local DME supplier should allow you to try at least one of each mask style in their shop before deciding on which one to take home and try. You never really know until you sleep w/a mask for several nights how well it is going to work for you. The Resmed Mirage Quattro full face mask, the Resmed Swift LT nasal pillows, Resmed Mirage Micro nasal cushion mask are all popular well-liked masks. I'm not sure just which of the "hybrid" styles are gaining the most popularity.