Physological impact

[Caring Compassionate therapist]

Can anyone give our DME advise on physological impact for "newbees'. My follow up evalution from my patient states I didn't address this!!!
Signed; Caring, Compassionate therapist!

[BeanMeScot]

Physological is not a word. Did they mean psychological impact or physiological impact?

[harry33]

it varies a lot
some women fear their husbands wont find them attaracive when wearing thre CPAP mask, some fear ridicule by family for their appearance using mask

some feel humiliated and insulted by both CPAP use and their treatment at the sleep studies at the sleep lab

some who mouthbreathe for no reason or need are very insulted when its suggested that nose breathing is best


since it seem about half those prescribed and supplied with a CPAP never use them, this subject needs more research

[Sleepy Taz]

Educate yourself on how to train your patients to be involved with their therapy. Explain the numbers and what they mean and give them options on a cpap and masks. This is very important as most people who stop therapy have of mask issues. These people need to realize that the cpap will help them live longer and that if something isn't working you will try to help them find something that will. The average person can tell when someone cares and will be more at ease the more knowledge and understanding thet you portray.

[-SWS]

Can anyone give our DME advise on physological impact for "newbees'. My follow up evalution from my patient states I didn't address this!!!
Signed; Caring, Compassionate therapist!

Well, there are an entire variety of possible emotional responses when someone receives an apnea diagnosis---and a formidable looking CPAP machine.

It may be possible to find out from that patient what kinds of words or gestures they might have preferred instead.

Also bear in mind that nobody, no matter how well intended, is capable of predicting and saying the right thing under all circumstances. You might have simply been one of the messengers bearing bad apnea news---thus in the wrong place at the wrong time, regarding your patient's emotions.

Good luck with that!

[kteague]

It may be that a few carefully placed comments would make a patient feel their whole person had been considered. Here are a couple to modify for your use. But beware, if you're going to open Pandora's box, you'd best be prepared for what comes out. It wouldn't be a bad idea for some inservice training on this subject (plus lot of reading on here).

This first one validates whatever emotions they may be feeling and suggests things will get better.

We get a variety of reactions from our patients about starting cpap treatment. Some are just glad for relief, others aren't so receptive. I always suggest patients reserve final judgement until after the adjustment phase when they start reaping the benefits of their efforts.

The next one plants a seed of thought to work through problems and not give up.

Some take to this treatment like a duck to water. Others go through a period of adjustment. I expect you will do just fine, but if you do have any adjustment issues, please call without delay. I don't want you to become discouraged, as this treatment is so important to your health and well being.

That's my 2 cents.
Kathy

[jnk]

Is this another "how much padding on the 2x4" question?

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=35791&st=0&sk=t&sd=a#p308347

Personally, I think Kathy's suggested wording is worth MUCH, MUCH, MUCH more than 2 cents:

It may be that a few carefully placed comments would make a patient feel their whole person had been considered. Here are a couple to modify for your use. But beware, if you're going to open Pandora's box, you'd best be prepared for what comes out. It wouldn't be a bad idea for some inservice training on this subject (plus lot of reading on here).

This first one validates whatever emotions they may be feeling and suggests things will get better.

We get a variety of reactions from our patients about starting cpap treatment. Some are just glad for relief, others aren't so receptive. I always suggest patients reserve final judgement until after the adjustment phase when they start reaping the benefits of their efforts.

The next one plants a seed of thought to work through problems and not give up.

Some take to this treatment like a duck to water. Others go through a period of adjustment. I expect you will do just fine, but if you do have any adjustment issues, please call without delay. I don't want you to become discouraged, as this treatment is so important to your health and well being.

That's my 2 cents.
Kathy

[BlackSpinner]

Like as if anyone feels great waking up with a thing on their face already. A lot of people have anxiety attacks while asleep because of that.

Try sleeping with it - just try and then come back after a month and talk to us.

[Pugsy]

The DME guy who I get my supplies from was not who I got my machine from yet when I explained that I would still like to use him for supplies and asked if he had a problem with my way of monitoring my treatment his comment sticks in my mind and I left feeling like he did care.

His comment covers a lot of bases.

"My job is to help you help yourself with this treatment. You have to do the work but I will help in anyway that I can to make it easier for you to do the work and feel better. If you have any questions or concerns about anything, please do not hesitate to contact me"

[SaltLakeJan]

It is hard to please everyone - and some people are upset at having to wear CPAP, and you might not be able to ease their minds. However, when I began cpap in January of 2009, the R.T. offered me one mask to try on, It didn't fit, I asked if I could try another - his response, When you question what we offer, we know your type, "YOU ARE DOOMED TO FAILURE" He repeated this mantra a couple of more times - I left so discouraged if I had no found CPAP that night, I probably would not have persisted.

My present R.T. is a great example of a caring R.T. He knows his products, & offers the ones he feels will be fitting for me. I wanted to try a FF mask. He told me he didn't think any of the FF masks they carried would fit me, but got them and let me try them. He was right, I/we couldn't stop the leaks.

I think it is obvious that you care for people or you wouldn't have asked what you could do to improve.

I wish you well, you have a very important job. Finding a mask to fit each sleep apnea patient is vital for their success. Just do the best you can. JAN

[preemiern]

Can anyone give our DME advise on physological impact for "newbees'. My follow up evalution from my patient states I didn't address this!!!
Signed; Caring, Compassionate therapist!

Wow--just the fact that you came searching for a forum, and then asked this question shows you care. Just stick by your patients, and do what you can to help them iron out all the idiosyncracies this therapy takes to be successful. Make sure your patients feel that they can come back over and over until they find the right mask, as it most often is the mask that can make or break the therapy. And if you get patients like us that want to monitor and be involved with their therapy, then support them in that. Thanks for taking the time to find us!! Cindy

[TXLadybug]

I'm assuming you want initial reactions to diagnosis of sleep apnea, and xpap/masks. Well, at first I thought that no one else understood or cared that I had just been told I would need to be hooked up to a "breathing machine" for the rest of my life, with a space mask attached. But, I so desperately wanted to get better that I would try anything and give it my all. Had the right attitude from the start, but no one fitted me for a mask....they sent a "Medium" from the DME which was delivered with the xpap to my house by a "tech". He knew how to unpack it, plug it in, put all the pieces together and show me basic maintenance required. Had to call DME out of state on the phone to get the rest of my questions answered. Felt abandoned. Felt stupid because I could not control the situation. Now a machine would be controlling me every single night for the rest of my life.

[kteague]

JNK - you are too generous!

Pugsy - Your DME guy's comment was a winner! Worth its weight in gold.

Kathy

[klockemy]

Can anyone give our DME advise on physological impact for "newbees'. My follow up evalution from my patient states I didn't address this!!!
Signed; Caring, Compassionate therapist!

Want advice for your DME? First, have them dump you and find a therapist who can spell 'psychological/physiological' and 'advice' first, then they have a starting point to move forward with. Personally, if I don't have a therapist who can spell or write correctly, what confidence do I have in the treatment? Second, have them actually learn about the products and be able to field questions. Third, give them some common sense and some compassion. Lastly, teach them to stop screwing over CPAP patients with cheap equipment just to pad their bottom lines. CPAP users are people too.

[ozij]

Want advice for your DME? First, have them dump you and find a therapist who can spell 'psychological/physiological' and 'advice' first, then they have a starting point to move forward with. Personally, if I don't have a therapist who can spell or right correctly, what confidence do I have in the treatment?

Actually, quit a bit of confidence because:

• Disliexia does not mean a person lacks compassion, nor does it mean a person has no right to ask for help on this forum, nor nor does it mean they can't be good therapists.
• Furthermore, the ability to spell properly does not mean a person is capable in anything but proper spelling (with or withou the help of a spellchecker) nor does it mean they are honest and will give you the support or therapy you need. Perfect speller can be perfect cheats.

Third, give them some common sense and some compassion.

People who can't spell well have as much a right to common sense and compassion as do any other honest, well meaning people.

CPAP users are people too.

That's a two street, you know. So are people who work for DME and come here to post. The person posting has done you personally no wrong, yet you are attacking him or her. Which is not a very good way of helping them support their clients.