The shape of things to come (I hope not!)

[Scarlet834]

So understand that Thursday I was happily sleeping away with my M Series Pro with Cflex and feeling great, and Friday I was sleeping with PR System One and not feeling as great, and today I'm starting to feel sort of like the old tired.

I got a follow-up call from the Apria RT to see how I'm doing. She was very nice, and very professional. However, she was not aware the machines can be set in half intervals (my script was 9.5 cm, she'd set it at 9, I came to the forum, found out how, and changed it to match my previous setting on the REMStar Pro). She checked a few things off her list, and at this point if I feel tired I'm not getting my therapy and I need to see my doctor. (Who is not a sleep doctor, something I've not had yet.) She did give me the contact number for Respironics, which is where I'm going next to really understand the differences between the two machines and if there is anything I ought to do to make my therapy now more similar to the previous machine. I could turn Cflex completely off, as the design of the PR 1 in this regard is definitely different, but so far I've always used this feature for both machines.

Since my primary care physician is not a sleep specialist his only recourse will be to refer me somewhere. I wonder if I'll end up with another sleep study, gee? I suppose I might solve some other issues if I see a specialist, but the frustration of this after having once stabilized everything is just a pain.

Maybe I'm just coming down with something (hope, hope). Anyway, besides Respironics my next stop is to my insurance advocate to express my extreme displeasure at having to change equipment at all, even though this is perceived as an upgrade.

Just needed to vent.

[Jaylee]

I hope you can get it sorted out!

[kwikwater]

I too hope you can get it figured out without more hassle than you've already had! You bring up a topic that interests me. What is an insurance advocate? Somebody with your employer, insurance company, ...? I feel like I've had to be my own advocate with my insurance compay for sure and i too don't have a real sleep doc. I had to tell my GP doc to put my current pressure on a prescription so i could get a newmachine when mine died recently. Thanks for the info. Good Luck!
Kelvin

[fadedgirl]

Forgive me if this is obvious, but why did you get rid of your old machine? Did you not own it? I would think that even if you were due a replacement per insurance guidelines, that you would retain your old machine and simply get a new one in addition to it. If you are only renting, why can't you just go back to the prior machine?

I hope someone will chip in here with whether the algorithms are the same, or how they differ and what you might do about it...

[Scarlet834]

Eureka! I think I have a major clue to my issue. My M-series was stationed on a chair by my water bed. The PR1 specifically asks that it be situated below mattress level, but not on the floor. I had limited furniture to accomplish this and the unit is on an exercise step about halfway between floor and waterbed surface (6 inches off the floor). I had a major apparent allergy or similar attack in left nostril and ear last night. Boosted the machine higher using a thick book and ended the night pretty well between midnight and 6am. Very different from yesterday. I believe I had situated my air intake much closer to dust and potential allergens on the floor. Will be looking for something better than a book to fix this. I'm hopeful! I'll be asking Phillips Respironics how high I can actually place this unit, but they are closed today for the snowstorms.

As an aside, my doctor is off today and I can't find any medical professional who will confirm it's OK to use the CPAP while my ear hurts.

To answer some of the questions that have been asked:

I didn't own the previous machine. It was rent-to-own and as I started on CPAP last September I didn't have enough months in the bank yet. Believe me, I went down that route with old DME and the insurance company. I think the issue with getting another of my old model is that Phillips Respironics doesn't make them any longer. My husband suggested that I ask new DME to buy the machine from the old DME. I'm sure more M-series Pros exist out there, I just didn't know I was getting something different until my husband came home with the PR1.

The patient advocate is a new initiative from Blue Shield, possibly specific to my place of work, I'm not sure. I found out about this person because she contacted my husband following major surgery to get acquainted and offer her services. She is a nurse and represents someone he or I can call to discuss issues and brick walls. She has already helped us through a prescription issue. By the time I had found out about this person my new machine had already been special-ordered from Apria and was imminent (supposedly the identical machine I had been using). If I had known about my personal advocate at the time of the DME switch in December I would have discussed everything with her and continued to pursue trying to maintain my current equipment.

I, too, had to go to great lengths to get my current pressure onto an updated script for the new DME, and still the obsolete script was used.

Anyway, I am more awake than yesterday, more hopeful than yesterday, but rather concerned about my ear/sinus. The impact of allergies and perhaps blocked sinuses during the night might explain why the machine numbers look OK but I felt like garbage.

[Tielman]

The PR1 specifically asks that it be situated below mattress level, but not on the floor.

I too was told to put my PR1 "below the pillow". I just put it on the nightstand next to my pillow, and no issues.

I believe what they are looking for is to reduce "rain-out" by putting it slightly lower than the pillow, thus allowing any extra humidity in your tube to drain back into the tank. If you aren't having rain-out issues, then the height thing is probably un-necessary.

[rjjayrt]

The height of the machine is only to keep water from running back into your mask. All machines should be placed at the level of your mattress or lower.