How frequently does your sleep specialist follow up?

[msradar65]

I am curious as to how often you see your sleep specialist or does he ask for the data from your machine?

I am still a newbie. I have been on CPAP for about 32 days now. No issues. I have been sleeping all night with mask on since the 3rd night. I saw my family doc who is pleased with my progress. He says my skin looks clearer and healthy, my weight has dropped and my blood pressure is lower. I am feeling better.

So far the DME has had me send in two cards. I just sent the last one...meaning I had to put my own card in my machine. I am wondering what information the DME is sending to my sleep doc? How often does the sleep doc want to see this info?

Since the DME just took the last card how do they expect me to download or send any additional information back to them. I also noted that the DME has not billed my insurance yet for my equipment. I am assuming they are waiting to get compliance information from my machine.

[rosiefrosie]

Never. I have never had my sleep specialist follow up with me or ask for any data.

I did get one follow up call from my DME last spring. It will be 5 years in Feb. when I started cpap therapy.

rosie

[cflame1]

once a year... I only hear from the DME when I call them (usually as a result of a reminder to see my sleep doc)

[chunkyfrog]

No follow-up since April; but our PSP moved out of town and the new doc will not write CPAP rx's--he defers to the sleep lab's 'pet' doctor.
I will be going in to see him in January (never met him)--just to get a prescription at the new DME (the old one DME does not know it yet; but I have fired them--too much fishy coding, and they won't do Medicare--or Medicare won't do them?)
I'm also going to ask for an RX for an oximeter because of central apneas.
I had none at sleep studies, now they account for up to half of my events most nights. Ahi still averages under 1.
I'm planning to get my money's worth.

[Emilia]

I'm going in to see my sleep doc (pulmonologist/sleep doc) next week for the first time since starting 3 months ago. His office said every three months, but unless that is required by insurance, I don't see the purpose unless I am having issues. I've had 3 months of AHI readings around 1.5 average so I anticipate he will say great and good luck. I will bring my data reports in as he doesn't use my software....and they only want the three summaries for those months. Since my co-pay to visit a specialist is going up to $50 in '11, I plan to tell him that I don't see any need to 'see' him when I can easily email or simply drop off my reports. We'll see what he says.....

[SleepyT]

once a year...

[Pliezar]

I have been on my machine for almost 2 months now and mine wanted to do a download after two weeks, I took my machine in with me, and she emails me once a week to see how I am doing. I am scheduled to do another download in about two more weeks, just before Christmas Break.

[ChelseaChestnut]

I just started cpap end of October. I was supposed to have a follow up this past week, but did not know about it until I received the "reminder" phone call the day before. Apparently they made the appointment for me at my last sleep study, but failed to tell me about it. I go in for the rescheduled follow up in a couple of weeks and they asked that I bring in my card from the machine.

[imsleepynomore]

Never; I never saw my sleep doc just my GP and he gave me a copy of my sleep study and then he had a DME company contact me. That was over two years ago ,without the information from this site I would still be struggling. I have recently made contact with a new DME provider and they seem to take a greater interest in help,time will tell.

[LSAT]

I have not seen my sleep doctor (pulmonologist) since I started on CPAP 2 years ago. I certainly would call him if I thought I had a problem...
thank goodness I don't.

[pdean44]

Mine said things are looking great see you in a year. If I have issues they are quick to respond. I recently called them because I could not stop mouth breathing. My wife complained that I was snoring. So i called and asked to go to a full face mask. they got back to me the next day andc scheduled an appt. 3 days later i ahd the mask. Now i find that i was still snoring. I jacked the pressure from 13 to 14. That seems to ave worked. I need to schedule an appt now to get re titrated. So that I can match my prescription to what my pressure should be.

[cobra4x4]

I had one followup about 2 weeks after I got my machine, haven't heard from anyone since (almost a year). I'm going to call for a followup with my respirologist in order to get a prescription for an auto cpap as my current one is for cpap with humidifier at a set pressure.

[dreamylioness]

i got my machine on the 11th of nov then two weeks after tht i went for a chk up then another followup in january

[linagee]

What's a DME? Oh, you mean cpap.com?
(I saw a video on youtube about what DMEs do. I still don't understand their job function other than saying, "this goes here, power button is here, etc".)

[jazzer4]

I've been on c-pap for just over a year.
I've seen my sleep Dr. 4 times. I've had no problems except for mask fit, so I also see the DME while I'm there.
Since I've shown her my Rescan reports she says I seem to know what I'm doing, so can start with 6 month check-ups.
Also the DME is wonderful. He even calls back when I leave a message.
I'm very lucky and I've hugged Dr. Simons and told him so.