Is it normal to have a 2-3 month wait to see sleep dr?

[Dave007]

Just curious is it normal to have to wait 2-3 months to see a sleep Doctor? What is the longest you have had to wait for a Doctors appointment?

I recently received my cpap machine from the sleep center and tried to schedule an appointment with the doctor but the earliest availability was about 2.5 months away. If I have to wait this long for every appointment it looks like my sleep therapy is going to be very slow moving...

[Julie]

Have you had a sleep study (and titration) yet? Do you know how to use the machine? Did you get it with a prescription and do you know what your settings are? What is it you're going to see the doctor about?

[dreamin]

It is normal with my doctor. I had to cancel an appointment, but they couldn't reschedule me for 2-3 months out. Similar for my first couple appointments. I have my CPAP now and am thinking about asking if my general practitioner would take over the management of that treatment. The one big plus of using the specialist is that he knows exactly how to get the insurance to approve things. My attempt to get this done with an ENT took a full year of insurance denials before I switched doctors.

[Dave007]

Yes I have had 2 take home sleep studies and 1 in lab sleep study. I have not even seen the sleep doctor yet. He just read my results from the in lab sleep study and sent a prescription for cpap to the sleep center. The DME explained to me how to use the machine. Pressure settings are 4-8.

I'm going to the doctor so he can review my results of using cpap and then maybe order a titration test.

[Wulfman...]

Just curious is it normal to have to wait 2-3 months to see a sleep Doctor? What is the longest you have had to wait for a Doctors appointment?

I recently received my cpap machine from the sleep center and tried to schedule an appointment with the doctor but the earliest availability was about 2.5 months away. If I have to wait this long for every appointment it looks like my sleep therapy is going to be very slow moving...

Depends on the doctor and the area in which you live.
Where I live, there's only ONE sleep doctor for over a hundreds miles......and I couldn't wait to "cut the cord" with him. But, all in all, the wait times weren't all that unrealistic......maybe a few weeks......not months.


Den

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[Wulfman...]

Yes I have had 2 take home sleep studies and 1 in lab sleep study. I have not even seen the sleep doctor yet. He just read my results from the in lab sleep study and sent a prescription for cpap to the sleep center. The DME explained to me how to use the machine. Pressure settings are 4-8.

I'm going to the doctor so he can review my results of using cpap and then maybe order a titration test.

Sounds like you're dealing with some unusual circumstances and procedures.


Den

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[Dave007]

OK sounds like I should switch doctors. I live 20 min away from Boston so you'd think there would be some better doctors out there.

[chunkyfrog]

I see my sleep doc once a year (first time was after a year's therapy)
This is more to keep insurance happy. I don't need it.

[digitalepiphany]

I tried getting a sleep study with the Dallas VA back in 2002. It was a 2 year wait. I wound up having to use the County's healthcare (for indigent residents), and it was still a year wait.

[sleeplessinaz]

What kind of doctor are you waiting 2 months to see? I went to my family PCP and I had him do everything for me from sleep study to CPAP machine and mask. They are very well educated on CPAP and sleep apnea. There's no doctor out there worth waiting two months to see! Geeeez that's nuts!

[dkhinz]

I have received more advise from doing online searches for "CPAP" and from this forum than from either my doctor or DME! As far as personal help, the equipment person representing my DME has been more help than the technicians.

[Janknitz]

It sounds like you've already been titrated. Whether this doctor is worth the wait remains to be seen. If your insurer covers other sleep specialists I wouldn't wait if you feel like you're not getting good therapy from your curren settings.

[Dave007]

Thanks for everyone's advice. No I have not had a titration test yet. The DME gave me an auto set CPAP with adjustable pressure settings and sent me on my way. The Dr I am waiting to see is a Sleep dr/ pulmonologist. I have Blue Cross Blue Shield HMO but going to switch to BCBS PPO so I can see any doctor out of network.

[Redonthehead]

I also had home studies and was prescribed an APAP. They had me use it for two months then I brought it in for them to review the data and fine tune it. Next visit is at the 6 month mark, then yearly I think.

[JDS74]

Dave,

On thing to consider is that if your doctor is so busy that scheduling is 2- 3 months out, maybe that's because a lot of folks think your doc is really good.

Just a thought.