Hello. My name is Rachel. I have posted on a couple threads. and thought maybe I should introduce myself.
I am a married working, mom, currently on disability from work because I was falling asleep at work. It was something I could not avoid. It would hit me and I was out like a rock.
My work, being the good work they are, accommodated me by saying I could take naps as needed in the break room. Problem being, Id sleep the whole day away and it was nearly impossible to wake me. I go into a drug like induced state.
So while I was off, I was ever so lucky to have a grand mal seizure. My 5th in 15 years. 4 years ago I had intense study done at the Swedish Medical Center in Seattle for 14 days.
They never could figure out what caused them and in fact said I was having panick attacks, not grand mal seizures. My neurologist of course felt different. She said a panick attack could have triggered it, but thinking back while I was beyond stressed each time and had been, I was not in a panicky mood.
I now wonder. looking back if sleep apnea could have played a part.
When I went in for my sleep study, he watched me for exactly an hour and concluded I stopped breathing over 15x per hour, close to 20x. (To say it surprised me is an understatement. I never would have drempt I had sleep apnea!!) I tend to sleep on my side. I am not sure if it worse if your on your back or stomach
I was surprised they did not watch for 2-3 hours and do an estimate. Really surprised. I don't know why.
I am lucky I fell asleep and fairly fast... as I had gone to bed at 11p-7:45a the night before and took a nap from 10a-5:15p the day of the sleep study . I am guessing that had no bearing on the results?
I go back on the 13th for the "real" results (the # was given to me by the sleep technician). He said it wasn't severe but it was not good either. He had been doing the testing for 10 years and is sure the doctor will recommend a machine.
Are there any questions I need to ask the doctor at this meeting?
From experience, do insurance companies rent or out right buy the systems?
I have been back reading posts (not commenting or asking ? because I do not want to be known as a troll). How do you find what works best for you, the nose gadgets vs a face mask? I mean over all do most people go one way or another? I realize everyone's faces are different.
I want to leave no stone unturned if possible. Plus my husband goes to this doctor on the 29th. I *know* he has sleep apnea, I wake up every night and kick or prod him to start his breathing.
Besides breathing better and feeling more "human" in the mornings, what other benefits does wearing an xpap do? I am hoping to have better memory retention and energy so I can hopefully loose some weight.
Sorry this is so long and I hope these are not stupid questions. I really want to make sure I am getting the best out of this machine/treatment.
New member from Arizona checking in and some questions
9 posts
• Page 1 of 1
Sorry this post is so long but you say leave no stone unturned!!
I am a little confused since you say you went in for only an hour for a sleep study? That is a little unusual based on my experience and what I have read. Not that I have any doubts that you have apnea! You don't mention a titration phase to the study. This is where they put a mask on you and you sleep with it. They find the right setting for your CPAP.
I hope that your doc is one who will prescribe an APAP for you since you didn't have that titration study, rather than guessing at a setting.
About this question ... I think most people have worse apnea while sleeping on their backs.
All insurance companies are different, however I think a large number want to "rent to buy". This gives them a chance to make sure that you comply with your treatment before they spend the money to buy the machine. Frankly they probably spend more doing this through local DME's with higher prices than if they would allow their customers to buy cash on the internet and ended up with some not using the machines.
My rent to buy compliance period was 3 months and I had to use the machine a minimum of 4 hours per day. For me this was easy as I had little problem with the machine or the mask. I was lucky and determined.
While I can't tell you what percentage of people use nasal masks, pillows or full face masks. You might want to look at what CPAP.com has been selling -- they have a chart on the web site. This may give you an idea.
If you think you are a mouth breather don't discount the nasal mask or pillow too quickly as you may actually be able to use this method with mouth tape and/or chinstrap.
Many people get an idea about what type of mask they want to use (at least the type if not the brand) by what they tried at their sleep study. You don't seem to have this benefit.
If you use a local DME you may be able to try different options there in the store and possibly trade if what you select doesn't work for you. No guarantee there though, depends on the DME. At the very least they should be able to size you for whatever you choose. A lot of us end up with a mask collection. Some we never use again, others we alternate. Some keep full face masks for times of illness and stuffiness.
The mask selection is the only reason I can think of (other than if your insurance won't let you buy outright or insists on a local provider and won't work with bill-my-insurance.com) to use a local DME.
Many of us have found that there is more support here than in the local DME offices. In fact many of us have had our machines set up wrongly and it can be hard to obtain the manual that describes how to set the machine up.
What you need to do is
Call your insurance. Find out what they cover (CPAP, APAP etc). How much your copay is, whether or not you have to meet a deductable etc, so when you find out the contract cost of the machine from the local DME that they will most likely send you to, you will know if it is better out of pocket for you to go that route or scrap the insurance and buy online from a place like CPAP.com
Research the brands and types of machine. Get one capable of recording data even if you don't buy the software yet. Get a heated humidifier. Consider Cflex and the Resmed equivilant.
When you go to the dr appt. Do not leave with out the prescription and a copy of the sleep study. EVEN IF THEY WANT TO FAX IT TO A DME and say "Well the DME will be calling you". You may not like that DME or choose to buy online. You need this stuff to handle your purchase. And it is indeed your purchase. It is likely that your insurance will work with at least a couple of DME's. Once you start getting billed you may not be able to change DME's for insurance purposes.
If you choose an APAP, you can buy that with a CPAP script online. Probably not from a local DME. Probably will need a script that says APAP for them and even then it may be "fun". Without a titration study I can't see how you could go other than APAP or Auto BiPAP. Some DME's will "loan" you an auto for titration and want to swap it later for a straight CPAP. Understand what you will end up with so you can decide if you want to do business with them before you are stuck for insurance purposes.
Research the machines on this web site and the manufacturer's websites. Don't let a DME hand you a machine and say here it is. Probably will be the minimum function machine. Most profit to them least flexibility for you. Do not blindly believe what the DME says your insurance will cover. That is your relationship. You call your insurance yourself and know that they are telling you the truth. APAP can be used as a straight CPAP, doesn't work the other way around.
Look at the masks availabe (online) and what people comment on them. Remember that all faces are not created the same. What may work on one person will not necessarily work on another.
And good luck!!
You will be in even a better position when your husband gets to his machine as you will be so much better informed.
_________________
CPAPopedia Keywords Contained In This Post (Click For Definition): resmed, bipap, humidifier, cpap.com, cflex, Titration, CPAP, DME, Prescription, auto, APAP
I am a little confused since you say you went in for only an hour for a sleep study? That is a little unusual based on my experience and what I have read. Not that I have any doubts that you have apnea! You don't mention a titration phase to the study. This is where they put a mask on you and you sleep with it. They find the right setting for your CPAP.
I hope that your doc is one who will prescribe an APAP for you since you didn't have that titration study, rather than guessing at a setting.
About this question ... I think most people have worse apnea while sleeping on their backs.
All insurance companies are different, however I think a large number want to "rent to buy". This gives them a chance to make sure that you comply with your treatment before they spend the money to buy the machine. Frankly they probably spend more doing this through local DME's with higher prices than if they would allow their customers to buy cash on the internet and ended up with some not using the machines.
My rent to buy compliance period was 3 months and I had to use the machine a minimum of 4 hours per day. For me this was easy as I had little problem with the machine or the mask. I was lucky and determined.
While I can't tell you what percentage of people use nasal masks, pillows or full face masks. You might want to look at what CPAP.com has been selling -- they have a chart on the web site. This may give you an idea.
If you think you are a mouth breather don't discount the nasal mask or pillow too quickly as you may actually be able to use this method with mouth tape and/or chinstrap.
Many people get an idea about what type of mask they want to use (at least the type if not the brand) by what they tried at their sleep study. You don't seem to have this benefit.
If you use a local DME you may be able to try different options there in the store and possibly trade if what you select doesn't work for you. No guarantee there though, depends on the DME. At the very least they should be able to size you for whatever you choose. A lot of us end up with a mask collection. Some we never use again, others we alternate. Some keep full face masks for times of illness and stuffiness.
The mask selection is the only reason I can think of (other than if your insurance won't let you buy outright or insists on a local provider and won't work with bill-my-insurance.com) to use a local DME.
Many of us have found that there is more support here than in the local DME offices. In fact many of us have had our machines set up wrongly and it can be hard to obtain the manual that describes how to set the machine up.
What you need to do is
Call your insurance. Find out what they cover (CPAP, APAP etc). How much your copay is, whether or not you have to meet a deductable etc, so when you find out the contract cost of the machine from the local DME that they will most likely send you to, you will know if it is better out of pocket for you to go that route or scrap the insurance and buy online from a place like CPAP.com
Research the brands and types of machine. Get one capable of recording data even if you don't buy the software yet. Get a heated humidifier. Consider Cflex and the Resmed equivilant.
When you go to the dr appt. Do not leave with out the prescription and a copy of the sleep study. EVEN IF THEY WANT TO FAX IT TO A DME and say "Well the DME will be calling you". You may not like that DME or choose to buy online. You need this stuff to handle your purchase. And it is indeed your purchase. It is likely that your insurance will work with at least a couple of DME's. Once you start getting billed you may not be able to change DME's for insurance purposes.
If you choose an APAP, you can buy that with a CPAP script online. Probably not from a local DME. Probably will need a script that says APAP for them and even then it may be "fun". Without a titration study I can't see how you could go other than APAP or Auto BiPAP. Some DME's will "loan" you an auto for titration and want to swap it later for a straight CPAP. Understand what you will end up with so you can decide if you want to do business with them before you are stuck for insurance purposes.
Research the machines on this web site and the manufacturer's websites. Don't let a DME hand you a machine and say here it is. Probably will be the minimum function machine. Most profit to them least flexibility for you. Do not blindly believe what the DME says your insurance will cover. That is your relationship. You call your insurance yourself and know that they are telling you the truth. APAP can be used as a straight CPAP, doesn't work the other way around.
Look at the masks availabe (online) and what people comment on them. Remember that all faces are not created the same. What may work on one person will not necessarily work on another.
And good luck!!
You will be in even a better position when your husband gets to his machine as you will be so much better informed.
_________________
CPAPopedia Keywords Contained In This Post (Click For Definition): resmed, bipap, humidifier, cpap.com, cflex, Titration, CPAP, DME, Prescription, auto, APAP
I am sorry I confused you. And here I was trying to be clear and concise and I managed to confuse you!
What I meant was I was only asleep for an hour at most with out the nose mask. I slept appx 4 hours with the mask on. I must admit I felt pretty good the next day. I took a nap but only for 2 hours as opposed to the normal 5-8 hour naps I normally take.
I was surprised I was only asleep with out the mask for an hour. Seems like that isn't much time to get a full idea on how bad it is. But I could be wrong
I will not know the full outcome of the tests until the 13th. My doctor actually reads the tests for the hospital/sleep center I did the testing at, so thats nice. No "middle man".
I will talk to him, since he is a sleep doctor, I hope he'd be up on the newest/best types of equipment out there.
My insurance is Blue Cross/Blue Shield, it's a national PPO-- 90% covered. That much I know for sure. I will have to call to check on the machine and such-- coverage.
My plan--http://www.bcbsaz.com/healthplans/PDFs/ ... 00cp15.pdf I am not seeing *here* if it is covered or not. I know they covered my appt to this specialist... thankfully. I will give them a call and find out for sure.
What I meant was I was only asleep for an hour at most with out the nose mask. I slept appx 4 hours with the mask on. I must admit I felt pretty good the next day. I took a nap but only for 2 hours as opposed to the normal 5-8 hour naps I normally take.
I was surprised I was only asleep with out the mask for an hour. Seems like that isn't much time to get a full idea on how bad it is. But I could be wrong
I will not know the full outcome of the tests until the 13th. My doctor actually reads the tests for the hospital/sleep center I did the testing at, so thats nice. No "middle man".
I will talk to him, since he is a sleep doctor, I hope he'd be up on the newest/best types of equipment out there.
My insurance is Blue Cross/Blue Shield, it's a national PPO-- 90% covered. That much I know for sure. I will have to call to check on the machine and such-- coverage.
My plan--http://www.bcbsaz.com/healthplans/PDFs/ ... 00cp15.pdf I am not seeing *here* if it is covered or not. I know they covered my appt to this specialist... thankfully. I will give them a call and find out for sure.
I am a little confused since you say you went in for only an hour for a sleep study? That is a little unusual based on my experience and what I have read. Not that I have any doubts that you have apnea! You don't mention a titration phase to the study. This is where they put a mask on you and you sleep with it. They find the right setting for your CPAP.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Rachel in AZ
rachelinaz@gmail.com
http://www.spencephotography.smugmug.com
Rachel in AZ
rachelinaz@gmail.com
http://www.spencephotography.smugmug.com
I have had the sleep study too....but i have not recieved my machine yet..the night of my sleep study i asked for the mask that covered only my nose. But when they woke me to put it on...I could not breath with it. It took my breath...the full mask was more comfortable for me. But everyone I know that use a cpap machine says I will get use to it and prefer the nose mask. That is only one womans opinion...lol Good luck with yours...oh yes...my doctor told me today that i quit breathing 7o times in an hour! I just can't get over that! No wonder I am tired all the time.!
NanaLori
In your first post you asked at the end about the benefits of therapy for sleep apnea. The obvious ones -- generally feeling better, not being sleepy all day, more energy, better memory, to name a few.
But there are others not so obvious but very important -- untreated sleep apnea can lead to strokes, heart problems, and in some cases rather severe memory problems. Reggie White actually died from problems resulting from untreated sleep apnea. Each time you stop breathing at night, the oxygen levels in your blood drop to some degree. This is called desaturation and there should be some indication of how much of a problem this is for you in your complete sleep report. Anything below 89% is considered below normal.
Low blood oxygen levels also, believe it or not, can cause weight gain. It affects certain chemicals in our bodies that makes us think we are hungry all the time. I've personally lost 30 lbs in 5 months without hardly even trying!!
But there are others not so obvious but very important -- untreated sleep apnea can lead to strokes, heart problems, and in some cases rather severe memory problems. Reggie White actually died from problems resulting from untreated sleep apnea. Each time you stop breathing at night, the oxygen levels in your blood drop to some degree. This is called desaturation and there should be some indication of how much of a problem this is for you in your complete sleep report. Anything below 89% is considered below normal.
Low blood oxygen levels also, believe it or not, can cause weight gain. It affects certain chemicals in our bodies that makes us think we are hungry all the time. I've personally lost 30 lbs in 5 months without hardly even trying!!
Linda B.
Sorry I didn't understand. You are lucky you had the titration the same time as the first part of the sleep study. My insurance wouldn't allow it and I had to do the whole mess twice.
Good that you trust your doc to prescribe the latest and greatest, but make sure you educate yourself, because even the most well meaning sleep doctor may not be a user of CPAP equipment and I believe that the user knows best.
90% coverage is pretty good for Durable medical. Some seem to have 100% but many have less. I have 80%.
With this level of coverage you will most likely want to use your insurance as the cost -- even at inflated local DME prices -- will most likely be less out of pocket for you. You still might want to check with Bill my insurance.com. Takes just a minute to submit information and they will email you back with the information. I did this but unfortunately my insurance wouldn't' work with them. But I don't believe you can use them if your insurance requires rent to purchase. Someone correct me if I am wrong please.
Only issue is, will the DME give you the machine you want. That is where education comes in. If you go in knowing what you think you want, you can guide your doc and get a specific prescription that the DME will need to fill to the letter. If not and he writes just CPAP you may get the bottom of the line with no humidifier maybe no exhale relief option.....
Good that you trust your doc to prescribe the latest and greatest, but make sure you educate yourself, because even the most well meaning sleep doctor may not be a user of CPAP equipment and I believe that the user knows best.
90% coverage is pretty good for Durable medical. Some seem to have 100% but many have less. I have 80%.
With this level of coverage you will most likely want to use your insurance as the cost -- even at inflated local DME prices -- will most likely be less out of pocket for you. You still might want to check with Bill my insurance.com. Takes just a minute to submit information and they will email you back with the information. I did this but unfortunately my insurance wouldn't' work with them. But I don't believe you can use them if your insurance requires rent to purchase. Someone correct me if I am wrong please.
Only issue is, will the DME give you the machine you want. That is where education comes in. If you go in knowing what you think you want, you can guide your doc and get a specific prescription that the DME will need to fill to the letter. If not and he writes just CPAP you may get the bottom of the line with no humidifier maybe no exhale relief option.....
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munsterlander
- Posts: 33
- Joined: Mon Aug 28, 2006 11:36 am
- Location: Stoughton, Wisc.
I just worked with billmyinsurance.com and they were most helpful. The result was a rent to purchase with BC/BS. I would surely work with them again. I also was very tired at work. While some of the problem was sleep apnia, the other cause was a lack of Coq10 in my system. I have been on a statin for over 20 years. Now, I sleep like a baby and have enough energy to get through the day. Best wishes to you.
After reading your more recent thread (doc won't give you the script) and rereading this one I hope your husband is not going on the 29th to see the same doctor you did.
I would find a new doc for hubby who will give him his prescription and let him shop for himself.
If only one of you can get a copy of the script you can buy a "backup machine" but that would not use your great insurance.....
I would find a new doc for hubby who will give him his prescription and let him shop for himself.
If only one of you can get a copy of the script you can buy a "backup machine" but that would not use your great insurance.....
Arizona checking in
Hi, just want to clarify something - Sleep studies are interpreted by rating the number of apneas (and hypopneas, snores, etc.) that you register over one hour's time, regardless of how much you sleep there, or what else is registered subsequently. Is it possible that's what you're referring to (the formal 'reading') rather than thinking they only took an hour to diagnose you?
9 posts
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