If I purchase a new machine will I still need my doctor (ENT) to set it up?

[Dr_jitsu]

Greetings,

I have all the symptoms of sleep apnea...I awaken choking, snore loudly, and am still exhausted even after getting 8 hours sleep. Many doctors have recommended a sleep study and I am finally taking one tonight, given to me by an ENT with sleep expertise. I am 98% sure I will have sleep apnea.

Having done some research, I see that it is much better to buy my own CPAP. The Resmed11 (along with the 10, the best, according to my research) is available right now for 500 bucks, a killer deal. My ENT wants to charge me $1300 to rent one (and that is with my insurance BCBS). I understand that often DME's don't provide units as good as the Resmed.

So my question is, can I purchase one of my own and will I still need my ENT to set it up? If the answer is yes, and knowing doctors as a I do, my ENT is going to be very unhappy about the profit he loses if I don't rent one from his DME. I respect the training that docs go through...but I also am aware of how important money to them.

I know there are programs like Oscar to help me set mine up, but I also know the importance of a "support team."

Thank you in advance for your thoughtful replies.

[Sleepzilla]

.

[Pugsy]

Once you get a machine (whatever machine) you can set it up yourself (assuming you know what settings to use) very easily.

See this
https://www.apneaboard.com/adjust-cpap- ... tup-manual

It's easy but you are going to need to know what kind of machine and what settings are optimal for your specific situation and diagnosis.

[Dr_jitsu]

There's no one specific manufacturer or model of "CPAP" machine that is certain to address every sleep apnea diagnosis. "CPAP" refers to both a very specific and limited mode of apnea device therapy, and also to the generic term most frequently used in reference to any type of Positive Air Pressure (PAP) respiratory therapy device.

• For example, ResMed offers no less than 9 different "CPAP" machine models for the 10-series devices alone, and
• Each model is specifically designed to provide a unique mode of therapy to address specific sleep apnea characteristics, and
• Retail prices for these devices vary between $900 and $2500 in the USA, depending on the appropriate device prescribed to treat your specific apnea modality.

TLDR: Having "all the symptoms of sleep apnea" is irrelevant to your question at this point without the context of the specific apnea type you have, and the recommended therapy device to address it. Get the sleep test done first, then find out which device(s) are effective in treating it, and then start worrying about comparing prices.

P.S. Not sure how you, or anyone else, can "know doctors as you do" unless your either married to one, work for one, or you are one. But in any of those cases you likely wouldn't be asking these questions, lol. <shrugs>

Thank you for your advice on machine choices, but are you serious about that last sentence?


I hold a PhD in Political Science and was trained in medical policymaking. I know how the system works (or does not). I was engaged to an OBGYN for 3 years. One of my friends is a Dermatologist. If you think that money is not of paramount importance in the system then you have been living under a rock.

I have been allowed to suffer needlessly on many, many occasions because of monetary concerns. It should be noted that I have absolutely no history of opiod abuse. This suffering is primarily due to doctors not providing pain medication for fear of risk to their license (IE money). Most recently, I had a camera shoved down my penis all the way back to my prostate (Cytoscopy). No meds whatsoever. Doc then wanted to do a TURP surgery (chop my prostate in two). For pain meds they were only going to use ibuprofen. Second opinion claimed I did not need TURP, pt me on Finasteride. These surgeries are highly profitable and the first doc was at a teaching hospital so I would have a brand new kid chopping me up back there. The doc I am currently seeing claims a cystoscopy w/ out meds (he puts his patients under) is barbaric.

I had a hernia removed a few years back. I was not getting much pain relief. I did a little research and found out the doc prescribed me half the pain medication he should have. Years before that I had terrible pneumonia. It was so bad, especially the headache, that I was throwing up from coughing. A simple cough syrup would have saved me from terrible suffering, but opiod hysteria was at its peak. I've had surgeries before the opiod crisis, and doctors never let you suffer so much back then because they did not fear political consequences.

Again, thank you for your advice on the complexity of CPAP machines. However you need to educate yourself on the role of money in medicine. It is very important.

[Respirator99]

The doc I am currently seeing claims a cystoscopy w/ out meds (he puts his patients under) is barbaric.

I wonder who's making the most money here? I had a cytoscopy a few years ago - no general anaesthetic, just local applied as a gel on the device. It was quite comfortable and no additional meds were required. I think your guy who said it's barbaric is wrong, and has subjected you to unnecessary anaesthetic, which is both expensive and potentially risky.

[Dr_jitsu]

The doc I am currently seeing claims a cystoscopy w/ out meds (he puts his patients under) is barbaric.

I wonder who's making the most money here? I had a cytoscopy a few years ago - no general anaesthetic, just local applied as a gel on the device. It was quite comfortable and no additional meds were required. I think your guy who said it's barbaric is wrong, and has subjected you to unnecessary anaesthetic, which is both expensive and potentially risky.

You like having things like a camera shoved down your penis, I don't. I guess we are just different that way

[Respirator99]

The doc I am currently seeing claims a cystoscopy w/ out meds (he puts his patients under) is barbaric.

I wonder who's making the most money here? I had a cytoscopy a few years ago - no general anaesthetic, just local applied as a gel on the device. It was quite comfortable and no additional meds were required. I think your guy who said it's barbaric is wrong, and has subjected you to unnecessary anaesthetic, which is both expensive and potentially risky.

You like having things like a camera shoved down your penis, I don't. I guess we are just different that way

Don't be silly. Nobody in his right mind likes that - but it's a far cry from being reasonably comfortable on the one hand to barbaric on the other. If your doc is proposing a general anaesthetic for a procedure that absolutely doesn't require it, then he's having a lend of you. And it sounds like you're happy with that.

[Conrad]

A CPAP machine is a prescription medical device that requires a doctor to write a prescription for the purchase of said machine.

Without a prescription, you're going to have a VERY difficult time buying a new CPAP machine. A used machine is going to be WAY easier to buy.

Being a PhD and all, you should know this..

"Having done some research, I see that it is much better to buy my own CPAP. The Resmed11 (along with the 10, the best, according to my research) is available right now for 500 bucks, a killer deal. My ENT wants to charge me $1300 to rent one (and that is with my insurance BCBS). I understand that often DME's don't provide units as good as the Resmed."

Again, with that PhD, you should know that what you wrote above is not exactly how it works. It's not going to cost you $1300 to rent a machine. Better do some more research.

[Sleepzilla]

.

[FifthAvenue]

I am encouraged. The debate on this forum is returning to the entertainment level achieved during the days of vicious name calling by Pale Rider and his gang piling on D.H.

[zonker]

I am encouraged. The debate on this forum is returning to the entertainment level achieved during the days of vicious name calling by Pale Rider and his gang piling on D.H.

easy for YOU to say, you aren't here every day!

[zonker]

then he's having a lend of you.

thank you teaching me an australian slang term,.

[Dr_jitsu]

There's no one specific manufacturer or model of "CPAP" machine that is certain to address every sleep apnea diagnosis. "CPAP" refers to both a very specific and limited mode of apnea device therapy, and also to the generic term most frequently used in reference to any type of Positive Air Pressure (PAP) respiratory therapy device.

• For example, ResMed offers no less than 9 different "CPAP" machine models for the 10-series devices alone, and
• Each model is specifically designed to provide a unique mode of therapy to address specific sleep apnea characteristics, and
• Retail prices for these devices vary between $900 and $2500 in the USA, depending on the appropriate device prescribed to treat your specific apnea modality.

TLDR: Having "all the symptoms of sleep apnea" is irrelevant to your question at this point without the context of the specific apnea type you have, and the recommended therapy device to address it. Get the sleep test done first, then find out which device(s) are effective in treating it, and then start worrying about comparing prices.

P.S. Not sure how you, or anyone else, can "know doctors as you do" unless your either married to one, work for one, or you are one. But in any of those cases you likely wouldn't be asking these questions, lol. <shrugs>

Thank you for your advice on machine choices, but are you serious about that last sentence?


I hold a PhD in Political Science and was trained in medical policymaking. I know how the system works (or does not). I was engaged to an OBGYN for 3 years. One of my friends is a Dermatologist. If you think that money is not of paramount importance in the system then you have been living under a rock.

I have been allowed to suffer needlessly on many, many occasions because of monetary concerns. It should be noted that I have absolutely no history of opiod abuse. This suffering is primarily due to doctors not providing pain medication for fear of risk to their license (IE money). Most recently, I had a camera shoved down my penis all the way back to my prostate (Cytoscopy). No meds whatsoever. Doc then wanted to do a TURP surgery (chop my prostate in two). For pain meds they were only going to use ibuprofen. Second opinion claimed I did not need TURP, pt me on Finasteride. These surgeries are highly profitable and the first doc was at a teaching hospital so I would have a brand new kid chopping me up back there. The doc I am currently seeing claims a cystoscopy w/ out meds (he puts his patients under) is barbaric.

I had a hernia removed a few years back. I was not getting much pain relief. I did a little research and found out the doc prescribed me half the pain medication he should have. Years before that I had terrible pneumonia. It was so bad, especially the headache, that I was throwing up from coughing. A simple cough syrup would have saved me from terrible suffering, but opiod hysteria was at its peak. I've had surgeries before the opiod crisis, and doctors never let you suffer so much back then because they did not fear political consequences.

Again, thank you for your advice on the complexity of CPAP machines. However you need to educate yourself on the role of money in medicine. It is very important.

Good grief. You know absolutely nothing about my education, profession, or knowledge. Your arrogant confidence in assuming that you do—or that you somehow know exactly what I "need" to do to make me think like you—is both myopic and condescending. It's also a disrespectful response to my generous attempt to assist you.

Good luck pursuing your CPAP therapy your own way. No doubt you'll eventually receive the treatment you deserve. Based on the experiences described in your post above, this appears to be a recurring pattern for you.

Correct, all I know about you is that you enjoy having things shoved down your penis. Sorry, I typically try not to offend LGBT people who like doing weird things with their private parts.

[Pugsy]

Enough with the comments about comments and the trash talk and slurs.

Get on topic or STFU.

[Dr_jitsu]

A CPAP machine is a prescription medical device that requires a doctor to write a prescription for the purchase of said machine.

Without a prescription, you're going to have a VERY difficult time buying a new CPAP machine. A used machine is going to be WAY easier to buy.

Being a PhD and all, you should know this..

"Having done some research, I see that it is much better to buy my own CPAP. The Resmed11 (along with the 10, the best, according to my research) is available right now for 500 bucks, a killer deal. My ENT wants to charge me $1300 to rent one (and that is with my insurance BCBS). I understand that often DME's don't provide units as good as the Resmed."

Again, with that PhD, you should know that what you wrote above is not exactly how it works. It's not going to cost you $1300 to rent a machine. Better do some more research.

I wish you were correct. Unfortunately $1300 is exactly the amount my docs (ENT)s representative quoted me. Got my sleep test back today and was told I was one of the worst cases ever.

I am meeting with him in 2 days and hopefully he will OK me buying a machine. I have one oil the cart right now that is $568 with accessories.