I've been using my REmstarPlus w/cflex for 10 days now. The DME told me that was all they could give me based on the prescription i had from the sleep lab. What I really want and i think i need it the Remstar AutoPro2.
How can i go about talking the pulmonary doctor into making the change for me. I might add that i fall asleep with the machine , but i am waking up after 3 or so hours. While i actually am ok with my nasal pillow mask, I basically have to rip the mask off at that point because I feel like I am breathing in hot, stale air. Would that be a basis for a change?
What would other arguments can i make in order to get the machine i need.
Doesnt BC/BS pay if you have a prescription (and you dont have any deductibles)
How to get from CPap to Apap??
I cannot understand why your DME would not provide you with a REMSTAR AUTO pro with CFlex. There should be no problem with your prescription. This article in another forum post about the differences between the two machines should make it clear to you, and then to the DME about making such a change.
viewArticle/Respironics-Remstar-Auto-Pr ... rview.html
viewArticle/Respironics-Remstar-Auto-Pr ... rview.html
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wading thru the muck!
- Posts: 2799
- Joined: Tue Oct 19, 2004 11:42 am
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Guest
After only 10 days, you haven't even had a chance to acclimate to cpap. Waking after a few hours in the beginning is not uncommon. You're lucky you can fall asleep with the mask on. If you are using a heated humidifier, turn the heat down. That could help with the hot stale air.
What makes you think you need an Auto or a Pro2. If you don't even know that they are two different machines, how could you know that they are what you need.
Sound like a case of your prescription was for a car, they gave you a Toyota, but you want/need a Lexus.......learn to drive first.
What makes you think you need an Auto or a Pro2. If you don't even know that they are two different machines, how could you know that they are what you need.
Sound like a case of your prescription was for a car, they gave you a Toyota, but you want/need a Lexus.......learn to drive first.
AW Shucks guest. The reason so many fail treatment is because some cheap DME gave them a cheapo cpap and cheapo mask. Your logic says to learn to drive with a standard transmission before moving up to an automatic.
The reason for most getting a plain cpap is $$$$$$$$$. The DME makes more of it if he gives you a plain cpap. Like Wader said. Buy an AUTO yourself from cpap.com. Save lots of money and get what you want.
Don't forget to BEWARE of the EVIL DME
Cheers,
Chris
The reason for most getting a plain cpap is $$$$$$$$$. The DME makes more of it if he gives you a plain cpap. Like Wader said. Buy an AUTO yourself from cpap.com. Save lots of money and get what you want.
Don't forget to BEWARE of the EVIL DME
Cheers,
Chris
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rested gal
- Posts: 12881
- Joined: Thu Sep 09, 2004 10:14 pm
- Location: Tennessee
The machine manufacturers names can be confusing enough, what with Respironics and ResMed. And then their respective model names add to the confusion. I can understand how someone new to cpap might mix the names and models up a bit.
What's obvious is that sarkel is trying to get good treatment. I agree with the Guest that most people can get effective treatment from a simple straight cpap. For that, sarkel might not need a different machine from the one he has now. I also agree with Guest that it can take time to get used to any of this equipment and strange new way of trying to sleep, no matter what the machine.
A change of machine isn't always the answer to getting through the acclimatization bumps in the road. But it could be a good move if, for example, sarkel could spend the majority of his night sleeping at effective lower pressures than a single titrated pressure from the study.
Reading between the lines I get a sense that sarkel absolutely wants to be able to see his/her own overnight data from a machine. REMstar Auto or REMstar Pro 2.... either one (although different types of machines) would do the data thing.
Even though a very simple cpap machine that provides only hours of use info can certainly provide effective treatment, some people want to study what's going on when they sleep with one of these machines. I'd never discount the mental wellbeing value of knowing that with the right machine you really can have control over your own treatment. That feeling alone can make some person want to learn more about it, try harder, and stick with it.
Some people are comfortable with just accepting whatever the DME hands them, and leaving all treatment decisions up to the doctor. Others hate to feel like a helpless "patient", don't want to wonder if the doctor and DME are treating them as well as could be, don't want to wonder, "Do I really need this much pressure all night?"
I think it's a good thing for people to want to take an active role in their own treatment. That means a machine that can deliver more data than just how many hours you use it. Even if what's handed to them will work fine, treatment-wise, it's a good idea, imho, to gather information all along. Might even help make treatment decisions in the future if conditions change.
What's obvious is that sarkel is trying to get good treatment. I agree with the Guest that most people can get effective treatment from a simple straight cpap. For that, sarkel might not need a different machine from the one he has now. I also agree with Guest that it can take time to get used to any of this equipment and strange new way of trying to sleep, no matter what the machine.
A change of machine isn't always the answer to getting through the acclimatization bumps in the road. But it could be a good move if, for example, sarkel could spend the majority of his night sleeping at effective lower pressures than a single titrated pressure from the study.
Reading between the lines I get a sense that sarkel absolutely wants to be able to see his/her own overnight data from a machine. REMstar Auto or REMstar Pro 2.... either one (although different types of machines) would do the data thing.
Even though a very simple cpap machine that provides only hours of use info can certainly provide effective treatment, some people want to study what's going on when they sleep with one of these machines. I'd never discount the mental wellbeing value of knowing that with the right machine you really can have control over your own treatment. That feeling alone can make some person want to learn more about it, try harder, and stick with it.
Some people are comfortable with just accepting whatever the DME hands them, and leaving all treatment decisions up to the doctor. Others hate to feel like a helpless "patient", don't want to wonder if the doctor and DME are treating them as well as could be, don't want to wonder, "Do I really need this much pressure all night?"
I think it's a good thing for people to want to take an active role in their own treatment. That means a machine that can deliver more data than just how many hours you use it. Even if what's handed to them will work fine, treatment-wise, it's a good idea, imho, to gather information all along. Might even help make treatment decisions in the future if conditions change.
sarkel
It seems like most of us newbies are in the same boat. not only do we need to find out about this illness and become knowledgeable in our treatment plans, we also have to learn the ins and outs of the insurance/dme/dumb doc scenarios. Rested gal is right on and her posts are incredibly informative and well thought out. Guest is wrong. Apnea is serious and the more effort you put into your treatment the better chance you have of having a positive outcome. Its not the diff. between a Toyota and a Lexus, its the diff. between driving with your eyes closed, (and probably asleep) or eyes open. The information you need is on this board, you just have to look for it. I am a survivor of 12 cardiac caths and a 5X Cabg. In my sleep test my O2 level was down to 69%. I must know if my treatment is effective and how effective. We all need to know. Unfortunately the business of health care is not interested in patients taking an active role in their treatment. It is difficult, confusing and frustrating but persistence will pay off. It would be wonderful if the DME showed up at your door with an auto with cflex, let you try several masks, explained how to use the software and asked you to download the information to your doc. Not going to happen.(unless everything is going great and you are having wonderful dreams)
It seems like most of us newbies are in the same boat. not only do we need to find out about this illness and become knowledgeable in our treatment plans, we also have to learn the ins and outs of the insurance/dme/dumb doc scenarios. Rested gal is right on and her posts are incredibly informative and well thought out. Guest is wrong. Apnea is serious and the more effort you put into your treatment the better chance you have of having a positive outcome. Its not the diff. between a Toyota and a Lexus, its the diff. between driving with your eyes closed, (and probably asleep) or eyes open. The information you need is on this board, you just have to look for it. I am a survivor of 12 cardiac caths and a 5X Cabg. In my sleep test my O2 level was down to 69%. I must know if my treatment is effective and how effective. We all need to know. Unfortunately the business of health care is not interested in patients taking an active role in their treatment. It is difficult, confusing and frustrating but persistence will pay off. It would be wonderful if the DME showed up at your door with an auto with cflex, let you try several masks, explained how to use the software and asked you to download the information to your doc. Not going to happen.(unless everything is going great and you are having wonderful dreams)
Life is 10% events and 90% attitude towards those events.
My life has been a series of terrible misfortunes, most of which have never occurred.
My life has been a series of terrible misfortunes, most of which have never occurred.
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sarkel
To Kenrose:
thankl you so much for your kind words. I realized that i made an error in posting, but what that rude person wrote wasnt even the point of the post. I am new at this and just trying to learn like everybody else has!!!!!!!!! And i am trying to do my best to research it , but making someone look like an idiot isnt nice. I honestly thought that perhaps the Auto also came in a Pro model big deal..........
thankl you so much for your kind words. I realized that i made an error in posting, but what that rude person wrote wasnt even the point of the post. I am new at this and just trying to learn like everybody else has!!!!!!!!! And i am trying to do my best to research it , but making someone look like an idiot isnt nice. I honestly thought that perhaps the Auto also came in a Pro model big deal..........
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Guest
It appears that many of you are able to read between the lines much better than I can. I read the post at face value and responded to what was actually written.
The only problem Sarkel complains about is that he wakes after 3 hours and feels like he is breathing hot stale air. I was the only respondent that addressed those actual physical issues.
Now it's my turn to read between the lines. Sarkel received a lowly Remstar Plus from his DME. In reading this forum he has seen the name Auto and Pro2, and realized the Plus is not the top of the line and is not pleased. (He wants a Lexus not a Toyota).
Sarkel never indicates why he needs an Auto. He doesn't say he wants to monitor his progress. He doesn't say the pressure is uncomfortable. He just says, "I really want and i think i need". Then he throws in the complaint about the stale air and adds, "Would that be a basis for a change?". The guy is fishing for an excuse to get a Lexus. And he closes with, "What would other arguments can i make in order to get the machine i need [want]." Once again fishing for excuses.
Not knowing the model name of the unit he needs is very telling. It tells me that if he had gone to the Respironics site or even to cpap.com and done any research on the Auto, it would be quite apparent that there was no "AutoPro2". This is made even clearer by Sarkel's followup post on July 7, "I honestly thought that perhaps the Auto also came in a Pro model big deal..........". Once again a little research would have cleared that up.
I'm sorry you thought I was "rude". I would have describe my tone more as honest but blunt. And as far as "making someone look like an idiot"...... I didn't have to.
The only problem Sarkel complains about is that he wakes after 3 hours and feels like he is breathing hot stale air. I was the only respondent that addressed those actual physical issues.
Now it's my turn to read between the lines. Sarkel received a lowly Remstar Plus from his DME. In reading this forum he has seen the name Auto and Pro2, and realized the Plus is not the top of the line and is not pleased. (He wants a Lexus not a Toyota).
Sarkel never indicates why he needs an Auto. He doesn't say he wants to monitor his progress. He doesn't say the pressure is uncomfortable. He just says, "I really want and i think i need". Then he throws in the complaint about the stale air and adds, "Would that be a basis for a change?". The guy is fishing for an excuse to get a Lexus. And he closes with, "What would other arguments can i make in order to get the machine i need [want]." Once again fishing for excuses.
Not knowing the model name of the unit he needs is very telling. It tells me that if he had gone to the Respironics site or even to cpap.com and done any research on the Auto, it would be quite apparent that there was no "AutoPro2". This is made even clearer by Sarkel's followup post on July 7, "I honestly thought that perhaps the Auto also came in a Pro model big deal..........". Once again a little research would have cleared that up.
I'm sorry you thought I was "rude". I would have describe my tone more as honest but blunt. And as far as "making someone look like an idiot"...... I didn't have to.
I think that Sarkel is just trying to gather information and learn just like everyone else on here had to learn the first time around. I don't think that there is any harm in that and instead of looking down on him because he wants a Lexus and not a Toyota, why don't you explain what the difference between the Lexus and Toyota is?
BTW if yoru prescription says CPAP at X Pressure you cannot automatically use that script for an Auto. Get your Doctor to give you a Auto Script and your DME won't argue. However, you need to convince yoru Dr. you need an auto and most don't understand the difference.
Unfortunately with my insurance, Kaiser, they will only pay for a CPAP not an auto. However the Dr. was willing to give me a prescritption to get one on my own. CPAP.com was easily $400 less than my DME.
Unfortunately with my insurance, Kaiser, they will only pay for a CPAP not an auto. However the Dr. was willing to give me a prescritption to get one on my own. CPAP.com was easily $400 less than my DME.
Many people, particularly new users or people that are not particularly adept at internet use, or maybe have dialup connections which preclude a lot of research, sometimes ask poorly informed questions. The object of this forum is to help these people, not criticize them or put them down. If you can't do that, stay out.
Fred Stanmyre
For Sarkel
In January I was given a Remstar Auto with humidifier and an autopap setting of 5 to 18. This was based on the info provided by a sleep lab after 2 1/2 visits. The 1/2 occurred when I ripped of the wires and walked out about midnight on the last visit. A few months later the Remstar Auto developed a defect and was replaced with the Remstar Auto CFLEX. I knew absolutely nothing about the various machines when I received my first machine but one thing for sure, after taking control of things with the Encore software, and using the expertise available on this site, I can't imagine having anything other than a top of the line machine. Some say Lexus, for me it's a Caddy. Over time and as I learned, I started tuning the apap and even the cflex with significant improvements in AHI. Now basis recent comments from other users I've turned off the bells and whistles and have gone straight cpap with astounding results. My AHI now runs at 1 or less vs 5 to 8. My approach now is to determine the best cpap pressure in terms of AHI and time in apnea. Once I'm reasonably satisfied that I'm there, I will then experiment with an autopap range, and then I'll try the CFLEX feature. Anyhow, point is you never know what is going to work for you until you try. Having a machine with limited features means your ability, and/or your doctor's ability to optimize your apnea treatment is limited for the sake of somebody saving a few hundred bucks. Maybe some folk prefer to start with foot pump and then try to figure out improvements but that approach doesn't work for me.
Fred Stanmyre