Still waiting on my cpap sleep results..frustrated...

[Mike081376]

Hi all,

So I had my cpap sleep study last Saturday night....ever since then it seems my apnea is getting worse...I tried calling the clinic today and they had BIG time attitude saying we told you its going to be 7-10 days until we get the results back from that study...but the DR will call you...which of course he didn't. Maybe Im just frustraded because ive been through sooo much and I want them to call me back NOW.....I feel like they are draggin there feet on getting the results back and if they really wanted them, they could get them now.....I am at the point that im about to just buy the cpap machine and mask and say whatever on the whole waiting game.....sorry to vent ya'll but even my girlfriend doens't understand where im coming from....im trying to stay strong but this is getting old...especially since this clinis has billed my insurance $5,000 for 2 sleep studies and ive had NO actual DR consultation. Am I just blowing this out??? You all have been great so far, I can't express my gratitude.....

Mike

[Mike081376]

Bump for advice

[TSSleepy]

All I can say is, "I totally feel your pain!"

I'm working through the same delays. It finally dwns on me that I have sleep apnea.

I research it, slap my forehead, and shout "Eureka!"

I call to try and get a sleep study, but get shunted to my Primary Care Practioner. Elapsed time 1.5 weeks.

I convince him. He gives me a referral to Pulmonology. I wait three weeks to speak to a Nurse Practitioner explains the symptoms of sleep apnea to me. Thanks, I sorta already know what the symptoms are, since I had to diagnose myself. Elapsed time 3 weeks.

Finally set up on an "urgent appt" for a sleep study. One week down, 1.5 more weeks to go.

So it will be six weeks between when I realize I almost definitely have severe OSA and when I get my sleep study. I have no idea how long they will jack me around between the study and getting a prescription in my hand!

I'm thinking about showing up to my sleep study with donuts, to try and bribe the results out of the tech.

As for advice? My cowoker just called them and was "polite, but persistent" in demanding fast action. Even to the point of politely asking to speak to people's managers, until she got far enough up the chain to get action.

Apparently there is only one neurologist who reviews ALL the sleep study data for Kaiser Permanente Oregon... <boggles my mind>.

[Bluebonnet_Gal]

I understand EXACTLY where you're coming from. It's SO HARD to be patient at this point and the process seems to take FOREVER!

Know that you're not alone - most of us have been there! If you're like most of us, you're beyond tired, you're beyond exhausted. You finally know WHY you feel so crappy, you know that help is around the corner, you see the light at the end of the tunnel, but it's taking FOREVER to get there.

If I were you, I would keep calling and asking politely when you can expect to get the results of your sleep study. Explain that you're absolutely exhausted and at the end of your rope and you just want to get the help that you need. I've found when waiting on Dr Offices to call me with results that sometimes they have the results and just don't get around to calling you for a few days. You don't want to wait a few days!

If you want to purchase a CPAP, you may be able to find one on Craig's list, but you won't get a CPAP from a DME (online or brick and mortar) without a prescription. I think it's best to wait for the results of your sleep study (as hard as that may be).

If it helps, remember, you're not alone. We've all been there and we understand. This is a great place to "vent" and find support!

Hang in there!

[RipVW]

Yep, Mike, I know that must be frustrating. I recall that long wait as well, took weeks after my sleep study to get the appointment with the results and the prescription for my CPAP machine. Hang in there! This frustration will end—just a matter of a little more time. Good luck!

[Mike081376]

Thanks all.....Ive come to realize that unfortunately, the DR's and insurance companies don't have the best interest in us, staying positive but as ya'll know, ive had 1 decent sleep in probably 15 years.....you all help me stay strong, not to say my family and girlfriend dont, but they can NEVER understand what it feels like to wake up all night long and to wake up feeling strung out.....it will get better, I know this but hopefully sooner than later!!! Thank you again to all...


Mike

[Mike081376]

BUMP!!!!

[carbonman]

Thanks all.....Ive come to realize that unfortunately, the DR's and insurance companies don't have the best interest in us, staying positive but as ya'll know, ive had 1 decent sleep in probably 15 years.....you all help me stay strong, not to say my family and girlfriend dont, but they can NEVER understand what it feels like to wake up all night long and to wake up feeling strung out.....it will get better, I know this but hopefully sooner than later!!! Thank you again to all...
Mike

Mike, hang in there. Your story is my story. I waited 10 days before equipment.
Then had to fight for the right equipment.
You have survived so far, you will survive til you get your equipment.

You're in the pipe line.
You have knowledge before you even see the DME.
Use it.

Everyone here knows how you feel.
You are literally approaching the first day of the rest of your new life.

Hang in there!

[Kiralynx]

Mike,

Yeah, I can identify with it. I first saw a pain management doc the beginning of August -- finally got my machine the end of October. In the meantime, the pain pills I have are full of stuff which gives me diarrhea... but within a week of starting my Bipap, I no longer needed them!

Oh, and in there I had a hurricane evacuation, and my mother had a heart attack. Plus another hurricane knocked out my bro-in-law's power (in OHIO?!), and I ended up here looking for information to help him, which turned out to be good for me, since I had a chance to start to get up to speed on things before I had to talk to an RT or the DME.

It's more anxious making once you KNOW you have a problem. I did not want to be a hose head, but once I accepted that was what was needed, it was, "Why the <bleep> are you turkeys dragging your feet?!" (Took the pulmonologist 11 days to read each of my studies....)

[TheDreamer]

I suppose I should've found it frustrating or something....

I had my sleep study on December 1st, but didn't get the summary letter from my primary until (Saturday) December 27th. Since it was a split study, and they had woken up...I knew something was up, but I was in denial...so I pushed it out of my mind, plus I had a trip to go on...and didn't really want to the idea of extra stuff to bring with me, etc.

The summary letter was dated December 5th. Somebody had suggested the hold up was they wanted to get paid from my insurance before they would tell me the results. The claim summary letter from the insurance company came on the 29th. Makes sense the doctor's letter would get to me first.....I live a couple of blocks from the doctor office...but insurance letter would come from somewhere further away.....I guess.

The letter was kind of vague....it had my AHI before and after, and that it was considered severe....and that I should probably do CPAP therapy....though it didn't say that I had to call my doctor to set up an appointment to start it, etc. Maybe that's my out.

Last year (after my annual physical) he had sent me a similar vague letter about my high cholesterol. Took me almost 9 months to finally see him about something else....and that's when he started me on a statin. I almost didn't have my physical this year, because the 3 month follow up was so close. But, somehow a discussion about problems that I've been troubling more than usual lately (particularly that I wasn't just doing the nod and jerk at work....but I was actually dozing off and losing time).....but that prompted the sleep study.

Anyways...I joined this board after I got the letter on the 27th....and ended up making an appointment on the 29th and coming home with my CPAP.

If only it had been smooth sailing after that....

The Dreamer

[SharkBait]

Now I feel kind of bad...

Went to the Dr on Wednesday, Jan 14th, and told him "hey, I'm told I make animal noises in my sleep right up until I get quiet and stop breathing". On Monday, Feb 2nd, he called and told me he had the results from the sleep / titration study and I could come by the office for the report and a script.

That whole 2 1/2 weeks I was irritated that everyone seemed to be dragging their feet...

[Victoria]

Right there with you.....I have no idea why this has to be so complicated....my dd was fed by a feeding tube, using a $4,000 machine, and the DME was great about explaining everything about it, how to do it, the nurses went through it with us ad nauseum, the docs took our word for it if there was a problem....but hey, try to take control of your own CPAP therapy, and suddenly its all 'hands off'. WTH?? Hopefully, though, it will get better soon....

[SharkBait]

Now I feel kind of bad...

Went to the Dr on Wednesday, Jan 14th, and told him "hey, I'm told I make animal noises in my sleep right up until I get quiet and stop breathing". On Monday, Feb 2nd, he called and told me he had the results from the sleep / titration study and I could come by the office for the report and a script.

That whole 2 1/2 weeks I was irritated that everyone seemed to be dragging their feet...

Then I add to the wait by going "cheese" and opting for ground because my fedex stuff from Houston almost always shows up the next day and cpap.com's chart showed my area to take one day. I go to the UPS site with my tracking number and it shows estimated delivery of Friday. Argh! I gladly would have paid the $30... And if I had known it was going UPS I probably would...

Oh well, one more day's wait but at least I will have it this weekend...

[TheDreamer]

Then I add to the wait by going "cheese" and opting for ground because my fedex stuff from Houston almost always shows up the next day and cpap.com's chart showed my area to take one day. I go to the UPS site with my tracking number and it shows estimated delivery of Friday. Argh! I gladly would have paid the $30... And if I had known it was going UPS I probably would...

For me...UPS means, have them ship it to my box at the UPS store and wait until Saturday to collect it. At least with USPS it might fit in the parcel locker by the mailboxes (otherwise, I get them to redeliver on Saturday).....though it get's complicated if I have to wait at home on a Saturday and go to the UPS store that same Saturday. Neither work Sunday.

The Dreamer.

[awh]

I've realized reading this that in Japan, we have it good in some ways and bad in others.

For us, there's no messing around with referrals from other doctors.. If you suspect you need to see a specialist of whatever kind, you just call him up and make an appointment. I had my first appointment with the sleep specialist 22 hours after having called him up for the first time; my sleep study was booked for just over a week after that. I will need to wait another 2 weeks for the results since I didn't sleep enough for the software scoring to work well. In my buddy's case, it was 1 week elapsed time from first phone call with the sleep specialist to him walking home with a CPAP (he did such a good job of sleeping during his study that they woke him up 3 hours in and fitted him with an auto-adjusting CPAP).

On the other hand, insurance only covers 70% of any treatments, so I had to spend out-of-pocket 5,000 yen for the initial consult, and 25,000 yen for the study. If I need a CPAP, my only option will be rental at a fee of 5,000 yen/month, and I will have to go back to the sleep clinic once/month (probably better in the long run to buy one online from the USA, but even getting the doctor to write a prescription if I want to purchase a machine would cost 5,000 yen).