Is it Illegal to Change Settings on One's CPAP Machine?

[boston]

Nobody, I'm sorry you are so super-sensitve to smoke that you can't even tolerate your neighbors smoking outdoors in their own yard.

I, on the other hand, am super sensitive to so many of the scents added to cleaning products, room deodorizers and especially colognes and perfumes. I dread getting in an elevator and prefer to use stairs whenever possible. These scents are a LOT more difficult to avoid than cigarette smoke. There's no law against wearing perfume and cologne in offices, restaurants, etc. Some people seem to take a bath in the darn stuff!!!

i tell people if i can smell you before i can see you, your wearing too damn much cologne/perfume.

i also had a boss once, that chain smoked and drank coffee like you wouldnt believe. he was one of those people that had to stand 3 inches from your face to talk to you.
many of us did the happy dance when he transfered.

[nobody]

Nobody, I'm sorry you are so super-sensitve to smoke that you can't even tolerate your neighbors smoking outdoors in their own yard.

The thing is they aren't just smoking in their own yard. They are smoking in my yard and in my house as well. I don't go in their yard or in their house and yet I can smell the stench of that crap in my yard and in my house. So it's not as simple as them just smoking in their own place, they are invading my space with it whether they mean to or not. That is why it should be banned in the city IMO.

I, on the other hand, am super sensitive to so many of the scents added to cleaning products, room deodorizers and especially colognes and perfumes. I dread getting in an elevator and prefer to use stairs whenever possible. These scents are a LOT more difficult to avoid than cigarette smoke. There's no law against wearing perfume and cologne in offices, restaurants, etc. Some people seem to take a bath in the darn stuff!!!

I agree that that stuff is smelly and horrible, but it is easier to avoid than second hand smoke. There should be a law against that crap too IMO.

[SharkBait]

you'd have to be a pathetic moron to change your settings based on what you read on a website forum. Consult your doctor!

People really need to quit responding to these kinds of posts. It's called fishing. Don't get "caught".

[ozij]

Doctors who don't listen to their patients' concerns are much more dangerous, IMHO, than a patient who makes informed decisions based on data, peer interaction, and research.

Perfect.
One of these days, CG, I may want to put that in my signature line. Is that OK with you?

O.

[Debjax]

Nobody, I'm sorry you are so super-sensitve to smoke that you can't even tolerate your neighbors smoking outdoors in their own yard.

I, on the other hand, am super sensitive to so many of the scents added to cleaning products, room deodorizers and especially colognes and perfumes. I dread getting in an elevator and prefer to use stairs whenever possible. These scents are a LOT more difficult to avoid than cigarette smoke. There's no law against wearing perfume and cologne in offices, restaurants, etc. Some people seem to take a bath in the darn stuff!!!

I have been hypersensitive to perfumes and colognes since '94. Especially any Avon perfume or White Diamonds. Literally can't breathe within minutes when I am around them. Now I am hypersensitive to not just cigarette smoke but to the smell that "sticks" to one after smoking. My FIL still smokes and when he comes back in house I can't be within 20 feet of him it is getting to the point where he's going to have to quit or move out.

[DreamStalker]

Well, as long as the thread topic(s) is now going all over the place ...

http://www.businessweek.com/technology/ ... _top+story

Mergers are good for monopolies and monopolies are good for wall street and what is good for wall street is good for us right?

So where does medical marijuana fit into this picture? Does marijuana lower BP? how about cholesterol?

I got blisters on my the webby flesh between my thumb and index finger this past weekend while trying to dethatch the lawn with a rake ... is there anything to reduce the pain while I type my posts on this forum?

Sure could use some rain ... I think we have the worst drought around here in almost 50 years.

How come oil prices are almost a quarter of last year's peak and yet gasoline prices are only about half ... someone seems to be skimming extra off the top. Maybe it is the same folks who are pushing for a milage tax over a fuel tax ... whooda thunk that?

[roster]

the great self-prescribing clueless....I can't wait for the first COPD patient to come on here stating that they were harmed because they self-titrated based on advice received here.......just sayin..........it's coming.

No need to wait. There are hundreds of thousands of COPD patients showing up annually because the medical profession completely overlooked sleep apnea for years. There are also tens of thousands of COPD patients showing up annually because the medical profession provides a poor quality service that results in an ineffective treatment and a very low compliance rate.

Plenty of chances to get your daily jollies.

My doctor knows my story. Three nights in two sleep labs and consultations with three doctors and they could not get the pressure right. Thank God for cpap.com and the good members; I was able to self-titrate at home and start recovery from six years of misdiagnosis (seven doctors) and two years of improper treatment. My current sleep doctor's response: "Keep doing what you have been doing and come in from time to time to let me know how you are doing."

Your sleep labs typically are not able to prescribe an optimal pressure setting from a one night titration study in a strange sleeping environment.

Welcome to the new way where patients take control of their therapy.

[DreamStalker]

the great self-prescribing clueless....I can't wait for the first COPD patient to come on here stating that they were harmed because they self-titrated based on advice received here.......just sayin..........it's coming.

No need to wait. There are hundreds of thousands of COPD patients showing up annually because the medical profession completely overlooked sleep apnea for years. There are also tens of thousands of COPD patients showing up annually because the medical profession provides a poor quality service that results in an ineffective treatment and a very low compliance rate.

Plenty of chances to get your daily jollies.

My doctor knows my story. Three nights in two sleep labs and consultations with three doctors and they could not get the pressure right. Thank God for cpap.com and the good members; I was able to self-titrate at home and start recovery from six years of misdiagnosis (seven doctors) and two years of improper treatment. My current sleep doctor's response: "Keep doing what you have been doing and come in from time to time to let me know how you are doing."

Your sleep labs typically are not able to prescribe an optimal pressure setting from a one night titration study in a strange sleeping environment.

Welcome to the new way where patients take control of their therapy.

Well it is just a "guess" ... but I guess the reason the medical professionals have such a high failure rate with OSA and COPD is because they spend way too much of their time trolling as annonymous guests in forums where patients have taken control of their own treatment and berating them for it. But what do I know? ... I just keep my AHI below 0.5 on a weekly basis and have stopped paying money to the disordered sleep breating industry.

[Wulfman]

you'd have to be a pathetic moron to change your settings based on what you read on a website forum. Consult your doctor!

People really need to quit responding to these kinds of posts. It's called fishing. Don't get "caught".

It's also "entertainment"......for them and us. They come and throw out their idiotic statements to poke and prod us and we have fun bashing them. It's been going on as long as I've been here. Who knows.....it could even be that same one from years ago.


Den

[rested gal]

My take on why many RTs (and other DME employees) say, "It's illegal to change the pressure" ...

I think many of them truly do believe that.

They are accustomed to being bound by licensure laws in their state. They are used to thinking of machine adjustments from the aspect of what THEY themselves (the RTs) are legally allowed to do/not do -- and what other people working in the health care field are prohibited by law from doing.

When an RT (or any other health care professional) says, "It's Illegal to change your pressure", I think most of them sincerely believe that's so. THEY are not legally allowed to change someone's pressure without an order from a doctor, so that's how they are used to thinking about it.

Yes, telling a patient, "It's illegal to do that" sounds scary, but I believe most of them are not tryinging to lie or mislead. I think they truly do believe that's so.

They are looking at it through the lens of the legal scope (and boundaries) of their duties:

Doctors (or a professional, like a licensed nurse practitioner, working under the doctor's orders) are the only ones, by law, allowed to "prescribe" or to give a medical order about treatment.

Other health care professionals are required by law to follow the doctors orders when setting up treatment machines, including NOT being allowed to set or change the pressure if that's not legally within the scope of their duties. End of story for them.

That's not the end of the story, however, for the layperson who is actually using a CPAP machine.

I've still not seen anyone produce a law that says, "It is illegal for the patient to change or adjust the pressure setting on his/her CPAP machine."

There's a big difference between putting your fingers on the buttons of someone else's machine and changing the pressure, versus deciding to change the treatment pressure yourself on your own machine, imho. Whether that's a wise thing for a cpap user to do is another question entirely.

Manufacturers of the machines put in a way to prevent a patient, or someone (like a child) in the household from accidentally or deliberately changing a pressure setting or mode of operation. That "hidden" way of accessing the therapy setup menu that is pretty easy to find on the internet.

[-SWS]

I just keep my AHI below 0.5 on a weekly basis and have stopped paying money to the disordered sleep breating industry.

DreamStalker, friend... I'm assuming "breating" is just a typo with the "e" and "r" transposed. That darn sleep disordered berating industry keeps posting as guest. And they certainly berate on occasion...

[SharkBait]

you'd have to be a pathetic moron to change your settings based on what you read on a website forum. Consult your doctor!

People really need to quit responding to these kinds of posts. It's called fishing. Don't get "caught".

It's also "entertainment"......for them and us. They come and throw out their idiotic statements to poke and prod us and we have fun bashing them. It's been going on as long as I've been here. Who knows.....it could even be that same one from years ago.


Den

Good answer.

As long as you take it with a touch of humor, you're golden. I see people getting SO upset and then taking the time to construct a case for why it is we do what we do. Don't bother. Throw out a one liner and carry on...

[SharkBait]

Is it Illegal to Change Settings on One's CPAP Machine?

As we ponder this question and some challenge to see the statutes and so forth, my favorite reply has been... WHO CARES?

I really don't care if it's legal or not. Lots of laws on the books whose real intention is NOT for betterment of society. Seatbelt laws. Is it a good idea to wear your seat belt? Yes. Do I wear a seatbelt? You bet. Should there be a law telling me I have to wear a seat belt? Of course not.

You show me a law in the state of Texas that specifically states that it's illegal to change the settings on my CPAP machine and I'll show you a law that I have every intention of ignoring.

[roster]

I see people getting SO upset and then taking the time to construct a case for why it is we do what we do. Don't bother. Throw out a one liner and carry on...

SB,

Don't forget there are myriads of people who wander in here briefly and stumble across posts like the Guest made. They need to know the correct story.

Besides, did I not read that a little righteous indignation daily will keep your triglycerides down?

[alnhwrd]

you'd have to be a pathetic moron to change your settings based on what you read on a website forum. Consult your doctor!

People really need to quit responding to these kinds of posts. It's called fishing. Don't get "caught".

It's also "entertainment"......for them and us. They come and throw out their idiotic statements to poke and prod us and we have fun bashing them. It's been going on as long as I've been here. Who knows.....it could even be that same one from years ago.


Den

Good answer.

As long as you take it with a touch of humor, you're golden. I see people getting SO upset and then taking the time to construct a case for why it is we do what we do. Don't bother. Throw out a one liner and carry on...

The problem is that new users come along who don't know any better and see all the Sturm und Drang about the subject and think it really might be illegal, or get turned off by all the fuss and decide they don't want to get involved in it and leave. Then they don't get the help they need.