FINALLY got the CPAP machine today!

[janetlee]

Well, folks, it's here. It is hooked up to an oxygen machine. I have the medium-size nose/mouth mask. I had to have the medium because if my nostrils are even barely touched, they close up somewhat. Just my cheeks being put pressure on does this. I need a new nose!
I see that it is going to take an act of congress to just get some sleep...at least it will seem like it until I get used to everything! I'm nervous, but fully intend to stick to it. I've just been so tired and worn out. Someting needs to change. So I'm in for the long haul!
My machine is a REMstar plus M Series Model # 200M. As to the mask model, I have no clue. I think it is made by the same company as the CPAP machine though, as there's a "M" on the mask.
Thanks for reading this post. Any advice, comments, etc., are MOST welcome!
janetlee

[jweeks]

Janetlee,

It will be interesting to hear about your experiences on Friday morning. I was only able to stick with it about 3 hours the first night and 4 or 5 hours the 2nd night. By the 3rd night, I was so tired that slept about 9 hours on the machine. Since then, I will not risk attempting to sleep without the machine. I don't want to cook my brain any further from lack of oxygen. You might also find that your body is so used to interrupted sleep that you have to train yourself how to sleep through the night again. I got down to only getting up once fairly quickly, but it took a few months before I was no longer getting up at all.

Celebrate the successes as they happen, and work on the problems as they pop up, and you will be fine.

-john-

[BleepingBeauty]

Well, folks, it's here. It is hooked up to an oxygen machine. I have the medium-size nose/mouth mask. I had to have the medium because if my nostrils are even barely touched, they close up somewhat. Just my cheeks being put pressure on does this. I need a new nose!
I see that it is going to take an act of congress to just get some sleep...at least it will seem like it until I get used to everything! I'm nervous, but fully intend to stick to it. I've just been so tired and worn out. Someting needs to change. So I'm in for the long haul!
My machine is a REMstar plus M Series Model # 200M. As to the mask model, I have no clue. I think it is made by the same company as the CPAP machine though, as there's a "M" on the mask.
Thanks for reading this post. Any advice, comments, etc., are MOST welcome!
janetlee

Congrats! And welcome to the club.

But the bolded sentence above makes me and then get . They gave you the cheesy machine (the same one I was given), instead of a fully data-capable one. The Plus machine will only tell you (and your DME and sleep doctor) how many hours you're using the machine. (That's good for your insurance provider, as they're paying for the equipment and may want proof that you're using it, but it's no good for you or your doctor to monitor your therapy and make educated changes to get you the best therapy possible.) The machine you have produces NO efficacy data (like the AHI and the leak rate, at the least).

My advice? I think you should return this machine and insist on a data-capable one right from the get-go. You've generally got 30 days in which to do that, but don't delay. I was stuck with my Plus machine for about 20 months (b.s. from the DME, and a less-than-cooperative sleep doc), until I bought a data-capable machine on CraigsList a few months ago. Don't be me!

The DME gets reimbursed the same amount for the cheesy model as they do for the data-capable model, so don't let them tell you your insurance won't cover the better machine. It's the same insurance code for both, so the reimbursement amount to the DME is the same, and your insurance couldn't care less which one you get. But it behooves the DME's bottom line to give you the cheaper machine and pocket the difference. Don't let 'em!

I remember how I felt my first night of therapy (nervous and excited), and I hope this is the start of a successful journey for you.

[Georgio]

Congratulations on starting your therapy. It has done wonders for most of us. However, many of us like yourself, were given one machine and soon traded for another one that would provide us data as to how the therapy is working. The same thing happend to probably half of us so don't feel bad. You will want the data to make sure you get the results you want. Good luck and stick around to learn all you can.

Georgio

[janetlee]

Well, folks, it's here. It is hooked up to an oxygen machine. I have the medium-size nose/mouth mask. I had to have the medium because if my nostrils are even barely touched, they close up somewhat. Just my cheeks being put pressure on does this. I need a new nose!
I see that it is going to take an act of congress to just get some sleep...at least it will seem like it until I get used to everything! I'm nervous, but fully intend to stick to it. I've just been so tired and worn out. Someting needs to change. So I'm in for the long haul!
My machine is a REMstar plus M Series Model # 200M. As to the mask model, I have no clue. I think it is made by the same company as the CPAP machine though, as there's a "M" on the mask.
Thanks for reading this post. Any advice, comments, etc., are MOST welcome!
janetlee

Congrats! And welcome to the club.

But the bolded sentence above makes me and then get . They gave you the cheesy machine (the same one I was given), instead of a fully data-capable one. The Plus machine will only tell you (and your DME and sleep doctor) how many hours you're using the machine. (That's good for your insurance provider, as they're paying for the equipment and may want proof that you're using it, but it's no good for you or your doctor to monitor your therapy and make educated changes to get you the best therapy possible.) The machine you have produces NO efficacy data (like the AHI and the leak rate, at the least).

My advice? I think you should return this machine and insist on a data-capable one right from the get-go. You've generally got 30 days in which to do that, but don't delay. I was stuck with my Plus machine for about 20 months (b.s. from the DME, and a less-than-cooperative sleep doc), until I bought a data-capable machine on CraigsList a few months ago. Don't be me!

The DME gets reimbursed the same amount for the cheesy model as they do for the data-capable model, so don't let them tell you your insurance won't cover the better machine. It's the same insurance code for both, so the reimbursement amount to the DME is the same, and your insurance couldn't care less which one you get. But it behooves the DME's bottom line to give you the cheaper machine and pocket the difference. Don't let 'em!

I remember how I felt my first night of therapy (nervous and excited), and I hope this is the start of a successful journey for you.

Thank you for the info, but I have medicaid and you get the cheapest stuff and have to be thankful for that...sigh! This machine does have a data card in it so they can get info off of it.
The only way I truly expect to know if it is working for me is by how I feel. I was told that my insurance (remember, it's medicaid!) will only pay for one more mask within 30 days, so I have to let them know if I'm happy with the mask by then. They didn't say any such thing about the machine itself.
I will definitely let everyone know how this goes and thanks to everyone for all their info!

[BleepingBeauty]

Thank you for the info, but I have medicaid and you get the cheapest stuff and have to be thankful for that...sigh! This machine does have a data card in it so they can get info off of it.

The only info they'll get with that machine is your compliance (usage hours).

The only way I truly expect to know if it is working for me is by how I feel.

How you feel is more important than the data, itself. If you feel good, great. But if you don't feel good, there's no data to look at to try and determine where the problem lies.

I was told that my insurance (remember, it's medicaid!) will only pay for one more mask within 30 days, so I have to let them know if I'm happy with the mask by then. They didn't say any such thing about the machine itself.

That's not surprising. But I'd still try hard to exchange the basic machine you were given for one that'll give you the important data. As is, if your therapy doesn't go well, you have no option but to guess at what aspect of the therapy needs tweaking (Is my mask leaking? Am I still having a lot of events? Do I need a pressure adjustment?). As others on the forum have put it, without a data-capable machine, it's like driving in the dark without headlights.

So now, to the important question : How did your first night go?

[Muse-Inc]

JanetLee -- read the following!

...The DME gets reimbursed the same amount for the cheesy model as they do for the data-capable model, so don't let them tell you your insurance won't cover the better machine. It's the same insurance code for both, so the reimbursement amount to the DME is the same, and your insurance couldn't care less which one you get. But it behooves the DME's bottom line to give you the cheaper machine and pocket the difference. Don't let 'em!

Demand a full data capable machine! Guessing at the effectiveness of your therapy is just plain nuts as I can well attest. I have a dumb xPAP just like you do only and I have no idea what happened in my previous sleep when I get up in the morning...no idea of whether my apnea and hypopnea events are going up ro down...it's all guessing. I can't even tell if leaks are under control! When I started losing therapy air, I'd have seen increased events and investigated instead I thought it was more of the lingering side effects from a drug I'd stopped, then I thought it was a cardiac problem. I discovered this forum afte several months; people here said I was losing therapy air -- they were right. Took me from Feb to mid July to get a new mask and my pressure re-set --- that's a LOT of backsliding into apnea -- ALL because I have a dumb CPAP. Don't keep it JanetLee, you need a full data capable CPAP. THE DME IS JUST GETTING RICHER BY PROVIDING A BOTTOM OF THE BARREL MACHINE -- he gets reimbursed the same amt of money whether it's the dumb machine or the full data CPAP...the have the same billing code. Please don't make the mistake I did -- you found this forum early, use this info, it's the right thing to do to improve your health. Now into my third year of CPAP therapy, I can only imagine where I might be in recovery if I had a full-data instead of the dumb CPAP...it doesn't make me happy that's for sure.

[Slinky]

AND, your supplier is REALLY being a cheap sheister as Respironics, Resmed and Fisher & Paykel, the three major mask manufactures will replace FREE to the local DME suppliers most any of their masks that patients have tried and been UNsuccessful with if the DME supplier fills out a form and returns form and mask to the manufacturer w/in 30 days.

[Georgio]

In my opinion, it's important enough to have data to purchase your own machine and give the one they gave you back. I did. You want to get well.

[janetlee]

JanetLee -- read the following!

...The DME gets reimbursed the same amount for the cheesy model as they do for the data-capable model, so don't let them tell you your insurance won't cover the better machine. It's the same insurance code for both, so the reimbursement amount to the DME is the same, and your insurance couldn't care less which one you get. But it behooves the DME's bottom line to give you the cheaper machine and pocket the difference. Don't let 'em!

Demand a full data capable machine! Guessing at the effectiveness of your therapy is just plain nuts as I can well attest. I have a dumb xPAP just like you do only and I have no idea what happened in my previous sleep when I get up in the morning...no idea of whether my apnea and hypopnea events are going up ro down...it's all guessing. I can't even tell if leaks are under control! When I started losing therapy air, I'd have seen increased events and investigated instead I thought it was more of the lingering side effects from a drug I'd stopped, then I thought it was a cardiac problem. I discovered this forum afte several months; people here said I was losing therapy air -- they were right. Took me from Feb to mid July to get a new mask and my pressure re-set --- that's a LOT of backsliding into apnea -- ALL because I have a dumb CPAP. Don't keep it JanetLee, you need a full data capable CPAP. THE DME IS JUST GETTING RICHER BY PROVIDING A BOTTOM OF THE BARREL MACHINE -- he gets reimbursed the same amt of money whether it's the dumb machine or the full data CPAP...the have the same billing code. Please don't make the mistake I did -- you found this forum early, use this info, it's the right thing to do to improve your health. Now into my third year of CPAP therapy, I can only imagine where I might be in recovery if I had a full-data instead of the dumb CPAP...it doesn't make me happy that's for sure.

I am going to call them on Monday. Hopefully they'll listen! As to buying my own machine, I live on SSI and my mom cleans offices for a living. She just lost 2 of her jobs and things are tough. But I will try to get something better!
Thank you!
jl