Ridiculous quotes and deeds by doctors and DMEs

[slapmeawake]

I asked my Doc to prescribe an Auto machine with A-Flex and she said, "You don't need A-Flex with an Auto" She also refuses to write scripts for a specific machine so because of her I had to settle for an Auto with C-Flex. Didn't realize at the time I could fight for what I wanted, the latest machine. Feel lucky she went along with the Auto. I am looking for a new Dr. now.

[echo]

I've ranted about these stupid comments before on other threads but never in dialogue format so here goes

First consult after titration:
Me: So I would really like to have an APAP with data capabilities. Can I have that instead of this basic machine?
Dr: No, the data they collect is unreliable and an APAP takes too long to get to the right pressure to stop your apneas, so it's useless, we only use it for titration.
Me: Ok (already armed with the knowledge from cpaptalk I knew this conversation was going nowhere fast and I had already picked out my order online!)

Couple weeks later after partner comments that insane noises are coming out of my mouth at night, on the phone with the assistant Dr:
Me: Yes hello, I'm a patient with your sleep lab etcetc and was told to call if I was having problems. Well my partner noticed that I'm mouth breathing at night so I would like to come in and pick up a FFM.
Dr: We don't give out FFMs.
Me: Why not? I really need it, all the therapy air is going out my mouth, the therapy is useless.
Dr: Hm, what's your pressure?
Me: 10.5 cm
Dr: Hm, thats a bit high isn't it?! You should lower your pressure to 4.
Me: What? To 4 cm??
Dr: Yes
Me: Um, that's barely any pressure at all. How will that stop my apneas?
Dr: Well you won't have the mouth leaking then.
.... conversation continues in this stupid manner for another few minutes until I get tired of his idiocy, hang up, and head to cpaptalk to find out more about mouth taping.

I return for an annual "check" at the sleep docs office where they just record the hours and that's about it. The main sleep doc comes in. I tell her what the assistant tells me, she admits "yes that was not good advice.". Tell her I'm mouth taping, she looks at me a bit funny but doesn't say anything. Outside I tell one of the techs that I'm mouth taping, she looks at me with huge eyes and says "We have HEARD of people doing that, you really do it?" Hahahahahahaha.

Well those are the highlights. Other stupidities have happened, like going into the doctors when I was 19 complaining of fatigue, weight gain, poor sleep, etc etc, and instead of getting diagnosed with sleep apnea (that would have been just too easy) I end up getting a lymph node hacked out, which then proceeds to get infected. The doctor refuses to take a needle aspiration of the fluid accumulation, saying that fluid in the surgical site is normal after 6 weeks, my mother nearly threatens him to do it, out comes this yellow green puss, I go back into surgery the same afternoon!

I bet patients DO say some pretty stupid things. I found a great thread on that once at binary sleep. Too funny!!

[BleepingBeauty]

Great thread!

I'm watching one of the sleep techs at my (ex-) sleep doc's office set up a loaner APAP for me. He plugs in the machine, and the number 5 appears on the display.

Me: What's the number 5 mean?
Him: That's the number of hours on the machine.
Me: Really? But I thought this machine just came back from another patient's week-long APAP trial. Are you saying this machine is brand new, and the other patient only used it for five hours over an entire week?
Him: Yep.

He then goes through the clinician menu and discovers there are 2,495 hours on the machine...

Kicker: He then mistakenly sets the machine for a split-night study, rather than an APAP trial. I suffer with terrible "therapy" for a week and then part ways with the office.

***

When I was due for a new mask:

RT: You can’t just try on different masks. I have no way of cleaning them, so once you try on a mask, you own it.

[OutaSync]

Follow up call after first night on CPAP:

Me: I have this huge red blister on the bridge of my nose.

DME: Oh, everybody has that problem.

Me: Well, what should I do about it?

DME: Just don't use the CPAP for a night or two until it heals up.

That's when I ended up googling and found cpaptalk.com

[carbonman]

I've enjoyed reading this thread.
It's funny and very sad at the same time.

I feel left out, though.
After the initial misinformation and lying by
the Big A, when I fought to get my first data machine,
and then my insc. changed this year to a $250/yr
deductable for DME, I no longer have any reason
to have any contact w/them.
My doc wrote Rxs for both A and C paps for me.....
and is all for me being in full control of my therapy.
I never saw the "sleep" doc that "read" my sleep study...

I have a very well stocked cpap warehouse in my closet....
..and I am my own best therapist.....
...on call 24/7......

.....so, I don't have any stories to tell.

[Amigo]

Thanks for the great laughs, but how sad it is that so many in the health care industry suffer from a "god" complex, have all the answers, and do NOT listen to what their patients are telling them.

Ignorance abounds, and I am forever thankful that I found this site. Now I am no longer bamboozled by the many health care idiots out there, and do not suffer fools lightly.

[GTOJim]

My wife's group, first time CPAP users, Apria doesn't do one on one with new users, only in groups

New user getting setup with nasal pillows: What happens when I have a bad cold and can't breath through my nose?

RT: Stop using your CPAP until you get over your cold.

[Slinky]

My Wright & Filippis RRT told me my Resmed S8 Elite w/EPR they provided me with was not capable of providing Leak, AHI and AI data.

My Wright & Filippis RRT told me Medicare wouldn't pay for a scripted nebulizer for me despite my old nebulizer was TEN years old and making weird sounds like it was on its last leg AND had not been purchased by Medicare in the first place.

My Wright & Filippis RRT told me I couldn't get a new cushion for my Respironics Simplicity simple nasal cushion.

Obviously I did NOT stay w/Wright & Filippis!!!!

[sepool]

Me: My FFM is slipping up during the night and pressing into my eyes, like this...
Dr: Use these eye drops


Me: I'd like to try nasal pillows
Dr. and DME: They don't work at your pressure (18)

[echo]

My wife's group, first time CPAP users, Apria doesn't do one on one with new users, only in groups

New user getting setup with nasal pillows: What happens when I have a bad cold and can't breath through my nose?

RT: Stop using your CPAP until you get over your cold.

Aaaurgh I forgot about that one! That was also in the exchange with the assistant doctor when I asked for a FFM, his reaction was exactly the same, don't use it for a few days until the cold clears up. Which reminds me of something ELSE he said... "it's ok not to use it for a few days because the effects of the cpap lasts a couple of days."

WHAT!? Like magically my throat stays inflated for 24 hours after using cpap, so I can go every other night without it??? Sheesh what a moron!

[mamaguinnie]

Me: Why do I owe over $850 in out of pocket costs for a machine and mask that I could buy on the internet for less than $400 cash?
DME: Because we file your insurance for you.


Me: The DME has billed you over $3200 over 10 months for a machine I could have purchased myself for under $300.
Insurance company: Wow. That's a lot.
Me: Are there any guidelines or limits to what they can charge?
Insurance Company: They bill us on a monthly basis until the machine is paid for.
Me: But the machine is only worth $300. They've billed you over $3200 and say that I owe them $850. Isn't there a limit? Aren't there different prices for different machines?
Insurance Company: No, they can bill anything they want.
Me: Who can I contact to complain about this?
Insurance Company: Contact the DME and complain.
Me: (duh!) I've done that. They refuse to work with me. The don't even return my calls half the time.
Insurance Company: That's all I can recommend.
Me: I've been doing that. What would you do if you were in my situation?
Insurance Company: I would just keep calling the DME to get a different person.
Me: I think I'll do that with the insurance company too.

[GTOJim]

When picking my my wife's CPAP equipment when she joined me as a hose head.

DME: You have a 20%, you owe X dollars.

Me: Our insurance covers 100%

DME: Your insurance coverage is 80%, you have a 20% co-pay.

Me: our insurance covers 100%

DME: You have a 20% co-pay, you can not have the equipment until you pay X dollars.

This went on several more times.

DME: You obviously do not understand, your insurance covers 80%, that means you have to pay us a 20% co-pay of X dollars.

Me: You obviously do not understand, my insurance covers 100% of the cost, 100% coverage means I pay nothing.

DME: Obviously very upset storms off, leaves the room.

A few minutes later

New DME peson: We checked your insurance coverage, your insurance covers 100% of the cost.

[Madalot]

I am just laughing so hard at all these examples of stupidity. I think human beings are getting more and more stupid!

It reminds me of the time I got a letter from a college, that I'd never been to I might add, saying I had 4 unpaid parking tickets. The letter listed a license plate which was similar to mine, but not the same plate. As an example (and not the real ones), the letter said the license plate was DDD&CO, whereas my license plate was just the DDD. So I called:

Me: I got a letter from you saying I have 4 unpaid parking tickets. I've never driven to your school before. Plus, the license plate listed isn't mine.
Idiot: Someone else must have driven your car here and gotten the tickets. You owe us $200 for the tickets.
Me: No one else drives my car, plus I'm telling you that license plate listed isn't mine. You've made a mistake.
Idiot: No we haven't. I searched the plate and it came up with your name. You owe us $200.
Me: Ma'am, what part of "that isn't my license plate" are you not understanding? You've listed DDD&CO as the plate and my license plate is just DDD.
Idiot: [She's getting really angry now]: I did a DMV search and it came up with your name. You owe us the $200!!!
Me: What did you search for? It seems to me that you must have entered just DDD and not the entire plate. My plate is DDD, but not DDD&CO.
Idiot: Ma'am, there is no mistake. This license plate came back to you, a silver mustang!! Please pay the money.
Me: I don't own a silver mustang. I'm driving a black beretta.
Idiot: You don't drive a silver mustang? Are you sure you don't drive a mustang? Hmmm.....this must not be your car then. I'll search again and find the right owner. Disregard the letter.

[GTOJim]

Sounds like the people described in the previous two posts must be related.

[Madalot]

Sounds like the people described in the previous two posts must be related.

I'm inclined to agree. I think it's a new mentality that refuses to listen to something other than what they've already made up their minds about. No amount of logic gets through to these nitwits.