just registered - have questions

[yardbird]

I just found these message boards. Wish I'd found them years ago. This is an intro and some history so might be a little long, but I find I have questions again...
I was diagnosed with OSA several years ago. I'm not even sure what a DME is! I had 2 sleep studies, one without and one with CPAP. On the one without, the technician told me my oxygen level got so low they were about to put an O2 mask on me. They said I stopped breathing 78 times in ... oh I think I was sleeping for about 5 hours.
The end result was that I have a Respironics SoloLX with a passover humidifier. The headgear they gave me didn't work out. I could never get the straps right to prevent leaking unless I made them so tight that they hurt my nose. All that stuff wrapped around my head in summer made me so uncomfortable I used to wake up after about 2 or 3 hours and just rip it off to get relief. I gave up on CPAP. I would TRY it again when my wife complained, but ... I just could NOT use that mask and didn't know about options. This was what they had given me so it must be what I need. Then I heard about nasal pillow type gear. Still had head gear, but ..... looked a little more comfortable.
Then I found a device called a CPAP Pro ( http://www.cpappro.com ) ... No more head gear! I HAD to try it. My wife was threatening separate bedrooms! Anyways... it seems to be working for me. Working because I actually USE it. It's weird how I find it amazing that I went to sleep at 11pm and didn't wake up until the alarm went off at 6:30am next morning. And I still had my CPAP on!

Insurance and CPAP racket...
In the beginning I started out paying .. I think it was $18 a month for my CPAP. The company I was "renting" it from was getting $85 a MONTH from my insurance company and then billing me the "difference". EIGHTY-FIVE DOLLAR A MONTH??? I called my insurance company and told them I could BUY the darn thing for about $500 and would they just buy me one? They said no. So I called the company I was "renting" the CPAP from and told them to either come and get it or stop charging me. I told them they were already getting too much from the insurance company. I have't heard from themm since. It's been years.
Do these things need maintenance?
I stopped seeing the cardio-pulmonologist because he asked the same questions every visit, I gave him the same answers, and he billed my insurance company.
Should I see someone again? Should I be seeing someone regularly?
It's been probably 5 years at least since my diagnosis... do you need to have another sleep study periodically?

My SoloLX is at least 5 years old and lately is sounds like it's straining to start. It starts and runs but I don't remember it always having the "pause" after I press the button to start it.
Is this a decent machine or should I be considering a new one? If I buy a new one I'll BUY it and I'm liking what I'm reading about the APAP machines with software to see what's actually happening.
Do those work well with nasal pillow type masks? (If it's nasal pillow, is it a mask?)
Is there a conventional mask that doesn't use so much head gear? I like my CPAPPro because it simply snaps onto my upper teeth... no straps at all. And the hose goes DOWN instead of up. When you have a hose that goes up, you can't wear your glasses.
I do sleep through the night when I wear it, but my wife says I occasionally still make funny noises. But she says when I wear it she doesn't have to stay awake all night and shake me every time I stop breathing.
I think I've said enough... rambled on too long. Help and insights are very welcome.

[yardbird]

AND... now I'm bummed after inquiring from my insurance company about reimbursement. THey won't replace my current SOloLX unless it's broken beyond repair and certified as such by a "participating DME". And even if they DO allow a replacement, it's at 50% copay. I called a participating DME and they send the units out for repair. And send the repair estimate/report to the insurance company who THEN decides if they'll authorize replacement.

Oh and the DME will send me home with a machine FOR A WEEK that records my pressure needs and events and.....

That sounds like what I want to BUY!!!

It's kinda looking like if I want to replace my SoloLX with a REMstar Auto C-Flex with heated humidifier... it's going to be an out-of-pocket expense. Totally. So... CPAP + software +reader ... almost $1000?

Ouch.

I'm bummed.

_________________

CPAPopedia Keywords Contained In This Post (Click For Definition): humidifier, C-FLEX, CPAP, DME, auto

[Guest]

The Puritan Bennett 420e is a fantastic auto machine and costs less.... Click on this link:

GoodKnight 420e at cpap.com

If the cost of an APAP will prevent you from getting a new machine, you might want to consider looking at CPAP machines that have accompanying software. (Just make sure the software gives more than compliance info only).

[catlutz]

I just found these message boards. Wish I'd found them years ago. This is an intro and some history so might be a little long, but I find I have questions again...
I was diagnosed with OSA several years ago. I'm not even sure what a DME is! I had 2 sleep studies, one without and one with CPAP. On the one without, the technician told me my oxygen level got so low they were about to put an O2 mask on me. They said I stopped breathing 78 times in ... oh I think I was sleeping for about 5 hours.
The end result was that I have a Respironics SoloLX with a passover humidifier. The headgear they gave me didn't work out. I could never get the straps right to prevent leaking unless I made them so tight that they hurt my nose. All that stuff wrapped around my head in summer made me so uncomfortable I used to wake up after about 2 or 3 hours and just rip it off to get relief. I gave up on CPAP. I would TRY it again when my wife complained, but ... I just could NOT use that mask and didn't know about options. This was what they had given me so it must be what I need. Then I heard about nasal pillow type gear. Still had head gear, but ..... looked a little more comfortable.
Then I found a device called a CPAP Pro ( http://www.cpappro.com ) ... No more head gear! I HAD to try it. My wife was threatening separate bedrooms! Anyways... it seems to be working for me. Working because I actually USE it. It's weird how I find it amazing that I went to sleep at 11pm and didn't wake up until the alarm went off at 6:30am next morning. And I still had my CPAP on!

Insurance and CPAP racket...
In the beginning I started out paying .. I think it was $18 a month for my CPAP. The company I was "renting" it from was getting $85 a MONTH from my insurance company and then billing me the "difference". EIGHTY-FIVE DOLLAR A MONTH??? I called my insurance company and told them I could BUY the darn thing for about $500 and would they just buy me one? They said no. So I called the company I was "renting" the CPAP from and told them to either come and get it or stop charging me. I told them they were already getting too much from the insurance company. I have't heard from themm since. It's been years.
Do these things need maintenance?
I stopped seeing the cardio-pulmonologist because he asked the same questions every visit, I gave him the same answers, and he billed my insurance company.
Should I see someone again? Should I be seeing someone regularly?
It's been probably 5 years at least since my diagnosis... do you need to have another sleep study periodically?

My SoloLX is at least 5 years old and lately is sounds like it's straining to start. It starts and runs but I don't remember it always having the "pause" after I press the button to start it.
Is this a decent machine or should I be considering a new one? If I buy a new one I'll BUY it and I'm liking what I'm reading about the APAP machines with software to see what's actually happening.
Do those work well with nasal pillow type masks? (If it's nasal pillow, is it a mask?)
Is there a conventional mask that doesn't use so much head gear? I like my CPAPPro because it simply snaps onto my upper teeth... no straps at all. And the hose goes DOWN instead of up. When you have a hose that goes up, you can't wear your glasses.
I do sleep through the night when I wear it, but my wife says I occasionally still make funny noises. But she says when I wear it she doesn't have to stay awake all night and shake me every time I stop breathing.
I think I've said enough... rambled on too long. Help and insights are very welcome.
DME stands for Durable Medical equipment. Usaully most insurance companies will rent the rent your unit till it meets the purchase price, at which time it converts to a purchase. Usually that will occur in about 12 months, unless you have medicare or medicaid. The $18 dollars you were paying is most likely your deductible or copay. Check your insurance policy for copays and/or deductibles.Or contact your insurance carrier for answers to your questions.
Yes,everybody should be retested for his/her optimal pressure about every 2 years or sooner if you start to notice symptons returning like prior to using cpap therapy.
Nasal pillows are just that nasal pillows, they are though part of the mask and are billed that way to your insurance company by the dme company.I think you are referring to the Puritan Bennett breeze sleep gear or the resmed swift nasal system. Everyone is different and what may work well for one individual will not necessarily work for someone else. Find a home care company DME company that you trust or has a good respiratory therapist that will take the time to fit you properly. Most sleep centers dont have the staffing to really take the time to offer/show all the different types of cpap masks available on the market today. So you have to look to your dme company to do that. A good fitting mask can literally mean the difference between being compliant or non-compliant. I have been using my UM full face mask for 2years nowand love it, again not everyone likes the full face mask for whatever reason.
Your cpap unit should indeed be checked out and is usually a service that should be provided by your home care company.
Your cpap unit is usually a personal preference, just like your mask. Personally all cpaps are just that continuous positive airway pressure, the mode in which the pressure is delivered. Like bipap is a two level or bilevel unit that delivers one pressure on inspiration and then another pressure on expiration. This usually requires documentation (bipap) that cpap failed/high pressures/ or certian types of respiratory disorders involving your respiratory drive, (central apneas).
Hope that answers some of your questions. Good Luck, and keep on cpaping...........................

CPAPopedia Keywords Contained In This Post (Click For Definition): respironics, humidifier, hose, nasal pillow, CPAP, DME, APAP

[biggziff]

Here's a RemStar Pro II on Yahoo Auctions...it's not an auto, but has cflex

Has a couple of masks also.

http://page.auctions.yahoo.com/auction/92051511

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CPAPopedia Keywords Contained In This Post (Click For Definition): auto