Sound familiar? #2

[M.D.Hosehead]

To answer all your questions about why cpap technology is moving "so slowly" and why it is so far behind, and how come there are no obvious things like oxymetry adaptors, easier interface for you to check your useage, etc. etc. etc.....

Because, frankly, you don't need to know that stuff. You honestly don't. It benefits you in absolutly 0 ways.

Useage: did you use your machine last night? Good for you. Does it matter what your AHI is? Not a lick. What was your sat last night? Doesn't matter.

See, when the average individual is given this information, they start to get more and more obsessed with it. It's actually a documented thing. Well documented. Easiest example I can think of is with vent patients. Sometimes a vent patient will become overtly worried about what setting their vent is on. If you switch them to a setting that is designed for weaning, they get nervous, and end up working themselves into a spasm. I once had a vent patient who every time I switch them to cpap (yes, just about the exact same thing you put on your face) they would just about have a stroke, swearing that they couldn't breath. So, onetime while they were sleeping, I walked in, and switched them over to cpap. They were fine. four hours later, I came in and switch them back to their normal mode. They mouthed "Did you just switch me onto cpap?!??!" I said "Yep!" and they started flipping out. 15 minutes later, I came and said "Ok, ok, I'll switch you back! calm down, it will be ok!"....... and proceded to switch them back to cpap.

This went on for about four days, with all the therapists playing along. Finally, I walked in to take them off the vent. WHen they started to panic, I showed them the vent sheet, where they had currently been on cpap for over 24 hours.

Sometimes we know what is best for you.... because, you know... we are trained to know whats best for you.

I had a patient who swore that she did better on one setting then another, and she wanted her doctor to write a perscription for that setting. It was, oh, about 10 above what she was currently on.

Why? Because she somehow got ahold of the program for downloading her information about her sleep that her machine is putting out, and decided that she was qualified to adjust her own machine.... so she did.

And she paid the price for it.

See, Cpap is an artificial means to provide additional PEEP to the body. But it does more the just splint open the passageways to your lungs. It can open collapsed lung tissues, help with oxygenation, and oh man, what else was it... something else... can't quite remember it......

Oh yeah, decrease the venus return to your heart, putting you into congestive heart failure. The patient, who already had congestive heart failure, made her condition worse, and ended up in the hospital.

Furthermore, I have seen oxygen patients who have bought pulse oxymeters go ahead and increase their oxygen levels. And thus knock out their hypoxic drives, and just about KILL THEMSELVES.

You are NOT QUALIFIED to interpret that information, therefore they do NOT make it easily accessable to you.

If you take medication, once you have paid the pharmacy for it, it is yours. Does that mean you can go and adjust your dosage all willy nilly? Well, you can... enjoy your coma.

Unless you have MD or RT after your name, you should not be adjusting your own pressures. As, well, you know. It's kind of against the law. You can believe me if you want, I don't really feel like looking up the codes and regulations.

And that information is just about useless unless viewed in the proper light, with all facts and figures open and acounted for.

That's why you will most likely never see any of those easy to use adaptors on your cpaps, and why most doctors and home care companies will not sell those machines that do.


However:

F&P is coming out with a machine that has an alarm clock. You can also put 5 mp3's on it so you can wake up to your favorite songs. Can't wait to teach my average patient that!


-xero, who yes, is an RT.

[Slartybartfast]

He's BAAACK!

[ched03]

So, what exactly do we think his new screen names are? I thought this might be helpful so that newbies can be on the lookout. I promise that I am not trying to stir the pot. That is the last thing that I want to do.

[Emilia]

Unless he has lots of IP addresses, I don't know why the IP address can't be blocked......

[danimal71]

So, what exactly do we think his new screen names are? I thought this might be helpful so that newbies can be on the lookout. I promise that I am not trying to stir the pot. That is the last thing that I want to do.

[ched03]

lol

[lbw]

Wonder why someone would waste there time on this forum if they don't find it helpful.
Many of us are in the health field. What you did with that patient seems unethical to me. You are just fortunate that your actions worked out this time

[chunkyfrog]

Yep!

(oh, BTW, "yep" in Ukrainian is slang for the 'finger')

[danimal71]

That post (by who must not be named) would be like telling a diabetic he\she wasn't allowed to check their glucose level and regulate themselves. Letting someone have access to that data empowers them and helps the Dr. The Dr isn't there 24\7 and doesn't always know the circumstances (was the person sick...or other issues). By educating patients it allows them to understand what's going on and communicate more effectively. When most Dr's see a patient trying to be pro-active in their care they are usually more apt to share additional or more detailed information....atleast that's been my experience.

[Sleepy Taz]

xerort wrote:
To answer all your questions about why cpap technology is moving "so slowly" and why it is so far behind, and how come there are no obvious things like oxymetry adaptors, easier interface for you to check your useage, etc. etc. etc.....

Because, frankly, you don't need to know that stuff. You honestly don't. It benefits you in absolutly 0 ways.

Tell me xerort why your OPINION should be listened to. You are obviously wish to undermine everyone who advocates patients being informed and taking charge of their therapy. What makes you so right and everyone else wrong? There are many here who were getting inadequate help from health professionals, and with the help of established forum members found the best settings for their therapy and are now healing and living a better life. You offer the standard “keep the patient in the dark because they are not smart enough to take care of themselves” party line that most DME’s stand by. Your kind are out dated and for this reason you feel the need to come here and show us all just how stupid we are and get us back to living in the dark ages. I started my therapy 22 years ago when your ideas were prevalent in the industries and spent the better part of 10 years fixing what my RT couldn’t. Not because they were not capable, but because they did not care just as you do not care this is proven by how you talk to people. If you think that you can come here and bully people into your way of thinking you are sorely mistaken, and are dumber than your words portray. You are a little man who has a big ego and should be ignored by all and some day you will reap what you sow. What is really sad is that if you are who you say you are, then you could actually do some good, and educate instead of subjugate the masses.

[Slartybartfast]

Oh geez, don't encourage him.

That post (by who must not be named) would be like telling a diabetic he\she wasn't allowed to check their glucose level and regulate themselves. [snip]

Precisely so. When I feel I have a fever, I take my temperature with another medical device, a fever thermometer. I don't go to the Doc and ask him/her to do it for me. Dealing with an uncomplicated OSA disorder for one's-self isn't rocket surgery, much as at least one here seems to think it is.

When I showed my pulmonologist my CMS 50E oximetry printouts, he started grinning. When I started asking him intelligent questions, he just about fell all overhimself helping me with information and taking my questions further. He ran what should have been a 10 minute followup app't. at least 30 minutes beyond that providing me with great feedback and information. He ended up demonstrating the exercises he does every morning for me in his office. Sorry for the folks out in the waiting room, but . . .

My wife (RN) says a good doctor yearns for patient involvement. It makes his job easier and improves the outcome. But it's the patient's responsibility to do his/her part, too. That includes becoming educated on your condition and treatment options.

[robysue]

Unless he has lots of IP addresses, I don't know why the IP address can't be blocked......

Most posters are using computers with so-called dynamic IPs that are assigned to individual's computer from a pool of IPs registered to an institution (such as a college or business) or to the individual's internet service provider, if the user is posting from home instead of work or school. The IP assigned to the posters computer will change from day to day.

So to block a particular user like our "friend" by blocking his/her IP, the forum administrator will have to block ALL the IPs that are registered to the owner of the IP the user came in on; and this will block all users from that institution or internet provider from being able to register and post. For example, if "he who must not be named" is coming in from a Verizon IP located in Buffalo, NY and these IPs are blocked, then no-one using Verizon for their ISP will be able to post here.

So unless "he who must not be named" is writing from a specific computer that has a so-called FIXED IP address, trying to block him by blocking the IP(s) will cause much more trouble than it fixes.

[Sleepy Taz]

nicely put Robysue

[Madalot]

Wonder why someone would waste there time on this forum if they don't find it helpful.
Many of us are in the health field. What you did with that patient seems unethical to me. You are just fortunate that your actions worked out this time

For arguments sake, let's assume that the poster IS the familiar one, "he who shall not be named." I guess it's possible that it's yet another RT/sleep tech with an axe to grind, but the following applies: if it looks like a duck, walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, logic dictates that it is, most likely, a duck.

I doubt very seriously if he had anything to do with a patient on a vent. That post was a dig at me because I AM on a vent, and with the help of others here, proved that he was clueless about the vent and its capabilities. It ticked him off.

I wouldn't be overly concerned about the supposed "switch-a-roo" from vent to cpap -- I doubt it occurred. And if by some chance it did, he should have his license revoked, as well as the other therapists that were allegedly in on the scam.

I would also like to point out that those of us that have had run ins with "he who shall not be named" in recent weeks believe the best course of action is to ignore him. Without an audience, he'll crawl back under the rock from which he came.

Edited to add: I actually appreciate the threads that are bringing the aliases to the attention of the rest of the forum. I think NOT engaging in the actual threads is probably the best course of action.

[Topsail Girl]

oh LAWD not this again. I know I'm a newbie here but even I can spot a troll!!! You guys are great at sniffing them out.