Very New and Questions

[emperorsimon]

I am new to my CPAP. How do you know what kind of machine you have? I've been told my setting is 6. No one has mentioned if I have the thingy that eases off pressure as you breathe out. I'm more tired than I was before I started. I'm also extremely dizzy. My doctor never went over sleep results with me, just said I need to loose weight and need a machine. I asked about my insomnia- I've been waking up between 2 and 4 and staying awake at least 2 hours, for 4 or 5 nights a week for years. When that started I weighed 90 lbs, so I don't think I need to loose anything then. His answer was, "Well you're just programmed to wake up with the chickens." And he sort of laughed at me. I was also awake for most of my sleep study. I remember the oxygen monitor coming out of my nose and having to put it back several times. The wires on my legs also got tangled around my toes and I had to kick them off because I was scolded when I tried to sit up to fix it. Is there a way to tell that it reall is apnea and not just a mediocre doctor using the diagnosis of the day to get money?

[Pugsy]

Is there a way to tell that it reall is apnea and not just a mediocre doctor using the diagnosis of the day to get money?

Get a copy of your sleep study. The numbers don't lie.
You have a machine? What does it say on it? Is there a model name on top, side or bottom?
Unless the doctor is also the supplier of machines and supplies he makes no more money for a diagnosis of sleep apnea than he does for a diagnosis of no sleep apnea.

[emperorsimon]

It says Panasonic on it. There is no other information.

Shouldn't the doctor gone over that study with me?

[Emilia]

To use the forum features fully, you need to register and log in. Once you do that, your username will be in blue and be clickable. Until you do that, your are very limited in what communication can transpire between you and other members.

Please take a minute to go up to the User Control Panel (under search, top left) and then to your Profile and then Edit Equipment. Choose your gear from the pull down menus and the choose to show those in TEXT, not pictures. This will put your equipment at the bottom of every post your write automatically, like mine below. Those with the same equipment can help you better than having to constantly ask you what you use!

It sounds like you have a pretty poor doctor. You should request a copy of the full sleep study...you have very right to have this, but you may be asked to pay for copies. You should also have a copy of the Rx for your machine and mask in hand.

If you are unhappy with the doctor, the medical equipment company, or how you've been treated, call your insurance company and ask what other DME's they work with in your area so you can consider changing over to one of them.

Please read all you can here, and go to this blog, written by a forum member, and read all of it..... great stuff! : http://maskarrayed.wordpress.com/what-y ... me-part-i/

You are clearly sleep deprived.....and this affects your ability to think, process information, and act wisely. If you have a partner, spouse, or good friend that help you through this process, it would be helpful.

Good luck.... keep us posted on your progress.

[emperorsimon]

I looked at my equipment. There are large stickers which cover areas. The only thing it says is Panasonic. It is sort of black and has a water reservoir. (I know not helpful, but I have looked on 6 sides of the thing and there are no identifying words on there. Nothing that says resimed, APAP, CPAP). My questions aren't as much about the equipment as they are about the doctor, and what is normal for sleep studies and follow-ups. I had open heart surgeries when I was a child, and the doctor always came in and explained the x-rays, looked at them with me and told me what he needed to do now. Shouldn't I get the same treatment as an adult?

I had two sleep studies and did not see a doctor either time. In fact, I was ushered out, "Before the day staff gets here." At the only time I've seen a doctor, I asked if I was going to be given a prescription. He told me that he makes a phone call, I am not to be given a prescription. So, unfortunately, I can't look at that to see what it says.

I've read through several posts from new people. I am trying, I just feel so much worse now than I did a week ago, it isn't funny.

[Otter]

I had open heart surgeries when I was a child, and the doctor always came in and explained the x-rays, looked at them with me and told me what he needed to do now. Shouldn't I get the same treatment as an adult?

Yes. Unfortunately, many doctors don't communicate well, or even realize there is a need to. Some are too arrogant to realize their patients have brains too. (How they manage to pass their medical boards with such a poor understanding of anatomy and physiology I don't know.) Some are trying to hide their own ignorance behind godly facade. And some just need a nudge. If your doctor won't even talk to you, much less answer your questions, it's entirely reasonable to find another one. Helping you understand is part of the job, so find someone who will do it.

BTW, you have a right to a copy of your prescription as well as your other records.

[Janknitz]

You may have a lousy doctor, but that doesn't mean that the diagnosis is incorrect or that you don't need CPAP. What it does mean is that you are going to have to educate yourself, advocate for yourself, and empower yourself to make this therapy work for you. Maybe you should find another doctor who will communicate with you, too.

I've been waking up between 2 and 4 and staying awake at least 2 hours, for 4 or 5 nights a week for years

More than likely, that is a symptom of your sleep apnea. We are in deep REM sleep about that time, and if you stop breathing, your body does whatever it can to wake you and get you to BREATHE. Because your body has to work so hard to get you to breathe again, it releases all sorts of stress hormones, and those make it difficult to go back to sleep for a while. I would wake up about that time every night, heart pounding, in a puddle of sweat. It took me hours to go back to sleep.

When you use your CPAP consistently and it is giving you good therapy, these middle of the night wake ups should gradually disappear and you will be able to feel so much better because you are getting good sleep and plenty of oxygen all night long.

[archangle]

Welcome to our little community. Sorry you're getting so little information from your doctor. You can get lots of advice and opinions here. Some of it's even correct.

Unfortunately, it's unlikely that they are wrong about the apnea if you had a sleep study.

First, be sure to remove the water tank before you move the CPAP machine. You can ruin it if you tilt it with the water tank in.

Are you in the USA? I ask because I haven't heard of Panasonic CPAP before. Has anyone else heard of them?

By the way, don't let the medical people push you around. You are the customer and you're paying for a service. Be polite, don't let them know they're upsetting you. Quietly insist on getting the information you need.

Does your machine look like any of the ones here? You may need to click on some of the links on that page to get other pages. Is there any way you can take a picture an post it here?

[Pugsy]

Are you in the USA? I ask because I haven't heard of Panasonic CPAP before. Has anyone else heard of them?

I have never heard of Panasonic CPAP either. Googled it and came up empty except for something about oxygen concentrator..

To the original poster regarding your prescription. You do have a right to possess it but may have to make a formal written request for it along with copies of your sleep studies. If your primary care physician referred you to the sleep doctor he also should have been sent a summary of the sleep studies.

Regarding face to face with sleep doctor. Some do and some don't. If you want it then schedule an appointment. Some doctors do the follow up after being on the machine a couple of months. Some just give you the machine and send you on your way. Poor follow up for sure.

Who supplied the machine? Do you have any paperwork with it? Invoice? User manual?