Would you be happy with a compliance only machine?

[chunkyfrog]

Data, for sure; but if the only way I can get it after I'm on Medicare and my Autoset finally wears out,
well, I'll be buying ANOTHER machine online!
Now, if I need 'professional help' to use it, they'll have to CATCH me and hold me down first!

[ltts]

It's been said recently that having a fully data capable machines is a deluxe feature and a luxury item..

Actually that's a false statement. What has been said is that Medicare and the vast majority of insurance payers consider items like autoset and AHI recording to be "deluxe" features and do not require your DME to provide you with machines with that capability. And they do permit a DME supplier to impose an upgrade charge for those features.

[Pugsy]

Those of you who know me, know my story.
As you might expect...I voted No.
I am not sure I would even want a back up machine without full data being available. I might not feel the need to look at the data but I sure want it there just in case I do.

[redjoe]

Would I be happy with a compliance only machine? ABSOLUTELY NOT!!!

During my titration study, I could not lie on my side (my preferred position) because of all the wires. Instead I had to lie on my back. Like many people here, my apneas are more frequent and more severe on my back. As a consequence, my titrated pressure was 3 cm H2O greater than I typically need on my side. If my understanding is correct, that excess pressure could have led to central apneas. If I didn't have an auto-adjustable, fully data capable machine, who knows how long that might have gone on? But, finding it out would have been a luxury.

[DoriC]

Redjoe, I'm always curious about pressure settings. Can you tell me what your titration was and what settings you use now?

[teknomom]

In order to treat any medical condition, the doctor needs reliable data: lab work, test results, patient reports. One out of three isn't good enough for diabetics, hypertensives or apneics. I want to be treated for my Life Threatening disorder with all available data. This is not a luxury, it is my LIFE! In other words, my answer is NO! Besides, I like looking at all that data every day. Thanks, Mark, for the software and the poll.

[jedimark]

Please keep em coming..

I think this will be a very good message to present to those who don't recognize how beneficial having access to data is for us, especially for new users starting out with CPAP treatment.

[chunkyfrog]

Being diabetic, the whole idea of not having data is suicidal.

[Kairosgrammy]

Unfortunately, when those of us who didn't know the difference, just happy to feel better, when symptoms do worsen, we don't think to our cpap pressures might no longer be right. I would probably still have my old cpap and still tired and washed out if my doctor hadn't asked how my sleeping was going. (I have insomnia, a touch of ptsd and so he usually asks) He was the one who suggested a new sleep study which showed my apnea was seriously worse. I'd gone from being mildly apnic to severely apnic. Yuck. On my back, on a pressure of 10, my ahi was 36 and pulse ox 80%. Can't imagine what it would be with no cpap atl all or even at my old pressure of 7. Had my 1st machine been data capable, I might not have had gotten so bad or gone so long without updated treatment.

I was happy with my compliance only machine for years because I didn't know the difference. I found out when I got my data machine that my pressure had been way too low so I am happy now to have the data machine.

I know 3 people on cpap who are not interested in data machines. They are so happy to see the difference cpap made in their lives that they don't think anything more is needed. I think many more people than not are content to go with the simplest method as long as they feel ok.

[jedimark]

It's been said recently that having a fully data capable machines is a deluxe feature and a luxury item..

Actually that's a false statement. What has been said is that Medicare and the vast majority of insurance payers consider items like autoset and AHI recording to be "deluxe" features and do not require your DME to provide you with machines with that capability. And they do permit a DME supplier to impose an upgrade charge for those features.

You seem to be rather forgetful... Have you been checked yourself for OSA?

Your not the only one who has trolled these sentiments, you are merely the most recent. (and I don't mean just around here)

There are far worse corporate trolls out there than you that also need dealing with..

[rosacer]

I was very fortunate that my first machine, loaned from the hospital, was full data capable. At that time (believed it or not) I had been put on CPAP by my DR. without knowing my 95% pressure. The pressure he ordered to set the machine was 7 (maybe his lucky number LOL).

Because the machine was data capable I was able to see that pressure was not sufficient (I was not feeling a big improvement). Big fight with the hospital and at the end I returned their machine and bought MY first APAP full data capable too and finally found my 95% pressure should have been at least 8.5.

Today my min pressure is 9 and the max 10.5 and I'm feeling rested, my memory came back, my sleep debt is paid, I changed Dr for an excellent one.

YES no doubt a full data capable machine will be my choice for the time I will be able to afford one, it makes the difference among real success and walking in the dark.

[Emilia]

No, no, no, no....... I would have been stuck with a brick had I not found this forum prior to my study. I was found to have very low O2 during an overnight pulse oximetry test and was sent to see a sleep doc. Being the research-centered, retired teacher that I am....I began to read and research online. I found my way here, and LEARNED. I knew I wanted an apap from that point on.... Then, I hit the brick wall known as an HMO. They would not agree to any Rx my doc wrote....only wanted to give me brick with compliance data. HMO's have the power to override a doc's Rx. At almost 60 years of age, I was not about to jeopardize more years of my life without proper therapy. I wound up buying my own machine, and the rest is history. Great therapy; great data with which to tweak things until I got to my sweet spot. My sleep doctor is supportive of my pro-acitivity 110%.

[archangle]

I wonder if a few malpractice lawsuits for negligence might help things out?

Suppose they put a heart attack patient into a hospital bed and decided not to bother to hook him up to a heart monitor and he died? Lawsuit? Why should failing to use the readily available CPAP monitoring be different from not monitoring a heart attack victim or a diabetic?

[snuginarug]

There are some very good reasons posted here why data capable machines are a good idea. Another thing I would add is that OSA is not necessarily the only thing going on when fatigue is present, nor is fatigue the only sure-fire symptom of OSA. A person can feel better but still have an unacceptable number of events due to pressure being too low. That is a dangerous state of affairs. If a doctor (or patient) has access to data, this can be discovered and remedied. On the other hand, feeling like crap with good numbers indicates the patient needs to seek elsewhere for answers.. thyroid, diabetes, etc. Neither of these things can be detected without data capable machines.

Nobody makes a very good point here:

I continued to feel tired and have problems after several months on the CPAP with 100% compliance. The sleep doctor wanted to see the data from the machine to help figure out what was going on. Without it I would have had to have more sleep studies which I suspect cost a lot more than the machine did. Also, the pressure the lab found during the titration study was too low for me. It would have taken more time, effort and cost to figure things out without that data capable machine. So I think it's not just for those of us who want to take active part in our treatment, it also helps the doctor figure things out when someone is still tired during the day after using the CPAP a while.

Data capable machines can end up saving money, as well as ensuring the patient is getting optimal treatment.

[xenablue]

ABSOLUTELY, DEFINITELY, POSITIVELY NOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

xena