First night on APAP = LEAK nite!

[gomer]

Picked up my first unit, an APAP yesterday. Good unit, a few quirks but serious problems getting the mask comfortable and NOT leaking. Its the same type of mask, a FF quarto but the RT at the hospital DME was in a big rush to get me in and out in a flash.

I did manage to get in over 4hrs, but I fought leaks a lot of the time. I think the mask she gave me was a small & I wonder if the one used for titration was a med???? All she did was put the mask on me and adjust the straps (while upright and NOT laying down, of course) and send me out the door.

The mask did not fit nearly as well as the quatro used for my titration study, that is why I suspect the size may be wrong, and not just the fitting/adjusting. I was happy when I got the quatro because at the study is fit so well and only one minor leak which I easily fixed myself during the study no problem.

[MrStein]

I had a similar problem. Same mask too. My DME gave me a Large Quattro FX and the same bumrush out the door. Got home and the thing was leak city.
Turns out I used a Medium during my titration study....duh. Can you make contact with the lab that did your study? If so ask them what mask you used.
That worked for me. It should be on your sleep study records. My DME has a 30 day mask return policy. Hopefully, yours does too.

[gomer]

I have TRIED calling the DME, a;; I get is a recording, same for the sleep clinic where I get a message the sleep clinic will be closed Monday and Tuesday, reopen Wed....duah!

Friday morning and seems no one is on the job. The DME is normally open half day on Saturday, yet can't get anyone on Friday? One way to make a long weekend even longeeeeeeeeeeeeeer

I bet they use a Med size for almost everyone for titration, unless there is a problem.

Bums rush... is a great description!

I bet the doc did not specify SIZE for the Quatro, expecting and leaving it up to the RT (Respiratory Therapist) to do her job & properly fit me. The RT seemed, well, not quite pised but not happy either I was getting a good machine.

What the h**** is so hard to do simple things RIGHT the first time??? Sure would save a lot of time and trouble to do what should be rather simple properly. I mean its not rocket science.

Now I may have to delay plans for day after Christmas to TRY and fix their screw up.

POST SCRIPT: Just got back after call from DME & exchanged the small for a med Quatro. Did a quickie trial & seems better....tonight will tell.

[gomer]

Second nite, (last nite) went much better after switching to a Quatro med from the Quatro small they gave me with the APAP. I did have to make minor adjustments during the nite due to leaks,, but far far better then the first night.

As usual the RT's bums rush to get me in/out w/ APAP ended up costing her more time and trouble. I still can not figure out WHY people try to cut corners/save time, only to make things worse and take even more time than if they simple did things RIGHT in the first place..

My 90% pressure went from 11.+ (forget) to 13.0 last night. I slept longer and better, got in nearly therapy 7hrs per APAPs LCD.

[msla]

I have TRIED calling the DME, a;; I get is a recording, same for the sleep clinic where I get a message the sleep clinic will be closed Monday and Tuesday, reopen Wed....duah!

I looked at my keyboard to make sure the ; key still was next to the "l" and not the "s". I hate my own freudian typos.

[Sheriff Buford]

Gomer (Pyle?? ) welcome to the world of sleep apnea. What you are experiencing is not unusual. Good DME's and sleep centers are very hard to find. If you accept that premise, you can probably adjust better. You made the comment of why the doctor didn't prescribe a medium... Trust me, you don't want the doctor to get that involved. The expectation is to try the mask out at the DME office and work from there. Expect the doctor to "get" you what you want and the DME to work with you to get it. It's good you eventually got the right mask. Keep us updated...

Sheriff

[gomer]

Gomer (Pyle?? ) welcome to the world of sleep apnea. What you are experiencing is not unusual. Good DME's and sleep centers are very hard to find. If you accept that premise, you can probably adjust better. It's good you eventually got the right mask. Keep us updated...
Sheriff

Well Sheriff B Coors.... Not much, if anything surprises this Gomer never Pyle anymore. As a vet & life member of PVA, I use the VA for some of my medical needs, but not most, anything can happen (or not). The VA is a mixed bag, VERY MIXED up as well. Twice this summer I was sent to renal & urology docs at the VA and GOMERed, typical. The last time urology Gomer'd me, a week or so later I was at another doc & hospital (I refused to go to ER) nearby and got proper testing, treatment and surgery for a stricture. Last Veterans Day a vet in Detroit with multiple health problems committed suicide by cop. Not surprised by this with the care some of get at the VA. On the flip side I have a good MS neuro & get reasonable MS care.

I take it you recall the TV series, your Neighbor (puntended) starred in. I was Navy, Pyle was in the Navy's army, aka USMC. GOMER is mill-speak for Get Out! My Exam Room! I even got Gomer'd for over a week while in A-school. Remember the SGT every episode at least once ordered him OUT of his office (or whatever) each episode. Now where does one toss things out when there is no container to toss it in, in a PILE of course, hence the spelling/phonetic PYLE.

The A-school doc got MAD one morning and did not wait for 8am when he saw me waiting for sick call. (they always assUme'd sick caller was trying to Gold-Brick/ skip out, never checked to see I carried a far above average 96%+ grade. He marched me down to Xray, ordered the tech to do one. Next thing he called an ambulance to take me to the hospital.

When I arrived they wrote me up for criminal violation of UCMJ for failure to seek medical care, saying there was no way I did not know I was sick. I requested my previous 10 days A-school sick bay records for my defense. The charged musta been dropped as I never heard another word. Problems getting reasonable medical care is THE REASON I did not ship over and make a career of the Navy.