New, need info please

[magss0615]

Good Evening,
I am new to this forum and really need some help. I have had a huge problem with napping for years now. I work from home, so I am able to just go lay down whenever I want to, but it is affecting my work. I really didn't think I could have a sleep disorder I really thought I was just lazy and addicted to napping. Anyway, it has progressively gotten worse (I am so mean and rude if I don't get "my nap"). So I went for a sleep study and they diagnosed me with Obstructive Sleep Apnea, moderate, with mild desaturation and moderate snoring. I am not sure exactly what the important facts are but here are my stats:

AHI 9.8
RDI 14.0
204 Arousals
36.3/hour Arousal Index
1 central apnea
25 obstructive apneas
32 hypoapneas
24 RERA's

I hope this helps, anyway they told me I need a CPAP and scheduled another sleep study to use the machine. Well my insurance denied the study and so now they just want to send a medical equipment supply place to my house with a machine. I found out that just to rent the machine with my insurance, I have to meet around $600 of my deductible just for them to bring me the machine with an additional $100/month to rent it. And to be quite honest I don't know that I will even be able to follow through with the machine, I am really worried because I sleep on my stomach with no pillow so I don't know how I am going to be able to stand it. Anyway I digress, my question is, is it cheaper for me just to buy a machine myself? Also, is there any place that I can rent one just to try for a few nights to see if this is something I will even follow through on? I really want to feel better, but to be honest with you I have been living with this miserable tiredness for so long it is hard to believe it will change and will it be worth it. So, I want to try out the CPAP with the least financial investment possible, any ideas?

Thanks so much for any help!

Maggie

[oak]

hi maggie and welcome! complete your registration and then you can send a personal message to STLMark as he frequently has deals on new or nearly new equipment for less than your deductible/out of pocket and rental costs. mcdover and papman also frequently have deals. another alternative is to look on craigslist for local people who have not used their cpap for whatever reasons--intolerance, hospitalization/nursing home, passing on, etc.

if you want to try cpap you can get lots of help here.

[purple]

Are you in the US, Canada, Australia, UK? It is irresponsible not to do a Titration study.. While a US person can buy a machine outright from cpap.com (the forum sponsor) for six hundred, and no more outlay for machine, but the masks (??) , for that amount, getting through the Deductible might have other benefits for you, although, it would be best to do that early in a year than now. That is, the deductible will rear its head in January, and masks, hoses are expensive

Other places online to buy a machine, if one is in the US, would be http://www.secondwindcpap.com

Likewise, if you are in the US, then you probably should read: http://maskarrayed.wordpress.com/what-y ... me-part-i/

There are two respected, trusted people who frequent this forum also sell machines. They have been told not to list their wares by the forum sponsor, as they are in competition with the forum Sponsor.

cpap.com is highly respected here as an honest ethical company. Unlike some DME's.

[Julie]

Hi - I sleep the same way you do, but found an answer years ago - I'll PM you about it (people here have heard it too often ) if you register first, then go to Ctl. Panel under the logo and fill in your profile (text, not icons please), so you can get and send PMs. Let me know here (on forum) when you're done.

[mags0615]

Ok, I think I am logged in now. I am the original poster of this thread. For the person that asked I am in the US with BCBS as my insurance apparantly they do some sort of rent to own for the CPAP machine. Also, how do my stats seem? Is this something that for sure would benefit from CPAP? Thanks so much for everyone that has responded so far!

[kaiasgram]

Hi maggie -- Since you're not having that second sleep (titration) study, your doc will be prescribing an auto-adjusting CPAP (APAP) machine. This link will take you to our forum host, cpap.com, where you can take a look at the prices of new APAP machines and compare to the amount you will pay if you use your insurance:

https://www.cpap.com/cpap-machines/apap-machine.php

The first two machines on that page are the two big manufacturers and both are good machines with good resale value.
You'll also want to look at the humidifiers that go with the blower units.

Another reputable online seller of gently used and open-box, zero hour machines is secondwindcpap.com:

http://www.secondwindcpap.com/

I don't know of any options for renting for such a short period of time as you mentioned -- and to be honest a few nights is not even almost a fair trial.

I hope this and oak's post give you some ideas to work with.

[kaiasgram]

Ok, I think I am logged in now. I am the original poster of this thread. For the person that asked I am in the US with BCBS as my insurance apparantly they do some sort of rent to own for the CPAP machine. Also, how do my stats seem? Is this something that for sure would benefit from CPAP? Thanks so much for everyone that has responded so far!

Re your sleep study report -- based only on your AHI, you'd be considered mild obstructive sleep apnea. But what's really important is the symptoms and the difficulties you were having that led you to the sleep study in the first place. So yes I think there's a good chance you would benefit from CPAP. No guarantees, but a good chance.

Also, does your sleep study report contain any information about your oxygen levels and desaturations? "Mild" only refers to frequency of events, but the duration of those events and how far your O2 levels drop matter a whole lot in terms of the impact on your health.

[mags0615]

Julie, I tried to PM you but for some reason I can't see a confirmation code and it won't let me PM without it.

[mags0615]

My baseline O2 was 97% and lowest saturation 91%.

[Julie]

Hi - Sorry I got busy with stuff - I PM'd you.