If You Go in the Hospital...

I was just wondering... if you go into the hospital, do they provide you with cpap machine/mask, or do you have to provide your own?

Sheriff

that seems to vary by hospital... so you may want to check with your local hospital (usually found on their website)

Every single hospItal I have been to since diagnosed in 1995 has required myself to supply it.(Indianapolis area)
Once or twice they said they would but never did.. This is one of the areas of medical care I find hospitals woefully lacking, their education about apnea and how to handle/treat the patient with it.

So many times i've heard " YOU cant use your machine till one of our people checks it out!"
And gone the ENTIRE VISIT without anyone coming to *Check it out*

Or when they did they examined the plug in or some such sillyness and declared it ok.
Or finally arrive 3-4 DAYS INTO the stay.. wth was I supposed to do till then???

Now a days I find a almost sure fire way to handle hospital visits..if its out-patient or If its a ER visit take the emergency bag.
Back up machine/mask/nightgowns/ and other must have supplies.. If I don't they will ALWAYS keep me and my other half has to make a mad dash home to grab what I need (Usually missing half of it) to get back BEFORE they put me in the ambulance to go onto the larger hospital.

At least if I have my bag with me 9 times outta 10 I get to go home. lol.

OH YEA and if your lucky enough to have a backup XPAP (My is my old M-star series) and you use humidity. Put a BIG Sticker on the top that says something like "DO NOT MOVE UNTILL WATER REMOVED!!!

I have lucked out TWICE now.. That I get my room changed without them warning me first that some well meaning but unknowing nurse shoves my CPAP Into my bag with the water in it..

When i was in the hospital last month, they told me to bring it. And bring distilled water because they might not have any the first night you are there.

When I was fitted with my CPAP, the respiratory specialist from the DME company told me to make sure that my CPAP ALWAYS went with me to hospital, or that I had someone who would bring it if I was incapacitated. His reason was that OUR machines/masks etc., are set up for US, including the correct pressure, ramp etc.

I just have to update my meds list to include any instructions for my CPAP in an emergency situation.

Cheers,
Xena

I have been told to always bring my own machine and mask.
Mary Z.

No one has ever told me to take my cpap to the hospital with me if i have to have a proceedure done, but my sleep Dr told me to be sure to tell them I have OSA when I have to have some thing done and I might have to have open heart surgery to fix my aortic valve in the near future. I will certainly ask about taking the machine with me and such. too bad they don't seem to be too educated on this and the machines. A person can get thier machines ruined if a nurse puts it in the case with the water still in the humidifyer part of it. Grrrr...... Every one take care and have a great day, Huggies, Fay

I was told that I could bring my own machine to the hospital if I ended up there.

I got stuck when the ER admitted me WITHOUT my equipment...and I thought it was just a minor thing that needed checking out . I ended up using their equipment -- horrible! I was using a pillow mask a the time and they didn't have one, let alone my brand. With severe claustophobia and fear of suffocation, a nasal mask or traditional FFM are impossible for me to use. What to do? Their RT finally suggested I close my eyes and let him fit a nasal mask on me. It worked! With my eyes closed, it didn't trigger either problem. He added a low level of O2 as I had an cellulitis and it might have been MRSA (wouldn't culture from blood) & extra O2 might speed healing/reduce my anxiety & frustration at being hospitalized for IV antibotics. However, that mask caused another and for me huge problem -- whenever I inhaled, it hissed. Now, with a pillow mask, after while you learn that sound means leak, likely mouth leak, and you immediately wake up and investigate...in this case, I spent 5 unsuccessful hrs trying to fall asleep -- I was exhausted when they came around for morning blood, temp, and to swap out IV antibiotics. I was thrilled when my mom brought my CPAP and mask in later that day (mom can't drive at night) -- we chatted for a few hrs & then she had to leave to drive home before afternoon traffic & dusk, the nurses found some sterile water for me, I plugged my CPAP in (after asking the RT on duty which outlet to use, seemed like there were dozens but I know it hadda be maybe 10 or so, he then tossed their mask still don't know which one it was I was too freaked by its appearance to check it out), my mask went on and out I went for several blissful hrs of sleep. At dinner, the new RT came by to check out my machine (looked at it, its plug, and the outlet I was using) and wrote something in my chart, esp no O2 ports. Hadda teach my nurses a bit about my machine & mask as none were familiar with home-use CPAP equipment -- they were all surprised at how quiet it was and wanted to learn how to know when it was 'on' to note in my chart and because I don't wake up or open my mouth when the power goes out, they needed to know to wake me up if I was asleep without my equipment or in the unlikely event the power went out (and the hospital's emergency power didn't kick in). I will not voluntarily visit a hospital for checkout or have a procedure without my equipment ever again.

Personally, I wouldn't WANT to use theirs!
1. I know my settings are correct.
2. I know my mask is adjusted.
3. Who knows what kind of mask you'd end up with?
4. Who knows who/when/what the mask was previously used for (and how well it was cleaned...)
5. I won't have a gap in my data.

Unless I go in an ambulance, my machine is going WITH me!

The other thing we all need to do is train our spouses or other SO's how to pack up and transport our machines, just in case. Hospital stays are not always planned, and if you have an older machine that will be ruined if transported with water in it, you need to make sure your spouse knows that and how to take out the tank. I'd also want to know that my husband would bring everything needed and not leave something crucial, like the power brick and cord or the tubing behind.

I have it on my "to do" list to write out detailed instructions and put them in the top of my CPAP bag so my husband will have written instructions (do men EVER read the instructions??? ). I was thinking of putting it in a plastic sleeve, along with a sign on the other side for travel that says something along the lines of "TSA personnel: please use clean gloves and a clean swab when inspecting this respiratory equipment." Not that I travel much, but just in case.

Heck no... I don't even know what instructions are!! Why do we need them???

I have always taken my own machine and mask, and I definitely prefer to do so. Sometimes I have had to get my own doctor to authorize my use. A few times I have had to deal with someone from respiratory therapy who has tried to boss me around regarding the machine, and they actually know little if anything about BiPAPs. Using the hospital's machines/masks IF THEY EVEN HAVE THEM is not a satisfactory alternative, and it will simply tack on some additional needless charges to a very expensive stay.

The Duke

Not everything that the hospital charges for is an 'allowable expense' with insurance.
I got charged over eight bucks for a lousy brochure!

I have a nose mask that I have just for emergencies. When I was hospitalized this summer I was told to bring my machine. I left the humidifier at home but brought both the Swift LT and the nose mask. The nurse said she was glad I brought the nose mask because she would not deal with the swift LT.