Starting my Apnea journey

[quote="Kittamaru"] I'm getting a CPAP! I should be hearing from the DME center soon (it's not far from my home yay!). quote]


You really DO NOT want a plain CPAP, in my opinion. An automatic adjusting PAP unit will be a much better choice for you and just a tiny bit less profit (gouging) for the DME supplier. Be assertive, you're the one that has to live and sleep with the thing. Good luck.

PS: an APAP can be switched to function as a straight CPAP at any time, FWIW.

Gasper62 wrote:

Kittamaru wrote: I'm getting a CPAP! I should be hearing from the DME center soon (it's not far from my home yay!). quote]


You really DO NOT want a plain CPAP, in my opinion. An automatic adjusting PAP unit will be a much better choice for you and just a tiny bit less profit (gouging) for the DME supplier. Be assertive, you're the one that has to live and sleep with the thing. Good luck.

PS: an APAP can be switched to function as a straight CPAP at any time, FWIW.

*nod* Is it the DME supplier that chooses the machine, or the doctor? The way it was explained to me at the center was a little lacking (she said the suppliers typically all have the same small selection of machines, which I thought sounded wrong) but yeah.

The supplier I chose being so close by, I'm hoping I can get a chance to actually go there in person and be involved in this process.

Kittamaru wrote: *nod* Is it the DME supplier that chooses the machine, or the doctor? The way it was explained to me at the center was a little lacking (she said the suppliers typically all have the same small selection of machines, which I thought sounded wrong) but yeah.

The doc writes the script. The DME chooses what machine to supply to fill the script.

If a script says CPAP @10cm, the DME can fill the script with an APAP set to CPAP mode. Some DMEs are more willing to do this than other DMEs are. A few really good DMEs will automatically fill any CPAP script with an APAP (mine does), but most will fill the script with the cheapest CPAP in the brand they sell. And that cheapest CPAP usually does not record efficacy data.

The supplier I chose being so close by, I'm hoping I can get a chance to actually go there in person and be involved in this process.

Don't "Hope". Go there in person and talk to a real live person. You are about to enter into a 5-year+ business arrangement with the place in terms of masks and supplies. If they are unwilling to talk to you about getting you a machine that you want, you should consider doing some DME shopping. Make the DME earn your business.

robysue wrote:

Kittamaru wrote: *nod* Is it the DME supplier that chooses the machine, or the doctor? The way it was explained to me at the center was a little lacking (she said the suppliers typically all have the same small selection of machines, which I thought sounded wrong) but yeah.

The doc writes the script. The DME chooses what machine to supply to fill the script.

If a script says CPAP @10cm, the DME can fill the script with an APAP set to CPAP mode. Some DMEs are more willing to do this than other DMEs are. A few really good DMEs will automatically fill any CPAP script with an APAP (mine does), but most will fill the script with the cheapest CPAP in the brand they sell. And that cheapest CPAP usually does not record efficacy data.

The supplier I chose being so close by, I'm hoping I can get a chance to actually go there in person and be involved in this process.

Don't "Hope". Go there in person and talk to a real live person. You are about to enter into a 5-year+ business arrangement with the place in terms of masks and supplies. If they are unwilling to talk to you about getting you a machine that you want, you should consider doing some DME shopping. Make the DME earn your business.

Hm, cool cool! Glad to know I do have options with that I'll have to see when I can get there (14 hour work days are a pain in the ass lol) and if it comes to it, take a day off to do so

Alrighty, so I emailed the DME near me, and was told they primarily use the Philips Respironics Dreamstation CPAP system - I'm going to push for either the Pro or Auto versions, both of which the TNET database say have data collection

Any thoughts/concerns with that path?

I would ONLY accept a full auto machine, because things can (and do) change and stuff happens. Your prescribing doctor can specify exactly which one you'll get, I suggest that you ask him to do so. An auto machine with full data capabilities can be almost like an at-home sleep study every night, whereas a CPAP will not (as much). I insisted that I be given a full auto machine, you should too. Good luck.

I advise you to read this from Janknitz:

"What you need to know before you meet your DME" http://tinyurl.com/2arffqx

Kittamaru wrote:Alrighty, so I emailed the DME near me, and was told they primarily use the Philips Respironics Dreamstation CPAP system - I'm going to push for either the Pro or Auto versions, both of which the TNET database say have data collection

Any thoughts/concerns with that path?

The PR Dreamstation APAP is a great APAP.

The PR Dreamstation Pro is a fine CPAP that records full efficacy data. But it won't do Auto mode.

Avoid the PR Dreamstation CPAP that doesn't say PRO on it's label. It does not record full efficacy data. There are a couple of other features that the Pro has that the plain CPAP does not according to the PR web pages.

Beware of the following: The DME may claim the PR DreamStation CPAP (without the name PRO) records data and sends it to them wirelessly so they can "monitor" your progress. What the DME means by data is usage data, and yes, even the bottom line DreamStation CPAP will record usage data. But the PR DreamStation CPAP does not record full efficacy. It may record summary AHI data; I can't determine this from what I've found on line. But it certainly does not do "advanced event detection" (i.e. distinguishing types of apneas and recording RERAs) and it does not record the wave flow (or flow rate) data.

Be clear that you really want the Pro or the Auto instead of the plain CPAP.

Alrighty, today is the day! My insurance approved it and my appointment is set for 2:30pm today I'm excited! The thought of sleeping in a healthy and restorative manner again... well, the idea of getting this machine is almost like Christmas come early!

Woohoo! Just got home with my new Dreamstation Auto w/ humidifier and a Dreamwear Small Cushion mask - I've got about 2 hours till I need to leave for work, so I'm going to get it all setup and on our wifi and then probably take a nap

Alrighty, night 1 results:

The mask fell off once. That's okay because it happened about the same time I woke up to go use the bathroom. I think the issue is the mask has a strap that goes around the back of the head, and sometimes I end up scooting down the bed at night - I think the pillow pulled it off. I figure that'll happen less as I get used to it (but only once in my first night, I figure that's okay)

Didn't have any complaints or problems with the pressure settings or the humidifier - no rain out, no water around my nose, nada. Yay!

I woke up this morning with a very slight headache, and my sinuses are kind of stuffy... but it's the high point in allergy season, the weather has been all kinds of messed up (we just got snow in April... c'mon spring, wtf), so I think once my allergies stop being stupid I'll be just fine.

According to the Dreammapper app, my mask fit last night was 99%, with about 2 minutes of "large leak", but it did show 9 disconnects. My AHI was 5.9 over 9 hours 44 minutes, with 4 clear apneas, 13 obstructive apneas, and 41 hypopneas... a massive improvement over my untreated numbers at the sleep study. Also, my snore-tracker app only had a single period of actual snoring (and to be honest, I'm not 100% convinced that was me heh)... so nice to not see that graph bright red all night long now

Sorry if I'm rambling a bit - I'm just excited and... well, kinda hyper. I don't normally wake up feeling this ready to go!

Kittamaru wrote: My AHI was 5.9 over 9 hours 44 minutes, with 4 clear apneas, 13 obstructive apneas, and 41 hypopneas.

It's good to see someone excited about their machine...great attitude....

Might keep an eye on your AHI it is a bit high....it might come down in a few days as you adjust...

I would suggest you get SH and your manual. Here are the links....if you want them..

Clinician. manual
keep following the links and then Scroll down to Section Three your machine is there just follow instructions and they will email it to you.
https://sleep.tnet.com/reference/docs

Free Sleepyhead software:
http://www.sleepfiles.com/SH2/?TestingVersions

lilly747 wrote:

Kittamaru wrote: My AHI was 5.9 over 9 hours 44 minutes, with 4 clear apneas, 13 obstructive apneas, and 41 hypopneas.

It's good to see someone excited about their machine...great attitude....

Might keep an eye on your AHI it is a bit high....it might come down in a few days as you adjust...

I would suggest you get SH and your manual. Here are the links....if you want them..

Clinician. manual
keep following the links and then Scroll down to Section Three your machine is there just follow instructions and they will email it to you.
https://sleep.tnet.com/reference/docs

Free Sleepyhead software:
http://www.sleepfiles.com/SH2/?TestingVersions

sounds like a plan! I'm just excited to feel better already lol! it's now almost 930pm and I'm not super exhausted like I normally am... I can imagine I'm only going to start feeling even better