Okay, now I'm fightin' mad!

ladytonya · Post by **ladytonya** » Fri Jul 28, 2006 12:37 pm

Okay, so I know it's partially my fault. I never asked to see a copy of my sleep study. Yeah, yeah. Stupid of me. Dumb ole Tonya trusted the DME to give me what I was f*&#ing prescribed!!!!!!!!
My sleep study states that I did not tolerate CPAP well at anything over 7 but that C-Flex at 9 worked. (Don't have it on my right now, can't remember exact wording.) Gee, look below at what I was given! I've been suffering for 7 months with a CPAP set at 9! I have yet to keep the damn thing on my face for an entire night. I've talked to the DME and to the sleep center. Been through different masks, tried changing the pressure, nothing worked. I still rip the mask off my face in my sleep. NO F$&%ing WONDER! I didn't tolerate a CPAP at 7 and I've been trying to sleep with CPAP at 9 for 7 months! Oh, I am HOT! I tried to call the sleep center and anyone that I could ask this questions to is gone for the day. No way was I going to let this go for the whole weekend so I called the DME. I spoke with an RT and she's supposedly "looking in to it". My insurance company just transitioned me from monthly rental and bought the damn thing last month. All I know at this point is this DME place better make this right. I am absolute flabbergasted. I actually thought I had a good DME because of all the help they've been in trying to get me the right mask, etc. Little did I know they set me up for failure from the beginning! *scream*

krousseau · Post by **krousseau** » Fri Jul 28, 2006 1:06 pm

Yes!!! YOU GO GIRL! Get there while you're geared up for bear!

SleepyHibiscus · Post by **SleepyHibiscus** » Fri Jul 28, 2006 1:38 pm

I would be mad too! Keep on digging till you get some answers. That is just plain WRONG! Good luck with your fight.

Bookbear · Post by **Bookbear** » Fri Jul 28, 2006 2:28 pm

1Go get 'em, and good luck!

Lindi · Post by **Lindi** » Fri Jul 28, 2006 3:46 pm

Another thought might be to let your insurance company know that the DME did NOT supply what was prescribed. When I had problems with the DME not providing what was prescribed I complained until the insurance company gave me a different DME and they finally provided what was prescibed. This was a year ago. My insurance company changed the DME Ithey use this calendar year. I thought that was very interesting......

Linda

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri Jul 28, 2006 4:01 pm

I would also look into what your doctor prescribed. It could very well be that the dme company didn't actually do anything wrong and provided exactly what the doctor prescribed. If the order was written for a CPAP at 9cm (meaning the doc forgot to write cflex which according to posts here over the course of history lots and lots have) than the dme company did exactly what they should have. I guess I'm just trying to say don't automatically fly off the handle with someone before you find out where the fault lies. Of course, if they did screw the order up than you should be hopping mad!!

roster · Post by **roster** » Fri Jul 28, 2006 4:26 pm

ladytonya,

This is awful and should not happen to anyone. Try to deal with it objectively and without anger and bitterness. You should make it clear to all the parties involved just what they put you through.

I just stopped in Asheville for a day while passing through. What a beautiful city and countryside. Too bad I could not thoroughy enjoy it because my cpap therapy is not yet very effective.

Good luck,

rooster

NightHawkeye · Post by **NightHawkeye** » Fri Jul 28, 2006 9:08 pm

ladytonya wrote:Okay, so I know it's partially my fault. I never asked to see a copy of my sleep study. Yeah, yeah. Stupid of me. Dumb ole Tonya trusted the DME to give me what I was f*&#ing prescribed!!!!!!!!
My sleep study states that I did not tolerate CPAP well at anything over 7 but that C-Flex at 9 worked.

Look at the bright side, Ladytonya. Although you've been on CPAP for 7 months, it was less than 2 months after you came here that you learned enough to discover what was wrong with your therapy (and the fact that your physician knew about it from day one!)

Once you get this resolved, it sounds like you'll likely get much better therapy though. It's actually a cause for celebration (after which I recommend investing in a pair of needlenose pliars, with which you can inflict excruciating pain by yanking somebody's fingernails out one at a time).

Hope you get this resolved quickly, but if you seemingly come to a dead end, don't just give up. Consider ordering from CPAP.com, pay out of pocket, and then submit the bill for reimbursement to your insurance company. Chances are they can unpay your DME, and pay you instead. From what you've said this is not an instance of patient comfort, but an instance of medical necessity instead. Don't let anybody off the hook.

Regards,
Bill

ladytonya · Post by **ladytonya** » Mon Jul 31, 2006 11:54 am

Now I'm really confused. The sleep center says that I got what they ordered for me. I asked them why they ordered straight cpap when my study was done on c-flex. They say that's what they always do. They start you on cpap and then if you don't tolerate it well, they have the info from the study and will change to c-flex or epr. I was like, so you're telling me that you determine that something doesn't work and you give it to your patient anyway? The answer I got was not exactly. The tech I talked to was actually very nice and very helpful, but that doesn't change the fact that I am still mad. Their policy is that they try everything during the study until they get your AHI where they want it. They basically figure that because you are in a different environment that what happens in the PSG might not be what happens at home, so they start you on cpap and go from there (unless you end up testing for a bi-pap then they will start you on that.) Right now, I am so confused! My DME is willing to switch out my Escape for an S8 Elite w/ EPR. They insist that there is no difference between c-flex and EPR other than the manufacturer. By the end of the week, I will have a new S8 Elite w/ EPR and a hybrid mask to try. Should I still be pissed or should I wait and see what happens? So confused!

JPZeller · Post by **JPZeller** » Mon Jul 31, 2006 12:24 pm

<<Should I still be pissed or should I wait and see what happens? So confused! >>

You should be PO'ed and tell them to give you a REMstar w/C-Flex and to quit fooling around (that's all IMO, BTW).

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Mon Jul 31, 2006 12:58 pm

At LEAST a REMstar Pro 2 w/C-Flex.

jeepdoctor · Post by **jeepdoctor** » Mon Jul 31, 2006 12:58 pm

Like I said a while back, "Life is where you take the test before you get the lesson." We have all been through it. It's no fun.

Like one of the other members said, get all your paperwork and trace through the "chain of custody" the comment that CFlex is necessary. You need to know for sure who didn't read the report and, therefore, didn't respond appropriately.

Linda3032 · Post by **Linda3032** » Mon Jul 31, 2006 3:39 pm

1. Does the S8 Elite give you your data in the mornings?
2. Will the machine be new?
3. Do you have your heart set on an Auto?
4. EPR and cflex are similar - will you be happy with an EPR?

You are the patient/customer. Get what you want - otherwise you will always be dissatisfied. It is nice they are letting you try the Hybrid.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Mon Jul 31, 2006 4:28 pm

I'm really glad to hear you've got such a great DME. That's why I really cautioned you at the start to make sure it was their fault before going off the deep end on them,
Regarding the question of 'Is there a difference between EPR and cflex" I think the answer could be argued until the end of time. Certainly some people who post here prefer one over the other, and some have said they don't see a difference.
It sounds like your DME has been willing to go the extra mile for you, so I would just ask them 'Hey, if I don't seem to be able to live with the EPR unit will you let me switch over to a CFLEX unit?" From what you've said so far, it sounds like they will.
What did the RT you spoke to on Friday have to say?

byront · Post by **byront** » Mon Jul 31, 2006 4:33 pm

My opinion - youv'e got every right to not only be ticked off but also to get compensation for what youv'e been put through. These people don't give any thought at all to throwing away a piece of anyones life as long as they continue to get paid for it - and your wasted time was indead a piece of your life. I have a very hard time doing this myself because of the way I was brought up, but I have come to the conclusion that the only way you can get what you pay for is to get in their face and stay there continuously until they do the right thing. And if the report says c-flex then why would you want something 'similar'? I hope that they come to the conclusion that your just one big pain in the butt and give you everything you need - and then some! You deserve it. --- BT

Okay, now I'm fightin' mad!

Okay, now I'm fightin' mad!

Re: Okay, now I'm fightin' mad!

Confused!

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