General Discussion on any topic relating to CPAP and/or Sleep Apnea.
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Pharaoh90
- Posts: 19
- Joined: Tue Sep 04, 2018 4:18 pm
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by Pharaoh90 » Sat Sep 15, 2018 12:56 pm
zonker wrote: ↑Sat Sep 15, 2018 11:23 am
Pharaoh90 wrote: ↑Sat Sep 15, 2018 6:52 am
My question is, can a patient pursue alternate treatments FIRST or must they go down the CPAP/APAP route no matter what?
1. this is CPAPTALK.com, so folks are here, in the main, to promote and help with cpap. (yeah, i know, that was me being a bit of a wise ass, but it's true.)
good luck!
Well I did say I was looking for people to share their wisdom!
And point taken about the efficacy of "alternative" treatments. I'm brand new to this so I'm just trying to get a feel for the normal testing->diagnosis->treatment process and if there was any room for alternate first steps or if it was always the same for all.
Thanks for responding - I appreciate it!
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Pharaoh90
- Posts: 19
- Joined: Tue Sep 04, 2018 4:18 pm
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by Pharaoh90 » Sat Sep 15, 2018 1:08 pm
Julie wrote: ↑Sat Sep 15, 2018 10:36 am
Which usually means they're getting kickbacks and/or are owned outright by the same people (doctor, DME, etc), but you should talk to your insce. co. and ask which other DME's you can use because you want the most freedom of choice when picking machines, etc.
Interesting point, Julie. In terms of shopping around, I assume all one has to do is call the dr. and request a prescription in order to do that? All I have right now are my printed test results with notes from the doctor that say "Impression/diagnosis: G47.33 Obstructive Sleep Apnea" and "CPAP/APAP could be tried." He electronically signed the test results. Does this constitute a prescription? There is no mention of pressure or a specific model of machine or mask to use. The notes section also says "Should the patient not tolerate CPAP, other options may include upper airway surgery or possibly an oral appliance." It's basically a numbered list of recommendations not really a prescription IMO.
I have a deductible I have to meet for my insurance so the out of pocket expense I was looking at from the sleep center was $640 for the mask + $89 a month for 10 months rent-to-own. I have a $500 health reimbursement account so that reduces the expense a bit but it's still kind of a lot considering the doctor says "CPAP/APAP COULD be tried" and my test results indicated mild OSA (AHI 7.3).
Feeling very uneasy about the whole sleep center experience really.
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palerider
- Posts: 32299
- Joined: Wed Dec 16, 2009 5:43 pm
- Location: Dallas(ish).
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by palerider » Sat Sep 15, 2018 1:09 pm
Pharaoh90 wrote: ↑Sat Sep 15, 2018 6:52 am
My question is, can a patient pursue alternate treatments FIRST or must they go down the CPAP/APAP route no matter what?
If you want to have your jaw cut off and moved... then sure, go for that first.
Get OSCAR
Accounts to put on the foe list: dataq1, clownbell, gearchange, lynninnj, mper!?, DreamDiver, Geer1, almostadoctor, sleepgeek, ajack, stom, mogy, D.H., They often post misleading, timewasting stuff.
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Pharaoh90
- Posts: 19
- Joined: Tue Sep 04, 2018 4:18 pm
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by Pharaoh90 » Sat Sep 15, 2018 1:09 pm
palerider wrote: ↑Sat Sep 15, 2018 1:09 pm
Pharaoh90 wrote: ↑Sat Sep 15, 2018 6:52 am
My question is, can a patient pursue alternate treatments FIRST or must they go down the CPAP/APAP route no matter what?
If you want to have your jaw cut off and moved... then sure, go for that first.
No thanks!
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zonker
- Posts: 11333
- Joined: Fri Jun 19, 2015 4:36 pm
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by zonker » Sat Sep 15, 2018 3:08 pm
palerider wrote: ↑Sat Sep 15, 2018 1:09 pm
Pharaoh90 wrote: ↑Sat Sep 15, 2018 6:52 am
My question is, can a patient pursue alternate treatments FIRST or must they go down the CPAP/APAP route no matter what?
If you want to have your jaw cut off and moved... then sure, go for that first.
er, uh....what alternative treatment is THAT?!
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zonker
- Posts: 11333
- Joined: Fri Jun 19, 2015 4:36 pm
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by zonker » Sat Sep 15, 2018 3:09 pm
Pharaoh90 wrote: ↑Sat Sep 15, 2018 12:56 pm
zonker wrote: ↑Sat Sep 15, 2018 11:23 am
Pharaoh90 wrote: ↑Sat Sep 15, 2018 6:52 am
My question is, can a patient pursue alternate treatments FIRST or must they go down the CPAP/APAP route no matter what?
1. this is CPAPTALK.com, so folks are here, in the main, to promote and help with cpap. (yeah, i know, that was me being a bit of a wise ass, but it's true.)
good luck!
Well I did say I was looking for people to share their wisdom!
And point taken about the efficacy of "alternative" treatments. I'm brand new to this so I'm just trying to get a feel for the normal testing->diagnosis->treatment process and if there was any room for alternate first steps or if it was always the same for all.
Thanks for responding - I appreciate it!
your entirely welcome. i'm always eager to shoot my mouth off!
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palerider
- Posts: 32299
- Joined: Wed Dec 16, 2009 5:43 pm
- Location: Dallas(ish).
Post
by palerider » Sat Sep 15, 2018 3:28 pm
zonker wrote: ↑Sat Sep 15, 2018 3:08 pm
palerider wrote: ↑Sat Sep 15, 2018 1:09 pm
Pharaoh90 wrote: ↑Sat Sep 15, 2018 6:52 am
My question is, can a patient pursue alternate treatments FIRST or must they go down the CPAP/APAP route no matter what?
If you want to have your jaw cut off and moved... then sure, go for that first.
er, uh....what alternative treatment is THAT?!
MMA.
https://sleep-doctor.com/surgical-treat ... vancement/Get OSCAR
Accounts to put on the foe list: dataq1, clownbell, gearchange, lynninnj, mper!?, DreamDiver, Geer1, almostadoctor, sleepgeek, ajack, stom, mogy, D.H., They often post misleading, timewasting stuff.
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zonker
- Posts: 11333
- Joined: Fri Jun 19, 2015 4:36 pm
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by zonker » Sat Sep 15, 2018 5:21 pm
palerider wrote: ↑Sat Sep 15, 2018 3:28 pm
zonker wrote: ↑Sat Sep 15, 2018 3:08 pm
palerider wrote: ↑Sat Sep 15, 2018 1:09 pm
Pharaoh90 wrote: ↑Sat Sep 15, 2018 6:52 am
My question is, can a patient pursue alternate treatments FIRST or must they go down the CPAP/APAP route no matter what?
If you want to have your jaw cut off and moved... then sure, go for that first.
er, uh....what alternative treatment is THAT?!
MMA.
https://sleep-doctor.com/surgical-treat ... vancement/
yikes! kind of sorry i asked.
me, i'm a devote coward. and a worrier. i would never, i think, elect to have that done to me. the closest i've come to surgery of any kind is oral surgery. and touch wood, i hope that i never have any surgery in my future.
OH! except....pretty sure that eventually i'm going to end up with cataract surgery. that's just the nature of my eyes.
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Pharaoh90
- Posts: 19
- Joined: Tue Sep 04, 2018 4:18 pm
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by Pharaoh90 » Sat Sep 15, 2018 6:11 pm
palerider wrote: ↑Sat Sep 15, 2018 3:28 pm
zonker wrote: ↑Sat Sep 15, 2018 3:08 pm
palerider wrote: ↑Sat Sep 15, 2018 1:09 pm
Pharaoh90 wrote: ↑Sat Sep 15, 2018 6:52 am
My question is, can a patient pursue alternate treatments FIRST or must they go down the CPAP/APAP route no matter what?
If you want to have your jaw cut off and moved... then sure, go for that first.
er, uh....what alternative treatment is THAT?!
MMA.
https://sleep-doctor.com/surgical-treat ... vancement/
"The upper and lower jaws are freed with the use of thin saws and chisels..."
Yeah that's going to be a hard no from me.
And to tell you the truth, I have encountered this type of surgery before due to an under-bite (my teeth meet like a nutcracker). Orthodontist suggested I have jaw realignment surgery surgery after braces failed to fix it. NOPE!
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palerider
- Posts: 32299
- Joined: Wed Dec 16, 2009 5:43 pm
- Location: Dallas(ish).
Post
by palerider » Sat Sep 15, 2018 6:18 pm
Pharaoh90 wrote: ↑Sat Sep 15, 2018 6:11 pm
palerider wrote: ↑Sat Sep 15, 2018 3:28 pm
zonker wrote: ↑Sat Sep 15, 2018 3:08 pm
palerider wrote: ↑Sat Sep 15, 2018 1:09 pm
Pharaoh90 wrote: ↑Sat Sep 15, 2018 6:52 am
My question is, can a patient pursue alternate treatments FIRST or must they go down the CPAP/APAP route no matter what?
If you want to have your jaw cut off and moved... then sure, go for that first.
er, uh....what alternative treatment is THAT?!
MMA.
https://sleep-doctor.com/surgical-treat ... vancement/
"The upper and lower jaws are freed with the use of thin saws and chisels..."
Yeah that's going to be a hard no from me.
And to tell you the truth, I have encountered this type of surgery before due to an under-bite (my teeth meet like a nutcracker). Orthodontist suggested I have jaw realignment surgery surgery after braces failed to fix it. NOPE!
Well, the only successful 'alternate treatment' is having your throat opened up by moving your jaw... So, I hope that answers your question.
CPAP is the only, effective, tried and proven non-invasive treatment.
Get OSCAR
Accounts to put on the foe list: dataq1, clownbell, gearchange, lynninnj, mper!?, DreamDiver, Geer1, almostadoctor, sleepgeek, ajack, stom, mogy, D.H., They often post misleading, timewasting stuff.
