This is my big chance. Which machine?

PolyMar wrote:What C-Flex and ERP do is minutely drop pressure during exhalation to make breathing more comfortable.

Minutely? We must have differing definitions of "minutely". My C-Flex feels like the machine has turned off when I exhale...

You should be able to turn your A-Flex off if you would like or drop the setting to 2 or 1. It seems that when I am setting many first time PAP users up and showing them how their Flex/EPR works they report they can't tell the difference between the different settings. To the seasoned PAP pros I do usually turn the Flex/EPR setting off at their request because they are very aware of the pressure change and ultimately not fans...to be honest the same goes for humidification no matter how much I try to express the benefits.

P.S. Not sure why my post from last night showed up as Bluebonnet whatever.

PolyMar wrote: P.S. Not sure why my post from last night showed up as Bluebonnet whatever.

Meh, you know how it is when you're using an alias. Gotta make sure you don't mix your IP addresses up or you kind of get burned. I imagine it gets easier after you've been caught a few times...

No alias, I am PolyMar have been for years. I feel bad if bluebonnet_gal is a regular here because my post as PolyMar has definitely seemed to ignite some controversy and I would hate for BBG to unfairly receive any hate mail

PolyMar wrote:No alias, I am PolyMar have been for years. I feel bad if bluebonnet_gal is a regular here because my post as PolyMar has definitely seemed to ignite some controversy and I would hate for BBG to unfairly receive any hate mail

No controversy at all, you are most definitely one of those self rightous certified dumb asses that come to this forum proclaiming that only those certified have the right to give dumb ass advice.

Ouch, just trying to help. Peace, love and PAP. Not only am I the president, I'm a client to.

Try using cpap with it set at 19. Thank god for my auto.

Yea 19cwp is incredibly high, I'm sure an Auto is a lifesaver. Did you get a chance to try Bi-Level/BIPAP?

PolyMar wrote:Ouch, just trying to help.

Sometimes I actually believe this, but then the sanctimony starts to creep in. Either way, I don't care...

The problem is, PolyMar, accredidation does NOT mean that the sleep doctor is any good at all. I've seen two accredited sleep doctors, who were also pulmonologists and critical care specialists, neither one of which was worth beans for explaining evaluation or titration results or answering questions. They saw fit to tell me I "ask too many UNNECESSARY questions" and that my questions were "irrelevant", etc., etc. They've been less than truthful or at least less than accurate in their office notes, ... etc.

I've run into local DME supplier RTs who are less than truthful or not well-versed or knowledgeable about the device they provide or about what my insurance will or won't pay for, who have not been willing to even explore what they don't know about the device they provide, who ... etc., etc.

So far the ONLY consistent good fortune has been w/the RPSGTs I've encountered, and even a PSGT or two. The sleep profession has a LONG way to go before accredidation really means a heck of a whole lot.

All that being said, PolyMar, I appreciate your good intentions, your tolerance of our abrasive responses and hope you stick around and get a good feel for what so many apnea patients have encountered and why so many are so bitter towards the sleep profession. And thank you for being interested enough to check out the patients' points of view.

Thanks, I am definitely here to try and better understand what my patients are experiencing and the information they are being given by others. You are absolutely right the sleep profession has a long way to go it is just a baby compared to many oher types of medicine. Please know that not all "sleep professionals" are dumb ass', some of us really do care and want our patients to have the best care possible. There is a very strong movement in the sleep industry being funded by the AASM(Ameican Academy of Sleep Medicine) and the AAST(American Academy of Sleep Technologists) to improve the conditions of care and treatment and we will get to a point hopefully where all "sleep professionals" are well informed, well versed and willing to do whatever it takes to help. Keep hope alive!

PolyMar wrote:Thanks, I am definitely here to try and better understand what my patients are experiencing and the information they are being given by others. You are absolutely right the sleep profession has a long way to go it is just a baby compared to many oher types of medicine. Please know that not all "sleep professionals" are dumb ass', some of us really do care and want our patients to have the best care possible. There is a very strong movement in the sleep industry being funded by the AASM(Ameican Academy of Sleep Medicine) and the AAST(American Academy of Sleep Technologists) to improve the conditions of care and treatment and we will get to a point hopefully where all "sleep professionals" are well informed, well versed and willing to do whatever it takes to help. Keep hope alive!

PolyMar wrote: There is a very strong movement in the sleep industry being funded by the AASM(Ameican Academy of Sleep Medicine) and the AAST(American Academy of Sleep Technologists) to improve the conditions of care and treatment and we will get to a point hopefully where all "sleep professionals" are well informed, well versed and willing to do whatever it takes to help. Keep hope alive!

That's great. Hopefully the AANBBGB (American Association of Not Being a Bunch of Greedy Bastages) weighs in as well. I'm not indicating you, of course, but to me when I see newbie after newbie after newbie (and so on...) getting on here having just received a barebones blower so the DME can maximize their profit, that tells me that their DME's simply don't care. I think something as simple as exhale relief many times can make the difference between compliance and putting the machine in the closet after three nights of feeling like they were being suffocated and throwing the mask aside.

Perhaps the AANBBGB can point out the idea of "giving away the razor to make money on the blades" concept that made Gillette so many billions. Go ahead and forgo a couple hundred bucks in the beginning, give the patient a fighting chance to be compliant, and make the money from years of return business.

The compliance rate on this equipment is an absolute JOKE and the the lion's share of the blame falls directly on the shoulders of those that the AANBBGB is fighting against.

[/soapbox]

Funny, I do love your name though DreamStalker! How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time, and trust me I am trying to take huge bites of that elephant.

And by the way, whoever got on here saying "Why should the DME give them a better machine? They both blow the same pressure" falls under the category of "Who gives a rat's ass if this person gets relief and extends their life with treatment. I want to make a little extra scratch so I can buy that new boat". No two ways about it.