Diagnosed with Sleep Apnea. Kaiser taking up to 3 weeks to m

Although wating three weeks between titration and receiving machine is three weeks too long, I don't think that a three week wait is all that unusual. When I got my first CPAP about 14 years ago, i only had to wait a day or two; three years ago, I had to wait about a month, and that was due to Apria having to schedule a "training class".

For my first CPAP, my doctor had written a prescription by the end of the day after my titration study, and the DME delivered the equipment the next day. For my first CPAP, the only paperwork was that my (now ex) wife had to sign for it when it was delivered. My sleep specialist provided the DME with my insurance information and the DME did all of the paperwork. For the CPAP from Apria, the "class" spent a couple of hours filling out and signing paperwork -- about 20 people did the paperwork in lockstep. The Apria CPAP "class" was a major PITA.

I had my sleep study April 28, got my machine on July 28. I wish it had only been 3 weeks!

Brenda

1. I was diagnosed with sleep apnea in 2005 and am still trying to figure out a solution...regular CPAP, auto CPAP machines, nose mask, full face mask, humidifier, no humidifier, ... still can't suffer the thing due to nose getting dried up and stuffy -- even the full mask allowing me to breath through mouth just drives me crazy -- it's like breathing hot stale air. Has anyone had any success with symptoms like this?

2. Has anyone any experience with the surgery that can be performed?

3. Last note: I've been a Kaiser Northern California member since 1996. Before that I lived in UK for 10 years and enjoyed their National Health System -- imagine never filling out forms or worrying about medical bills! And excellent physicians!! Kaiser has state of art technology for healthcare management and it is great that the government is consulting with them (as did the UK National Health). The other benefit is a system where doctors have someone to answer to. Other benefits: all records online, every specialist can access all records, I can e-mail my doctor (why do they allow this....because they are healthcare "not for profit" -- they don't WANT patients having to make appointments to see doctors to take care of something that could be handled in an e-mail).... it's sensible, it's professional, and I wouldn't want anything else.

bearded_two wrote

three years ago, I had to wait about a month, and that was due to Apria having to schedule a "training class".

For the CPAP from Apria, the "class" spent a couple of hours filling out and signing paperwork -- about 20 people did the paperwork in lockstep. The Apria CPAP "class" was a major PITA.

I had the same experience with "A" three years ago. Went to scheduled class 3 weeks after titration, received compliance-only machine (the tank), nasal mask (see following note on this BAD), and instructions for use (how to turn it on and adjust the ramp, including using the button for higher elevations), unwrapped and put the mask on (all of us were given a nasal mask), turned on the blower for a minute or so, took off the mask and then we were asked to sign the paperwork which said we had been instructed in the proper use of our CPAP and mask. Now 3 1/2 years later and an informed user from what I learned on CPAPTalk, I realize that the key objective of our class that February day was NOT to provide us with CPAP education and guidance but was for us to sign the paperwork they were required to get for "rules and regulations" reasons. The class, as bearded-two states, was a PITA. I learned nothing useful in the class and now realize, as an informed CPAPTalk educated user, that I heard enough lies about CPAP/mask usage that day to fill my garage. I have a very large garage!

Now to expand on my being given a nasal mask when I attended the "A" class for new CPAP users:

I titrated with a FF mask (nasal didn't work for me) and was told by the Sleep Dr. that I could request a FF mask when I went to my class. When I was given a mask (nasal), I told the Class Instructor (likely an RT but I don't remember now) that I wanted a FF mask. She then told me and the others that Nasal masks worked best and that is all they would provide to new CPAP users. I started to protest but she turned to answer someone else's question - end of discussion. Please note that no chin straps were provided to anyone (mouth breathing/leaks and chinstraps were not discussed at all) and at that time, I had no idea that I needed a chinstrap with a Nasal mask. Remember that all I knew about was a FF mask and only because that is what I wore for the titration. To make a long and horrific story shorter, I didn't get my FF mask from "A" until two months later and by that time I was exhausted dealing with them and with my non-working CPAP therapy.