Why CPAP.com Requires Prescriptions

Mowgli wrote: . . . The newspapers tell me cocaine is very easy to purchase in the U.S. But a CPAP machine? Maybe not so easy?

According to my personal understanding, I believe your prescription should specifically mention cocaine whenever that is considered an integral part of your PAP therapy, but that usually only comes up in California and portions of Bolivia.

Crack, on the other hand, is apparently the cocaine-related substance that my former brick-and-mortar DME smokes in between phone calls, and the effects are included automatically, for free, with most purchases there. I know this because of the time the RT there (actually "here" in Brooklyn) wanted to argue with me that the words "nasal CPAP" on my Rx meant that I was not allowed ever to use a full-face mask.

Crack is the only explanation I can come up with for that RT's opinions, since the hybrid was specifically mentioned in the doc's list of masks at the bottom of the same Rx. I had to explain to the RT that in that context, I would think "nasal" was meant to imply "non-invasive," not to exclude the mouth, and that if she needed my doc to explain that to her over the phone, he might actually enjoy the novelty of having to do so and why don't we call him right now and ask him? Once I got my full-face mask from those sorry losers, I felt it best to fire them, since I haven't had time to do the research on the effects of second-hand crack smoke, and I don't want to take any chances.

rested gal wrote:

carbonman wrote: Geeeez, Loweezzz.......
how am I supposed to fireup the unruly mobs with this kind of thinking.

Just pass out free pitchforks and torches.

They'll start millin' around and somebody will come up with somethin'!

Pitchfork? Now I need a PITCHFORK? I already got a torch in one hand and an ax in the other--where am I supposed to put a pitchfork now?

Oh wait, nobody answer that!

Never mind.

jnk wrote:... where am I supposed to put a pitchfork now? ... Oh wait, don't answer that. ... Never mind.

Ah! The wisdom of experience suddenly appears!

jnk wrote:

rested gal wrote:

carbonman wrote: Geeeez, Loweezzz.......
how am I supposed to fireup the unruly mobs with this kind of thinking.

Just pass out free pitchforks and torches.

They'll start millin' around and somebody will come up with somethin'!

Pitchfork? Now I need a PITCHFORK? I already got a torch in one hand and an ax in the other--where am I supposed to put a pitchfork now?

Oh wait, don't answer that.

Never mind.

Do you need some KY jelly?

I just remembered that carbonman said he'd bring his spare ax and carry it for me, so I CAN carry the free pitchfork from carbonman.

I get really confused in all this. By "ax," I assumed carbonman meant "6-string," and by "torch," I assumed he meant either a roadie's mag lite or a spot light, and by "pitchfork," I thought he meant a tuning fork to get the pitch right on the 6-strings.

Protest IS all about music, right!?

RIGHT?!!



Sorry. Didn't mean to hijack this very serious thread.

I am behaving now.

jeff

As far as prescriptions for CPAP are concerned I have a very simple solution. Use their own rules against them. ALL CPAPs are E0601. Ask the doctor to put that on the RX. As for CPAP masks, at least in Montana as they have different HCPCS codes, the RX is not interchangeable. Also in Montana anyone trained person can fit a nasal mask (A7032) but only RTs can fit (A7033) full face masks (something to do with CO2 issues I think).

You then would have to ask that the settings be on a separate RX.

People.....People.....People.....

we have got to focus here.

We got Johnny quot'n laws left and right , talk'n about go'n to jail
we got Wulfman and RG spewing logic and reason....again..... as usual ,
we got JNK trying to deal w/axes and torches...
and for Pete's sake, he's gon'a hurt himself......
and then can't figure out what to do w/the pitchfork,
and then Patrick wants to get KY involved here....
and Lord only knows if he gets into that.....
he'll hurt himself for sure and probably innocent bystanders, as well.

The unruly mob is gett'n spooked w/that jail talk,
and logic and reason really kills the mood....
and....well...JNK is scar'n 'em........

We're gon'a have to come up w/some other way to change this thing.

I keep wondering what Johnny's thinking about this thread he started.........

It started out as a serious thread.......and then took a turn into "__________________" (fill in the blank with your interpretation)

Sorry, Johnny. You should know us by now. We can't seem to stay "on subject" (or serious) for long.


Den

Wulfman wrote:...However, that IS a problem for people who get their doctors to write a specific prescription for an APAP. It does potentially restrict getting another, less-expensive CPAP for backup or travel purposes.

For purchasing machines from online sellers, in most cases, "generic" (CPAP) prescriptions are usually better.
Den

Good point, Den. However, my Rx was written for APAP at my specific request to the MD early in the game, and it did not interfere with my ability to later get CPAP's from cpap.com with the same Rx when I learned that I did fine without the auto features.

OK. Here's a serious question.

If the Cpap.com FAQ says . . .

"If you are purchasing a machine, ideally the prescription will include the pressure setting. If it is not included on the Rx, the pressure setting may be provided by you."-- https://www.cpap.com/cpap-faq/Prescriptions.html#365

. . . and a CPAP Rx gets you an APAP, then why doesn't an APAP Rx get you a CPAP?

Hmmmmm.

Shouldn't it be considered more iffy to go from CPAP to APAP without a medical statement than to go from APAP to CPAP?

jeff

jnk wrote:OK. Here's a serious question.
Shouldn't it be considered more iffy to go from CPAP to APAP without a medical statement than to go from APAP to CPAP?
jeff

OK...we come full circle.

Let me rephrase the question.....

carbonman wrote:I don't understand why I can't buy a cpap when my Rx is for an apap.
If I can operate an apap, why can't I be trusted w/a cpap???
....it's not like transmissions.........

???????????????????????????

carbonman wrote:

jnk wrote:OK. Here's a serious question.
Shouldn't it be considered more iffy to go from CPAP to APAP without a medical statement than to go from APAP to CPAP?
jeff

OK...we come full circle.

Let me rephrase the question.....

carbonman wrote:I don't understand why I can't buy a cpap when my Rx is for an apap.
If I can operate an apap, why can't I be trusted w/a cpap???
....it's not like transmissions.........

???????????????????????????

(written with tongue firmly planted in cheek)

Oh, absolutely NOT! The APAPs are "automatic". They KNOW where the pressure needs to be and automatically go to that pressure BEFORE any events occur. Therefore, you should have PERFECT therapy with an APAP/Auto. There's no ifs, ands or buts about it.......


Den (removing tongue from cheek now)

Just trying to be there for ya, carbonman, by adding the fancy quote.
Your summary of my gear-juggling attempts made me laugh so hard I had tears.

So, we have to supply a prescription, but it is optional whether or not the prescription itself gives the amount of pressure? If a prescription without a listed pressure is OK for getting a machine, it seems to me to be problematic to differentiate CPAPs and APAPs in any shape or fashion. OR maybe the info on the site is just out of date. Or maybe none of this stuff is supposed to make sense to anyone but the lawyers--after all, if laws made sense, we wouldn't need lawyers, would we?

@ Den: Good point. Apparently APAPs are considered much safer than CPAPs!

I think I'm beginning to see why my sleep doc wrote my Rx the way he did. He wrote on it "patient may use an auto." That guy is a genius.

jnk wrote:Just trying to be there for ya, carbonman, by adding the fancy quote.
Your summary of my gear-juggling attempts made me laugh so hard I had tears.

So, we have to supply a prescription, but it is optional whether or not the prescription itself gives the amount of pressure? I thought the whole idea of prescribing was to prescribe a pressure, or pressures, or range of pressures.

Now, if a prescription without a listed pressure is OK for getting a machine, it seems to me to be problematic to differentiate CPAPs and APAPs in any shape or fashion. OR maybe the info on the site is just out of date. Or maybe none of this stuff is supposed to make sense to anyone but the lawyers--after all, if laws made sense, we wouldn't need lawyers, would we?

You know......we get warned (more like screamed at by RTs and other medical types who stumble into this site) that we should NOT be changing our pressures. It's illegal, dangerous and who knows what else. But, yet, APAPs are considered "safe" when set at a pressure range of 4 - 20 cm.......?????? (Ummmmm......it "changes" pressures all night long)


Den

My Rx was for bilevel and gave specific pressures. But if the doc wrote: "Patient may use an auto," I guess I could argue he is allowing me to use an APAP, not just an autobilevel, if I want, right? After all, he said "auto," not "autobilevel." And does that mean that even though my autobilevel will run in CPAP mode, I STILL can't buy a regular CPAP for travel?

Future PAP prescriptions should read: "Look, guys, just give this patient whatever he/she asks for that is even remotely PAP-related, OK?