Newb- Questions on the Process of Choosing CPAP

Hello all. I was diagnosed with OSA. I tried a dental device called the aveoTSD (which didn't work) because I really, really do not want to sleep with a thing on my head.

I am becoming resigned to the fact that I will need a CPAP. I spent an hour checking out this site (which is great BTW) and could not find a thread which dealt with the most basic of newb question which are:
1. Can I demo a mask and a machine before buying? I would hate to make a mistake and be stuck with a very expensive error.
2. I'm pretty sure my insurance will pay all or part of a CPAP machine. They paid for two sleep studies. Is it customary for insurance to set a cap on the amount they will pay?
3. I don't fall asleep easily. Sometimes I thrash restlessly (which is one of the reasons I have avoided CPAP). Is there a mask design with hose that will let me change positions easily?

Thanks for any comments

You can demo masks if you pay a small insurance fee at Cpap.com, but otherwise most of us just try a few on at the DME, or take our chances online. You generally don't 'demo' machines because it's unnecessary in that they tend to work alike within their specific categories, i.e. Cpap, vs Apap, vs Bipap, etc., and are well known to be solid and reliable, though if something goes wrong, the sellers exchange them for others that work, but it doesn't happen a lot. You choose the type of machine you want, with or without various bells and whistles, based on their advertised features (they are serious things and the 'advertising' is informative, not fast-talking). I've never heard of an insce. co. to set a cap on a machine because generally the MD's write a script for what you need, and those go to the DME's who forward them on to the insce. co's. who then honor them. The only thing co's won't honor are machines with data capability (vs lack of that feature) because it's not a therapeutic add-on, but again, most of us are happy to pay the difference.

If you fix a hook with a loop to your ceiling and thread the hose through there, you can turn all over the place and the hose won't tangle up. Some fix it to the headboard.

jimbo52 wrote:Hello all. I was diagnosed with OSA. I tried a dental device called the aveoTSD (which didn't work) because I really, really do not want to sleep with a thing on my head.

I am becoming resigned to the fact that I will need a CPAP. I spent an hour checking out this site (which is great BTW) and could not find a thread which dealt with the most basic of newb question which are:
1. Can I demo a mask and a machine before buying? I would hate to make a mistake and be stuck with a very expensive error.
2. I'm pretty sure my insurance will pay all or part of a CPAP machine. They paid for two sleep studies. Is it customary for insurance to set a cap on the amount they will pay?
3. I don't fall asleep easily. Sometimes I thrash restlessly (which is one of the reasons I have avoided CPAP). Is there a mask design with hose that will let me change positions easily?
Thanks for any comments

Actually the thrashing may stop or at least ease up with CPAP, mine has. And even when I turn, the hose is so very light that it doesn't bother or get in the way.
Each insurance is different, so what your's pays depends on your policy. Because of earlier hospitalizations this year I've met my out-of pocket, so my insurance is paying completely for my machine, and mask. But had I not already had so many medical bills, I'd have to pay part of it.
I'm still in my 1st month, and I'm on my 3rd mask - the first 2 I gave back to the DME and said let's try another, so if you go with a local DME you should be able to do that. The problem with local DMEs is that they often have limited supplies (for instance, my DME only carries Respironics, so to get the Hybrid mask I want to try I'm going to have to get my doctor to give me a copy of my prescription and then I'll pay for it myself at CPAP.com or other online supplier. Then, I can try to get some that back from my insurance. )

djr1215 wrote:

jimbo52 wrote:Hello all. I was diagnosed with OSA. I tried a dental device called the aveoTSD (which didn't work) because I really, really do not want to sleep with a thing on my head.

I am becoming resigned to the fact that I will need a CPAP. I spent an hour checking out this site (which is great BTW) and could not find a thread which dealt with the most basic of newb question which are:
1. Can I demo a mask and a machine before buying? I would hate to make a mistake and be stuck with a very expensive error.
2. I'm pretty sure my insurance will pay all or part of a CPAP machine. They paid for two sleep studies. Is it customary for insurance to set a cap on the amount they will pay?
3. I don't fall asleep easily. Sometimes I thrash restlessly (which is one of the reasons I have avoided CPAP). Is there a mask design with hose that will let me change positions easily?
Thanks for any comments

Actually the thrashing may stop or at least ease up with CPAP, mine has. And even when I turn, the hose is so very light that it doesn't bother or get in the way.
Each insurance is different, so what your's pays depends on your policy. Because of earlier hospitalizations this year I've met my out-of pocket, so my insurance is paying completely for my machine, and mask. But had I not already had so many medical bills, I'd have to pay part of it.
I'm still in my 1st month, and I'm on my 3rd mask - the first 2 I gave back to the DME and said let's try another, so if you go with a local DME you should be able to do that. The problem with local DMEs is that they often have limited supplies (for instance, my DME only carries Respironics, so to get the Hybrid mask I want to try I'm going to have to get my doctor to give me a copy of my prescription and then I'll pay for it myself at CPAP.com or other online supplier. Then, I can try to get some that back from my insurance. )

Thanks for the replies.
I don't think anyone relishes the idea of trying to sleep with big headgear and I'm sure you can get used to anything. But when I was at the sleep center both times I really did not like the big thing on my head. I was looking around this site but did not find the reviews or polls. Has there been a poll here where people vote on the most comfortable/least comfortable mask as it pertains to being the least obtrusive contraption?

What is this big deal w/"the big thing" on your head?? Do you have any idea which mask you used during your in-lab titration PSG?

Gracious. There are nasal pillows masks that are close to nothing on your "head". For instance the Resmed Swift FX mask. Or the old Respironics Simplicity simple nasal cushion. There's not even much to the ProBasics Zzz-Mask full face mask. Instead of trying to close your mind about CPAP, open it a bit and take a look at all the masks and mask styles available at cpap.com They all have pictures.

Don't keep yourself in the dark. Call your insurance company and ask them what local DME CPAP providers they are contracted with. Hopefully you will have the option of more than one. Ask them about your CPAP benefits. (I've read of at least one insurance that would pay for the sleep studies but NOT for the equipment!!! How DUMB is that?)

Shop the various local DME CPAP providers contracted w/your insurance. See what they have to offer. What they prefer to provide. Ask how lenient their mask exchange policy is. See how accessible their RRT is if you need him/her. See how comfortable you are w/him/her. Do you feel he/she is truthful, knowledgeable, willing to work w/you, knows how to properly fit a mask, etc?

Slinky wrote:What is this big deal w/"the big thing" on your head?? Do you have any idea which mask you used during your in-lab titration PSG?

Gracious. There are nasal pillows masks that are close to nothing on your "head". For instance the Resmed Swift FX mask. Or the old Respironics Simplicity simple nasal cushion. There's not even much to the ProBasics Zzz-Mask full face mask. Instead of trying to close your mind about CPAP, open it a bit and take a look at all the masks and mask styles available at cpap.com They all have pictures.

Don't keep yourself in the dark. Call your insurance company and ask them what local DME CPAP providers they are contracted with. Hopefully you will have the option of more than one. Ask them about your CPAP benefits. (I've read of at least one insurance that would pay for the sleep studies but NOT for the equipment!!! How DUMB is that?)

Shop the various local DME CPAP providers contracted w/your insurance. See what they have to offer. What they prefer to provide. Ask how lenient their mask exchange policy is. See how accessible their RRT is if you need him/her. See how comfortable you are w/him/her. Do you feel he/she is truthful, knowledgeable, willing to work w/you, knows how to properly fit a mask, etc?

I don't know what the thing was I had on at the sleep center but I felt like I was Buzz Aldrin on the moon or Leonardo Di Caprio in "Man with the iron mask"

Thanks for the tips on the less obtrusive equipment. I will google them to have a look. What does anybody think of the denture/pillows contraption of http://www.nomask.com?

jimbo,
Study these two sites and you will know 90% of everything you need to know:
http://smart-sleep-apnea.blogspot.com/
https://www.cpap.com/

But most importantly, have a change in attitute, embrace your new cpap lifestyle instead of attaching a stigma to it.

Welcome to the club.

jimbo52 wrote: What does anybody think of the denture/pillows contraption of http://www.nomask.com?

I'll also be very interested to hear some direct feedback is about that setup. I have wondered the same thing. I considered the product, but decided to see how I'd do with the Swift FX (in stock with my DME) first, and I'm pretty glad I did. I haven't tried the cpap-pro mask, in part because I've read reviews about some challenges (screws needing frequent adjustment or parts breaking), and in part because the FX mask is pretty light and simple. (Simple is a compliment--few moving parts, and it's not obtrusive at all. If it puts any real pressure on your nose, it needs to be loosened.) The cpap-pro mask sounds great in theory and may work well in practice, but I'm not sure if the piece-sticking-out-of-my-mouth is a good tradeoff for the light-headgear-that-is-not-obtrusive that I have with the FX.