Spouse is hating the CPAP

muddyhounddog wrote:I'm in the same boat where my wife hates the noise of the CPAP. I have a Resmed that's about 6 years old and is kindof loud I guess. Doesn't bother me, but it does here BIG TIME. It doesn't wake her up but once she wakes up in the middle of the night she can't go back to sleep. Needless to say I get the repercussions.

I don't know what to do. Our bedroom has become a battle ground. I stay up until I'm really tired so I can fall asleep with the machine on. It is way quieter than snoring. I honestly think she has some form of insomnia where she can get to sleep but doesn't stay asleep. She won't go to the doctor to have it checked out. I have done separate bedrooms thing some. She doesn't want that either for some unknown reason as we don't have any other reason to be in bed besides sleep these days (her choice).

I'm frustrated. I think I'm going to make an appointment with my sleep people and go in and talk to them. I think I need a newer machine, but I don't think my insurance will cover it as my sleep therapist told me a couple of years ago they wouldn't buy it unless mine broke. I'm getting noise from the mask AND the machine. More from the machine I think.

Have you checked with your insurance, most of them allow a new machine after 5years I think. How long have you been using the same mask? You may be due for a replacement, most insurance allows one every 6months, Medicare is 3months.

muddyhounddog wrote:I'm in the same boat where my wife hates the noise of the CPAP. I have a Resmed that's about 6 years old and is kindof loud I guess. Doesn't bother me, but it does here BIG TIME. It doesn't wake her up but once she wakes up in the middle of the night she can't go back to sleep. Needless to say I get the repercussions.

I'm frustrated. I think I'm going to make an appointment with my sleep people and go in and talk to them. I think I need a newer machine, but I don't think my insurance will cover it as my sleep therapist told me a couple of years ago they wouldn't buy it unless mine broke. I'm getting noise from the mask AND the machine. More from the machine I think.

2 things...

I recently upgraded my machine from a 10 year old Resmed S6 and UMFF to a Quattro FX and my wife can really tell the difference. She says she can hardly hear it. And it is not just the machine because one night I had to go back to my old UMFF and whe said that the new setup was great except for one night where there was a problem with the mask. I can't say that my new setup is the quietest, but it sure is an improvement.

As for the insurance, my insurance said the same thing... if it ain't broke, we won't replace it and if it is broke we'll fix it. I almost believed until I read some posts here. I also found out from calling DME's that my insurance allows a new machine every 5 years. The one plus with a DME is they want you to have a new machine. I went back to my insurance company and explained that not only am I entitled to a new machine, my old machine could not provide the information necessary to evaluate my condition and (because I drive a vanpool part-time) I had been requested to prove compliance, neither of which I was able to do. If I were in your situation, I might also add that the noise levels of the old machine may compromise compliance due to the tenuous situation and that you may have to explore a surgical option as a medically necessary procedure. Not sure if that will work, but a little push back for me seemed to work.

John

White noise machines.