What Download Data The Sleep Doc Wants To See

Well said slinky, well said!

fuzzy96 wrote:i've been suprised that my dme sent me a new sd card so they could send my doc the data. postage paid envelope too i stuck a note in it asking for a copy of my detailed report. suprise again i got it in an email. but what i did not see was my 2 days of waveform data showing my "open airway apneas"
now just to let you know i got them saved. so at some point in the near future i got some ammunition to go off on the doc (if i can even see him. usually just the PA)i'll give it a few more days then i'm calling. it will be interesting to hear what they say.

Ah yes, the wave form data in Encore Pro.

Back several weeks ago when I had my machine just drop the wave form data for no apparent reason, I had to beg the DME to actually look at the wave form data. After forgetting to print it out for me, the RT told my hubby the next day that she'd never dealt with wave form data before. And when hubby and I showed it to the sleep doc (in a disastrous appointment), the sleep doc told hubby that she'd never looked at any wave form data---I hope she meant that she'd never looked at any wave form data from Encore Pro and not literally that she'd never looked at any wave form data. But then, I'd already walked out of the office and she was talking to my hubby and informing him I needed to find a new sleep doc.

I continue to be shocked at how little the docs, the PAs, and the RTs seem to actually know about the nightly reality many of us deal with because of this therapy they push so enthusiastically. Nor do they seem particularly interested in trying to understand the difficulties some of us face night after night in our own bedrooms. The ones I've dealt with are far too prone to thinking that patients won't (don't?) have any real difficulties adjusting to the mask as long as leaks are under control. And on the good days, they seem to be incredulous that any patient just might have some really severe, long term adjustment problems and wind up feeling far worse in spite of low AHIs and no leaks to speak up. On the bad days? They seem to blame the patient with adjustment problems for not reacting to CPAP as expected in the sense of "feeling better" within a month or so of starting therapy.

so if no doctors are needed in heaven do they all go to hell????

Slinky,

As I understand it you’re using a Resmed APAP or VPAP. Also, that we are both on Medicare. Given the shortcoming of Resmed's XPAPS about the scoring of hypopneas, which directly affects the AHI values, how about trying to get (rent via Medicare?) the additional test equipment to use in our homes to complement our XPAPS such as: CleveMed Sleep Scout, Resmed’s ApneaLink Plus, Stardust II, IDS, etc. They are all above Type III. Check also “CMS Approves Reimbursement for CPAP Based on Home Diagnosis of OSA. March 2008.”
My sleep MD asked me if would be interested to rent such a device to monitor my data in addition to my APAP.

Would you be interested to ask your sleep doc about it? It could sure reduce our repeat PSGs.

Your past post related to this: viewtopic.php?f=1&t=40670&st=0&sk=t&sd= ... me+testing


Excerpt:

LinkC, some sleep clinics are setting up or already offering at-home testing as outline by the new Medicare approvals to pay for certain at-home sleep studies and if results are positive for 0SA Medicare will then pay for a 3 month trial on CPAP after which time some patients will then be eligible for a full in-lab PSG if necessary. I'm not wording this well but I think you will get the drift.

Any thoughts?

Slinky,

I continue with my Sleep MD' response to my data from my S 9 Elite.

When I showed him the following data he said " I DON"T BELIEVE THIS DATA "

and not "it's BOGUS", as I posted above.

All in year 2011






I have this self titration data going on for three more months till now. And the AHI vs the pressure is all AT RANDOM. Which might be looking "good" i.e it could be worse.


Why are you going to see a doctor?

[quote="avi123]Slinky,

As I understand it you’re using a Resmed APAP or VPAP. Also, that we are both on Medicare. ...[/quote]
Well, yup and nope. Yup, I'm on Medicare and yep I use a Resmed VPAP Auto (sometimes) - but - I also have and use a PR SystemOne BPAP Auto.

For the last 2 months or so I've used both the S8 and the S1 and I don't trust the AHI data one either because 1] how I feel and 2] either the Vibratory Snore rate (at first) and/or the Leak rate (currently). I've switched to a new mask, the same model I've been successful with, just "fresh" new and I've switched from one PAP to the other. I've switched to a new hose.

I"m game for a new PSG or even one of the approved at-home sleep study gadgets. I was just in to see my sleep doc because he is also my pulmo and I have COPD.

avi123 wrote:My observation:
The present situation on this board: Despite the limitations with the Resmed’s machines in scoring of hypopneas which directly affects the AHI values , posters on this board who are familiar mainly with the Respironics machines are giving “advice” to Resmed’s APAP users on how to set their machines to improve their treatment. By doing so they are essentially misleading posters. ...

We're only human and just patients, Avi. We can only share our own personal experiences or repeat what we've read. Its up to us how much stock we put into what we read on the net and in these forums and whether to try what we read or not. Because of the COPD I tend to be cautious and conservative in what I try and how hard I try using what I've read. The same holds true w/my doctors: they have to make it make sense to me or it doesn't get done.