Hello, new cpap user

Hi,

This is a great forum and glad to be a part of it!

So far, I think I am sleeping better, but I still feel tired after a nights sleep. My doctor recently upped my pressure setting to 12 from 10 after reading my 30 day statistics. It seems that I was still snoring during the evening.

Here's the thing, during my sleep study I was put on an auto/bi type machine and I really did feel a difference the next morning. My doctor prescribed a cpap machine and from the first time I tried it I had a hard time on my exhalations. So far I have not had the same type of morning experience that I had the very first time I was put on a machine during my study.

Is it me or is it my imagination? Should I push my doctor to prescribe me the same type of machine? All she tells me is that that is what "c-flex" is for. But I really do feel a difference between machines.

Ugh, I'm certainly not getting the experience I thought I would.

Compliancy is the number 1 factor fore if you are not using your machine due to inability to breathe against the pressure you are not getting treatment. You may not medically need the BiPAP machine but how about suggesting the APAP? If your pressure is set to 12cm you could set the lower end down to 9 and the upper end to 15 and see what the data says. Now if you are having central apneas then for sure the BiPAP would be the way to go.

I absolutely agree with Darth, compliance is the major issue here. If one type of machine provides you with the results of feeling better though compliance, tell your MD to prescribe you the BiPap or find a doc who will.

Thanks, I have an appointment with the doctor I had to see after my sleep study on monday. I'm gonna ask for a bipap or apap. I've read the documentation, but I'm still a bit unclear of the differences between these two. It seemed like the bipap would fill me needs though, especilly since it will help with my exhalations.

Can any doctor prescribe the machines? My primary care doctor was happy to give ma prescription, but wanted me to see the sleep doctor to find out what machine to get. If all else fails I can always go to my PCP and he will help me get the right machine.

Guest posts - Can any doctor prescribe the machines? My primary care doctor was happy to give ma prescription, but wanted me to see the sleep doctor to find out what machine to get.

I believe that being a doctor entitles you to prescribe any medical device that requires a prescription. However, your primary care doctor was correct in asking you to check with your sleep doctor first on the type of machine. If you prefer a higher performance machine such as an APAP over a CPAP or a BiPAP over both of those you can definitely ask for it. What you don't want to happen is to have your sleep doctor prescribe a BiPAP machine and you decide to have your primary care doctor change that prescription to a CPAP or an APAP because that is what you want. BiPAP's would work for everyone but are not needed for everyone. The other types of machines have their place in treatment and should never be scripted over a BiPAP.

Darth Vader Look wrote: I believe that being a doctor entitles you to prescribe any medical device that requires a prescription. However, your primary care doctor was correct in asking you to check with your sleep doctor first on the type of machine. If you prefer a higher performance machine such as an APAP over a CPAP or a BiPAP over both of those you can definitely ask for it. What you don't want to happen is to have your sleep doctor prescribe a BiPAP machine and you decide to have your primary care doctor change that prescription to a CPAP or an APAP because that is what you want. BiPAP's would work for everyone but are not needed for everyone. The other types of machines have their place in treatment and should never be scripted over a BiPAP.

Thanks for your advice. These are the machines I want to ask for:

resmed VPAP III - This is the machine I used during my sleep study

or

respironics bipap auto