Last minute they cancelled my SS!!!

vicinsb · Post by **vicinsb** » Thu Jun 08, 2006 8:29 pm

Just as I am packed and ready to leave for 2nd SS I get a phone call that there is a tech shortage at sleep lab and I will have to be rescheduled!! This really is pretty rotten considering the long wait, the anticipation and how anxious I am to get some real rest!! Just venting...

Rastaman · Post by **Rastaman** » Thu Jun 08, 2006 8:38 pm

Where do you live? What city? My sleep lab only has 2 tech's on hand and they each had 2 people they were monitoring per night.

NightHawkeye · Post by **NightHawkeye** » Thu Jun 08, 2006 9:03 pm

Vicinsb, repeat after me, "I want an APAP, and I want it today!"

Now, repeat it three times. Good. I'm sure you feel better already . . .

Now, first thing tomorrow morning call up your sleep doc and tell the nice receptionist those same words. Be sure to speak distinctly. She may not understand you the first time. But, if you speak distinctly, and articulate every syllable crisply, she will eventually get the message. People within the health care system are very understanding that way. Be sure to tell her that you'll be by to get the prescription in about 30 minutes. That way the "doc" won't be at all rushed to fill it out for you.

Hope this helps.

Regards,
Bill

vicinsb · Post by **vicinsb** » Thu Jun 08, 2006 9:17 pm

Nighthawkeye...I am very new to this, even if I could get the prescription right away, can I use the machine without a second sleep study and how would I know what to do? I really have no idea how the procedure goes, does my doctor show me how it works? I plan on calling them first thing in the morning. Thanks.

brasshopper · Post by **brasshopper** » Thu Jun 08, 2006 9:26 pm

I fired a doctor once when they scheduled me and then when I showed up I was told that there were no beds, sorry...and they were not even sirry that I had changed plans to be there that day and then shown up, but tough.

I would have been happy had they called me...but I agree that this calls for an APAP prescription - unless the doctor is telling you what specific value you are going to get out of the study, once you have a diagnosis, PSG just to titrate seems a waste.

In some places, at least, titrations are being done by APAP. They send an APAP that can be read and titrate for a few nights - this eliminates first night effect and gives them more than one day to look at.

And chances are that a whole APAP costs less than a titration does. It is quite probably that the difference in cost between a CPAP and an APAP costs less than the copay on a sleep study.

NightHawkeye · Post by **NightHawkeye** » Thu Jun 08, 2006 9:28 pm

vicinsb wrote:Nighthawkeye...I am very new to this, even if I could get the prescription right away, can I use the machine without a second sleep study and how would I know what to do? I really have no idea how the procedure goes, does my doctor show me how it works? I plan on calling them first thing in the morning. Thanks.

Vicinsb, according to reports here, docs often put patients who can't get a titration study on APAP's. Heck, sometimes they put patients on APAP's who haven't even undergone a sleep study. Since the machine is automatic, it pretty much takes care of things itself. Of course, your doc may be unwilling to prescribe one, but it sure as heck won't hurt to ask. At least by asking, you will be pressuring the doc to either get you in for a titration study pronto, or get you an APAP immediately. It's not your fault he failed to staff his clinic properly. You may actually have legal recourse, as well, but that wouldn't be your best option.

As for adjusting the APAP, after a few nights sleep with the APAP, you or your sleep doc would probably want to determine your range of pressures and then narrow the machine's range accordingly.

Regards,
Bill

puffing billy · Post by **puffing billy** » Fri Jun 09, 2006 2:11 am

A little word of warning regarding APAP.
I did not have a titration study but I have had a sleep study.
I have a PB420E which is an APAP, using this machine it was pressurising me at 18 cm/h20 which is very high. After doing some research I turned FL1 off (an internal software setting) now my pressure is 9 cm/h20, with no problems.
The moral of the story be careful of the machine you use, I believe the others are OK.
I am sure others will back this up.

Billy

rested gal · Post by **rested gal** » Fri Jun 09, 2006 2:54 am

puffing billy wrote:A little word of warning regarding APAP.
I did not have a titration study but I have had a sleep study.
I have a PB420E which is an APAP, using this machine it was pressurising me at 18 cm/h20 which is very high. After doing some research I turned FL1 off (an internal software setting) now my pressure is 9 cm/h20, with no problems.
The moral of the story be careful of the machine you use, I believe the others are OK.
I am sure others will back this up.

Billy

Good point, Billy. Even though the PB 420E is the autopap I choose to use every night, I too have to have IFL1 off. The iffy-ness of whether IFL1 being on (as it is, by default) will suit some people -- and what happens when it doesn't! -- is the reason I usually recommend a Respironics or ResMed autopap over my own little personal favorite.

Last minute they cancelled my SS!!!

Last minute they cancelled my SS!!!

You mean they called you and told you?