new confused by equipment options

Hello

Wednesday I'm having my second appt with sleep doctor to get second sleep study results. Based on my first sleep study, doctor thinks I have Upper Airway Resistance Syndrome. I anticipate she will recommend CPAP treatment and give prescription for machine. Not until I found this forum did I realize there were different kinds of machines. I have mask I used during sleep study that seemed to work okay. How do I educate myself to talk to doctor about what machine is best for me?

Thank you!

pranayama, welcome to the forum.

The best thing to do is to read this: http://maskarrayed.wordpress.com/

The best machine for you will depend in part on your prescribed pressure settings. People who need higher pressures often do better with a bilevel machine. If you don't need high pressure(s) and your doctor prescribes APAP or CPAP, the main thing will be to make sure you get a fully data capable machine -- this is what the above article will educate you about. The bilevel machines (e.g. ResMed VPAP or PR System One BiPAP) are fully data capable. With CPAP and APAP, you have to do your homework.

You do not have to commit to a machine when you see the doctor -- if you're uncertain about the machine that's being prescribed, come back here and check in -- we can help you figure out if it's a data capable machine or what we call a "brick" -- a machine that records nothing helpful about your treatment (like AHI and leak data), only how many hours the machine has been used.

Welcome to the board, pranayama.

There are a lot of links to good info for new CPAPers in my signature line.

Thank you kaiasgram and archangle - I appreciate it. I've read the links and feel prepared to talk to my insurance company, and my sleep doctor tomorrow.

You're welcome. We love it when people find us before they sign on the dotted line. Good luck and let us know if you have more questions as you get started.