Could someone give me the standards of treatment for Sleep Apnea.  I had a sleep study 8 years ago and was put on CPAP.  The sleep doc saw me annually for two more years, said I was doing fine and call if I had any problems.  My company rented the first CPAP machine and while it was rented the respiratory nurse visited once a quarter and checked results, etc.  Once the machine's rent matched the purchase price (18 months) the company bought the machine and the visits from the nurse/therapist stopped.  I think I am supposed to call if I have problems but other than my wife telling me she thinks I am having more problems or feeling tired I am not sure when to call.  What are the standards of care that are standard?

Thanks, RDW

I would thank the standard would be to continue to see your sleep doctor.  I wonder if you had a nurse or a CPAP technician.

You should get a new sleep study every five years.

the sleep Dr...I see mine every 6 months....Do you have a Sleep Specialist or a regular Dr that you had gone to?  A sleep Dr would have you in at least once a year if not every 6 months.  I have had a retitration study about every year also...that often is not needed if all is fine..but as Bearded One said..every 5 years...and to me, that would be a must.

Most insurance & Medicare covers a new machine every 3 to 5 years...and most get a new mask every 3 to 6 months.

If it has been 8 years...See the Sleep Dr, get a retitration study, get a new mask and new machine (boy they have come a long ways in technology in the past 8 years).

As for the DME...I only hear from mine when I call them and need them...they are a store/vendor..so they will only do what is required to do to get paid.


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I am A ZOMBIE! 20 years+ undx'd. BiPAP Auto M 14/9. Nasal Swift&F&P Flex Fit 431 Full Face. RLS/PLMD, Primary CNS Hypersomnia, Sleep Paralysis, Parasomnia, Degenerative Disc Disease, Clinical MS, Fibromyalgia, COPD plus other past dx's..what's next?

You are way past due for a sleep study.  I see my sleep doc. once a year and more often if I am having trouble.  He suggests a sleep study once a year to assess my apnea status.  I have one annually if I am having any fatigue or feeling symptoms.  In my nine years of treatment, I have had a sleep study nearly every year which was a good thing because my pressure has needed adjusting or we discovered I was mouth breathing and one year they discovered I had developed PLMD.  As treated OSA patients, we are quick to think that our fatigue is because we are stressed, over worked, etc. and are we are bad at recognizing that maybe our apnea is out of control.

Vicki


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Being defeated is often a temporary condition. Giving up is what makes it permanent.
Marilyn Von Savant

That which does not kill you makes you stronger-Friedrich Nietzsche
Friedrich must of had apnea.

Thanks everybody, it looks like I need to get back with the sleep doc and be more forceful with my apnea treatment.  Honestly, I got a new machine three years ago but never felt like it did as well as my older one.  Actually slept with my Respironics Virtuoso (old machine)  last night and feel better this morning.  My wife said I didn't move last night, no kicking, etc.

Thanks again, I will check with the doc and get the proper follow-up.  What is currently going on is not acceptable?

RDW

Bearded One wrote:

You should get a new sleep study every five years.

Not necessarily.  Just because 5 years have passed doesn't mandate a study.  If, however, there is a worsening of symptoms or someone isn't feeling as good on the CPAP as they did intially; that's when a new study would be warranted.  Since OSA tends to increase in severity with age, and most people gain weight as they age, a repeat study after 5 years is usually performed, but not just because 5 years have passed... there has to be some subjective or objective symptoms to substantiate another study.