I'm New - almost met compliance

[Nathan1097]

I am new here. I got my machine 3 weeks ago. My study was in June. I asked for a study after being told I snore, but more than that, I was in the ER on large amounts of morphine and once I was more conscious, the nurse said "you were really sawing logs".

My first week was a disaster. I never made 4 hours. And the first weekend, I skipped completely. I'm bipolar and lack of sleep- i.e. staying up trying to be able to be used to it till 4 a.m.- was quickly making me go manic. So my psych dr said to skip it for the weekend. Second week was better, but not great. Now this past week, my numbers have gone way up. I'm getting 8 hours on the machine which is pushing my month up by 15 or 20 minutes a night! Right now, it reads 3:54 average for the month and a heck of a lot more for the week! My compliance check is a week from tomorrow. So as long as I don't mess up too badly, I'm good to go. I do find that I've forgotten to put the mask back on after I use the bathroom every so often and this morning I woke up to the mask being on but the hose detached at the mask! I dunno how that happened.... My insurance says I have to use it 21 out of 30 days with 4 hours minimum for those days.

ETA:

I am set at 13 & 3. My machine does back off a bit when I breath out and last night I even was partially awake enough to feel it catch an apnea. Boy it works! At first, though, I thought I'd suffocate. And in the study, I asked for a nose-mouth mask since I have allergies and my nose can't be counted on be open all the time. I kept opening my mouth and that undid the nasal mask's usefulness. I had to call one of them in to tell them this, too. I thought they would've noticed. The face mask worked and I'm so happy I got one. Its just the nose and mouth- not the one that goes over the forehead, too.

[Emilia]

Hi and welcome....

Please take a minute to go up to the User Control Panel (under search, top left) and then to your Profile and then Edit Equipment. Choose your gear from the pull down menus and the choose to show those in TEXT, not pictures. This will put your equipment at the bottom of every post your write automatically, like mine below. Those with the same equipment can help you better than having to constantly ask you what you use!

Not sure what machine you have until you set that up, but I don't know of one that has a pressure setting of 3. The lowest I am familiar with is 4 and that is next to impossible to breathe with.

Once we know exactly what equipment you have, those with the same can help you tweak things or offer suggestions on how to manage flex settings, humidity, etc. Masks are 90% of the process so getting that nailed is essential. If your machine is fully data capable, we will be able to guide you to getting the software needed so you can become empowered to handle your own settings and therapy. It is important to learn to monitor your data so you can zero in on problems and address those quickly. We cannot depend on doctors or DME's so be available at a moment's notice to 'fix' things for us..... Just as a diabetic learns to monitor their blood sugar and make adjustments to their insulin, we cpapers must also learn to monitor our therapy and make adjustments to our equipment to promote better sleep and oxygenation.

Hang in there..... we'll help you get on the right path. Hope you have a better night tonight!

[Nathan1097]

So I had been going up by 12 minutes a night. And this morning I looked and my numbers are exactly the same. I also checked the part where it says number of nights over 4 hours. It says 9. I'm done for. I have one week to make it 21. The math doesn't add up. I keep waking up with the mask off. Maybe I wake up to use the bathroom or whatever and fall back asleep. I caught myself doing that once. Or come back to bed and not put it back on? I am seriously upset. I missed so many days at the begining that weren't over 4. Yet I went in and had things adjusted and called. Evil deal with the devil for 21 days. I feel trapped even though I try using it every night.

I am on CFLEX of 3 and pressure of 13.

Filling in stats....

[Curmujeon]

What are they going to do if you don't meet compliance? I would think that they would be lenient and understanding during your early days with CPAP, especially if recent days show that you are trying and improving. Some acclimation issues during the first few weeks are expected. Plus you have your other issues and the word from the other Dr. to not use it.
The tip my DME/RT gave me was to not take off the mask when getting up for the bathroom. It's easier to disconnect/reconnect the hose from the mask. I reduced the ramp on mine from 20 minutes to 5 because I was suffocating during the longer ramp. One could also go without ramp if your machine allows.

This is worthi doing, even with the challenges!
Good luck,
Muj

[Nathan1097]

If I don't meet compliance, they will charge me for the machine. That is all the money I make in a month. I hope you are right but I signed that idiot yellow piece of paper.

I can get the mask on ok. And I've woken up with the HOSE unattached! I don't undo that, for sure. My ramp is set from 4-13 but I don't use it anymore. I just turn it on straight at 13.

It isn't that I want to NOT use the machine. I like feeling refreshed when I wake up- just like when I was a kid and popped up ready for the day.

[mrnetwurm]

My DME told me that I have three tries to prove compliance. They will check at 30 days, 60, and 90. When I show adequate compliance, they will
send the data to the insurance company. Maybe you have a similar plan ? Check with your DME.

Jerry

[Nathan1097]

The paper says at least 4 hours per night and 21 of 30 days. And a follow-up with my referring dr.

[mrnetwurm]

I agree. My requirement is the same, but they told me that I have three tries (90 days) to show 21 of 30 days.

Jerry

[Nathan1097]

I just talked with the med equipment place. OMG I feel so much better! She was so nice. She said I DO have 90 days. And the 30 days is just a check up. And that everything I described is normal and its great that I have upped my hours so much this last week. Yay! Not sad now.

[Pugsy]

Welcome to the forum. You have some options regarding software.
Here are examples of your choices.
viewtopic.php?f=1&t=64906&st=0&sk=t&sd= ... re+options
Do you have the clinician manual for your machine? If not, I have the PR S1 Auto cpap with Aflex manual in pdf format and would be happy to send it to you. Send me a private message with your private email address (can't do attachments here with forum email) and I will send it to you.
Also please check your private message box now.

[BlackSpinner]

I just talked with the med equipment place. OMG I feel so much better! She was so nice. She said I DO have 90 days. And the 30 days is just a check up. And that everything I described is normal and its great that I have upped my hours so much this last week. Yay! Not sad now.

Yes and you can, if you need, get your psychiatrist involved - have him write a letter stating his recommendations to go slow.

[Emilia]

Now that you know you have 3 months to meet compliance, RELAX! I think you may have been obsessing over compliance to the point it was subconsciously impacting your sleep. Now you can refocus on learning how to manage this better. Listen to the good folks here who use your machine/mask/etc.... and get the software to monitor your data.

You''ll get there.... we will help you, but you need to be willing to read, learn, and become adept at this for it to work.

[Nathan1097]

I am not worried about complIance now. My sleep has been pretty good. I'm bipolar and that, more than the cpap, has been affecting my sleep. It's a bad combo sleep apnea and bipolar as the bipolar messes with your sleep and lack of sleep makes bipolar symptoms worse and apnea makes it hard to get consistant sleep.