How long does it take to get a prescription??

[MichelleFL]

I am SO tired the past 2 days and quite moody to the point that I am not caring what I say at my work... How long does this whole process take of getting a prescription and then ordering and getting the machine? Until then I am going to go back to propping myself up on my side at night as I can only guess that I am having alot of sleep apnea the past 2 days. So so tired that I could literally fall asleep standing up.. Never had this before so I think it's getting worse. I cannot wait until I get my mask and machine!

[ractar28]

Have you had a cpap before? If so, your Primary care physician might write you a script.

[Wulfman]

I am SO tired the past 2 days and quite moody to the point that I am not caring what I say at my work... How long does this whole process take of getting a prescription and then ordering and getting the machine? Until then I am going to go back to propping myself up on my side at night as I can only guess that I am having alot of sleep apnea the past 2 days. So so tired that I could literally fall asleep standing up.. Never had this before so I think it's getting worse. I cannot wait until I get my mask and machine!

How long has it been since you had your sleep study/titration (2 nights or split study)?. Have you met with or have a meeting scheduled with your doctor to review your sleep study? It's usually at that meeting when the doctor writes the prescription and either sends it to the DME or (better scenario) hands it to you so you can get the equipment where YOU choose.

Make sure that you keep (preferably the original of) the prescription and only give/send copies to the supplier of your choice.

In my case, it was about 3 weeks to get a sleep study (split night) and then about another 3 weeks till I met with the doctor to get my prescription.

Den

[MichelleFL]

I just had the titration done on October 7th and my first sleep study done a few weeks before that. They wanted to do the titration a few days after the first one but I was in denile and trying to make excuses why I did not need to go. So I finally made the decision to go and have the 2nd one done and was told from the sleep study center that their doctor reviews the results and then their office manager writes out the script. At this point I told them to call me so that we can go over what I want in the script and they said that they would do so. Then after she writes out the script it is sent to my GP who then signs it. I will tell them at this point that I want the script given to me and not sent out to anyone. If their supplier can give me what my script says then I will go with them but if not I will be shopping around and see what my insurance offers... Thanks so much!

[OutaSync]

I got my machine and mask the day after my doctor saw my report. As you can see by my previous thread, it didn't do me ANY good the way the doctor prescribed it. If it hadn't been for the good folks on this forum, I would have been left with nights looking like this for one year:



Hang in there, Michelle, but make some phone calls and see if you can hurry it up a little.

Bev

[sparkinson]

EDIT: I didn't see your reply about having had the titration already before I posted this.

If you are lucky, it can be done really quickly. I went from not knowing I had Sleep Apnea on a Sunday night, the night of my sleep study, to having my own BiPAP machine at home 9 days later.

If you haven't had your sleep study yet, request to be put on the cancellation list. ( our-collective-cpap-wisdom/sleep-specia ... ickly.html ) . It took me a month to get my first sleep study. I went into the sleep clinic to book my titration in person and got put on the urgent cancellation list, got a titration appointment 2 days later (one week after my original study). Before the titration I called my insurance and figured out what they would give me and who the local DMEs were, called the DMEs to find out what machines they used and what they had in stock, and so I was fully prepared as soon as I got my titration results to get an appointment with a DME that could give me a machine.

The sleep clinic fax the results to my doctor on the same day as the study ( a Monday), I went into my doctors to pick up the prescription, went to the DME the next day and picked up my machine there and then.

I think you need to be really lucky, really persistent, very polite and have a good DME and clinic to get it that quick, but at least you know it can be done.

Simon

[goose]

It took me a couple months....I had my titration in April and finally got my machine in June.....So it can take a frustratingly long time....
You may try calling the docs office and letting them know how bad you feel and see if they can speed things up a bit -- But Den is right -- make sure you get a copy of the prescription -- preferably the original. If possible, try to tell the doctor that you want a specific machine (do your research!!!) and to please write it for the Auto CPAP you've chosen ......If he tries to balk at the Auto make the point that with an Auto he/she and you can continue to monitor your treatment and make appropriate adjustments whereas with a straight CPAP they'll have to do more sleep tests.....Keep in mind that from the DME perspective, the billing code for a straight CPAP and an Auto CPAP are the same, so they're going to try to pawn off a straight CPAP on you because they make more $$$ that way -- which is why I suggest asking the doc to write a machine specific script.....
As far as a mask, most docs will write it as "Mask per patient preference"....that way you can choose which one you want, and if you have a really good DME they'll let you try a few before making you take one....Unless you find a great one right off the bat, try as many as they'll let you try, make notes on each (for later reference) and if they want you to choose one, make the best choice you can.....
Also check with your insurance to see how often you can get a new mask, mask parts, filters, Humidifier "tanks" (for the M-Series -- they will leak after a while -- especially if you clean them like the instructions say). Take advantage of all those dates to get supplies, masks, whatever you need as often as you can whether you need it or not -- it's always best to have a stash of spare parts, filters etc......

Good luck!!!
take care
cheers
goose

[Guest]

It took a month from titration until I received my machine (in the mail) from Apria. I remember being nervous about sleeping. I didn't find this forum for a couple months after. So you're way ahead of me.

[CpapedTexan]

I went in for my titration in September and got my machine the very next morning. The DME was in the same building as the sleep clinic, so I only had to wait overnight.

Michelle

[NoLegs]

A week and a half after my second study for mask trials I saw the Respiratory Doctor and was given a script. The office manager set up an appointment with the DME of my choice the same afternoon and I went home with my cpap.

I hope this helps!

NoLegs


PS Ask your insurance company for the local list of participating (medical supply company/durable medical equipment supply) DMEs and the amount of your copay and deductible. It might be cheaper to purchase the equipment online.

Some insurance companies will not reimburse you for medical equipment/supplies not purchased from a medical supply company.

[BeanMeScot]

A lot depends on what your insurance does. Mine required that I send my prescription to a central DME who then required that plus copies of my sleep study and had to talk to my PCP and who knows what else. It was about 2 weeks before they approved it through my insurance and sent the information on to a local DME. Luckily, I am not bad off. I didn't go because I was exhausted but because I was told by someone I roomed with on a trip that I snored very loudly. My numbers are normal during normal sleep and are only bad during REM so I am getting more rest than most people who need xPAP. Good luck!

[birdshell]

I hear your frustration, Michelle, or maybe I am just projecting mine.

I had to wait 5 weeks after titration to FINALLY get my machine. It just seemed so ironic that I was diagnosed and had to sign a document saying that I absolved the sleep clinic from responsibility. They did not want to be responsible for a sleep-impaired person's driving.

So, I drove myself home and the wait began. I wonder if those who have a split study are more severe and get prioritized for the receipt of their equipment? Then again, maybe it is an understated program to keep us so eagerly awaiting treatment that we will DEFINITELY have a desire to remain compliant with therapy.

<sigh>

However, I have never willingly slept without my CPAP ever since the first night. Maybe it worked!?!

Karen,
Who is heading for the machine/mask/hose soon

[ichitumi]

It took me close to 4 months to get my prescription. I got my split study done a week after I asked my doctor to send me to the sleep center. A week later, I got a copy of my sleep report in the mail. Took me a while to call my primary doctor and asked about what I was supposed to do next. My doctor left it up to me to tell him which machine I wanted to get and told me to look at the GoodKnight 420 on cpap.com. That was before I found you guys on this forum. I had no clue what I was looking at or what all the machines are all about and their differences.

Meanwhile, I called my insurance company trying to find out what they cover and what my out of pocket expenses would be (I wanted to find out what my out of pocket expenses will be). Trying to keep my options open and wanting to make sure that it wouldn't be more expensive than buying it on my own dime online as opposed to going through my insurance company. As it turns out, neither the DME nor the insurance company can get me a straight answer with cost (insurance company needs to have the DME submit the paperwork first; and the DME needs to hear back from the insurance company re: their agreed upon set price ...) so we're at a standstill at this point.

At this time, I was getting more and more tired each day. Finally, I got tired of waiting around for non-existing answers and decided to just buy something on my own. I found the cpap auction site and thought I would just give a basic machine a try (not even sure if I can even get used to sleeping with a hose at all and didn't want to waste too much money). I needed a script in order to order anything or bid on machines.

While I was researching masks and bidding on those, I was waiting for my doctor's substitute (my regular doctor was on vacation at the time ... unfortunately) to send me my script. Took him almost 3 weeks to get it faxed to me. Apparently, he left my whole file on his desk after speaking with me and forgot about it.

Whewww ... now that I know a little more, I think I'm going to go back and talk to my doctor again and see about getting a machine that's data capable.

[Snoredog]

I am SO tired the past 2 days and quite moody to the point that I am not caring what I say at my work... How long does this whole process take of getting a prescription and then ordering and getting the machine? Until then I am going to go back to propping myself up on my side at night as I can only guess that I am having alot of sleep apnea the past 2 days. So so tired that I could literally fall asleep standing up.. Never had this before so I think it's getting worse. I cannot wait until I get my mask and machine!

You get real tired once you know you have OSA

But it takes way too long, I remember when I had my diagnostic PSG on Dec 27, it wasn't until June that I got my machine and that is only because I said screw Apria and ordered it myself from cpap.com. Apria called about a month later, I told them what they could do with their plain jane machine.

[cflame1]

While I was researching masks and bidding on those, I was waiting for my doctor's substitute (my regular doctor was on vacation at the time ... unfortunately) to send me my script. Took him almost 3 weeks to get it faxed to me. Apparently, he left my whole file on his desk after speaking with me and forgot about it.

If you're going to buy the next one from cpap.com as well... your original script will do the trick.