[CPAP] Huge noob here. Really POed at Resmed/DME and could use help now!

[debhona12]

Thanks all for the advice. I got results back today from a second home sleep study, and will discuss your comments and the results with both sleep doctor and DME.

[staceyburke]

I thought you have been working with the Dr and DME. That is why you asked questions here wasn’t it?

[debhona12]

I've seen the new sleep doctor once and the DME maybe twice ever. It costs money to schedule every consultation and for every new mask type they send me.

[staceyburke]

I’m not giving you a hard time. Most people here are here because the Dr was unproductive and the DME were totally useless.

Drs wants data and they get it from a sleep study. Those studies are just a one night picture that is not a good representation of your normal night’s sleep. Why? - no one sleeps in a strange room with wires hooked up to 10 wires on them. AND if they can get you below AHI of 5 they say you are good. Most of us it is not good.

So we go back to the Dr and he may change settings and tell you to give it a couple weeks and back you goo or again to have more changes. After a few visits and several month another Dr visit and another sleep study.

That is where you are now. Instead we suggest changes and you see how it works - post that nights charts and get other adjustments that you can try. That will take you a couple of months (not to mention the cost) to do with the Dr and DME.

[debhona12]

My apologies, I came off as more confrontative than I should have. You're right that the doctor and DME are slow to adjust, which is indeed why I came here. (In fact I just got my home sleep study results back from one I did last week - AHI was under 5 but you're right that I'm certainly not feeling fine). I think after the last time I went to the DME, I'm more intimidated to make changes like adjusting the pressure on my own because of the reaction I got from him, at least not without running it by him or my sleep doctor. I even messaged DME and his response was:

• Your pressure 4-12 is the prescription your doctor gave , not what i decided upon. If that pressure is not to your liking , then your doctor is the only one that can write a prescription for different pressure.
  

Other than that he did not suggest anything related to ERP but did recommend a chin strap.

[sonicboom]

To arm  yourself with personal knowledge for any visits with DME/Dr, you should do an internet search on whether it is illegal to change your own CPAP pressure. Hint: most of us here readily change our CPAP settings including but not limited to pressure. In doing so, many of us who may have quit CPAP because we can't get the right mask fit and/or the right machine settings have found success. Continue to post your results with the suggested tweaks suggested above by others.