[Diagnosis] Finished the First Sleep Study: What questions to ask my ENT for the follow-up?

[Mosquitobait]

Your BEST bet is to go to the office and get a copy of the raw study and results BEFORE your appointment with the sleep doctor. Don't let the office give you crap about it. Any decent office has it scored and ready within 3 days or so and certainly several days before the doctor's appointment. It's impossible to formulate sensible questions in the 3 minutes after the doctor wings this study in your face, says 8 sentences and pushes you out the door. Given that you will then be expected to spend hundreds of dollars (yours or the insurance company's), you want to be able to feel confident in your information.

[Mosquitobait]

BTW, can I actually ask my doctor to specify a specific model on the script? I read a suggestion elsewhere to get very specific on the script, such as:

1] ResMed AirSense™ 10 AutoSet with HumidAir™ Heated Humidifier
2] Patient access to Efficacy and Usage Data
3] ClimateLineAir™ Heated Tube
4] Filter
5] Mask of patient's choice
6] Pressure range between [x] and [y] (even if static CPAP recommended)
6] Dispense as written

Do doctors usually accommodate such a specific ask?

I met with a PA the second time. While the doctor had a specific pressure listed, she looked at my data from Sleepyhead and the used machine I had acquired and recommended a range instead. If I need to go above 12, they want to hear about it.

In general, you need a different pressure if you are on your back vs. your side, so an automachine is better for MOST people. The only exception that I have seen are those patients who simply find themselves doing better with a single pressure and those who may have blood pressure issues (the change of pressure changes blood pressure which can be hard on heart).

[StoopidMonkey81]

OK, out of the appointment with a copy of the sleep study. The recommendation is for CPAP at 8cmH2O. I tried to get the script written as previously discussed but he was very hesitant (and likely inexperienced in) writing the script like that. The compromise was that, in addition to CPAP @ 8CM and the specific mask I wore (AirFit F10), he wrote "If possible, issue Autopap machine that can be set at 8cm". I'll see where that gets me once my insurance approves the claim and I go DME hunting.

As for the study itself, once they finally ramped the machine to 8 they got me down to 0 AHI and an oxyhemoglobin saturation of 91+%. If there's any other pertinent information that anybody is curious about or something I need to clear up with my insurance before I shop for equipment, let me know!