[Equipment] ResMed VPAP III st

[Littlewashington]

Quick background: 2 sleep studies done. First one for diagnosis, 2nd to titrate machine. 30+ episodes per hour, rare if any REM sleep, up to 45 seconds of not breathing and legs can't even twitch me awake, very low oxygen saturation level (80?) I don't know a whole lot more since pulmonary specialist glossed over report and then prescribed CPAP. Doc seemed to think clinician would cover all the details and I sat passively listening and didn't question because I'd had thumb reconstruction surgery 10 days prior to appt. and I was on pain meds and was in a lot of pain at the time.

Now, 3 months later and no machine thanks to medical records glitch! Medicare requires "face to face" doctor visit wherein sleep study is initially ordered. Neither my internist nor my rheumy record shows "order" despite BOTH offices calling sleep center to make appointment for study. Sleep study technician was very open post-study, showed me the study, the results, and he impressed upon me how his ten years in lab combined with his own sleep apnea problems gave him the knowledge, the confidence, to tell me -- get CPAP ASAP! He even told me to come by the lab to try out masks.

A friend gifted me with a ResMed VPAP III ST last week. Her mom used it for a few months. I want to figure out how to use it, Medicare be damned, I don't want to wait any longer for DME saleswoman (who really doesn't seem to care about me).

Since this machine appears to be auto-format type, I'm going to 1) go to sleep lab for mask and tubing 2) follow set-up manual 3) begin CPAP ... I have an iMac, so I cannot download machine info but hopefully I can take machine to daughter's house for Windows download.

Is this a ridiculous idea? My doctors are an hour away, apps take weeks or months to make, I have pulmonologist appt early May so he can check compliance. I will call his office today and tell them my plans... I betcha' they have a hissy fit over the whole idea of me taking charge. What information am I lacking? Anyone have suggestions? I am exhausted. I don't sleep. I want to have real energy, not Provigil or caffeine type.

Thanks for listening.

[trish6hundred]

Hi Littlewashington,
WELCOME! to the forum.!
I think you could use that machine in auto CPAP mode but I'm not sure, so
hang in there for answers to your question, someone will be able to help you soon,best of lukc.

[Tez62]

Littlewashington, I don't think it is a ridiculous idea, the only thing is it will be difficult, you really need to know what your maximun and minimum pressure settings for the machine should be, otherwise you are guessing and may not get effective treatment. It is also difficult for most newbies getting to understand about sleep apnea, but in your case you have to learn how to use, set up and then read your data from the very start. I do feel your pain though. I think you will get some good advice on here and keep asking questions.

[Shastzi]

Doesn't SleepyHead run on the Mac for that ResMed VPAP?
That is some software you'll need to check on your therapy progress.

[bunnyslippers]

I totally understand. I've spent a year trying to figure out why I'm so exhausted. Most of my holdup has been health insurance. I finally got through everything and found out I would have to pay out of pocket for a machine, which I did. I called my Dr to get a time for them to set up my machine and found out it would be 2 1/2 weeks until they could get me in. No way am I waiting that long so with the help of this forum, I programmed my machine and I used it last night.
If there is anyway you could get a pressure recommendation from your sleep doc, the people who gave the sleep study, maybe your GP could ask for it, I would think that would be best. Maybe even go in and ask for one off the record?
I know if it were me I'd figure out a way to use that machine.

Good luck, I know I felt better this morning than I did most mornings without it.