Well I'm legit now

[cowboy1970]

Just got my shiny new ResMed S9 AutoSet. The doctor wanted me on Respironics, but I insisted on the S9 AutoSet. She will only allow it to be set on 9 air flow, which seems ridiculous, but whatever.

The DME that she sent my prescription to did not have the TAP PAP mask that I wanted, and they tried all kinds of lies and coercion to sell me on other types. I finally called around and found a DME that is in my insurance network and had the mask I wanted and had my doctor send the script over to them.

When I finally go to the DME office to pick up my stuff, they informed me that the mask was not in from their warehouse yet. They sent me home with some cheap mask and told me that in three days to call in and complain and they will send the other one to my house. Also, the box that my mask was in was ripped open before I even came to his office, so I am pretty sure it was used. Wow, what a racket these guys have going. If these guys had to survive in an open free market with this kind of poor service and shady tactics, they would be sued out of existence by now.

Also, they put a wireless modem on my system. They said it was for compliance purposes. They take the modem back after 7 months. When I go to clean my machine this weekend, I plan to disconnect the modem and leave it off for a few days to see if I get a call.

I'm also planning to use a velcro strap to put the modem on my ankle in plain view when my daughter's boyfriend comes to pick her up. If he asked me about it, I'm going to respond, "She never told you what happened to her last boyfriend? It was totally worth it! I only have to wear this until the trials over. My lawyer says I got nothing to worry about, cause I made it look like self defense."

I couldn't even make it three hours the first night because the stupid mask kept hurting my nostrils. Last night was better, but my nostrils definitely hurt and are tender. I'm calling to complain tomorrow and we'll see if they were just scamming me or will actually deliver the product I requested in the first place.

Do I seem negative today? Where are my pills...

[Doc J]

The whole DME routine was the worst part of my introduction to Pap. Overcharging (in my opinion) for everything. And they get paid the same for the cheaper machine they gave me. Bad communication on getting compliance report off the no card machine they sold me. So I hear ya loud and clear on that.
Are the nasal pillows too tight? They should be loose before inflating into place. I can barely feel mine so check the fit, maybe it's just new irritation.
I also got my own better machine and masks behind the DME's back and have refused all the automated calls to renew my supplies. I know I pay for insurance but if I can just buy it outright for cheap and forget those fools racket I will. That's the best part of the pillow thing they are relatively cheap. I did request a copy of my prescription also so I think they might get the hint.
Good luck dealing with them at least you know what you want, I was blind trusting them and look where it got me.
Also good luck with the daughter's boyfriend.
Doc J (not a doctor just a nickname)

[PaulaO2]

Congrats?

You can ask to bring in the card instead of have the modem. And you can ask your insurance company how long they want the compliance data. The idea they want it for 7 months seems rather excessive.

Let us know how it goes with the boyfriend! That sounds like a totally cool idea!

[ImaSurvivor]

Also, they put a wireless modem on my system. They said it was for compliance purposes. They take the modem back after 7 months. When I go to clean my machine this weekend, I plan to disconnect the modem and leave it off for a few days to see if I get a call.

I'm also planning to use a velcro strap to put the modem on my ankle in plain view when my daughter's boyfriend comes to pick her up. If he asked me about it, I'm going to respond, "She never told you what happened to her last boyfriend? It was totally worth it! I only have to wear this until the trials over. My lawyer says I got nothing to worry about, cause I made it look like self defense."

I couldn't even make it three hours the first night because the stupid mask kept hurting my nostrils. Last night was better, but my nostrils definitely hurt and are tender. I'm calling to complain tomorrow and we'll see if they were just scamming me or will actually deliver the product I requested in the first place.

Do I seem negative today? Where are my pills...

I had the modem on my machine but only for three months through compliance period. Seven months seems excessive. I didn't mind having the modem since my DME is out of town. It would have been more of a hassle for me to take my SD card in or send it in. There are others on the forum that don't like the idea at all. I received a call from my DME a week into therapy inquiring how I was doing but then informing me that I had two nights that I was not compliant. They were checking it. One night was shy by 10 minutes and another night was shy by 8 minutes. All other nights were well over compliance hours. I guess I thought it would be an average and not night by night. Another time I had a question for the sleep doc's office. His assistant could look up my progress via the modem.

I like the idea about the daughter's boyfriend though LoL.

[Skypilot]

I couldn't even make it three hours the first night because the stupid mask kept hurting my nostrils. Last night was better, but my nostrils definitely hurt and are tender. I'm calling to complain tomorrow and we'll see if they were just scamming me or will actually deliver the product I requested in the first place.

Do I seem negative today? Where are my pills...

The US might be different to Oz but take control of your treatment. The place I went to to hire my machine set it up and sent me on my way and they could not careless other than to try and make a sale. I went back for another appointment and they said why are you here! I was thinking that too..... They downloaded my data and printed off a report - I did not tell them I was already doing that.

So now I am taking control I have changed the settings and now hit a sweet spot with the settings, which is nothing like what they originally set, and last night I had only one event - a central apnoea.

I use nasal pillows - persevere and work through the hurt it will get better over time.

[SleepyDreamCatcher]

Congrats?

You can ask to bring in the card instead of have the modem. And you can ask your insurance company how long they want the compliance data. The idea they want it for 7 months seems rather excessive.

Let us know how it goes with the boyfriend! That sounds like a totally cool idea!

Seven months may be excessive, but my insurance company is keeping track of my compliance for 10 months. And that seems really excessive to me.

[cowboy1970]

Thanks everyone for the feedback and encouragement. I assure you my daughter will be fine. I usually steer my first conversation with her boyfriends toward how wonderful the liberal "stand your ground" laws are in this state and that I am easily startled by finding strangers loitering on my property. So now I just have to pretty much keep her on my property at all times.

I know I complain about docs alot but I am honor bound to report good news too.

Today, my DME calls me (a day early!) and asked how my mask is working. They informed me that my TAP PAP is in and I can come pick it up. When I finally made it to their office, the receptionist told me that if I had any problems/discomfort, to make sure and call in and they would "exchange" it out for a Puritan Breeze. The cheap mask they gave me initially was a ResMed Airfit P10 (which I actually like the pillow-inside-pillow feature). I had mentioned in the first appointment that I had used Breeze for quite some time and was use to it, but that I heard TAP PAP was even better. She actually held up her fingers and made the quotation marks when she said "exchange." The DME fella that gave me my machine in the first appointment said that they do not take any masks back, but simply issue me a new one until one of them works for me.

...which brings me to this other matter. As most of you know, I WAS one of those "I too like to live dangerously" types and was treating my apnea without the consent of the federal government. I purchased my equipment in a back alley from a shady character. This led to me being mixed up with the Russian mob but that's a story for another time. Anyway, I had this one guy who I bought my first mask from. I met him through an internet ad on a site that is frequented by people who avidly support local single mothers...err prostitutes (or so it was explained in great detail to me when my wife was going through our browser history, but I digress) Anyway, I noticed upon doing a recent search that this guy now has a gazzillion ads on this same popular site. All ads are selling cpap equipment. Either this dude ransacks senior citizen homes on his weekends or he's dumpster diving outside DME clinics. I strongly suspect that he either works at a cpap clinic or a senior home cause he literally has several thousand dollars of stuff for sale right now. Some of it new and in sealed packets. This whole experience with my DME makes me wonder if this ad guy is taking masks back and making a financially "killing" on the black market. (I'm sorry is that racist?! Do they refer to THAT market with a different term now? I have a hard time keeping up with the current political correctness. One of my buddies at work called me a "cracker" the other day and I told him, "We prefer to be called Saltine Americans!") Either way, it kinda smacks of insurance fraud or something. I just have this image in my head of him charging insurances for masks that aren't picked up by his clients and then putting ads up for them. He has machines/masks/accessories-new and used. Of course, I think he's helping people and his prices are great, so I'm not going to dime him out. I bet he clears more than $12k/year on his lil side gig tho. Must be nice. I'm sure the Russian mob gets their cut.

[justMongo]

Try wrapping the wireless modem with tin foil.
Works on my smart meters!