RE: Have you SEEN the doctor (at all)?
I have never talked to a Sleep doctor. My PCP ordered the sleep study, gave me the results and prescribed the equipment.
who needs em...
RE: Have you SEEN the doctor (at all)?
I am fortunate to have a good sleep doctor (Internal Medicine was his specialty before sleep) who has OSA himself He practiced IM in the same clinic as my PCP until he couldn't stay awake between patients and HIS sleep doctor recommended he get into the sleep business. I lucked out with a top of the line (at the time) PR machine and a good DME. I see the doctor once a year now--a necessity because he has to sign papers for me to keep my drivers license. He OK'd my switch to APAP at 3 months--I waited until I saw him and didn't change it myself--knows I do some experimenting with different pressures now and doesn't object but recommended I stay in a certain range which is more than enough for my needs. I saw his assistant, a Respirator Therapist, once--he ran the DME part of the practice. The DME isn't Medicare certified so I go to one he recommended. I have been fortunate that care by Orthopedic and Cardiac PA's (some Nurse Practitioners) that are doctor's assistants has been top notch.
RE: Have you SEEN the doctor (at all)?
My wife had her first compliance visit at her sleep doc and saw the NP. The doc who read the study and wrote the script is there in the office. Her NP is very knowledgeable and takes the attitude if I can;t answer it, I will get you an answer before you leave. My wife is still having issues with her mask - Amara View - with a lot of leakage and she is also having skin issues with it. We are waiting to hear back from the respiratory therapist at the DME to come by the house with some other mask options. My wife also had a reaction to the headgear and tried covers for it, but with perspiration they mode no difference. She has no problems with the headgear on my Quartro FX.
Homer
RE: Have you SEEN the doctor (at all)?
(08-04-2017, 05:48 PM)Homerec130 Wrote: My wife had her first compliance visit at her sleep doc and saw the NP. The doc who read the study and wrote the script is there in the office. Her NP is very knowledgeable and takes the attitude if I can;t answer it, I will get you an answer before you leave. My wife is still having issues with her mask - Amara View - with a lot of leakage and she is also having skin issues with it. We are waiting to hear back from the respiratory therapist at the DME to come by the house with some other mask options. My wife also had a reaction to the headgear and tried covers for it, but with perspiration they mode no difference. She has no problems with the headgear on my Quartro FX.
Homer
Homer, if you think you have problems, I changed my wife's settings today and didn't tell her. After 6 months of seeing events higher than they needed to be, I just did it. Do you people really wait for a doctor or associate to form an opinion? Just do it.
RE: Have you SEEN the doctor (at all)?
I've been very fortunate with my sleep doc, a pulmonologist, whom I've seen every time I've had a real appointment, vs when I've gone in to work with his "education" office that does mask fittings/loans and general patient support with nurse practitioner or respiratory tech to check breathing and oxygen levels. I started in 2011 and at first was seen every couple of weeks for awhile, and then monthly, and then six months, and then been on my own until my machine died this last June. I don't think I've ever had an appt with him that was less than half an hour. We've always reviewed graphs/data, he read the research articles I brought, and we made decisions together. I had to make a new patient appt this last time to get a script because it had been so long, but nothing changed in our process. I had a late afternoon appt and he worked into his hospital shift to get me a machine that night, getting the right people together past their shifts and writing the right notes to get it done. The nurse practitioner then worked with me past her shift to make sure everything worked and gave me a couple of fitted masks and a heated hose to take home and try. Do I "need" to see him any more at this time? Probably not, and after a few things gets sorted out at my next appt, I probably won't see him for another year, if that. Do I need to have him to form an opinion? Well, as it looks like most of us know, a couple of extra heads tend to be better than just one.
