Questions about first follow up with Dr after starting cpap

[JulieK]

Do I need to bring in the masks I've tried? Do I bring my machine? Should I print out OSCAR reports? Which are most likely to be helpful?

My biggest issue right now is leak control (have been taping) and mask discomfort. Can I request prescriptions to try more masks (medicare)? 

My biggest concern is my respiratory rate. It is quite high every night. Median is always above 22. I've tried increasing my pressure a bit, decreasing it, changing the ESR, etc. Still high. Is this a legit concern? Should I print out my OSCAR reports?

Thanks. I'm not sure what to expect. I've heard to expect everything to nothing.

[staceyburke]

Drs are different but in my experience (been on cpap for 30 years and had quite a few Drs), they are not very experienced with OSCAR. All any of mine have done is to look to see what my AHI was (if its lower than 5 they think you are doing fine) and see if you are using your cpap at least 4 hours a night.

That is why I came on this board! I got little to no real support, I hope your experience is better. They don't look at the mask or the machine. They will probably just look at the data that they got from your machine over the net. I would print off a typical night OSCAR and the oscar summery to take with you. That will show your AHI and hours of use...

[Rich66]

Yes, you can request a prescription for a full face mask -- but getting Medicare to pay for it is another issue. They have rules and procedures they follow. Or you can pay for it yourself. Or you can order a mask from the net -- some of which require a prescription. And there's that big one that won't sell you a mask, but they'll sell you each piece once you figure out which pieces you need. Their price is reasonable. It seems most people with PAP have several masks.