01-03-2019, 04:01 PM
DME, Broken Vpap, Doctors and Medicare
Hi all, long post ahead. First off, been using pap nightly since 2005. I have OSA and occasional central. I started out with over 140 events during study and also dx with RLS, PLMD and a neuromuscular disease. Weak exhale ability.
I’ve learned so much from this forum but am forced to ask for help.
I was admitted to hospital last December with total renal failure. I was confused and totally disoriented besides being a fall risk as I use a wheelchair. 3 days later I suddenly had a 10mm subdural hematoma which had to have happened by a fall there as my admission ct was normal. I don’t remember anything from December 19 until the 22nd when I briefly awoke to see the date on the wall board. Then unconscious until the 30th. In between was hell. I had an emergency craniotomy on the 23rd, had an allergic reaction to my 2nd series of blood transfusions which caused seizures and high fever on the 27th And vented for 3 days. Couldn’t speak, wasn’t oriented etc. Had serious aphasia so communicating was awful. Finally out of icu into step down unit where they broke my S9 Vpap S Auto. I told them as best I could that it was broken. They refuse to take responsibility. I am not eligible for a new machine until next April. I’ve been recuperating and rehabbing since then. I’m using an S8 that I had bought used as a spare. Thank goodness!
My problem is that no one will follow Medicare’s rules. I needed a new script stating “broken beyond repair and not financially efficient to repair before 5 years are up”. Did that. They picked up my machine on Nov 19th. I’ve been calling dme almost daily and no one calls back. Trying to find out what the repair states. No one will tell me. Suddenly the dme truck showed up yesterday without warning and I almost missed him. He hands me a resmed bag says sign here and is walking away before I can catch him. I needed answers. I open the bag and it’s an S9 Vpap COPD. I don’t have COPD and it’s not an auto. And it won’t let me exhale at my pace before shoving more air into my nose. I turned it off and repacked it. Called said dme and explained this to the one person who finally called me back. Insisted that “this is the machine your doctor ordered” I said oh heck no to that as I was there when he wrote the script for a bilevel Auto with humidification and preference then was S10 Aircurve S. Your pinned post on what to do before accepting your machine is right on! She said that she knew better. I told her I didn’t need a $6700 outdated ventilator that didn’t do what it I needed. She would not tell me if the machine which was mine at no cost was because of it being a loaner or what Medicare would pay for as my next machine. Told me to ask Medicare....oy. I took it to my sleep lab rt who has been trying to help me since January. He took one look and freaked out. Took a picture for ammunition and will get back to me. The dme told me many times that I could not have a loaner but could “rent” one. My RT says that’s illegal. He says that they dumped old stock on me to shut me up.
I’ve got residual brain damage and memory issues but I write everything down because of that.
I downloaded the clinical guide for the copd machine and it states not to use with recent craniotomy. No one told us that. I’ve been on Vpap as best as possible as my head healed but now wonder if more damage was done. My sleep doc (3rd since moving to west central Florida 4 years ago) is awful. The dme’s notorious at the sleep lab. My doc says an ahi of under 10 is great! I’m at 5.5 so slightly above the normal ahi limit of 5 but used to be at less than 1. So no help from him.
I would appreciate any direction towards a healthy and helpful way to sleep well.
Thanks in advance. Sorry if this was too much information but I’m so frustrated. I sleep 9-10 hours a night and am exhausted when I wake up.
Frustrated in Florida
I’ve learned so much from this forum but am forced to ask for help.
I was admitted to hospital last December with total renal failure. I was confused and totally disoriented besides being a fall risk as I use a wheelchair. 3 days later I suddenly had a 10mm subdural hematoma which had to have happened by a fall there as my admission ct was normal. I don’t remember anything from December 19 until the 22nd when I briefly awoke to see the date on the wall board. Then unconscious until the 30th. In between was hell. I had an emergency craniotomy on the 23rd, had an allergic reaction to my 2nd series of blood transfusions which caused seizures and high fever on the 27th And vented for 3 days. Couldn’t speak, wasn’t oriented etc. Had serious aphasia so communicating was awful. Finally out of icu into step down unit where they broke my S9 Vpap S Auto. I told them as best I could that it was broken. They refuse to take responsibility. I am not eligible for a new machine until next April. I’ve been recuperating and rehabbing since then. I’m using an S8 that I had bought used as a spare. Thank goodness!
My problem is that no one will follow Medicare’s rules. I needed a new script stating “broken beyond repair and not financially efficient to repair before 5 years are up”. Did that. They picked up my machine on Nov 19th. I’ve been calling dme almost daily and no one calls back. Trying to find out what the repair states. No one will tell me. Suddenly the dme truck showed up yesterday without warning and I almost missed him. He hands me a resmed bag says sign here and is walking away before I can catch him. I needed answers. I open the bag and it’s an S9 Vpap COPD. I don’t have COPD and it’s not an auto. And it won’t let me exhale at my pace before shoving more air into my nose. I turned it off and repacked it. Called said dme and explained this to the one person who finally called me back. Insisted that “this is the machine your doctor ordered” I said oh heck no to that as I was there when he wrote the script for a bilevel Auto with humidification and preference then was S10 Aircurve S. Your pinned post on what to do before accepting your machine is right on! She said that she knew better. I told her I didn’t need a $6700 outdated ventilator that didn’t do what it I needed. She would not tell me if the machine which was mine at no cost was because of it being a loaner or what Medicare would pay for as my next machine. Told me to ask Medicare....oy. I took it to my sleep lab rt who has been trying to help me since January. He took one look and freaked out. Took a picture for ammunition and will get back to me. The dme told me many times that I could not have a loaner but could “rent” one. My RT says that’s illegal. He says that they dumped old stock on me to shut me up.
I’ve got residual brain damage and memory issues but I write everything down because of that.
I downloaded the clinical guide for the copd machine and it states not to use with recent craniotomy. No one told us that. I’ve been on Vpap as best as possible as my head healed but now wonder if more damage was done. My sleep doc (3rd since moving to west central Florida 4 years ago) is awful. The dme’s notorious at the sleep lab. My doc says an ahi of under 10 is great! I’m at 5.5 so slightly above the normal ahi limit of 5 but used to be at less than 1. So no help from him.
I would appreciate any direction towards a healthy and helpful way to sleep well.
Thanks in advance. Sorry if this was too much information but I’m so frustrated. I sleep 9-10 hours a night and am exhausted when I wake up.
Frustrated in Florida
