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Dream Station Ramp and Pressure Settings
#11
RE: Dream Station Ramp and Pressure Settings
Yes. Jaw shape and size and the anatomy of our mouth and throat play a large part in who is afflicted, for lack of a better word, with sleep disordered breathing. Dr Steven Park's book Sleep Interrupted goes into this in detail.

For those whom weight is a factor, it is thought that excess fat or tissue in the neck is the cause. Unless your weight reduction surgery includes this area, it is highly unlikely to result in an improvement to your sleep apnea. The people that I have heard from who were able to improve or eliminate their apnea through weight loss did so by changes in diet and behaviour which does impact all areas of the body.

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#12
RE: Dream Station Ramp and Pressure Settings
Just got off the phone with my CPAP supplier and I told her what you had written about the machine being the low end with no data. She ( the lady from the company) said that it did have data and I asked her if I could exchange it for a better one.

She said no, since I've had the machine since September, they have already billed my insurance company for it. She said I could "purchase" a better model but it would be about $1000. I told her "no thanks" and that hopefully after my surgery and weight loss, I won't need the machine.

She is ordering me a full blown mask option for me though and that won't cost me much. Hopefully, I can get it by Monday of next week.
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#13
RE: Dream Station Ramp and Pressure Settings
If I told you the current price on Amazon for a Dreamstation Auto CPAP DSX500T11 with humidifier and heated hose is $434 with free shipping, would your opinion of your DME be changed? Yes your supplier has been paid for a CPAP model...probably close to $1600, and more money on top of that another $400 for the humidifier, humidifier tray and more for filters, heated hose, filters, mask headgear, mask frame and mask cushions. In all they invoiced your insurance over $2K...ask for a statement.

Don't let these fools rip you off. Let them know exactly what your know now that you've joined here. You have the right to change suppliers. Ask your insurance for a list.
Sleeprider
Apnea Board Moderator
www.ApneaBoard.com

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INFORMATION ON APNEA BOARD FORUMS OR ON APNEABOARD.COM SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED AS MEDICAL ADVICE. ALWAYS SEEK THE ADVICE OF A PHYSICIAN BEFORE SEEKING TREATMENT FOR MEDICAL CONDITIONS, INCLUDING SLEEP APNEA. INFORMATION POSTED ON THE APNEA BOARD WEB SITE AND FORUMS ARE PERSONAL OPINION ONLY AND NOT NECESSARILY A STATEMENT OF FACT.
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#14
RE: Dream Station Ramp and Pressure Settings
Hi knowoneuno,
WELCOME! to the forum.!
I wish you good luck with your CPAP therapy and when you get a different mask, I hope that will help you to get to liking it.
Hang in there for more responses to your post.
trish6hundred
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#15
RE: Dream Station Ramp and Pressure Settings
Thank you !!

So do I call my insurance first and ask for a new list of suppliers? This is all so new to me, I can't thank you enough for being so patient and helpful to me in this new journey.
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#16
RE: Dream Station Ramp and Pressure Settings
That is where i would start. Many insurance companies have lists of in-network durable medical equipment providers listed on their website. Calling will give you an idea of your options, and whether returning the machine is possible. If you fail at CPAP (return the machine), the DME does not get paid. It is also likely your current machine is rented, not purchased. Your insurance company can tell you what arrangement has been made for your equipment, and what the support and return contract includes. Many DME suppliers today routinely issue better machines to avoid this problem. The cost difference to issue an auto CPAP rather than the bottom of the line is pretty small, and the better equipment suppliers have a stake in seeing you succeed.

The CPAP you were issued will meet the requirements of the prescription your doctor issued. Chances are you had a sleep study, and it identified a pressure at which your obstructive events were controlled to an acceptable level. That pressure may not be ideal under all circumstances, but it should work okay. The problem is, your needs will change with weight loss surgery, and that makes getting an auto machine defensible as "medically necessary". The easiest way to get a change is to ask your doctor to write the prescription for Auto CPAP so you can avoid future expensive sleep studies to evaluate efficacy of the treatment.

This is very important. You need to speak their language. The change must be justified by your anticipated change in health and factors that will potentially affect your CPAP pressure needs. An Auto CPAP is the only machine that will not only give you feedback on the effectiveness of your treatment, but will let you cope with changing needs after surgery. Getting the RIGHT machine will save everyone money in the long run. You may not need to change DMEs, but you will have to call their bluff about charging you another $1000. The best starting point is actually the prescribing doctor. Explain to him that you are scheduled for weight loss surgery and think a fixed pressure machine without data capability is a bad choice by your DME. You need his support to get the Auto machine that will meet your anticipated needs. You must insist that you do not want to rely on repeated clinical tests to adjusts pressure as this is a process that will occur over a long period of time. Only and Auto CPAP can give both you and your doctor the feedback needed to succeed under those circumstances.
Sleeprider
Apnea Board Moderator
www.ApneaBoard.com

____________________________________________
Download OSCAR Software
Soft Cervical Collar
Optimizing Therapy
Organize your OSCAR Charts
Attaching Files
Mask Primer
How To Deal With Equipment Supplier


INFORMATION ON APNEA BOARD FORUMS OR ON APNEABOARD.COM SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED AS MEDICAL ADVICE. ALWAYS SEEK THE ADVICE OF A PHYSICIAN BEFORE SEEKING TREATMENT FOR MEDICAL CONDITIONS, INCLUDING SLEEP APNEA. INFORMATION POSTED ON THE APNEA BOARD WEB SITE AND FORUMS ARE PERSONAL OPINION ONLY AND NOT NECESSARILY A STATEMENT OF FACT.
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#17
RE: Dream Station Ramp and Pressure Settings
Finally got a call from the CPAP study people late this afternoon.

To purchase a new, full-blown, face mask is $125 and that would be out of pocket on my end, since insurance says I have not met my deductible yet.

Is it possible to purchase this on-line? I'll be honest, I don't want to give these people any more of my money, if I can avoid it.

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#18
RE: Dream Station Ramp and Pressure Settings
Hey there. I have a Dreamstation Pro and if yours is similar you won't have to go into the Provider Settings to change the ramp time. Turn the knob to "My Setup". Press knob. The first icon you'll see is the Ramp starting pressure. Press the knob, then rotate until it's set to the desired pressure. Mine starts at 4. Press the knob again to lock that number in, then rotate to the next icon "Ramp Time". Same procedure as above to change the ramp time. Mine is set to .20 which is 20 minutes. After that you can go back to Main Menu.
If you press the knob on My Provider, it will show you the device Model name and number among other info. Hope this helps
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#19
RE: Dream Station Ramp and Pressure Settings
Perhaps try a chin strap, which is cheaper, to see if it'll help you breathe through the nose. By the way, it's normal to need some adjustment time to the machine. I also used it for only a limited amount of hours the first few nights. You can do this! Smile
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#20
RE: Dream Station Ramp and Pressure Settings
(12-05-2016, 06:07 PM)knowoneuno Wrote: Finally got a call from the CPAP study people late this afternoon.

To purchase a new, full-blown, face mask is $125 and that would be out of pocket on my end, since insurance says I have not met my deductible yet.

Is it possible to purchase this on-line? I'll be honest, I don't want to give these people any more of my money, if I can avoid it.

Check for your favorite mask on Amazon. The Resmed Airfit P10 pillows are $64 there, and stupid expensive through a DME. It comes with all three sizes of nasal pillow. If you tolerate any form of nasal therapy, it is worth a try, if only because it is the lightest, quietest and most comfortable. "Resistance is futile". Smile

If you really want a full face mask, those are reasonably priced there as well. Also, you could try Supplier #30 that will file an insurance claim so at least your purchase can be applied to your deductible.
Sleeprider
Apnea Board Moderator
www.ApneaBoard.com

____________________________________________
Download OSCAR Software
Soft Cervical Collar
Optimizing Therapy
Organize your OSCAR Charts
Attaching Files
Mask Primer
How To Deal With Equipment Supplier


INFORMATION ON APNEA BOARD FORUMS OR ON APNEABOARD.COM SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED AS MEDICAL ADVICE. ALWAYS SEEK THE ADVICE OF A PHYSICIAN BEFORE SEEKING TREATMENT FOR MEDICAL CONDITIONS, INCLUDING SLEEP APNEA. INFORMATION POSTED ON THE APNEA BOARD WEB SITE AND FORUMS ARE PERSONAL OPINION ONLY AND NOT NECESSARILY A STATEMENT OF FACT.
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