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+--- Thread: Waiting for VA to switch me to right machine; what about renting in the meantime? (/Thread-Waiting-for-VA-to-switch-me-to-right-machine-what-about-renting-in-the-meantime)
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Waiting for VA to switch me to right machine; what about renting in the meantime? - Josephdfco - 11-22-2017
Hi all! I posted some data here a few days ago, and the general consensus was that I should be on an ASV rather than a bipap. I've sent my data to the VA, and I'm waiting to hear back from them. Hopefully, they'll be relatively prompt, but if they stay true to form, and I have to settle in for a protracted battle, what about renting an ASV in the meanwhile? Where do they rent these, and about how much is rental? Thanks!
RE: Waiting for VA to switch me to right machine; what about renting in the meantime? - Walla Walla - 11-22-2017
No insurance. I'm guessing a couple hundred a month from a DME.
RE: Waiting for VA to switch me to right machine; what about renting in the meantime? - Sleeprider - 11-22-2017
Rental or purchase requires a prescription. Kind of a catch-22. As far as continuing CPAP/BPAP, I think you have to consider the results of your sleep study and how you are feeling since starting therapy. If you feel the same or better, I'd stick with it, but if the machine actually causes more events or makes you feel worse then discontinuing therapy makes sense. As I recall, your event rate has dropped dramatically using fixed CPAP pressure, to a level that indicates good efficacy. That doesn't sound like a reason to quit.
RE: Waiting for VA to switch me to right machine; what about renting in the meantime? - Josephdfco - 11-22-2017
I'm still feeling like crap, and waking up several times a night, though. I was under the impression that if I'm still having a bunch of central events, then the ASV machine is the one that's more appropriate? https://imgur.com/a/SPHhH
RE: Waiting for VA to switch me to right machine; what about renting in the meantime? - Sleeprider - 11-22-2017
How you feel is important! You belonged on ASV the first day I saw your data and sleep study, and amazing that you have gotten these results. If you were following prescription, you would still be at AHI 20+. So did we help you or hurt you? I know how to optimize results, but you belong on ASV.
RE: Waiting for VA to switch me to right machine; what about renting in the meantime? - Josephdfco - 11-22-2017
Definitely helped, but I think you're right and I belong on the other machine. I think the data speaks for itself, like you said. I can't help but wonder what machine they had me on for the sleep study? It was miraculous; I slept through the night, and that hasn't happened in decades. I've felt tortured for a very long time, almost psychotic, with this feeling of having an ultra-dense mass spinning at 100,000 RPM in the middle of my head, physically torquing it to the side, plus the shortness of breath, feeling like my eyes are going to shoot out of my head, and terrible memory and an inability to concentrate that has gotten so bad at times that I couldn't figure out how to use my computer, and I built the thing! I believe I'm halfway there, and going to CPAP is probably the best thing I can do in the meanwhile, but I'm definitely not "there" yet
RE: Waiting for VA to switch me to right machine; what about renting in the meantime? - Josephdfco - 11-22-2017
I may have misread your reply. I thought that you were saying that I didn't actually need ASV since I got an improvement from CPAP. I'm still hoping that a move to ASV will be just what I need, and I can finally get real sleep.
RE: Waiting for VA to switch me to right machine; what about renting in the meantime? - Sleeprider - 11-22-2017
Option two is where I was going. I just hope that by getting you to "survivable" results, we have not hurt your chances to get the device you need.
RE: Waiting for VA to switch me to right machine; what about renting in the meantime? - Josephdfco - 11-23-2017
Happy Thanksgiving, all ! Today's data https://imgur.com/a/FJ8dO The AHI went up from 7 to 11. By the way, I got my wife an appointment with a sleep lab!
RE: Waiting for VA to switch me to right machine; what about renting in the meantime? - ajack - 11-23-2017
How can anyone be happy to see a shi**y chart, but I am..that is definitely gunna get you an ASV. all the work here hasn't got you in range.