(03-30-2012, 11:07 AM)JumpStart Wrote: For those living on or near the Texas Gulf Coast, anywhere near Houston, and having any questions about CPAP, or seeking masks to try, and who have no adequate DME, or want a non-financially interested straight answer, St Luke's Hospital Sleep Center is the place for you. It is also the place if you need a PSG by actually caring people. If you are even just traveling here, I suspect you can have an appointment, although I don't know that for sure.

They provide a free service for all prior patients AND NON-PATIENTS - anybody - whereby you can schedule either classes or a private period of time with a highly qualified respiratory therapist (an RRT who has the additional certification of RPSGT, [Registered Polysomnography Technician, I think] ) to assist in answering all your questions. You can also try on - with help - many, many different masks, which you can even then test with YOUR pressure on a CPAP machine. Did I mention this was FREE? And QUALITY medical help?

I had my sleep study performed there. My subsequent experience with a nationally known DME left me with many questions and little assistance. (I had, however, come to this forum and been given wonderful help BEFORE meeting with my sleep doc for a review of the study - and thus, was prepared to state exactly what equipment I wanted to appear on my Rx. Fortunately, I have a very enlightened doctor, so I had no problems there. I had also learned here how to check the state of the equipment when provided by the DME, etc.. ). While I had learned of St Luke's service at the time of my PSG, I had temporarily forgotten it, as that was, as most of you know, a rather stressful time under the best of circumstances.

ANYWAY...I had considerable problems with my original mask provided by the DME, and was unsure what to do, as my DME only provided Respironics (except on special order, which required you to know what you wanted) and had no - or was unwilling to provide - other masks for my review. St Luke's was a godsend! After several masks, which were lent to me to try for free, I found the one which worked best. Their main hospital is located in the highly acclaimed Texas Medical Center. For those interested, and unfamiliar with, the TMC, just google the full name. The same for St Luke's.

I commend them highly. You don't even have to live in any specific area to receive these wonderful services. For those complaining about the medical profession, and the high cost of everything, you need to consider this place as an oasis.

I don't know if I can post their website here, and so I will err on the side of caution. For more contact information, just PM me.