Do we know how many people don't/can't continue CPAP?

[sopherFellow]

Are you by any chance in the philosophy biz?

Funny you should ask.   In college my nickname was "sopher",  first name Phil, bet you can't guess my middle initial!!!  

[sheepless]

my ~40 year old undergraduate degrees are in political science and philosophy. while I enjoyed them at the time and they benefited me in an overall education kind of way, I can tell you there's little 'biz' in either, especially philosophy!

[sopherFellow]

sheepless, no argument from me.

As my refrigerator magnet says, "I'm a Mechanical Engineer! What's your superpower?"

Technically, I'm a retired ex-Mechanical Engineer, but I quibble!

[17WRX]

I've been on APAP for almost two weeks now. It started off horribly with an awful hospital sleep study that I left half way through. My initial sleep med doctor has been worthless in my treatment. Since then I've bought my own used ResMed auto set for Her and been getting my treatment/advice through the kind people in this forum. My AHI has been great but my flow limitations have been pretty awful. I have a great deal of trouble sleeping at night. I took this week off of work just to get better using it and I have in many ways. But I am miserable most nights and very uncomfortable. Some people in this forum have said its due to my flow limitations. I just know I can't keep this up for much longer. I have been more miserable while getting treatment than I was before I started getting treatment. Honestly I'd been amazed if 75% don't give up on treatment. The system, at least in the United States, seems to be designed for people to fail. You get no coaching, preparation or anything. It's really amazing how bad things are. I see a new sleep doctor on the 3rd next month. Hopefully things will improve with her and I can get the equipment I need for my issues and not some cookie cutter BS approach I got with the last quack I saw.

[Dormeo]

my ~40 year old undergraduate degrees are in political science and philosophy.  while I enjoyed them at the time and they benefited me in an overall education kind of way, I can tell you there's little 'biz' in either, especially philosophy!

I also studied philosophy.  I have to say that graduates in the field go on to do the most varied things.  Just among people I've known: writer for Big Bang, lawyer, physician, banker, police officer, carpenter, IT engineer, naval intelligence officer.  A little off topic, but so nice to know, sheepless, that we have something in common in addition to apnea!

[LeonardoDR]

This board is evidence of just how complicated compliance can be.  Most people don't find their way here or, even if they do, don't have the wherewithal to go through all it takes to make CPAP therapy work.  There are so many posts here, and most of them are quite detailed.  That's why non-compliance is such a big issue.

[OpalRose]

The biggest obstacle we see on this forum as to meeting compliance is an ill fitting mask.  
If you can’t find a mask that is comfortable, fits well, doesn’t leak or cause claustrophobia, then you are doomed to fail before you start.

Thus, I blame DME suppliers. They are reluctant to allow you to trial masks so that you can find the right one.  I guess it cuts into their profit.  

Another issue we see is the patient is sent home with a machine set to default settings, which is hardly optimal.  If they don’t happen to find a forum such as this one, they usually fail.

Then there’s the patient that has to play the “insurance game”, where according to a sleep study, they may have complex apnea or Central sleep apnea, and instead of being prescribed an ASV machine, they are sent home with a Cpap or BiPap, only to fail, because neither machine can treat Central Sleep Apnea.  Then it’s usually months later, after much trial and failure, that the Doctor prescribes an ASV machine.  Only a strong person will last through all that trial, most would give up and quit.

Finally, meeting compliance largely depends on the persons attitude. Some just don’t have it in them to continue, especially if there’s no support.

[SarcasticDave94]

Well said OpalRose. If the three amigo Doc-DME-insurance "fixed" that broken process, we on Apnea Board could focus discussions on minor setting tweaks, adjusting masks, optimizing comfort and compliance, and coffee. Pretty much biz as usual then for us hosers.

[70sSanO]

I would be interested in knowing the success rate for those people who are subject to Department of Transportation (DOT) physicals and sleep apnea compliance.

It is well documented how the health industry miserably fails people with sleep issues, but how do they treat someone who can lose their livelihood?

Do they get easier access to doctors or machine upgrades?

Is there any leverage with DMEs for someone who drives 40,000 lbs on the same roads the DMEs drive?

Do they have a different mindset, regardless of their reluctance, in approaching CPAP?

I shared responsibilities driving a van pool to work and needed to go through a DOT physical each year. My driving role was unpaid voluntary.

John

[SarcasticDave94]

John,

My semi-educated guess is no, DOT based medical apnea related issues, compliance, etc. gets the same poor treatment as all other hosers like you and me. I used to drive a tractor trailer with a CDL-A license, but my apnea was undiagnosed at that time, so I fortunately missed that headache.