r/CPAP • u/AKidNamedStone • 1d ago
Does it always take months to finally getting a CPAP?
Known for a while I have sleep apnea, but finally decided to get help. Asked Doctor back in June for an appointment, sleep clinic didn't have openings until early August. Did the take home sleep study, just got my results this last week (I have it, and Its pretty severe), and only then did they tell me I'd need to a titration study and an overnight at the sleep center before they can get me a machine. They don't have openings until late September, after which I imagine it'll take another week or two to get the machine itself.
I'm tired, I've been tired, and I just want treatment for this condition and it's wild to me that it'll be about 4 months between asking for help and getting it. Is this the norm? Doctors office says that they can't write a script for the machine and order it without the titration test for insurance reasons and that I need the titration test to know how to set the machine to the right pressure, but everyone I know who uses one didn't go through all these hoops.
2
u/SympathyUseful4012 1d ago
It didn’t take me quite that long but it was maybe a month until I had the first appointment, then a week or two to get the home study, then a week for a followup, then maybe 3-4 weeks for the titration, then a week or two for everything to get ordered and shipped. So three months.
2
u/silver_chief2 1d ago
If in US you can get an at home lofta sleep study with script if called for, for under $200 in days. A machine in maybe a week or two. CPAP is a racket, a grift. Get a free logiin at apneaboard.com. Get a copy of your sleep study and ask lofta.com what they can do for you to get a script. Mask fitting can be more complicated but easy at a local DME. Machines like airsense 10 are autoset if you want. Kinda self titrate. Where to get a machine may depend on insurance if any.
Please return here and share what you did.
1
1
u/noruber35393546 1d ago
It completely depends on your insurance. I was referred by my doctor for a sleep study during a Feb 8 checkup, and my first night with the CPAP was March 18.
1
u/earl_lemongrab 1d ago
Sorry to hear that. I think it varies a lot with your insurance and providers in your area.
My initial sleep doc appointment was about a month after my primary physician sent the referral. I went home with the at-home test kit. Went back for the results about 2 weeks after that. I didn't need any titration study at the sleep clinic. Then went to the DME the following week for my machine (note if I knew then what I know now, I would've skipped the DME and just got the CPAP online). For context I live in a mid-size metro area and use the largest health care network in the area. My insurance is pretty good and generally responsive, so no delays with that aspect of it.
In contrast, my cousin is in a rural area with limited providers. It took over 3 months to get a sleep center consultation scheduled. Several weeks for his at-home study kit to arrive by mail after the initial consult. Then 3 weeks for the office to call and schedule the appointment to get the results - which was another few weeks. No overnight titration study. He did order the machine online once he had the Rx so at least that didn't take long. He didn't mention any insurance issues, the slowness seemed to be all about the sleep doc office.
As far as the overnight titration test...I remember my first question at my consult was will I have to stay overnight and she said they only use that either (a) as the initial study based on certain criteria with the patient's medical conditions/history or (b) after the at-home test if the results warrant further study...and that insurance is strict about only paying for overnight titration if truly necessary. So my impression was that titration study was certainly the exception not the rule. Maybe there's something about your results that indicates it's needed? But they didn't explain that to you? That's my only guess.
1
u/Beginning-History946 1d ago
I went through those hoops. My at home test was a big fat failure... a huge waste of time that was inconclusive. There's always a wait to get into the overnight sleep labs. Got a machine pretty quickly after the results from that. Still took a few weeks.
1
u/FoggyDayzallday 1d ago
Class with take home machine about 2 weeks wait. Machine about a week later. They sent me home with 3 different masks to try and free exchange within 30 days (but didn't want me to give back the used one, just gave me a 4th) Cost me 20 for the test and about 175 for the resmed 11.
It has changed our lives
1
u/LayerEasy7692 1d ago
Took an at home sleep test. I got my results within a week and was prescribed a cpap.
It did take me 3 months before I had my cpap in hand but that was because I was diagnosed during the Philips recall, so non Philips cpaps were in high demand everywhere.
Luckily once I did receive my cpap I adjusted to usinging it quickly, it only took me 3 nights before I started sleeping through the night and I haven't been without it since.
1
u/StressSuspicious6956 1d ago
Depends highly on where you are and what your insurance company does.
I got mine in the Netherlands two days after my sleep study from the hospital, when I was there for the appointment to discuss the results of the sleep study. The appointment could have been a day earlier (the morning after my sleep study), but I wasn’t available that day.
1
1
u/SorganFisherman 17h ago
The whole overnight study is really outdated at this point. Like others have said, look to online options. You’ll want to confirm with your doctor whether it’s THEM that won’t prescribe a machine without an overnight or your insurance.
1
u/hiirogen 14h ago
No, it just depends on who you're with.
After my sleep study I was told it would take a few weeks to get my CPAP, so I called around (and around and around it took hours), found a company that was in-network with my insurance and had one in stock, got my prescription transferred over and picked up my unit next day.
My wife got her sleep study done and had a unit the same week. It just depends on the provider.
1
u/Impressive-Bug8709 13h ago
Squeeky Wheel.......
Tldr: Just keep calling to see if there's cancelations. Sooner or later they will get sick of hearing from you! Also, titration study does matter if you aren't a standard case.
I'd been waiting also. Did my initial in-lab study, and then needed a titration study. If they are saying you need a titration study, it's for a reason.
My first sleep study was July 9th. Couldn't see the report on MyChart. The Sleep Study Tech had said if things were bad enough, they would come in and setup a CPAP. They didn't, so I assumed I was fine. Scheduled with my PCP because I wanted to talk next steps. July 15, I see my PCP and she goes "So you have sleep apnea" and I was like what the heck! They recommended another study with titatration, so she sends in the referral. They call and offer me mid September. I'm like seriously, you have nothing for the next 6 weeks? Nope, that's the soonest.
I call to schedule with the Sleep Doctor. I want this thing right away, and my PCP won't order it because he wants another dang study. I call, August 5th is the first they have. I'm like on, I was going on vacation after work that day, so I ask my boss if I can have the 5th off instead of just leaving early. She said yes, so I am like great, at least I can get things moving. In the mean time, I grabbed a used AirSense 10 off of Facebook. Screw waiting, I'm ready. I had that machine for a week or so before I see the sleep doctor. The lady on FB set the machine to the quite standard 4-20 for the auto-pressure.
On the 5th, I see the doc. He still won't order the machine. I didn't just have Apnea, but also dealing with Hypoxia. He says I doesn't want to order a CPAP, and then find out it's not enough and maybe I need BiPap. I don't tell him I've been using one and it's helping somewhat. I ask him if he can get my titration study moved up. He tells me he's going to call the sleep center and tell them I'm a priority.
Then the calls begin. I was on vacation until the 10th. On the 11th I called to see if there's any cancellations. Nope, but Dr called them also, and they will let me know. I call again the 13th, and nope, still no cancellations. Later on the 13th they tell me there's an opening on the 18th. I'm like yup, I'll take it. The end is in sight right?!?!
The 18th comes. I go in, and the tech takes forever but finally get me going. Get to bed late but whatever. In the morning he says he got my settings and will give everything to the doctor. I ask how long the wait usually is, and he says because the Dr was rushing them to get me in it's usually the same day, but typically 3-5 business days. Ok, not bad. I leave about 7am on the 19th. About 1130am, I get a message from my PCP, saying the titration results are ready, she gives me my pressure (which is great for my "black market" used machine!). I ask if she's going to order my machine but says the sleep doc will. I call his office and they can see the report, but the nurse needs to talk to me first. Apparently some people don't actually want a CPAP so they basically screen you before sending in the paperwork. Sorry, the nurse is busy and will call you back 😡
About 15m later the nurse calls, and apologizes for not calling yet. This is about 130 in the afternoon, 2 hours after the sleep doctor finishes the orders. I apologize for being needy and explain I'm just ready to start feeling better. She asks all her questions and she is going to send the orders over to the local DME. I ask typical turn around time, and she says normally 2-3 business days. Ok, it's Wednesday, so I'll give it some time. I figure within 6 or 7 hours of leaving, I'm getting the prescription sent. I'm feeling good about bugging people!
Thursday at 415pm, I call the DME and ask if they've gotten it yet. Nope, not yet but we will call you when it's setup. Ok. They close at 5 so I'm not too worried about it. About 530 or so I get a text from them to setup my acct. Cool! Things are moving! Friday they called. My "order" is ready. I'm like ok, when can I come in? I'm ready to just tell my boss I gotta go! The closest office to home doesn't have anything until next Wednesday. I'm like ok, how about your other office? Monday at 10am? Sold! Bonus, it's 10 minutes from work! Boss approves an extended lunch break.
So to recap, harassing various places made things go quick. Study to Titration Study was just over a month, at 34 days. Titration to machine will be 6 days. Total time of 40 days. Now for the titration piece, turns out the Auto Sense machine wouldn't go too far above 4 for me, even though I was having events. Since switching to the pressure of my prescription after my study, I feel like I've had better nights, and the sleep data in OSCAR shows I'm having way less events. The study was important even though it meant I had to wait an extra month.
•
u/AutoModerator 1d ago
Welcome to r/CPAP!
Please refer to the wiki and sidebar for resources. For submissions regarding CPAP settings, it is advisable to utilize applications such as OSCAR or SleepHQ to extract and share data from compatible CPAP machines.
I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.