CPAP Compliance

[mrs_sweetpeach]

Boring to all of you, I know, but I got a call from my medical supply house and learned that my compliance was recorded at 72.9%. Seeing as I sleep with my machine every single night, this alarmed me. Turns out that compliance requires staying asleep for at least 4 hours -- and most nights I wake up, turn off the machine, and wander around the house for ten or fifteen minutes every three or four hours. Sometimes I need more meds, or to pee, or I'm trying to shake off a nightmare (I'm one of those lucky souls who will pick up a dream right where I left off if there isn't a big enough gap between sleeps).

The only good news is that my medical insurance only requires compliance at 70% to cover the cost of my machine & supplies.

In other (not very newsworthy) news, healthcare.gov continues not to operate as promised. I appear to be trapped in one of the known bugs, wherein users complete their application, are told they qualify, return to the site and then are informed that they have not filled out the "do you smoke" part of the application. I don't smoke and have said so no less than three times, but I cannot get beyond this step. Calling healthcare.gov's help line is of no use as the best they have done so far is apologize for how badly the software is failing and tell me to try again in four hours.

Comments

[andeincascade.livejournal.com]

That compliance thing is such bullshit. It took me TWO YEARS to become compliant (mostly due to claustrophobia - stuff around my head EEK) but now I am 100% compliant. If I even think I could doze off I put it on. I got my cpap in 1996 and it took getting the right headgear and and a heated humidifier (which was not standard procedure back then) to get over the hump. But I rarely sleep four hours at a time, between arthritis pain or the dog or needing to pee, but come on, I'm 62. I think I'm entitled.

[lolabobs.livejournal.com]

Every single time I read a post like this I am grateful anew for the Health Service in this country. I'm glad that you 'pass' the compliance standards for the help you need, but boy am I thankful that things work as they do over here.

[wpadmirer.livejournal.com]

I'm sorry you're having such a horrible time with the health.gov website. I was very fortunate that it went well for me.

I totally get the thing about having to get up or the nightmare continues. The same goes for me, and it SUCKS.

[ahavia.livejournal.com]

I used to get nightmares when my oxygen level dropped too low while I was sleeping. Do you have oxygen with your CPAP? I have an O2 compressor as well as the extra heated water and now I very rarely get nightmares.
I have COPD, asthma as well as sleep apnea. And my machine is a BIPAP which helps me breath in and out. Isn't life fun?!
Ahavia

[mbcrui.livejournal.com]

Andy started his application and entered my social security number incorrectly. He could not get it to let him put it in correctly. So i started over... And got the numbers and prices but then it insisted that I had to enroll before I could finish enrolling him. I called and got the apology. Ended up calling BCBS directly. Got a nice lady there who was very helpful. Once we get a bill (this coming week) and pay it, hes all set.