UPDATE: frustrated with sleep clinic

I have been flying through all my pre op appointments and tests and have been passed by everyone and did my surgery education class to get stalled by my prescription for a CPAP machine. It's. Been over two weeks and nothing. I have called they can't find my file and said they would call right back. That was Monday. Now my family doctor is calling and not getting any further. I wish the doctor would read the results and give me a script for my machine so my stuff can get sent to surgeon. Vent over

How long will it take to get a machine once you have a prescription ?

The prescription should come and you should be referred to a sleep clinic who can fill that RX.  Then its just a matter of who pays the 1800.00 for the dang machine.  For me, the government takes on 600 and insurance takes on most the rest. but i paid 1255.00 up front and waited for it to come back. 

Good luck to you.  Hopefully this hiccup moves quickly for you to stay on track. If its any help, you will sleep better or at least will wake up with less headaches and tiredness. 

Best of luck

They finally called me with my Rx. I probably won't get to picking it up til Friday I am so relieve. Now on to the surgeon. I still can't beieve it took over a month to get results.

I have been flying through all my pre op appointments and tests and have been passed by everyone and did my surgery education class to get stalled by my prescription for a CPAP machine. It's. Been over two weeks and nothing. I have called they can't find my file and said they would call right back. That was Monday. Now my family doctor is calling and not getting any further. I wish the doctor would read the results and give me a script for my machine so my stuff can get sent to surgeon. Vent over

How long will it take to get a machine once you have a prescription ?

How do you know you don't need it anymore, did you get retested?

The surgeon, doc and clinic told me I probably won't need it after weight loss. I had no symptoms as far as tiredness goes, but I would get up to pee alot, thinking I just had to pee. It turned out that was my only symptom of apnea. Now I don't get up anymore at all. Sleep right through the night. Doc said I was one of the ?? percent of ppl who don't have tired, sluggish symptoms.

That said, when I used my machine, it didn't bother me and I did find I slept good. I go back in a few months to check again but the doc said I would likely know by my length of staying asleep

Yes, probably you won't need it after weight loss, but not definitely. The only way to know that would be a follow up sleep study. While you didn't/don't exhibit typical symptoms of sleep apnea, I would caution anyone against stopping the use of the CPAP machine without proper follow-up. Untreated sleep apnea can cause a whole myriad of health issues, not the least of them heart damage leading to heart attack. I have also heard of people losing their driver's licence for not using their prescribed machine.

I asked and brought it up because I would hate for anyone casually reading the forum to read that people are arbitrarily choosing not to follow through with treatment for sleep apnea and that they are able to self-diagnose being "cured".

I'm so sorry that you are having problems with this. My experience was fantastic. The sleep clinic in my town is run by 2 family physicians out of their offices. At night you show up and do the test. It didn't take long for them to figure out I needed a CPAP. The technician came in and woke me and had me try to use the nasal mask. It didn't work for me because I was opening my mouth for more air. LOL. Must have looked like a fish! So they immediately knew that I would need a full mask unit. The doctor read the report the next day and I picked it up. There is a Shoppers Home Health right next door so I wandered over and picked out a machine. I made an appointment for the following day to meet with the respirologist who had the machine all set up and showed me how to use it. I was told that the surgeon would want me to be using the CPAP for 3 months before surgery and I had to bring it with me to the hospital. Remember to find out what your settings are so that the respiratory therapist at the hospital can set up your machine after surgery. Squeeky wheel gets the grease...I'd keep calling until you get your script. Hope this helps. Chris

Thanks everyone. I will try to be patient and going to call again.

Once you have the prescription, you can call a company like medigas and set up an appointment for a day or two later to get the machine and get an appropriate sized mask, then you'll walk out of the store with everything.

   There's ALWAYS something that throws a monkey wrench into the mix.  For me it was the sleep apnea test.  Everything about having it done was a nuisance -- scheduling delays, mix-up on appts. (one scheduled for when doctor was on vacation), etc.  But it will work itself out.  Just hang tight and keep making the necessary calls.