NHS My sad Tale ....

[SteveP]

I'm very interested to hear how you get on with the humidifier, and what is involved with it as I am definately thinking of begging for one. The service at Churchill is top rate and i'm glad to be seen there apart from the obvious travel issues

The humidifier made a world of difference. My nose doesn't feel blocked anymore and no more sneezing. If you tell them of your problem I am sure they will give you a humidifier.

Good luck!

SteveP

[mart9012]

Lols Steve P...

Yeah Oxford is a nightmare... the great sandwich shops and all that great shopping.. If it wasn't for my retail avoidance skills I would be in serious trouble...

It was ok getting to the Churchill Hosp as on the bike its really only a 20 minute drive.. But with no bike (crashed it Tuesday) its difficult to get there.

I'm very interested to hear how you get on with the humidifier, and what is involved with it as I am definately thinking of begging for one. The service at Churchill is top rate and i'm glad to be seen there apart from the obvious travel issues

[thethe7]

CPAP machine

Hi SteveP

time scales u put were about same for me

My sleep apnoea condition wasnt bad but snoring was !!

It was a resmed machine but cant remember part no i will check when im home

wasnt aware of issue with DVLA, I have advised them but havent heard anything back from although received machine in late November so here hoping.

Good luck with your treatment

[SteveP]

Hi TheThe7 !

Happy New Year! I hope 2008 will be better than 2007 for you, and all of us - sleep-wise, etc.

What equipment did they give you ? How bad is your condition?

How long did it take between the first appointment, the sleep study, the diagnostic and getting the equipment?

I am also seen in Oxford. For me it was 4 weeks, 2 weeks and 2 weeks respectively. I thought that was pretty quick!

I am going back next week for my follow-up appointment, 6 weeks after receiving the CPAP kit.

Best of luck!

SteveP

[thethe7]

NHS My happy Tales

Hi to all,
recently joined this forum.

I have also had excellent help from the churchill hospital in oxford,
took several months from initial visit, sleep study, diagnostic visit and finally receiving equipment. But found the doctors and nurses extremely helpful.

I dont live in oxford area but looks like i was lucky with my local doctors referring me to this sleep unit.

[Joe McManus]

And if anyone wonders where their nearest sleep clinic is...

[Kipper]

im sorry to hear about your experiences in Reading. So far at Oxford, where I go, the service is excellent. I also have been waking feeling very dry and with a slight but distinct sore throat, so a humidifier might be on the cards. My budget will, unfortunately, not stretch to affording CPAP equipment so if the NHS don't supply it I can't have it.

Masks, replacement parts et al. all have to be requested but are posted or can be left with security for collection. Given that the Churchill Hospital is so far from me I don't go every year for an appointment as I really ought, but I'm told that I only have to call with a problem and I will be seen straight away.

M.

Mart, is it worth contacting the Churchill and asking to be referred to a closer hospital (with a sleep clinic). I was first sent to Nottingham - a pain to get to on the bus - when I live less than a mile from the hospital in Mansfield which also has a sleep clinic! It may be that the Churchill is your closest, in which case my advice will be of no help at all!

[SteveP]

There is a cost living in/near Oxford.... All the traffic, all these gowns, need to go shopping elsewhere than city centre because there are only sandwich bars and mobile phone shops, etc...

Seriously, I don't know what sort of budget they have here, but they hand over 20 CPAP kits per week, they carry out 20 sleep tests per week (in grotty rooms - saving money here ), and the CPAP machine they lend for the trial period after the initial diagnostic are stone-age ones... The humidifier they lend me last week has seen better days... I bet the battery powered CPAP are those running on 48 AAA batteries...

Anyway, I am not complaining, far from it! I am really lucky.

SteveP

[Joe McManus]

Sounds like Oxford sucks up all the NHS money is lacking elsewhere! If they hand out battery powered CPAPs as easy as that, you guys can consider yourselves extremely lucky!

[SteveP]

I agree with you Mart9012. I am also a patient at the Oxford clinic, and they have been great. Only 2 weeks between my diagnostic and having a CPAP machine. Then last week after complaining on this forum about dryness problem, someone mentionned I probably need a humidifier. I rang the clinic, spoke with a nurse and after a couple of minutes she said to come over the next day to get a humidifier (no problem I live very near the Churchill Hospital). Got the humidifier and I am now a new man, with no nose problems!

I mentionned to the nurse that I will need to go abroad soon. "No problem she said, we will lend you a smaller machine with battery pack". Looking good...

SteveP

[fromtheboro]

Reply to mart9012

Glad to hear that you are getting good service from Oxford. If you are feeling dry and sore throat then i would suggest you go for a humidifier. If you can’t afford the equipment take a look through eBay. There are a lot of American suppliers willing to ship to the UK. There are a lot of links here on this website too. Humidifiers themselves are relatively cheap and the chambers can be purchased from companies advertising on this forum.

If you don’t have an APAP machine I would suggest that you try and make an appointment every year, firstly to check your health and secondly to check your machine. As I said earlier, your body and your health change but your machine stays the same. I missed 1 years appointment and 2 years later I’m now diagnosed with high blood pressure. I would hate this to have been due to my machine and mask not working properly.

[mart9012]

im sorry to hear about your experiences in Reading. So far at Oxford, where I go, the service is excellent. I also have been waking feeling very dry and with a slight but distinct sore throat, so a humidifier might be on the cards. My budget will, unfortunately, not stretch to affording CPAP equipment so if the NHS don't supply it I can't have it.

Masks, replacement parts et al. all have to be requested but are posted or can be left with security for collection. Given that the Churchill Hospital is so far from me I don't go every year for an appointment as I really ought, but I'm told that I only have to call with a problem and I will be seen straight away.

M.

[MoutheBreather]

Welcome fromtheboro and alfredo! Great advice you ahve there fromtheboro, wish someone told be that when I first started!

How did you find the APAP compared with the fixed pressure CPAP before?

[Joe McManus]

Hi Alfredo, welcome to the club! Glad to hear you got your equipment promptly. A lot of areas don't have any funding available at all. Feel free to tell us a bit more, like what equipment you got, in the intro section. And all of you should have a go at the 'win a mask' contest here.

[alfredo]

Hi all,i got diagnosed last week at my hospital,after a being refered back in april,apparently i was in the severe catagory with 74 wakenings an hour!!.got my cpap the same day,and new mask,slowly trying to get used to the mask.time will tell.