Questions to Ask Your CPAP Provider

Your provider wants to help. But they can only help with what they know about. Ask these questions to get the most from your appointments.

At Your First Appointment

About Your Diagnosis

• What was my AHI (how severe is my sleep apnea)?
• What does this mean for my health if untreated?
• Are there any other conditions I should watch for?

About Your Equipment

• Why did you choose this specific machine and mask for me?
• What are the key features I should know about?
• How do I access my compliance data?
• What supplies will I need and how often?

About Getting Started

• What should I expect in the first week?
• What problems are most common and how do I handle them?
• When should I call you vs. try to solve things myself?
• What's the best way to reach you with questions?

At Follow-Up Appointments

About Your Data

• How am I doing overall?
• What does my AHI look like with CPAP?
• Are there any concerning patterns?
• Am I on track for Medicare compliance (if applicable)?

About Your Experience

• I've been having [specific issue]. What can we try?
• Is there a different mask that might work better?
• Should we adjust any settings?
• Are there supplies that might help?

About Long-Term

• How often should I come back?
• When should equipment be replaced?
• What signs should I watch for?

When Something's Wrong

Be Specific

Instead of: "It's not working"

Say: "I'm only averaging 3 hours because I wake up at 2 AM and take the mask off"

Instead of: "I can't sleep"

Say: "The air pressure feels too strong when I first put it on"

Describe the Problem

• When does it happen?
• How often?
• What have you tried?
• What makes it better or worse?

Questions to Ask Yourself

Before your appointment, think about:

• How many hours am I typically using CPAP?
• Am I waking up during the night? Why?
• How do I feel in the morning?
• Is my partner noticing changes?
• What's my biggest frustration right now?

Don't Be Shy

Your provider needs to know:

• If you're not using CPAP consistently
• If you're buying supplies elsewhere
• If you're considering quitting
• If something doesn't make sense

They're not there to judge. They're there to help you succeed.

Write Things Down

Before your appointment:

• List your questions
• Note your symptoms
• Record what you've tried

After your appointment:

• Write down what you learned
• Note any changes to make
• Set reminders for follow-up

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