@tdrell, Terri, you are a font of knowledge for our group .. thank you SO much! I have added your post to my Filing Cabinet! Yet again I am sending you a Big Hug! Katherine

@pattymac, take a good look at Terri's post .. CALL JNH using the info she gave you! Below from my File Cabinet are some posts Terri has made about JNH! Hugs! Katherine

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Q National Jewish: how long (approximately) does it take to get in once you have sent the records and the sputum sample? A I believe that once they check your insurance and make certain that all is okay, it was about 5 weeks or so for me. If your schedule is flexible, you could ask that if they have a cancellation to let you know and you might be able to get in sooner. Don't be afraid to call them and ask that question; they are extremely kind and professional. FINANCIAL You will have an excellent experience please call the number on the site to see if you financially could go to NJH......for the first 50 years of their existence....1898 til 1958 they did not charge clients..I am on Medicare....they accepted it fully....3 months after my trip....l have yet to see a bill....they have a separate person who works out the financial part of the visit prior. I know it sounds too good to be true....but it is there to help people. l beg you to contact them to check
From member @tdrell, Terri : At National Jewish Health last week, all I did was show my Medicare card then my supplement card......no other mention of $/payments. I could focus my energy on the rigorous tests without worry about paying for pricey tests....especially as they were added.

Pattymac...call

Terri - this is Pamela. I just read your post mentioning sleep apnea. My IFD doctor suggested I get a test for sleep apnea as he feels I may have this and may be part of the reason I wake up in the middle of the night in Idaho (5,600 feet) and cannot breathe. I take my rescue inhaler and am ok in about 30 minutes. It does not happen to me here in Boston, at sea level. I have both MAC and bronchiectasis, and am 67. I was told if I do have sleep apnea I will have to wear the device at night. Do you wear this device now? It sounds awful! I was also told that sleep apnea does damage to the heart, causing congestive heart failure over time. Anything you can share about your sleep apnea would be useful - thank you! Pamela

Pamela and Terri,
Did you know that there is a Sleep Health group on Connect? Check it out here: https://connect.mayoclinic.org/group/sleep-health/

I think you'll be particularly interested in this discussion about Sleep Apnea with a ton of great tips and experiences of other members: http://mayocl.in/2kRoBXJ

Pamelassc1....were you asking me re sleep apnea?? Terrid

yes, I was asking about sleep apnea as my doctor suspects I may have it ( also have MAC and bronchiectasis) - Pamela

Pamelasc...excuse the delay in answering your questions re sleep apnea....I really don't have any of the classic symptoms...am 72....the local pulmonologist spotted it when doing my bronchoscopy last July....when I was being evaluated at NJH this past January they suggested the Sleep Study which I then had there....they do 14 people every night ...7 nights a week. I amazed myself by being able to do 4 hours of uninterrupted sleep during the study.the test results showed obstructive sleep apnea.

If on Medicare..I found out once home...a Dr normally has to order the CPAP equipment ( if needed) within 90 days or sleep study has to be repeated.
In my situation , the pulmonologist (I had gone to at home )when I saw him after
My evaluation at NJH went "nutso" that I would not be taking the MAC antibiotics and had had the sleep study at NJH and not locally
In order to get the CPAP equipment without redoing sleep study....I switched to another local medical system pulmonologist who agreed with NJH re not needingMAC treatment and ordered the CPAP equipment after evaluating the 71 pages faxed to him by NJH.

In a week I will go to local DME place to be fitted for the full mask and learn to set up equipment and clean it. Medicare has rules about follow up at pulmonologist's once I get the equipment. They are checking for patient compliance...I heard somewhere that 50% of people with CPAP equipment don't use it...I know 2 couples...all 4 have CPAP machines...one couple swear by the equipment and use it consistently...the other 2 despise it and rarely use....all 4 have histories of cardiac,pulmonary and other issues and immunological conditions.
And YES....the fact that 49 times a minute according to my test while asleep my breathing stopped thereby depriving heart of Oxygen may lead to damage to heart which in turn causes heart to go into failure.
And yes....when in Denver visiting daughter...i feel chest pressure in that altitude...like u feel in Idaho...I don't feel it at home in Wisconsin.
As of 2 years ago I required 2 stents in right coronary artery for 99% blockage...will have another stress test and nuclear scan to be sure all still clear...all other tests "normal" so to avoid permanent damage to heart have to have the scan ( then once scan showed " ischemia" had catherization which showed blockage and stents placed which prevented damage to heart)
And Yes...Sleep Apnea can cause damage to heart and that is why I will force self to use equipment. The only symptom I answer yes to when asked is that after driving over an hour by self in car...I get sleepy.
I wake up from sleep refreshed...no headaches...don't snore...sleep thru night..etc ...
So much info for you...ask any other questions etc terrid

@tdrell Terri I would add for you .. that my husband had to go through 2-3 different masks before he found one he found comfortable enough to keep on all night .. plus had to work with his CPAP person to get the pressure correct .. it kept popping off during the night .. so don't give up .. he now has a mask he likes .. pressure he likes and he keeps it on all night! Katherine

Terri - thank you for your experience with sleep apnea - it was not too much info! .. the more I know, the better. My GP is now looking into getting me set up for a sleep test- I guess Medicare is tricky with all of this. Once I know for sure whether I have it or not, I will most likely have more questions - many thanks for your time in explaining things, Pamela