Life of a CPAP machine

[seeker01]

I downloaded the sleepyhead program there are larger gaps where there are no readings like the machine is cutting off ? I found the hose was collapsed and replace it but I had the same readings the next night. How do you post screen shots?

[Sleeprider]

For the replacement CPAP, be sure to get the heated hose option in any machine you choose. Much nicer. I bought two used machines this year to replace my even older M-Series machine with over 19000 hours. I got a PRS1 Auto 560, and PRS1 BiPAP 750. Combined the machines were less than I would have paid for a replacement through insurance, and both came with under 200 hours. Used is a good way to go if you're patient and able to deal with the Craigslist thing.

RE: DeadlySleep, the Life of a CPAP Machine...This forum needs a Like button.

[palerider]

How do you post screen shots?

https://sleep.tnet.com/resources/sleepyhead/shorganize

[ChicagoGranny]

Bwahahahahahahahahahahahhahahaaaaaaaaaaa!

Precious!

Life of a CPAP machine

My days are very boring. I just sit here in the bedroom all by my lonesome self. Sometimes that damn cat comes in and props his ass down on me and just sits there silently.

Other days my master forgets to open the curtains before he rushes off to work. Then I am left in the dark all alone all day.

Evenings things liven up a bit for a short while. My master comes up and takes his clothes off and looks in the mirror and smiles at his fat body. Gross. Then he puts on a smelly T-shirt that he sleeps in and seldom washes.

He yanks out my bladder and fills it with damn cold water and then slams it back into my crotch. This always pisses me off. Literally.

Then he puts on my sister, the mask, and connects the hose to my blowhole. Damn, his breath reeks. To make it worse, he will usually belch into my blowhole a few times.

He lies in the bed and I began pumping air into his face and trying to keep up with his erratic breathing.

Some nights he buffs the banana before he falls asleep and it becomes nearly impossible to keep up with his stupid breathing and grunting. Some nights I think, if he grunts "Judy" one more time, I am going to take my pressure up to 20 and blow his damn brains out.

Then he falls asleep quickly and his breathing becomes low and steady and my work is easy until he hits REM. Then I have to be alert to bump up the pressure so the jerk doesn't wake up and start belching again.

In the wee hours of the morning he awakens and begins stretching in the bed and passing gas. Sometimes he fills the room and I suck it in and almost pass out. Finally he reaches over and hits my stop button and I can rest again.

Then my master gets up, pulls that smelly T-shirt off and smiles at his fat ass in the mirror again. Some mornings he will pass gas again as he goes by the nightstand I sit on. Then it just settles on me and seems to stay forever. Much better for my fan to be blowing, take it in all at once and blow it out quickly.

Then another lonely day starts.

The life of a CPAP is not fun. So appreciate what we do for you.

[postitnote]

Life of a CPAP machine

My days are very boring. I just sit here in the bedroom all by my lonesome self. Sometimes that damn cat comes in and props his ass down on me and just sits there silently.

+billions

OMG, What PR said!

[SewTired]

I have had my machine for about 5 years, I love it and use it every night. What is the life expectancy of the average machine ?

Most machines last 8-10 years. Everybody I have known who had a cpap never had a backup unless they kept one at a vacation home or motorhome. But, yeah, they do eventually fail. I want a backup simply because inevitably, I would forget the cord or something. Far easier for me just to take a backup that is all complete in its case. If I then forget the cord at my sister's, it's not a huge deal - I have my primary already at home. I have a travel backup sewing machine for exactly that reason. No point of dragging my $3,000 machine back and forth.

It wouldn't hurt to call around to DMEs and find out who will service a machine (not in warranty) that you bought elsewhere. Chances are, it is a nonproblem. I haven't checked this out, but most servicing of other durable medical equipment is usually done on contract with someone not directly part of the DME. I did a quick search for CPAP repair in my area and come up with 30 listings. I wouldn't be surprised if half of the listing area all repairs done by the same guy, just like with sewing machine repair.

[purple]

RT told me that these machines, if they blow, they are working. That is, they tend to fail catastrophically, not by degrees. If you have a setting of 17 and it is blowing 12, that sounds like it has a ramp or bi level setting. If not, then the insurance should replace the machine. I guess you have gotten beyond the decision of whether to replace the machine. As I understand it, Medicare now does not automatically replace the machine at five years, but that the machine must fail to be replaced.

I just wanted to say that RT's say that the machines pretty much fail catastrophically. I am curious of anyone else knows any different. ??????

[palerider]

Everybody I have known who had a cpap never had a backup unless they kept one at a vacation home or motorhome.

I must have been infected by wulfman, I've got a backup for my backup... though I've only caught a LITTLE of what he's got

I did a quick search for CPAP repair in my area and come up with 30 listings. I wouldn't be surprised if half of the listing area all repairs done by the same guy, just like with sewing machine repair.

there's a good chance they send it to accurate (who's on the forum here) and then mark up the repair for their own profit, better to just deal directly with accurate.

[SewTired]

there's a good chance they send it to accurate (who's on the forum here) and then mark up the repair for their own profit, better to just deal directly with accurate.

Good to know. I've bookmarked the site. The advantage of using your DME in this instance is if a loaner is available, otherwise, it makes more sense to send it directly to the folks who fix things.

[DeadlySleep]

I have a travel backup sewing machine for exactly that reason.

Good idea. These days you just never know when an emergency will arise and you will need to sew jingle bells on a goddamn llama.

[echo]

I have had my machine for about 5 years, I love it and use it every night. What is the life expectancy of the average machine ?

I had two machines crap out on me in the middle of the night after about 3-4 years of full-time usage. One was a second-hand machine with very few hours on it. The other one I had bought new, but after a few years a critical piece of it broke off and I couldn't fix it - so even though the blower was fine, the machine was unusable. I *always* make sure to have a 2nd machine on hand, just in case (and preferrably a 3rd, but alas I cannot afford to get a backup for my backup at this time). Like for those times when you spill a whole glass of water on the machine, doh! (luckily it's still running after that!).

Life of a CPAP machine

The life of a CPAP is not fun. So appreciate what we do for you.

Love it!

[Wulfman...]

I must have been infected by wulfman, I've got a backup for my backup... though I've only caught a LITTLE of what he's got

Glad to know I may have "infected" you with SOMETHING.......

But, like I've said before, for me it was primarily a financial/cost thing (and the fact that I really, really liked those machines).
And, when they're hardly used and sell for a fraction of their costs new, it's hard NOT to gravitate to them.
I learned several decades ago........when you find "something" you like, but multiples of them that will last you about as long as you'll want to use them because they'll quit making them at some point.


Den

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[Uncle_Bob]

Then another lonely day starts.

The life of a CPAP is not fun. So appreciate what we do for you.

I let my CPAP out of the house once , calibration they called it.

[RobertS975]

Not meaning to start a major argument, but the notion that a day or even a few days off of therapy will be life threatening is simply overstated. Most of us have had OSA for years, or even decades, before a firm diagnosis and therapy was started. Long term power failures (more than a day) are quite common in the USA (hurricanes, blizzards, thunderstorms, icestorms) and they do not constitute an a life and death emergency for OSA patients. This is not to demean the value of successful therapy, just to say that a brief period off of the machine will not doom you.

I have a ResMed S9 Elite since 2/2014. I did buy a second identical machine with 8 hours of use from an individual on this board for a very low price... I travel a LOT and thought I would use the spare for travel, but so far it has sat unused.

[Wulfman...]

Not meaning to start a major argument, but the notion that a day or even a few days off of therapy will be life threatening is simply overstated. Most of us have had OSA for years, or even decades, before a firm diagnosis and therapy was started. Long term power failures (more than a day) are quite common in the USA (hurricanes, blizzards, thunderstorms, icestorms) and they do not constitute an a life and death emergency for OSA patients. This is not to demean the value of successful therapy, just to say that a brief period off of the machine will not doom you.

I have a ResMed S9 Elite since 2/2014. I did buy a second identical machine with 8 hours of use from an individual on this board for a very low price... I travel a LOT and thought I would use the spare for travel, but so far it has sat unused.

I happen to (personally) know of an individual who was a CPAP user. Got called out during the night for a problem at work. Came home and opted not to use his machine when he went to bed.......he didn't wake up.......died of a heart attack in his sleep (September 2007).

You can poo-poo it if you like, but it happens......for those who do or don't normally use XPAP therapy.
Probably lots of people in the obituaries who needed it and either weren't diagnosed or refused to use it.

I never sleep without mine.


Den

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