How long will a mask last? When to replace?
How does it go bad???? Does it get less pliable?

I love my hose cover. It makes the hose more "comfortable". That is, it does not feel like a plastic hose, and it does not slip around as much. But it is such a pain to put on and off for hose cleaning I have stopped using it in frustration. Would be nice if the hose cover was wider in diameter to e...

I am a bit puzzled by the humidity/sinus situation. The machine uses room air? We breath room air without the machine. It's the SAME air! Why does the mask make a difference??? Is it the air pressure? Does the pressurized air have a lower moisture content then the room air? I have added a humidifier...

Was a cold night and the heat was on in the house for the first time. I also did not fill up the humidifier in the CPAP machine. I woke up that morning with nasal passages dry and like sandpaper. I had also gotten over a bad cold about a week before. Hell began. I have not had this kind of sinus pai...

It would have been $55 a month!. I called today and asked if I need to pay the $55 a month. They said yes, but they were waiting until they heard from my secondary. My secondary, well, I called them too, and they won't pay until I get $4000 out of pocket!!! Needless to say, my secondary stinks. But ...

I have had a waterbed before. Don't get one. They are very hard on the spine. They have no real support. I have a "big tummy". I used to sleep on my stomach with the waterbed, and my stomach would sink down, way down, causing a strain on my back. I dumped the waterbed for a good regular mattress, an...

Thanks "Admiral"! I got on the site and it showed DME bills. I have not received any paperwork, but it showed that my DME has billed medicare $284 twice. My copay, according to the site, is $55. If I don't get billed for the copay, I will keep the machine. If I do, it goes back.

I switched from a Respironics Cflex to a Respironics Auto with Aflex. There is no comparison, the Auto rocks. I have downloaded the data from it and its very interesting. My Rx is about 18 pressure. The auto data shows the machine is constantly adjusting and usually hangs around 11. The aflex is won...

I assume I get paperwork in the mail from Medicare telling me what the DME is charging me or charging medicare?

I'd not cut off my nose to spite my face. I'd keep the "free" machine. As a backup machine, like you said. I can get my supplies and masks (Medicare) from another DME to spite him. THAT's the way to go. Yep. There is wisdom in your words! I have considered that, but I really would like to $&*(# the...

Rosemary...that is EXACTLY what my DME did to me! I ended up buying an M Seriea Auto, which also does data stuff. And I love it! But now I am thinking of how to stick it to the DME. I really don't think writing to anyone would help, especially in the DME's corporate structure. They care more about t...

I don't mind talking about my "dark secret" here. Good people, and I will probably never meet anybody. I was wondering? Does anyone else deal with mental illness here? It has quite a stigma attached to it. But the brain is an organ subject to physical disease (which can result in "mental illness"), ...

Well, my DME was very uncooperative and just does not respond to me now. I am really sick of it. I tallied my costs in machines and mask roulette. He just dumped a machine on me, a Respironics M Series Plus Cflex. I told him before I got it I did not want that one. He brought it anyway. I was excite...

During some military traing for gas masks, we would have a formation of men with masks on (this was Navy, and they allowed beards). Then some canisters of tear gas would be thrown into the formation. In the cloud of gas, you could see the men with beards running out of the cloud choking, LOL. Moral ...

Whenever you have a finger wave type of prostate exam:

1) When the doctor is examining you, make sure he does not have both hands on your shoulders.

2) Tell him to use two fingers, as you want a second opinion.