Any way to buy a mask w/o a RX?

General Discussion on any topic relating to CPAP and/or Sleep Apnea.
jweeks
Posts: 1474
Joined: Tue Feb 10, 2009 8:32 pm
Location: Minneapolis, MN
Contact:

Any way to buy a mask w/o a RX?

Post by jweeks » Wed Oct 06, 2010 10:34 pm

Hi,

Anyone know of a way to buy a new mask without a prescription? Every place I look over the past few weeks needs a prescription. My RX expired the first week of September, so it is no longer valid. I don't want to take a day off from work and pay for a doctor's appointment just to get a new mask. Any ideas on how I can get a new Mirage Softgel Nasal Mask?

-john-

_________________
Mask: Swift™ LT Nasal Pillow CPAP Mask with Headgear
Humidifier: HumidAire H4i™ Heated Humidifier
Additional Comments: Converted from M-Series BiPAP Auto To ResMed VPAP 25 Auto In March, 2010

User avatar
Emilia
Posts: 1873
Joined: Mon Jul 12, 2010 8:56 am
Location: Florida, USA

Re: Any way to buy a mask w/o a RX?

Post by Emilia » Wed Oct 06, 2010 10:39 pm

If your doctor's office has your sleep study and past Rx's on file, they should be willing to just write you a generic Rx for a cpap mask of patient's choice. Also ask if they could not limit it to one year but instead indicate PRN or lifetime on it. This type of Rx would allow you to upload it to any of the online sites and be able to purchase masks. I don't see why you need to have an appt. for this... as phone request and then drop by to pick it up should suffice.

_________________
Mask: Swift™ LT For Her Nasal Pillow CPAP Mask with Headgear
Humidifier: IntelliPAP Integrated Heated Humidifier
Additional Comments: Fall back mask is a Sleepweaver Advance Nasal Mask. Comfort Classic is my third mask, but only if needed.
Yes, that blue eyed beauty is my cat! He is a seal point, bi-color Ragdoll. I adopted him in '08 from folks who could no longer care for him. He is a joy and makes me smile each and every day.

User avatar
Mimmie
Posts: 126
Joined: Fri Nov 10, 2006 8:37 am
Location: arkansas

Re: Any way to buy a mask w/o a RX?

Post by Mimmie » Wed Oct 06, 2010 10:42 pm

Amazon is your friend.

_________________
MachineMaskHumidifier
Additional Comments: Saying good-bye to . .191 obstructive apneas. 214 hypopneas. AHI 79.9.
"It's amazing how someone can break your heart and you can still love them with all the little pieces"

Sirca
Posts: 52
Joined: Thu Sep 23, 2010 10:35 am

Re: Any way to buy a mask w/o a RX?

Post by Sirca » Wed Oct 06, 2010 10:50 pm

I may be wrong, but I'm thinking dotmed sellers don't require an RX...

http://www.dotmed.com/listing/889142

(not sure that's the mask you're interested in, though)

_________________
Mask: Hybrid Full Face CPAP Mask with Nasal Pillows and Headgear
Humidifier: IntelliPAP Integrated Heated Humidifier
Additional Comments: CMS50E recording pulse oximeter; Swift FX; Mirgage Softgel and Profile Lite Gel Nasal Masks

User avatar
Hospiceangel
Posts: 205
Joined: Tue Jul 06, 2010 8:35 pm
Location: Greeley, CO

Re: Any way to buy a mask w/o a RX?

Post by Hospiceangel » Wed Oct 06, 2010 10:52 pm

Ebay is your friend too. Most sellers have the other parts listed as a "gift". Read the auction carefully as they will describe what is included. Email the seller with questions. PM me if you need help.
Good Luck,
Shar:)

_________________
Mask: Zest Nasal CPAP Mask with Headgear
Humidifier: IntelliPAP Integrated Heated Humidifier
Additional Comments: Trying an LT swift for her with xtra sm pillows and several other masks for backup. S9 and humidifier backup as I take intellipap out for a spin.
Courage doesn't always roar. Sometimes courage is the little voice at the end of the day that says I'll try again tomorrow M Radmacher
It is better, to believe in something passionately even if it is wrong, than to believe in nothing at all C Hoong

dtsm
Posts: 1097
Joined: Sun Mar 08, 2009 8:34 am
Location: CT

Re: Any way to buy a mask w/o a RX?

Post by dtsm » Wed Oct 06, 2010 10:55 pm

i've had good luck with craigslist, hit and miss

User avatar
chunkyfrog
Posts: 34377
Joined: Mon Jul 12, 2010 5:10 pm
Location: Nebraska--I am sworn to keep the secret of this paradise.

Re: Any way to buy a mask w/o a RX?

Post by chunkyfrog » Thu Oct 07, 2010 8:24 pm

I cannot imagine a doctor who requires an appointment just to renew a mask prescription.
Call the office, and KEEP CALLING. I'm betting you will get your RX --just to get you to leave them alone.

_________________
Mask: AirFit™ P10 For Her Nasal Pillow CPAP Mask with Headgear
Additional Comments: Airsense 10 Autoset for Her

User avatar
elena88
Posts: 1650
Joined: Sun Feb 28, 2010 2:25 pm
Location: california

Re: Any way to buy a mask w/o a RX?

Post by elena88 » Thu Oct 07, 2010 8:40 pm

IF YOU Do want a script without seeing your doctor again......

this is what I did, just takes a few minutes..

I went to cpap.com

I joined the site, and then I clicked on REQUEST MY RX

there you fill in your doctors information and fax number..

then they will fax your doctors office, doc just checks it off, and faxes it back..

then they have it on file and SO DO YOU.. you can go to your account, and simply order anything you want from cpap.com

or if you have a local dme who will match the prices, you can print the rx off your profile and take a copy anywhere you want..

I would call the docs office after you initiate the process with cpap.com to let them know a fax is coming you would like them to sign
and return.. its that simple!

_________________
Mask: Swift™ FX Nasal Pillow CPAP Mask with Headgear
Humidifier: S9™ Series H5i™ Heated Humidifier with Climate Control
Additional Comments: sleep study: slept 66 min in stage 2 AHI 43.3 had 86 spontaneous arousals I changed pressure from 11 to 4cm now no apap tummy sleeping solved apnea

Kevin G.
Posts: 120
Joined: Wed May 26, 2010 10:26 am

Re: Any way to buy a mask w/o a RX?

Post by Kevin G. » Thu Oct 07, 2010 9:38 pm

I have twice bought a mask w/o a prescription. The internet supplier took the position that if I had the machine that it was evidence that I had a prescription. The other position that they could take is that the machine it what requires a prescription not the mask.

jweeks
Posts: 1474
Joined: Tue Feb 10, 2009 8:32 pm
Location: Minneapolis, MN
Contact:

Re: Any way to buy a mask w/o a RX?

Post by jweeks » Thu Oct 07, 2010 10:32 pm

chunkyfrog wrote:I cannot imagine a doctor who requires an appointment just to renew a mask prescription.
Call the office, and KEEP CALLING. I'm betting you will get your RX --just to get you to leave them alone.
Hi,

Just for fun, I stopped in at the clinic today. They are part of a fairly large hospital system, and they have always provided me top notch care. They said that the State of MN Board of Medical Practices used to allow them to give out 3 year prescriptions, but that was changed last year to where they can only issue 1 year prescriptions. They also said that the BMP does not allow them to write any prescriptions without an exam and consultation. I guess this is part of the fun of living in the state where everything is illegal, and I certainly wouldn't expect my doctor to risk her license over this.

Someone suggested Amazon, but in my searching, it looks like Amazon doesn't sell masks as of a few weeks ago. They do have 3rd party vendors, but they appear to dot-com firms that now require a prescription.

Two people PM'ed me who had the mask that I was looking for in new sealed packages. I guess I am now a "black market CPAP'er", and I'll be running with my illicit mask here in a few days. A good night of sleep is worth taking the risk of a little jail time.

-john-

_________________
Mask: Swift™ LT Nasal Pillow CPAP Mask with Headgear
Humidifier: HumidAire H4i™ Heated Humidifier
Additional Comments: Converted from M-Series BiPAP Auto To ResMed VPAP 25 Auto In March, 2010

User avatar
jlk
Posts: 323
Joined: Tue Sep 07, 2010 11:37 am
Location: Oregon

Re: Any way to buy a mask w/o a RX?

Post by jlk » Thu Oct 07, 2010 10:39 pm

Outlaw!

_________________
Mask: Aloha Nasal Pillow CPAP Mask with Headgear
Humidifier: S9™ Series H5i™ Heated Humidifier with Climate Control
Additional Comments: ResScan software

User avatar
Emilia
Posts: 1873
Joined: Mon Jul 12, 2010 8:56 am
Location: Florida, USA

Re: Any way to buy a mask w/o a RX?

Post by Emilia » Thu Oct 07, 2010 10:46 pm

Shhhhhh.... our 50k lips are sealed!

_________________
Mask: Swift™ LT For Her Nasal Pillow CPAP Mask with Headgear
Humidifier: IntelliPAP Integrated Heated Humidifier
Additional Comments: Fall back mask is a Sleepweaver Advance Nasal Mask. Comfort Classic is my third mask, but only if needed.
Yes, that blue eyed beauty is my cat! He is a seal point, bi-color Ragdoll. I adopted him in '08 from folks who could no longer care for him. He is a joy and makes me smile each and every day.

User avatar
Mimmie
Posts: 126
Joined: Fri Nov 10, 2006 8:37 am
Location: arkansas

Re: Any way to buy a mask w/o a RX?

Post by Mimmie » Fri Oct 08, 2010 12:27 am

jweeks wrote:
chunkyfrog wrote:
Someone suggested Amazon, but in my searching, it looks like Amazon doesn't sell masks as of a few weeks ago. They do have 3rd party vendors, but they appear to dot-com firms that now require a prescription.

-john-

Really strange. I just went there this morning and ordered a new mask. No script needed. Glad you got what you needed though through friends here!

_________________
MachineMaskHumidifier
Additional Comments: Saying good-bye to . .191 obstructive apneas. 214 hypopneas. AHI 79.9.
"It's amazing how someone can break your heart and you can still love them with all the little pieces"

jonquiljo
Posts: 484
Joined: Mon Aug 30, 2010 7:22 pm
Location: SF Bay area (Marin)

Re: Any way to buy a mask w/o a RX?

Post by jonquiljo » Fri Oct 08, 2010 2:23 am

I can (sort of) see why you would need an Rx for a machine - but why do "the powers that be" want you to have an Rx for a mask? What could you possibly do with a mask to harm yourself that you couldn't do with an elastic band?

debbie28
Posts: 18
Joined: Wed Oct 06, 2010 1:28 pm

Re: Any way to buy a mask w/o a RX?

Post by debbie28 » Sat Oct 09, 2010 8:43 am

I was told your prescription for cpap can't expire. I get my masks at http://resmedswiftfx.com. But they only carry resmedswiftfx masks. They were very helpful and got my rx for me. No problem. If you have a rx it doesn't expire. I was told the docs just tell you that so you continue to come see them. But I could be wrong.