The RT's all recommend distilled water. I have only done CPAP for about 2 months, so in the beginning I e-mailed ResMed, asking about the minimum amount of distilled water required for safe operation of the humidifier. (I was throwing away almost 2 cups of distilled water daily.) Now, this is just ...

IMHO, shouldn't your doctor be highly involved in all of this? If the doc writes the prescription correctly, and it is filled incorrectly, (s)he has some grounds for justifying the prescription. Especially if this doctor is one listed on your insurance, you should have recourse if your doctor is no...

So Chuck: Will you be starting a bed and breakfast for all of us hoseheads who want to come and see your Dr. Shilling? Sounds like a good plan, as a good doc is hard to find. Also, maybe we should start making location-based plans to fly charter planes in to SLC. Then the good doctor could have pati...

Maybe the nares are kind of "tickled" by the nasal pillows on the Swift? I have had my CPAP for about 2 months and started with the Swift. I equate it with first getting glasses and, unused to the nose pads, felt them "tickle." After a while (sorry, I do not know how long after ~42 years) I never f...

The sleep tech who made this comment was inappropriate. I think you made a very good, self-protective decision to ignore it while there in person. There are lots of great suggestions from our forum followers, and you may want to implement those. Even though a long time has elapsed, it is still both...

You know, I have a lot of doctors and they are great. Once I found my wonderful internist, I was all set because he gives me good referrals. (I respect his values and ethics plus his knowledge.) It took me a long time to find a good doctor for me. I thought at one point that I would try women. I wen...

I am confused. Rastaman's original post says that the DME provider will switch machines, but where does it say that the machine is some form of a ResMed S8? I mean, it is pictured at the bottom of the post.... Also, I would ask the RT about the breakout of the costs for everything. All these FDA rul...

I do not know about HMO's either, but would suggest that the Aetna HMO should have a number for you to call to check on your coverage. I know what you are saying about the sleep lab folk. Years ago, I had a hurried late Friday afternoon ultrasound. I had a very worried 24 hours until my doctor calle...

It seems that even having GREAT insurance doesn't always help! I waited for about 6 weeks to get the CPAP machine and mask--but was offered a loaner set-up. Now, they told me that my new CPAP, etc. would be in the next week-- and, lo and behold, the following 5 weeks later, I had it. But they did pr...

I don't know what a hybrid in CPAP land might be. I've had my CPAP for about 2 months, and have asked ever since about chin straps. Integrating the chin strap INTO the mask design! What a concept! Then, if one did not need a chin strap, it could just be omitted? But if one DOES need the chin strap, ...

[quote="chdurie2"]Personally, I'm not in love with either vinegar or bleach, because I think you would be inhaling either one for a long time. I would think the sleep lab or dme is using a very mild bleach solution. But maybe I'm wrong. And I'd also be nervous about the hot water in the dishwasher. ...

Wow! FYI, my sleep study for titration was almost sleepless for me. The noise of the BiPAP and the wires, plus the little annoyance fittings of the mask and the hot temperature in the room (my tech brought me a fan!)--all contributed to me having a hard time falling asleep. When I finally did, it wa...

Just to let you know: I lost the little circle end of the Mirage Swift. The RT said she knew of no one who had ever used the 'meticulous' cleaning instructions included in the manual--in other words, taking it apart. OK, OK, my family tends to be cleaning freaks. Anyway, the RT at the DME provider t...

I am just as guilty as anyone else-- I have read every post! But are we hard up for 'hose-head' fun, or what? Anyway, just a thought from a former British exchange student about the Harry Potter idea: Have you noticed that the different houses of Hogwarts students wear striped scarves? The tradition...

I think the whole "only one person can use a mask" thing is a bit ridiculous given that the sleep labs can clean/disinfect/sterilize and then reuse a mask/interface something like 15 times before replacing the nasal pillows. How about donating them to the sleep lab or DME provider? The one I went to...