Broken S9 APAP! Now what?

[roubai]

Hi, everyone---

I'm freaking out a little, so sorry if any of this doesn't make sense.

My machine, a Resmed S9 Autoset, fell off of my nightstand last night. (Yes, I'll put it somewhere else in the future.) The main body is damaged and has a crack/hole in it. There was also a lot of water in the main body. It's sort of working for now (it seems underpowered), but we're getting on a plane in 10 days and won't be back till New Year's Eve. Not only am I worried about its continued operation, but also about stuff getting in through the hole and it surviving the TSA/travel in general.

I'm planning to call Apria on Monday morning and ask them, but--given their general level of awfulness--I would be really shocked if they were able to get me a new machine on time. (I think it took them 2 months to get me my first one.) We have a custom group Anthem Blue Cross plan which fully pays for the machine, though if worse came to worst we pay for one out of pocket (but I don't know how to either get the prescription or get it set up). I've put in a message to my ENT about what to do, but I don't know if or when he'll get it.

Right now I'm wondering if I'll have to skip seeing my family over the holidays. I know some people are pretty casual about their XPAP usage, but I'm not willing to go 14 days without using mine.

If you've had to suddenly replace a machine in a hurry, what did you do? Any advice or experiences (especially with Apria/Anthem Blue Cross) would be REALLY appreciated. Thank you!

(Oh, and this is all doubly terrible timing, since I've been really tired lately and my ENT scheduled a new sleep study for me 2 days after we return from our trip!)

[Julie]

Try Secondwindcpap.com for reconditioned and inexpensive machines...

Many of us make a point to have back-up machines on hand for whatever comes up, whether breakage, old age or power issues. We often keep older machines that still work for the purpose.

[metsfan302]

yea that site or craigslist , or sometimes here you will find one for a couple hundred

[Sir NoddinOff]

You could try contacting this company for quick repairs and a possible replacement machine (which they have; see their main page under re-conditioned CPAP):

http://www.acbio.com

Accurate BioMed.... a lot of members have used them, including me. Their CPAP branch is in Florida.
I've found from personal experience that back up machines are important.

[Goofproof]

I take it you can't go into the clothes closet, and take down the spare you bought for Murphy to use so he would leave yours alone. Many of us have found, if you buy one for Murphy, you won't need it, but if you do it won't be a problem. I liked my model so much, I got Murphy two.... the logic of it worked, I have 16,000 hours on the first one.

If you have your script, you can buy one from our benefactors site cpap DOT com. That's how I got my second unit, third one came from a online seller.

I know how you feel, I use mine every nite without fail, the water spilling inside is probably the worst problem. There are a few reliable resellers here, that might have what you need. Jim

[grayghost4]

Hi, everyone---

Right now I'm wondering if I'll have to skip seeing my family over the holidays. I know some people are pretty casual about their XPAP usage, but I'm not willing to go 14 days without using mine.

Don't do that ...I have a machine you can use until insurance get you a new one.

[Sheriff Buford]

cpap.com will get you the new machine pretty quick.

People: get you a hose hanger and a 10' hose... stop all this knocking (or nearly) the machine on the floor!

Sheriff

[Wulfman...]

Hi, everyone---

I'm freaking out a little, so sorry if any of this doesn't make sense.

My machine, a Resmed S9 Autoset, fell off of my nightstand last night. (Yes, I'll put it somewhere else in the future.) The main body is damaged and has a crack/hole in it. There was also a lot of water in the main body. It's sort of working for now (it seems underpowered), but we're getting on a plane in 10 days and won't be back till New Year's Eve. Not only am I worried about its continued operation, but also about stuff getting in through the hole and it surviving the TSA/travel in general.

I'm planning to call Apria on Monday morning and ask them, but--given their general level of awfulness--I would be really shocked if they were able to get me a new machine on time. (I think it took them 2 months to get me my first one.) We have a custom group Anthem Blue Cross plan which fully pays for the machine, though if worse came to worst we pay for one out of pocket (but I don't know how to either get the prescription or get it set up). I've put in a message to my ENT about what to do, but I don't know if or when he'll get it.

Right now I'm wondering if I'll have to skip seeing my family over the holidays. I know some people are pretty casual about their XPAP usage, but I'm not willing to go 14 days without using mine.

If you've had to suddenly replace a machine in a hurry, what did you do? Any advice or experiences (especially with Apria/Anthem Blue Cross) would be REALLY appreciated. Thank you!

(Oh, and this is all doubly terrible timing, since I've been really tired lately and my ENT scheduled a new sleep study for me 2 days after we return from our trip!)

Did you make sure to try to get the water out and make sure it was dry before you turned it on again?
Got a hair dryer? Try blowing some air into it to make sure it's dry.
You may be able to use some black electrical tape or duct tape to seal the body after you get it dried out.
Then try it to see what happens.
If you set it to a fixed pressure, you could try using the "homemade manometer" described by "tomjax" in this link:

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=4506&p=37259&hilit= ... ter#p37259

It may be close enough to get you by for the interim.

And, yes, this is exactly why we recommend users having backup/spare machines available. Make sure you put your machine on some old mouse pads or get some rubberized shelf/drawer liner for future use to prevent another "accident".


Den

.

[roubai]

Yeah, I've been using a XPAP for ... hmm ... 10 years? Never had a problem before. I'll be relocating the machine tonight, but for now it's in a room with a dehumidifier and the heater running.

I do have an old machine somewhere, but we moved recently and I don't know which box it's in (plus I may not have a mask and hose for it).

[Sir NoddinOff]

I do have an old machine somewhere, but we moved recently and I don't know which box it's in (plus I may not have a mask and hose for it).

Sometimes desperation is a great motivator.

Maybe you're not into this tech stuff, but here's the complete teardown instructions with pictures for the S9 model. You can easily dry out each component board piece by piece; no guarantees tho. It's not really too hard but it helps to know your way around electronics. There's a few other examples around which you can search for by using the term 'S9 teardown or alternately S9 tear-down':
viewtopic/t96624/Resmed-S9-Elite-Teardo ... tures.html

Here's another "victim" on Imgur... warning graphic autopsy photos.
http://imgur.com/a/S0ojG#0

[LSAT]

Mask and hose should fit just about any machine...................If your insurance paid for your machine recently it is unlikely that it would pay for another because of your carelessness.....But try.

[klv329]

A crack in the body, ouch. Motor may be wet, too. I wonder if taking it apart and drying the parts out would even help.

Whatever you do, don't risk your health. If you try to use the flooded one, at least acquire or borrow a back up immediately so you have something to compare its performance to. Compare, experiment, always have a back up.

[Goofproof]

Mask and hose should fit just about any machine...................If your insurance paid for your machine recently it is unlikely that it would pay for another because of your carelessness.....But try.

Could buy a boat, put the XPAP in a box, set it on the trailer, drive off until you run over it, make your car ins pay for a replacement. I hear that's a approved method. Jim

[roubai]

Mask and hose should fit just about any machine...................If your insurance paid for your machine recently it is unlikely that it would pay for another because of your carelessness.....But try.

Not recently. I've had it for at least 4 years.

The hose absolutely will not fit the old machine.

[grayghost4]

All hoses have the same diameter ends on them .... some heated hoses have to be turned end for end to connect them to the cpap machine.