Odd breathing noise

[elizabeth25]

Hello,
I've had a cpap machine since 2014, used very successfully. First an S9 Autoset and now an Airsense 10. I use a P30i nasal mask.
Last night when I went to bed I could hear myself breathing. I think I've experience this in a very fleeting way before, but this was persistent. I got up and changed the pillow. Then the heated hose, then the mask. Nothing made any difference.
I'm hearing myself breath in (high frequency sound) and then out (lower frequency).
This morning I looked at Oscar. It looks exactly like it does pretty much every night.
Does anyone have any ideas of what to try to determine the problem? Or better yet, get rid of it?
Eliz 25

[zonker]

how old is that airsense 10?

[elizabeth25]

how old is that airsense 10?

It has about 10,000 hours on it.

[zonker]

how old is that airsense 10?

It has about 10,000 hours on it.

not it's age, then.

check that the humidifier chamber is sealed snugly into position.

[palerider]

And check the filter, while the machine is running.

[elizabeth25]

how old is that airsense 10?

It has about 10,000 hours on it.

not it's age, then.

check that the humidifier chamber is sealed snugly into position.

Checked that. I've had that problem before. This is a higher pitched whining sound.

[elizabeth25]

And check the filter, while the machine is running.

I opened it up and replaced the filter while it was running and it all seemed fine.
Last night before I got out my back up machine, I tried it again. The noise seems to be coming from underneath the top of the machine, below the curve where the hose connects. Breathing in makes the sound loudest, and highest pitch.

[elizabeth25]

By some miracle I was able to snag an appointment with my DME (whose name has changed 4 times in 4 years because of buyouts). They confirmed it was broken, likely the motor. They said I needed to take it to a repair place and hope that my insurance reimbursed me.
Insurance said they would allow purchase of a new machine. (This sounded fishy and I intended to confirm with another insurance rep tomorrow.) Meanwhile someone in corporate DME said the local office made a mistake and they should have given me a refurbished machine.
Jeez. Good thing I have a spare.
Eliz 25

[SleepGeek]

Insurance said they would allow purchase of a new machine. (This sounded fishy and I intended to confirm with another insurance rep tomorrow.) Meanwhile someone in corporate DME said the local office made a mistake and they should have given me a refurbished machine.
Jeez. Good thing I have a spare.

If you haven't spoken directly with your insurance I would do that before anything else.
DME's have a bad habit of making choices that benefit their profits.

HTH

Always good to have a spare for reasons like this.

[Janknitz]

If the machine is less than 5 years old (I assume it is because of the number of hours used), the DME may have a contractual obligation with your insurer to either fix the machine or replace it--possibly with a refurbished one. That's one of the reasons DME's are paid more than the retail price for machines--they have a duty to maintain the equipment for 5 years (at least under Medicare rules). But if it's been 5 years, you may be eligible for a new one through your insurer, with any applicable rental period, co-payments, deductibles.

If you don't know what your insurer's policy is, don't take anybody's word for it--especially not the DME's (NEVER, EVER, EVER believe anything the DME tells you without independent confirmation!!!). Request an "Evidence of Coverage" (EOC) from your insurer. That's the actual contract between you and your insurer, which you have never seen unless you know to ask for it. That should spell out exactly what should happen if the machine needs repair and/or replacement. Sometimes EOC's are vague about that, in which case, believe your insurer over your DME.