Sleep Lab Model Masks

[jwpinkham]

Just received a Fisher Paykel Zest CPAP mask purchased online and noted that the label indicates "Intended for short term use only". The reference number on the package label ends in "SL", which apparently indicates "Sleep Lab".
Are there real differences between this and a "resale" model, or is this model designation just for marketing purposes?
Was my quest for a frugal purchase a folly? Or more colloquially, was I had?

Thanks,

[Nord]

I personally like Fisher & Paykel products and use the Zest myself...
It is ultra light and very small and pretty comfortable for me.

Don't worry about cost cutting as the mask does very well in comparison to all others costing much more.
The most important factors in mask selection is comfort and seal.
Does it seal very well for you ??

BTW: The Zest mask would likely be identical to general use models...
unless there is some special indicator in the instructions like an oxygen port etc

Nord

[Julie]

I would ask the seller whether it in fact will only work for a short time or not.

[Janknitz]

My understanding is that sleep labs AND DME's are furnished with these masks that are identical to the ones you purchase but usually missing something minor (in the case of the Swift LT for Her it was the comfort strap covers, or they leave out the fancy carry bag)--they are supposed to be used for a short period of time to try out the mask to see if it fits comfortably and leak free, and then the manufacturers expect you to BUY the identical mask at the regular retail price sooner or later.

What I haven't figured out yet is whether these sample masks are provided free of charge or for a small cost to the sleep lab and DME. Perhaps someone can enlighten me.

My HMO sleep lab gives them out fairly liberally to patients, but also orders you one you pay for with your machine and then replaces masks every three months (which you pay your share for). So the mask manufacturers are getting plenty of business from my sleep lab in exchange for the free or marked-down samples they provide.

Not so, everywhere, I gather. . .

What irks me is that I think the sellers on the auction site who have hundreds of sales under their belts are not using these sample masks as intended--they are ALWAYS charging the patients full price for their masks even for a trial period, and then they are selling the sample masks not intended for resale for a tidy profit. If you look at the prices on the auction site, you will see that the retailers sell those samples starting at a pretty high price, individual sellers (who might happen to have an extra mask for whatever reason) often start out much lower. These are the same sellers that require you to by "mask insruance" to try a mask risk-free, or they whine and complain when a mask doesn't work out and try to charge you full retail price for a replacement even within 30 days or try to stretch out the time until it's too late to replace.

Why does this irk me? Because in the end, it's you and me paying for these sample masks that puts extra money in the DME's pocket when they are failing to provide the intended service (a chance to try out new masks at little or no cost) to you and me. If you wonder why masks cost so darn much . . .

[jwpinkham]

Thanks for the replies. I've looked it over for a "SL" designation on the mask and didn't find any. It has probably been used. It was in a ziplock bag. I think I'll give it a bath in some soapy water and wipe the contact surfaces with a little hydrogen peroxide.
It wouldn't be logical for a manufacturer to make a less comfortable and easily broken "Sleep Lab" sample if the goal is to sell the mask.

The price was $44 including S&H. I originally was going to buy a few parts to repair my F&P Flexifit HC407, but the parts and shipping cost about the same as the Zest.

However, if I am asphyxiated while using it, F&P will have the upper hand in the ensuing legal action, since they have provided a warning about the mask's intended use.

[sleepmba]

Some quick answers:

The sleep centers I've worked at, we've gotten masks free. It is a good way for manufacturers to get their masks out there. If a mask is used in a lab, most likely an order will be written for it.

I don't think there is any difference between a sleep lab mask and one that you would buy, as long as they are the same model. The masks we get have the sleep lab use designation on it, but that is because the manufacturer doesn't want someone to re-sell it.

[Janknitz]

The sleep centers I've worked at, we've gotten masks free. It is a good way for manufacturers to get their masks out there. If a mask is used in a lab, most likely an order will be written for it.

So they DO get them for free and then some DME's turn around and sell them for profit on the auction site instead of using them to help patients sort out the ideal mask, huh????

Then they turn around and charge their patients through the nose for "mask insurance" (I'm not talking about CPAP.com who charges a reasonable "insurance" fee to cover postal returns, I'm talking about brick and mortar DME's who upcharge that trial period), or stall the patient so that they exceed the manufacturer's return window and can't try a different mask????

Am I the only one who thinks that stinks??????????

[jwpinkham]

Well, my bargain mask deal is a bust even though the "Sleep Lab" mask is very likely identical to the retail mask.
I specifically ordered a F&P Zest "standard size". The seller assured me that he had one, and we made a deal.
When I examined the label on the plastic mask bag it reads "Zest Plus". According to the F&P web site, this model fits about 10% of patients, while the 'Zest', which I ordered, fits 80%. The remaining 10% need a 'Petite'.

I have emailed the seller for a refund.

[sleepmba]

Janknitz,
I don't think the big companies (Fisher-Paykel, Philips-Respironics, Resmed, etc) give out free stuff to DME's, (((I could be wrong))). Maybe a free new style mask here and there. Big companies would only be interested in selling them "stuff" because DME's will sell it to patients or bill insurance for it. It would be like Ford giving cars to dealers for free.

The big companies give the free stuff to sleep centers because they know we won't re-sell it and we will introduce it to the consumer who will in turn buy it from the DME.

I would be fooling myself if I didn't think that some people do sell the "Lab Only" masks. I'm sure some DME's can get their hands on them somehow.

This is an important issue that may come to a head in the next few years.

[cpapqueen1]

How the sleep labs obtain the masks is based on the manfacturer. Some manufacturers offer masks to labs at a discounted price while others give them to the lab. Either way these masks are meant to be used in the lab only; no tto be used on as for sale masks. The idea is to get the docs to script for the masks used during the sleep study. However, there will always be scams in this world who use these products to make a profit. More than likley that is what happened in your case, wither that or the lab let the pt keep the mask after their sleep study. Whne cleaning this mask do not submerge the foam in water.

[jwpinkham]

The seller is sending me the correct size mask. So this exercise in frugality may end well.
Good point about not wetting the foam inserts. Those in my HC407 seem to require replacement once a year at least.
Thanks for all the replies!

[MidnightOwl]

My first mask, from a brick and mortar DME, was an F&P HC407 with the "SL" designation and the notation about "short term use only". It did make me wonder about that DME's business practices.

However the mask itself looked identical to the one I later bought from cpap.com that didn't have any "SL" designation and both masks lasted for well over a year.