Weird leak on the FX

[Isaacrn]

So I have been using the the Medium mask on the FX. Last night, I noticed the left nare seemed to be leaking a bit. This had not happened before. It wasnt major, but it was preventing me from sleeping due to my thinking about it. I swapped down to the Small, which was a suprise to me that it actually fit. It was doing the same thing, but after adjusting and fidgeting with it for 15 or so minutes i was able to stop it.

Does anyone have a clue as to why this happened?

[Janknitz]

Sounds to me that your nasal pillow is wearing out--it can happen in as little as 2 weeks. Insurance companies will pay for up to TWO nasal pillow replacements per month. You can get more pillows from the DME or swap the unused sizes on the great pillow exchange.

[Isaacrn]

WOW...so 2 weeks and its over? Thats about how long I have been wearing it. I guess I better call the DME and find out what their policy is.

[Janknitz]

You're going to see posts by people saying their nasal pillows lasted several months. It seems that newer pillows don't last as long as the old ones did, and some may be affected by the wearer's cleaning routine, body chemistry, environment, etc. If you look at the lab rat fixes you may be able to extend wear using O-rings to stiffen the neck of each pillow or boiling the pillows. But they do seem to have a limited lifespan and Medicare even recognizes that by authorizing twice monthly replacements.

[robysue]

WOW...so 2 weeks and its over? Thats about how long I have been wearing it. I guess I better call the DME and find out what their policy is.

It's not the DME's policy that you need to be concerned about: They'll be HAPPY to sell you (at full price) a new set of pillows whenever you want one. The question is: How often will your insurance authorize paying their share of a new set of pillows? And this varies.

As Janknitz says, Medicare will pay for two sets of pillows per month. And many insurance companies are equally generous. But mine is stingy: One set of pillows per month (with a 50% co-pay as well). And I only was able to determine that particular replacement schedule through numerous phone calls to the insurance company with very different answers and finally had the manager of the very good DME that I use tangle the phone tag issues for me. Alas, I still don't have this policy in writing and every time I order a new set of pillows I worry about the claim from the DME being denied. *sigh*