Your take on replacing Pillows/Cushions

[countryboy]

I've been on CPAP now for 3 months and a month ago I switched to a different DME that was a lot closer to me. I was able to return my REMstar Pro C-flex Plus to my previous DME and my new DME got me a ResMed S9 AutoSet so she's been very helpful. It's a small DME located in a neighboring town so you really get one on one help when needed and the gal has been an RT for 30 years.

I'm currently using the Nuance Pro pillow mask which she got for me as a demo and for the most I like it but having to use a chin strap dilutes the positive feeling somewhat. Anyway she said since I'm having to use a chin strap I should at least consider trying out a full face mask which I plan on doing in a few days... been waiting for my Medicare deductible to be met. She wants to fit me with a Quattro mask which she's had pretty good luck with.

Ok regarding expense I'm a little worried about having to replace the pillows or full face cushions on too often of a basis. The RT said you could probably go a month on both the pillows for the Nuance and the cushions on the Quattro. Is she saying this because of health issues, possible leak issues, money for the DME or is this a sensible schedule?

How often do most replace their pillows or cushions?

[Tino2You]

I will take a shot at this as I am sure you will get many opposing answers. I have been using the same pillows (FX Swift) for 6 months. I used to pull the data off my card (S9 AutoSet) everyday and check my numbers. I now do that every couple of weeks. I usually check my AHI in the mornings on the S9 Display.

What I find is that after 6 months or so, my AHI creeps up. I usually am in the 1.5 AHI or less range. When I see the number creep up, I pull my data and look at my leak rate. It usually is trending up. That is the time I change out the pillow. I wash my pillows, hose and tank every week in a vinegar solution followed by a soak in J&J Baby Shampoo. Some mornings I wipe the nose plugs with scent, aloe and alcohol free baby wipe (generic from Target).

I just switched to the TAP PAP mask and I love it. I plan on treating it as I have the Swift.

All that said, I too was a mouth breather. I used a Ruby Adjustable chin strap and it worked! I used it for about 6 months going from very tight to remarkable loose, almost as a reminder. One weekend, I left it at my cabin. What I found was that I didn't need it any longer. I had trained my brain to keep my tongue behind my front teeth on the roof of my mouth preventing the mouth leaks.

Your mileage may vary. This is my experience only.

-tino

[Pugsy]

I get months and months and months out of my nasal pillow cushions...no matter which brand or model I use.
I have a Tap Pap that I used the very same nasal pillows from March until January with maybe a week off to try a different mask.
I recently have been using the new Resmed AirFit P10...and some how lost one of the nasal pillows for the Tap Pap...so I guess I will break out a new pair when I go back to it.

Medicare allows for 2 pair of nasal pillows or 2 nasal mask cushions per month. Full face mask cushions 1 per month.
I have never used a full face mask so I can't comment on those but nasal pillow life or cushion life seems to vary among people.
Full face mask cushions are going to be exposed to probably a lot more facial oils and cleaning regiment and they don't seem to be able to last as long in some situations for some people. I think it has to do with some people's skin is more oily and some people's cleaning regiment.

DMEs tend to push a schedule that the insurance allows...so they sell more products after all that's how they make their money but most of the time this equipment will last a lot longer with common sense care.

Here's a link to the Medicare replacement schedule . Just because they allow it doesn't mean it automatically wears out though and you don't have to get something that you don't think you need. I would utilize it to always have a spare though.
It's a 2012 schedule offered by Respironics but I don't think anything has changed.
http://www.respironics.vgm.com/files/Me ... t-2012.pdf

[brivers222]

I have been using my Simplus Cushion for just under 30days. I have a few extra cushions that I bought using my FSA so that I can rotate them out every other week or so. I am sure the silicone seal will worsen as time goes by but for those times i bought the liners that help with the sealing. have only used them once when i was testing the mirage quattro, but they worked.

Because of injuries to my nose during hockey I have actually never been able to breath out of nose that well... which is why it took so long to surcome to the fact i may have apnea. a Full face mask is necessary for me after 35+ years of mouth breathing. with that said, during my sleep study when they put the mask on me, it felt natural. I really had no adjustment time needed, which i am thankful for.

I do agree with the poster above me, check the stats daily on my screen and if I see a higher than normal (under 2.0 AHI) I would check my leaks...

[countryboy]

Thanks for posting your experiences!

I do soak my pillows, headgear, and hose every week in dawn so I do think I'm doing the suggested cleaning. Never thought though about keeping a spare pillow or cushion as a backup which I now plan to do.

I have actually tried to teach myself to not breathe thru my mouth but so far I haven't been successful. I do think I'll go ahead and get a full faced mask in case I get where I can't breathe thru my nose since I do have sinus problems. I do like the fact though that a pillow mask is pretty much a bare minimum type of mask.

With the S9 still being new to me I guess I haven't got around to reading up on how to navigate the menu to show my AHI and leaks. As has been suggested that might be the most telling indication how often I need to change pillows or cushions.

[Kennerly]

Ok regarding expense I'm a little worried about having to replace the pillows or full face cushions on too often of a basis. The RT said you could probably go a month on both the pillows for the Nuance and the cushions on the Quattro. Is she saying this because of health issues, possible leak issues, money for the DME or is this a sensible schedule?

How often do most replace their pillows or cushions?

Regarding the Quattro (and probably all other masks) I find the DME recommendation for replacing the cushions to be absurd. It's just about the money. YMMV but I'm using a Quattro fx cushion right now that is at least a year old. (A different ffm by Resmed)

If your insurance pays for cushions it is a good idea to get a backup once you know that your mask is a keeper.

I’d be willing to bet that some of the "recommended" cleaning regimes actually reduce the useful life of the silicone. Everybody does their own thing, but I find using just an aloe based wipe on the silicone each day takes care of cleanliness and seal. With the exception of the humidifier my gear rarely gets exposed to soap water. Also if you end up using mask liners the cushions will probably last even longer.

[Sir NoddinOff]

You can always try this, everything you need to know in one place including some photos of before and after boiling cushions and pillows:

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=74686&st=0&sk=t&sd= ... il+cushion

[StuUnderPressure]

I change my Nasal Mask cushion at least once a month BEFORE I start to have leaks.

I have been know to change the cushion after only 20 days or so - if I notice leaks beginning to occur.

[jencat824]

My experience has been some mask cushions last & last, some need more frequent replacing. Example, I used the IQ for years & replaced the entire mask, cushion included about once a year, only then because my headgear wore out. With the Swift LT, I had to replace cushions every 2-3 weeks. I've been using the AirFit P10 for about 6-8 weeks & haven't had to replace a cushion yet. In fact the Swift LT is the only mask I've ever had to replace cushions what I would call frequently. I'm not big on cleaning, so that could be why I had the replace so often on the Swift LT, but other masks, I clean the same way & don't have a replacement problem

I think you will get multiple answers on this, but IMHO it depends on the mask & the person.

[countryboy]

Thanks I guess there's no one answer but I am surprised how long some can use a particular pillow/cushion... much longer than I was led to believe by my RT.

Another thing I asked her about was setting my S9 up using auto-start and auto-stop since I really liked using the former with my previous RemStar Pro C-Flex Plus. She said neither worked that great with the S9 saying something about it took forever for the auto-start to work and I don't remember what she said about the auto-stop. I don't know how to set it up to try those features but Is she correct?

She also said since I had completed my Compliance it wasn't necessary to turn off my machine at night for bathroom breaks just unhook the hose and go. My question is won't this affect my Sleepyhead readings?

[poppi2]

...it wasn't necessary to turn off my machine at night for bathroom breaks just unhook the hose and go. My question is won't this affect my Sleepyhead readings?

Yes, especially the leak data.

[robysue]

How much use I get out of a particular pair of nasal pillows for my Swift FX is highly variable. Sometimes it's less than a month. Sometimes it's 6+months. There really seems to be a quality control issue on the Resmed end of things. Since my insurance will only pay for one set of pillows every six months, it's an issue when I get a set that just won't last that long.

As to why to change the pillows relatively frequently:

My biggest problem is that as the pillows age, they begin to lose their ability to seal. The inner cone of the FX develops a tendency to "collapse" on its own and this, in turn, either causes leaks OR makes it more difficult to breathe OR both. This is the main reason that I throw away a set of pillows and start using a new one.

Another potential concern would include the fact that it can be difficult to thoroughly clean the insides of the pillows---how do you clean between those inner cones of the Swift FX for example? I'm not overly worried about this, but I do find it ironic that my insurance company wants to replace the hose every three months, with the stated reason that there's a chance of mold or bacteria or other unspecified germs starting to grow in the hose, but they don't seem to have any worries about mold or bacteria or other germs managing to hide out in the pillows between the inner and outer cones, and hence they won't replace my pillows even when they're worn out ...

And so my advice on replacing the cushion or pillows is this: At the beginning, replace them as frequently as your insurance will allow to build up a small supply of extras. Extras are useful for all those unexpected occurrences such as the dog chewing the cushion or the cat clawing at the pillows and poking a hole in them. But once you've got a decent backup supply of cushions or pillows? Then start replacing them on an as needed basis instead of a schedule that says "every month".

[Denial Dave]

If I get 3 months of use out of a cushion for my quattro FFM, I'm a happy cpap'er.

[Chilibit]

After skimming this post I inspected my 7 month old Tap Pap. I have a stock of replacement pillows---untouched. I removed the pillows and to be honest it is almost impossible to distinquish the old (7 months) from the new. I had to study them to ensure I was installing the new ones. I seldom clean them (grimace if it helps you) and maybe the old ones are slightly "shorter" than the new ones. Otherwise, they look like they could go another year. In my instance it seems futile to become overwrought about this. This is not to say that the experience of others is not different. There are many differences in environment, chemistry and usage.

[kteague]

If your medical coverage or financial situation allows, it's a good idea to get a few scheduled replacements to keep as backup stock. Nothing like finding out in the middle of the night you need to replace something but have to order it. I operate under "if it ain't broke don't fix it". Used all my pillows style masks for ages without any changes. I think one lasted me over 2 years with no leak issues. Hoses tore, headgear lost elasticity, but pillows were fine. Only ones I ever really NEEDED to change due to performance were on my old Breeze. A lot depends on your personality and risk tolerance. If "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure" works better for you, do replacements on a schedule. You'll figure it out as time goes on.