Newbie with an ICON..

[alumascaping]

Hi all,

I have had my ICON for about a month now and had a few questions.

I was told when I got the machine to replace the filter every 2 weeks-2 months depending on the conditions in my home. It has been in for a month now and the filter is still bright white, should I replace it anyway? I guess im expecting it to look like a AC Vent filter!

Also, when I got the machine the rep told me to always unscrew the top heating chamber lid in the morning so mold doesn't grown. My biggest problem so far with the machine is the first half hour where room temp or cold air blows into my nose. Is there a way to preheat the machine or am I able to leave the cover on? I know the heater in the ICON runs all the time but doesn't seem to do any good when the cover is off.

Lastly, when I was in my medical supply store recently for my compliance check the tech told me to make sure I use the machine for at least 4 hours and no less. I did pass compliance though. What happens if I use it for less then 4 hours? Sometimes I will work nights and try to get a 2 hour catnap before I go in, and the machine makes all the difference for those 2 hours. Am hurting anything by doing it less then 4 hours? I have the smiley face indicating im still in compliance.


Thanks for all the advice folks!

[Julie]

The whole point of doing 4 hrs when starting out is to satisfy the insce. co. that you use the machine (4 hrs is somewhat of an arbitrary figure they've come up with), but the whole point of using Cpap is so you'll be treated for what can be a very serious condition with big consequences. You need to use the machine every single time you sleep, for all the hours you sleep (naps included), not just 4 hrs to keep the insce co. happy.

As for the humidifier lid - I'd keep it on all the time so the water stays clean, regardless of temp, and empty out the unused amt at least weekly if not daily (which some do, tho' I don't believe it's necessary). IF you examine the tank weekly - and ARE using distilled water as prescribed - unless you see e.g. a little pinkish slime or anything at all other than the water inside, you shouldn't need to worry - that's the point of distilled water. Leaving it exposed to the elements/room air that probably has all kinds of particulates in it is counterproductive.

[grayghost4]

for compliance you need 4 hrs during 24 hr period .. doing it in several short periods is OK.
and from a recent thread here, a short nap during the day is good for many people.

viewtopic/t109009/Napping-Info-and-a-Question.html

[TangledHose]

Hi all,

I have had my ICON for about a month now and had a few questions.

I was told when I got the machine to replace the filter every 2 weeks-2 months depending on the conditions in my home. It has been in for a month now and the filter is still bright white, should I replace it anyway? I guess im expecting it to look like a AC Vent filter!

Also, when I got the machine the rep told me to always unscrew the top heating chamber lid in the morning so mold doesn't grown. My biggest problem so far with the machine is the first half hour where room temp or cold air blows into my nose. Is there a way to preheat the machine or am I able to leave the cover on? I know the heater in the ICON runs all the time but doesn't seem to do any good when the cover is off.

Thanks for all the advice folks!

On the Icon machine the power converter is built into the machine and resides under the heat plate (other manufactures like resmed have the converter as a brick inline on the power cord) thus when the Icon is plugged into a wall socket the built-in power converter will heat up a little just like any other power converter - - this is the heat you feel in this machine when it is off, but plugged in, its not the heat plate heater itself. This is rather convenient in that you can fill your water chamber a few hours before you go to sleep and lock the lid down - - the mild heat from the power converter will warm the water and humidifier chamber, so in essence you can use this procedure to "pre-heat" your machine before going to bed and turning the therapy on - - it won't hurt anything, and I wouldn't be overly concerned with the DME statement concerning the humidifier lid. As you gain more experience you will come to find that most of what a DME says is just plain bunk. As others have stated I would use distilled water in the humidifier chamber, mostly to cut down on hard scale deposits in the chamber.

As far as the white filter is concerned, just keep an eye on it as you have been doing and change it as necessary, if it never gets too dirty looking to change, then I would probably still change it every six months or so..............again the DME wants you to purchase supplies from them so they tend to over emphasize the frequency of changing things like filters, masks, hoses, etc.