need longer lasting mask

[kingwillard]

I began CPAP therapy around 2010 using an F&P nasal mask. Had no problems with the mask. Stopped using my CPAP machine a year or so later. Fast forward to 2018 when I had to replace my CPAP machine and my doctor wouldn't give me a prescription unless I had another sleep study. Was prescribed a BiPAP and used my F&P mask for a short time until the forehead support broke. I naturally ordered another nasal mask and some months after that the forehead support broke AGAIN!! I had gotten my CPAP machine and all my nasal masks from cpap.com. I liked the Wisp mask and got one for $60 from cpap.com and 6 months later the side piece broke. I super glued and taped it and went on about my way. A very short time later the other side piece broke and when I got around to taking a closer look at the mask there were 5-6 cracks that were potential breaks. Not only would cpap.com refuse to give me a new one but Respironics followed suit and both places gave the VERY LAME excuses about replacing your mask every 3-6 months, tightening the Wisp mask could cause breakage, yada, yada, yada. I call this planned obsolescence plain and simple. The only people that are gaining from this haphazard attitude are the CPAP manufacturers and retailers. But I digress. My question is what are the most durable, long-lasting masks? It has come to my attention that I may be tossing and turning during sleep these days. I have looked at the new fabric masks but they are supposed to be replaced EVERY 3 MONTHS. Talk about built-in demand and higher profits! I will not be patronizing CPAP shops but instead have been looking at places like Amazon, eBay, and Facebook Marketplace. I am open to any suggestions that anyone has. Ah, the simpler times when I was younger and thinner and didn't suffer from sleep apnea, OCD, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, yada, yada, yada. Thanks for listening and have a great one everybody!

[Julie]

Couple of things - you don't have to follow the schedule of DMEs who of course benefit from your buying new stuff every 5 minutes, just be sure you have at least one backup of everything and then don't exchange what doesn't need exchanging... some of us have hoses from decades ago, some keep masks for almost as long, etc. etc. etc. But do change filters at reasonable times.

Don't wear your mask too tight - it can be counterproductive and even create microleaks when the silicone needs to expand to work, plus as you've discovered, it needlessly wears out the mask, never mind that all those throw-outs of still-good stuff is exploding landfills and feeding plastic to fish!

Clean masks with e.g. Dawn and warm water - don't 'scour' every five minutes or you will wear the things out.

[zonker]

try a p10, if you haven't already.

click on my sig to see a picture of it at cpap.com.

[kingwillard]

Couple of things - you don't have to follow the schedule of DMEs who of course benefit from your buying new stuff every 5 minutes, just be sure you have at least one backup of everything and then don't exchange what doesn't need exchanging... some of us have hoses from decades ago, some keep masks for almost as long, etc. etc. etc. But do change filters at reasonable times.

Don't wear your mask too tight - it can be counterproductive and even create microleaks when the silicone needs to expand to work, plus as you've discovered, it needlessly wears out the mask, never mind that all those throw-outs of still-good stuff is exploding landfills and feeding plastic to fish!

Clean masks with e.g. Dawn and warm water - don't 'scour' every five minutes or you will wear the things out.

You're right and I've decided to get 2 masks. I don't think I had my mask on too tight, at least it didn't seem overly tight. I do use Dawn and warm water. Thanks for your input.

[kingwillard]

try a p10, if you haven't already.

click on my sig to see a picture of it at cpap.com.

Thanks, I'll look into that. Looks interesting.

[zonker]

try a p10, if you haven't already.

click on my sig to see a picture of it at cpap.com.

Thanks, I'll look into that. Looks interesting.

hat-tip.gif

[chunkyfrog]

Manufacturers recommend daily cleaning, in addition to frequent replacements.
There is positively a connection.
Excessive cleaning/assembly-disassembly results is wear, failure, and breakage.
A quick wipe with an unscented baby wipe is sufficient--not even needed daily.

[zonker]

Manufacturers recommend daily cleaning, in addition to frequent replacements.
There is positively a connection.
Excessive cleaning/assembly-disassembly results is wear, failure, and breakage.
A quick wipe with an unscented baby wipe is sufficient--not even needed daily.

and, to add on to your point, this is why i love the P10 so much.

VERY little of it touching you. just the tiny bit that is up against your nostrils.

so cleaning it with a baby wipe takes, what? a minute?

[chunkyfrog]

Or less, and I use the remaining part of the wipe on my face, to remove errant pond stuff.