How Long Are Mask Cushions Expected To Last?

[EJW372]

Mask is a ResMed F30 full face and has been working pretty well but in the past week or so I’ve been suddenly getting spiking AHI numbers, going from 1-3 to above 7 and lots of rainout in the mask. Waking up with it full of condensation and feeling like it’s not working like before.

I realize I am almost at about two full months using the current mask cushion, this is a new mask that I had switched to from a DreamWear. I popped in a new cushion and was like “ahhh…that feels nice and tight and like it should!”

The going on 2 month old cushion had stretched out and loosened up a bit and was probably leaking on me. I guess I’m going to have to change them out every 30 days?

What is the expected life of your typical silicone type full face mask? I was under the impression they were good for 2-3 months but I guess I was wrong.

[greatunclebill]

most insurance will give you a mask cushion a month. some people make them last much longer. it just depends how well you, your face and the cushion get along and how clean you keep them.

[SDBud]

Mask is a ResMed F30 full face and has been working pretty well but in the past week or so I’ve been suddenly getting spiking AHI numbers, going from 1-3 to above 7 and lots of rainout in the mask. Waking up with it full of condensation and feeling like it’s not working like before.

Haven't used an F30 yet, but the F20 AirFit lasts maybe 3 months, or longer, when handled carefully. When it goes bad, it's usually a tear at the bottom.
The F20 AirTouch usually lasts only 3 weeks at best, even with careful handling, before the foam separates at the bottom.
Even then, I can often still get 2, 3, or even 4 more days from them.

[LSAT]

Everyone is different, but I have used 4 FF masks over the past 12 years. Quattro, F20, Simplus and Vitera. All my mask cushions have lasted well over 3 months. My Simplus cushions go 6 months. I think washing regularly deteriorates the silicone. I use baby wipes every night and wash the cushions at about 2-3 weeks. When I used the Quattro, I boiled the cushions at 2-3 months. The age of the cushions have nothing to do with the condensation.

[palerider]

Mask is a ResMed F30 full face and has been working pretty well but in the past week or so I’ve been suddenly getting spiking AHI numbers, going from 1-3 to above 7 and lots of rainout in the mask. Waking up with it full of condensation and feeling like it’s not working like before.

I realize I am almost at about two full months using the current mask cushion, this is a new mask that I had switched to from a DreamWear. I popped in a new cushion and was like “ahhh…that feels nice and tight and like it should!”

The going on 2 month old cushion had stretched out and loosened up a bit and was probably leaking on me. I guess I’m going to have to change them out every 30 days?

What is the expected life of your typical silicone type full face mask? I was under the impression they were good for 2-3 months but I guess I was wrong.

When I started out, I read about how the resmed cushions on my mask were so delicate, they tore, they failed after a few weeks, etc, so I immediately bought spare cushion. I'd wash it gently every week with unscented dawn, and wipe it down every night with a dab of unscented hand sanitizer to remove facial oils. I'd discovered mask liners which were a game changer in terms of comfort and eliminating noisy leaks.

Five years later, the spare cushion was still in it's package when the mask frame broke and I had to get another mask, which came with a new cushion. I used that, it made no difference.

The cushions will last for a very long time with gentle care.

Having it "filled with water" has nothing to do with the cushion. neither does lots of rainout. higher CA numbers could be caused by these other things that are happening disturbing you sleep.

look to figuring out why you've got so much rainout, perhaps your room humidity is higher now that it's warming up and your home heaters aren't working as hard, and you should reduce humidity on the machine. or maybe the converse, maybe it's colder in your room causing more rainout, these problems can be complex.

I really doubt it has anything to do with the mask cushion, they don't really 'stretch out of shape', compare it to a new cushion, you should have a spare on hand.

[Wulfman...]

Mask is a ResMed F30 full face and has been working pretty well but in the past week or so I’ve been suddenly getting spiking AHI numbers, going from 1-3 to above 7 and lots of rainout in the mask. Waking up with it full of condensation and feeling like it’s not working like before.

I realize I am almost at about two full months using the current mask cushion, this is a new mask that I had switched to from a DreamWear. I popped in a new cushion and was like “ahhh…that feels nice and tight and like it should!”

The going on 2 month old cushion had stretched out and loosened up a bit and was probably leaking on me. I guess I’m going to have to change them out every 30 days?

What is the expected life of your typical silicone type full face mask? I was under the impression they were good for 2-3 months but I guess I was wrong.

I keep fairly extensive records on my equipment.
I started therapy in May of 2005. I kept reading that users replaced their masks and cushions at monthly intervals or after a few months of use. I decided to actually test the longevity of my equipment for comparative purposes. Here is what I experienced.
My first ResMed Ultra Mirage Full Face (UMFF) mask cushion lasted until late April of 2011. I finally "retired" that mask in September of 2014 (it's still a usable spare). I have since broken out a few others to use, but I found out what I wanted to know with my first one.......they last a lot longer if you take care of them. I went through a couple sets of headgear with that first one and some of the plastic parts broke but I was able to either glue them (Krazy Glue) or replace the parts with other spares I had acquired over the years.
Over the years I purchased quite a few spare masks, cushions, headgear and replacement parts when I found them on sale. I know I'm going to be well stocked for the rest of my life........and then some.

It all depends on which masks you select and how you take care of them. I've tried a few other masks over the years and have a few others in my inventory, but to me, the UMFF is my "one and only".


Den

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[clownbell]

With all due respect to the prior posters, Medicare and Kaiser both say full face cushions should be replaced monthly. YMMV. Of course virtually anything you can think of (tools, tires, eyeglasses, you name it) will perform better if you take care of it.

[Pugsy]

With all due respect to the prior posters, Medicare and Kaiser both say full face cushions should be replaced monthly. YMMV. Of course virtually anything you can think of (tools, tires, eyeglasses, you name it) will perform better if you take care of it.

Don't confuse how often they will pay for a replacement as to them saying the cushions SHOULD be replaced monthly.
Nothing is further from the truth.
In fact Medicare wants you to say the cushion is worn out or torn or unusable before they want to pay for a replacement.

Just because they will pay for something at a certain schedule doesn't mean that they are saying you just have to replace it at that schedule. Big difference there.

Now DMEs....they know a cash cow when they see it so they will jump on the same schedule that insurance will pay for a replacement ...imagine that.

Cushion life depends on a lot of different YMMV stuff but most people can get multiple months out of a mask cushion.
Heck, I used to get probably 10 months out of a nasal pillow which insurance will pay for 2 replacements per month...and I normally retired them from looking ugly and not so much they wouldn't function well. Silicone gets a yucky yellow looking as time goes by...doesn't hurt it really but sure looks yucky.

[EJW372]

I do have a beard and wonder if that helps wear the cushions out faster? It’s not a real bushy or thick one, I prefer to keep it trimmed pretty short normally but it is more abrasive than a clean shaven face I would imagine.

[Pugsy]

Facial hair could be a factor in premature cushion degradation. Just about anything can be a factor...even whatever soap we might use to clean the mask along with frequency.

Some people gets months of use....some people are doing good to get one month.
I know one person who barely made it 2 weeks with her nasal pillows and she didn't do anything that I would have thought might shorten the life span. She hated me because I could get 10 months and she barely could get 2 weeks. We laughed about it often.

It is what it is. Doesn't really matter what someone else gets....only matters what you get. It's your sleep and not someone else's sleep that matters.

[palerider]

With all due respect to the prior posters, Medicare and Kaiser both say full face cushions should be replaced monthly.

NO THEY DO NOT!


What Medicare says is "we won't pay for these any more often than once a month' they have minimum replacement intervals for just about everything... drugs, wheelchairs, walkers, cpaps, mask parts, everything.

That keeps people from getting Medicare to pay for 50 of them and then selling them.

GREEDY DMEs seized on this and started telling people to throw away perfectly good stuff so THEY COULD MAKE MORE MONEY!

Water tanks don't magically "go bad" after 6 months use, but Medicare will pay for another one.

The hard plastic on masks will last (almost) forever, yet Medicare will pay for new ones, eventually.

You're simply wrong.

[chunkyfrog]

Obviously, someone is a former DME employee who wants his job back . . .

[Wulfman...]

With all due respect to the prior posters, Medicare and Kaiser both say full face cushions should be replaced monthly. YMMV. Of course virtually anything you can think of (tools, tires, eyeglasses, you name it) will perform better if you take care of it.

Takes me longer than that to get a new one broken in and get it to seal well.

Just sayin'.......

Den

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[RogerSC]

Had this problem with my DME until I figured out their racket. They would send me all the supplies that I was elgible for under my insurance, until my house started looking like a wharehouse. Then I told them that they would send supplies when, and only when, I asked for them. Left to their own profitable habits, they would have inundated our place with more and more supplies. 10 years later I still have a crapload of Swift FX and P10 supplies, while all I can use at this point is the Dreamwear nasal mask *smile*. Not sure what I'm going to do with all those ResMed supplies, probably donate them somewhere, but I used a Swift FX or P10 nasal pillow for at least 6 months. They sent me at least one a month, maybe 2 a month, I don't fully remember, but way too much. I have unused headgear that I'll never use, blah blah blah.

Donation is the right way for me to go, but get on top of this before your DME dumps on you on your insurance carrier's dime *smile*. My insurance carrier is Medicare, so it's the taxpayer's dime.

[Pugsy]

My insurance carrier is Medicare,

Auto shipments have been prohibited by Medicare for years and years. They broke the law sending you stuff you didn't request.

Anyone out there reading this and using Medicare insurance. Auto shipments are a big no-no. Specifically banned.

Auto shipments is where they send you a crap load of stuff you "can" get with the replacement allowance on the regular schedule without your specifically requesting it. Just because it is allowed per the replacement schedule doesn't mean it is needed and Medicare is all about "really needed" and saving money.