Am I Getting Wrong Tubing From DME?

[Riv]

just got my new order from my DME. Of course!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! it's the wrong order! I have come to expect no better from this DME. It's a given that they always will mess the order up and I'll be on the phone with them tomorrow as usual.

I asked for a small Ultra Mirage. The woman wrote the correct thing down on my bill, some idiot in the shipping department crossed out small and sent me medium because I used to use medium, I had mentioned to the lady who took my order to inform the shipping department but she never followed up so I'll be returning the mask.

I asked for filters. They charged me for the filters. But they sent no filters.

But the following is the big problem and I'm hoping to get information regarding tubing.............I use a tube for my mask (I was using Mirage Quattro and just ordered an Ultra) which has two ridges on one end and three ridges on the other end. This tube has worked fine for me. Last March the DME sent me a tube which had two ridges on both ends and each connector was the same size. This new tube (last March) with some force applied fit my mask and BPAP but the tube connector blew itself off my mask whenever my pressure got too high. I figured that the DME sent me the wrong tube so I put the new tube away and kept using the old tube.

I mentioned this problem to the woman when I called in my new order for June.

Of course the DME sent the same kind of defective tube to me again.

How do I explain what sort of tube I need and I need to explain what sort of tubing I need in a way in which the DME will understand and will (HOPEFULLY!) send me the correct tube. The correct tube will have two ridges on one end, three on the other end and one connector will be slightly larger than the other connector. Is there a name for the tube I need to use and a different name for the tube they've been sending me the last couple of times? A serial number?

[Jason S.]

Exactly why I stop at the DME to inspect what they give me before I accept it. I understand some people may not live close enough for that to be practical.

[RipVW]

How do I explain what sort of tube I need and I need to explain what sort of tubing I need in a way in which the DME will understand and will (HOPEFULLY!) send me the correct tube. The correct tube will have two ridges on one end, three on the other end and one connector will be slightly larger than the other connector. Is there a name for the tube I need to use and a different name for the tube they've been sending me the last couple of times? A serial number?

What mask are you using that requires that special "tube" or hose? The mask listed on your profile just hooks up to a standard CPAP hose.

[LinkC]

I'm with Rip. I've never seen a CPAP hose with different ends or ridges. And I haven't seen a mask that needed such a hose.

You didn't by chance leave half of a quick-disconnect fitting attached to the hose, did you? Many of them have ridges.

[LinkC]

Well, it looks to me like that's a shadow making the fitting on the left look longer. The shadow is longer because that fitting is further from the background than the one on the right. Notice the same thing on the ribbed hose at the lower bend. It looks "wider" there. (The shadows look "brownish" on my monitor, in contrast with the gray hose.)

I have 2 or 3 of those exact hoses in the picture and the fittings look to be the same length on both ends. In fact, when one end gets stretched out, I switch ends to get more life out of the hose.

[ozij]

How do I explain what sort of tube I need and I need to explain what sort of tubing I need in a way in which the DME will understand and will (HOPEFULLY!) send me the correct tube.

• You take a picture of each side of your own tubing, circle the additional ridge, and send the pictures to the DME by email.
• You look for your kind tubing online, in industry sources, like Resmed, Respironics, cpap.com and the like and use that picture. When you find it, you look for accessory's serial number.

What I see in that Amazon link is an artifact of photography. I think you need a better picture to make your point.


O.

[LinkC]

Doh! Riv's post is gone. Hope I didn't do anything to delete it...

[ozij]

Double Doh!
It disappeared as you and I were composing replies, Link.
O.

[LinkC]

Even stranger...

Now when I go to the Amazon site, it's a different picture. Doesn't even show both ends!

http://www.amazon.com/Respironics-Tubin ... 469&sr=8-1

I need to "doh" lie down...

[ozij]

What I saw on Riv's original link - and I downloaded the pic, will find a way to link to it elsewhere if it disappears again.




Did you see this pic the second time around, Linkc? That's from the Respironics site, their white performance tubing.



Edit: (Thank your, Rested Gal for supporting our sanity by hosting those pictures on your site!)

[Hawthorne]

That Respironics White Performance tubing is the best!!! It is so much lighter it's like no hose at all!

I bought a couple more than a year ago that I alternate for cleaning and they are both still going strong.

It fits the same as the regular grey tubing- no problem!

[LinkC]

Yeah, that's the pic with the brown shadows, all right. Ends look the same to me.

I'm also aware of the performance tubing, but haven't seen a pic that I recall. I'd bet the ends are identical, tho.

My guess is Riv withdrew the question after a closer look at the pics.

I'll do my best Emily Latella impression and close with "That's very different. Never mind!"

[Hawthorne]

Yes, the ends of the Performance tubing are identical.

[Riv]

Yes, I did delete the post after I looked closer at the picture.

Didn't think that anybody had seen my post but thanks to all that replied.

Yeah, that's the pic with the brown shadows, all right. Ends look the same to me.

I'm also aware of the performance tubing, but haven't seen a pic that I recall. I'd bet the ends are identical, tho.

My guess is Riv withdrew the question after a closer look at the pics.

I'll do my best Emily Latella impression and close with "That's very different. Never mind!"