Intended for short term use only

[rosacer]

Hi

I found a deal on internet for a Forma Full face mask, ; it was not an awesome deal but still. I received it today and what was my surprise it comes on a plastic bag with the following written :

Not for Resale

Intended for short term use only

What does it means? I bought a demo kind of flimsy model which will last for a short time only or is it intended to be used on the plastic heads at the DME's for demo purpose?

Has somebody already had this kind of masks ? Could you tell me if somebody got me with this mask or if it is a real mask same quality as the others we buy on a box from trusted sellers.

Thanks

Rosie

[xenablue]

Did you have a close look at this same mask as shown on our host's website to make sure it's the same?

I don't have the mask you are talking about, but some research should tell you if you bought the same mask.

cheers,
xena

[nanwilson]

Rosie
I'll bet its the same.....but it was probably given to a DME for display or trial purposes and the rotten DME decided to make a buck or two by selling it

[portiemom]

My DME gets them from the Company Reps. and gives them to me to demo. and then report back my findings. I love it, and I get a freebee!

[BostonGal]

I got a couple with my titration study. We tried a couple of masks and they said I can take them because i used them They all say for short term use but they look fine. I assumed it was because they want you to buy a new one. I wished I knew at the time that they would give me a bunch of masks if they touched my face. I would have said none of them fit!

[chunkyfrog]

My first DME brought out a mask that said, "not for home use"
I weaseled out of getting it--said it didn't fit.
I got the same mask from cpap.com, and it didn't have any disclaimer stamped on the frame.

[rosacer]

Thank you guys, I appreciate your comments. I can't compare because this is the first time I have a Forma Full to try but it looks like a normal mask.

The head gear is kind of spongy a bit (it's different than the Resmed masks which is more elastic/strong on my view), the pillows seems to be like the ones I saw 2 minutes at the DME's show. It make sense that those mask are the same because other way it would cost too much to produce a high and a low quality mask and on top of that the people trying the low quality could not have the real feeling of the mask the company want's to sell. Right?

If I have known that mask is what it is, I haven't buy it. The DME which is selling the masks intended for the customers is not right, he/she is stolen the opportunity to exchange mask to his/her customers, bad!

I bought it from a person who sell all kind of things other that CPAP items. For sure a DME is selling the masks supposed to be for the customers to somebody who sell it on his name.

[tonycog]

Have you considered reporting the seller to Amazon?

[rosacer]

I went to examine the seller's merchandise; 99% of his/her items are not OSA related. You find teeth cleaning items, deodorizers, back packs, Crystal several flavors, hemorrhoidal ointment , etc etc etc etc etc . I think this person is only somebody trying to earn his life selling whatever him/her find to buy.

The real guilty is the DME who sold his customer's stock and I don't know who is that company.

It is a delicate situation because in the other hand people unable to buy a mask because they don't have a prescription are able to get one buying from these sellers. I don't have the heart to denounce the seller. At least the person is trying to make his living with that business which should be very demanding (I get the mask super fast), although not withe like snow but... Let He Who Is Without Sin Cast The First Stone.

[Janknitz]

Congratulations. You got a sample mask the seller (probably a DME employee) got for free and sold it to you for pure profit. The good news it's a normal, regular mask packaged for DMEs to use to fit patients and allow the patients to try before buying. There is no difference between the sample masks and regular masks except that the samples may not be packaged with "extras" like a carry bag or padding (for Swift FX's for example).

The bad news is the patients using that DME are denied the chance to try on masks or take home a mask to try before buying. Recall how some DME's have restrictive return policies and refuse to let people try on masks? I think the reaosn for this is that many DME's are selling their sample masks on the side, and thus have nothing to support a newbie who really needs a chance to try out masks before committing to one purchased by insurance. I suspect that's why CPAPauction.com was shut down, the sellers seemed to be selling sample masks (the reason some sellers had literally hundreds of sales of unopened masks) and the manufacturers finally put their foots down.

It is nice for people without insurance, but not really fair to the manufacturers or the DME customers (I bought masks on cpapauction, too).

[jmcanzo]

My back-up machine came out of the sleep center from the hospital I work at. It was "thrown out" and the guy in the Biomed dept knew I used a cpap and grabbed it for me. He fully tested the pressure and it was right on. It was labeled with a sticker "DEMO USE ONLY" "NOT FOR USE" It only had about 4 hrs on it. I think the manufacture puts that on it so that if someone does use it, and something is wrong with it, maybe because people were playing with it, etc they are not responsible. It is a basic brick with heated humidifier, but at least I have some sort of backup and the price was right!

[archangle]

Be careful with "off label" masks. Some of them are dangerous when used with a CPAP machine.

There are some masks that are intended for use with a separate exhaust vent, and they don't have holes to let the CO2 and stale air out. There's a danger of hypoxia or asphyxiation if you use these with a regular CPAP machine.

I get the impression these are usually labeled "Hospital Use Only," but I can't guarantee that.

I've seen people reselling these unvented masks online. I've also heard of people bringing them home from hospital visits where they were connected to different kinds of breathing machines.

The masks being discussed here probably have exhale vents, but realize that there are things that look like CPAP masks that aren't safe.

[chunkyfrog]

Outside of the disclaimer, my regular mask (CGFF) is exactly the same as the lab-marked one the DME was trying to sell.
My hubby's Swift FX was a 'lab mask'; and it came with all FOUR sizes of cushions. Still got the XS--never used.
I'm guessing your Forma is identical to the retail ones, but somebody got a 'deal' for it.

[rosacer]

That's a good point Archangel, you are right there is important to check if the masks are vented. The problem is the new people could have no idea a mask needs holes, I thought my first mask had a problem because it didn't stop venting I asked the technician and she told me ALL the masks needed to do that, I imagine she was speaking abour our masks not the special use masks.

My mask has two holes in the tube and a lot of small holes in the front, I was wondering if that mask was a fake for DME's, I put it on last night with all the scesticism I'm able to generate because on top of that I couldn't feel the pressure, it's amazing how you feel with that mask it's completely the opposite of a nasal pillows that you feel your head is blowing like a balloon or even the Ultra Mirage you still feel the pressure when the machine starts, not with this one but the mask works well.

Chunky you are right, me too I think this mask is like the normal retail masks. What we need to learn (for those who have insurances) is that the DME that says he doesn't have demo masks hes is probably lying, change DME ASAP.

[MidnightOwl]

Chunky you are right, me too I think this mask is like the normal retail masks. What we need to learn (for those who have insurances) is that the DME that says he doesn't have demo masks hes is probably lying, change DME ASAP.

I think it's more likely it was meant to go to a sleep lab. I think they get their masks free or at a huge discount. Which doesn't mean it ever saw the inside of a lab - it could have been diverted from the distributor.

I wouldn't worry too much about the mask being what it's supposed to be. And it's up to you whether you want to get upset about the legalities of how it got to the seller. My first mask from a brick and mortar DME was coded as a "sleep lab" version. It bothered me when I figured that out but it worked just fine and lasted well over a year.