Temporary Repair?

[funky-rat]

My husband lost his job last July, and with it went our good insurance. We had to go on mine at work, and it sucks. $10,000 deductible - they don't even start kicking things in until we hit $3000 - everything is out of pocket. With him not working, I just don't have the money to pay these bills. I'm working on getting my finances in order for the long haul, but until then, this really sucks.

So I missed my yearly visit with the sleep med doc last fall - I couldn't pay for it. His visit was before he lost his job, so he had one last year. Last night, I'm trying to sleep and I can feel and hear lots of air. He gets up, takes his mask liner off, tries all kinds of stuff. Puts mask on, it doesn't sound bad. Lays down, and it's wind tunnel.

Finally at 2am, he and I have both had enough. I reach over and start playing with the mask. I find a crack. Right where the cushion pieces come together on the bottom, and that would explain why it becomes much worse when he lays down. I tell him to try to go back to sleep, and I will try, and we'll look at it in the daylight.

I called our DME. They're going to send him just the cushion - they don't have any on hand (Simplus, size Medium). They'll try to bill the insurance - I tell them I appreciate that because it will go toward the monster deductible, but nothing will be paid, and they'll then talk about it when the denial comes back. They said it's probably going to take a week to get the cushion.

So does anyone have any suggestions as to how to repair the crack temporarily? Duct tape? First Aid tape? He has older masks, but they're nose only (not pillows), and those no longer work well for him since he lost weight. I have an old Forma somewhere, but I believe it's a small, and likely won't fit him. Like I need to deal with this on top of everything else going on in my life right now.

[Pugsy]

Any tape that would stick and hold should work. I would be probably tempted to try the duct tape because everyone knows you can fix anything with duct tape ....and I always have some of it handy around my house. The other kinds of tape not so much.

Check EBay
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Fisher-Paykel- ... tMzHz_Ob0A
A little less than $30 and free shipping.
No it won't go towards the deductible but you aren't likely going to come close to meeting it anyway.

[funky-rat]

That's what I suspected. I'll give his mask a really good clean tonight to make sure there is zero oil on it, and go the duct tape route. Hopefully will hold us until the new cushion gets here in a week or so......

[funky-rat]

Duct tape worked! Nice and quiet last night. Even if I have to put new on each day (there were some spots where it wasn't sticking really well), I know it will at least get us through the night.

[D.H.]

You can order masks and mask parts from Ebay and other on-line vendors. You can comparison shop!

My old insurance (from the prior century) paid for three sleep studies in the same year but not for masks. I always got my masks from E-bay or other on-line vendors until my insurance started paying for them.

[Okie bipap]

Look on eBay. I just found several medium cushions as well as a complete mask at very reasonable prices.

[funky-rat]

Thanks everyone! I don't know why I didn't think you could buy them on eBay. Good to know.

I had checked Craigslist, and found someone had the full mask, but they wanted waaaay too much, and I didn't want to drive 2 hours for it.

[squid13]

If it's a crack in the plastic some super glue should work .

[Squirrel]

I agree eBay!! Bought my Airsense10, masks, headgear, hoses, filters, Control disenfectant solution, SoClean2, all for less than list. Machines take the longest to find since the Gummint says its illegal to sell them on eBay.

One of the folks on here sent me a link to a company that does sell gently used and new equipment.
PM me for the link.

[Renaya]

Ask if there is a Medical Recycler in your area. It's Good Health Will here, and I got a new humidifier chamber and 4 new nasal cushions for 5$ each.

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