My Air /mask leaks

[palerider]

Sorry, what you said is more inline with what I meant. I was figuring once a month for the small ResMed filters, but I do use the ultra fine filters to help with my allergies. (and I have 4 cats... ... Never mind I digress)

Well, 4 cats certainly comes under that "or as needed" part of filter replacement

I keep thinking about the replacement schedules that used to circulate now and then. IE: New mask cushion each month for FF, one filter each month, one hose every 3 months etc... Didn't mean to say it like it was doctrine. I'll make sure to remember the "max replacement frequency" term for future if I talking about what insurance will replace and how often. I don't think of the replacement schedule to mean that - you have to throw away the other parts... because you can clean or wash them...

The problem that I rant against is that the greedy DMEs have seized on the max replacement frequency, and said "well, if we tell people to throw away perfectly good things as often as we can bill insurance, WE'LL MAKE MORE MONEY!!!!

Sure, they'll sell you two p10 mask pillows a month... happily... but I can get well over a year outta mine.

For me - because of my allergies - I tend to go with what ever is the quickest for replacement when it comes to filters... For everything else I'm like trying to pull off a never ending marathon - just waiting to see how long I can use my mask and hose before it breaks. I'm on year 2 for my hose and still using the same mask for over a year now, because I changed my mask type to a new style.

I just got a box full of those AB filters off ebay, https://www.ebay.com/itm/Nispira-in-lin ... 2749.l2649 maybe not the best price, but cheap enough... These are the first ones I've gotten that were in *sterile* packaging, not just in a baggie. I think they might have gone a bit overboard

Same for me with the masks, I've had three masks in 9 years. The frame finally broke on my Mirage Quattro and I had to buy another, then I switched to the P10... and have been on the same one since... I may be switching to #4 with the Bleep, though.

I've had 2 hoses, my current one is probably 4 or 5 years old, it's snaked around behind the headboard and only a little of it comes over and drapes down... it's a 10 footer.

[Gryphon]

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The problem that I rant against is that the greedy DMEs have seized on the max replacement frequency, and said "well, if we tell people to throw away perfectly good things as often as we can bill insurance, WE'LL MAKE MORE MONEY!!!!
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If only... I'll admit - this may annoy some of the people on the forum - but I tend to stock pile my supplies - I'm not throwing them away needlessly but I do like to have more then a few "Backups" I've been with out insurance before and it's nice to have a personal supply ferreted away for rainy days. Think of me like a squirrel with nuts for the winter.

My gripe sometimes is I keep getting the DME's who are so incompetent that they can't even manage to ship and bill my insurance on time. I'm all for them sending me as many supplies as I can possibly get but... they don't seam to have it in them to want to "MAKE MORE MONEY!!" LOL

I hear the stories about DME's sending too much stuff or auto shipments and yada yada yada... and people are like "LEAVE ME ALONE" I don't need more stuff I'm good.

Then you have me and I keep getting the DME's who take my money in the beginning of the year and then all I get is "Cricket, Cricket, Cricket... Remember me!? Hello?!!! Is any one home?" You call them and they hang up... Or you call them and you get an answering machine - that has "Ran out of room so no more messages can be left" WOW Talk about professionalism. If I didn't think it would go so badly I have half a mind to contact one of those pesky scammer DME's who wants to sell me a magic knee brace and get my insurance to pay for it, if only I figure they would have systems in place to bill and ship as fast as allowable by law... then I'm sure it would back fire and go badly. O well...

Gryphon

[babydinosnoreless]

My climateline hose isn't that old. I think it was replaced in October or November when the dog ate the old one. I noticed a few nights ago it was making a whistling sound. I jiggled it around and got it to stop but now I am worried. Lol. Also my leaks have been going up. I don't know why? My husband says he can hear it leaking and its not my mouth being open. I don't know exactly where its coming from its not leaking into my eyes and I can't feel a leak. Maybe where the short hose attaches to the mask ?

[Okie bipap]

I had a hose start leaking not too long ago. I was right next to the end of the hose where it hooks to the mask. I didn't want to dig out my spare and disturb my wife, so I put a piece of surgical tape around it for the night. It got me through the night. If you want to check the hose, you can fill it with water and see if it leaks. Just do it in the morning, then hang it up and let it dry during the day.

[palerider]

I've been with out insurance before and it's nice to have a personal supply ferreted away for rainy days. Think of me like a squirrel with nuts for the winter.

*tosses you an acorn*

I hear ya, My thing, personally, is that my 'backups' tend to outlast my usage... When I started with the P10, i bought several spare cushions cuz people talked about how delicate they are.

I've still got several spare cushions, three years later. I've gone through *one* and I'm not sure I needed to replace that one.

[babydinosnoreless]

I had a hose start leaking not too long ago. I was right next to the end of the hose where it hooks to the mask. I didn't want to dig out my spare and disturb my wife, so I put a piece of surgical tape around it for the night. It got me through the night. If you want to check the hose, you can fill it with water and see if it leaks. Just do it in the morning, then hang it up and let it dry during the day.

Will have to give that a try. Thanks.

[Gryphon]

I've been with out insurance before and it's nice to have a personal supply ferreted away for rainy days. Think of me like a squirrel with nuts for the winter.

*tosses you an acorn*

I hear ya, My thing, personally, is that my 'backups' tend to outlast my usage... When I started with the P10, i bought several spare cushions cuz people talked about how delicate they are.

I've still got several spare cushions, three years later. I've gone through *one* and I'm not sure I needed to replace that one.

My issue was at first I thought I found my one true mask... the Quattro FFM Years later I try the f10 and after a bit of a learning curve I get used to it and find I like it better, it's quieter and the air venting is non directional so it doesn't blast my wife in the face. But I have a bunch of frames and replacement cushions, head gear from the quattro. I've now had the F10 for like 3 or more years and I'm thinking... If I can get my DME to behave - I'd like to try out the F30, I already tried the F20 with the memory foam and tracked my numbers with Sleepyhead and even my sleep doc agreed with me that my leak rates were just unacceptable with the F20. My wife loved it because with the memory foam the face farts/squeaking stopped, but when she understood the mask was leaking too much that it was effecting my treatment she wanted me to change back to the F10. "That's love" Right?

When I tried out the F20 I was smart about it as I already had a pile of quattro parts and I didn't want the same thing to happen if I didn't like the F20 so I was able to send it back to my DME and stayed with the F10.

So if I move onto the F30 I'll have the same problem that I had with the quattro, I'll have two large batches of masks and cushions I'll most likely not use. (However I have a bad feeling that the F30 isn't going to work for me if it presses on the same spot under my nose that the AmeraView did, so I'll probably stay with the F10 for the foreseeable future.

I also inherited a bunch of F20 supplies as my Dad just passed away and that was his go to mask. I have too much CPAP Stuff at the moment. I'm going to start looking to see who might be able to use some of these supplies, at least the ones that I've migrated from and don't like as much.

[palerider]

I have too much CPAP Stuff at the moment. I'm going to start looking to see who might be able to use some of these supplies, at least the ones that I've migrated from and don't like as much.

Yup, do that before nobody else uses what you've got

[AMC4x4]

. What the heck how can this stuff vary so widely from dme to dme?

Because the whole replacement "schedule" shit is just made up bullshit to make them more money.

I used to like it when they called me, because it reminded me to order.

Then my FSA ran out in September and I was going to stretch things a while, but they just called and called and called... "We're calling to check on our patient."

Noooo you're not. You're upset I'm not spending money.

Beginning of the year I just ordered a mask and supplies outside the company because they didn't have the mask I wanted to try.

They're still hounding me.

The man shall be paid.

[Okie bipap]

They're still hounding me.

The next time they call, tell them to take your name and number off of their call list. I did that with one company I used to get supplies from and they quit calling.

[chunkyfrog]

When going for pillow/cushion longevity, I noticed my leak rate spiking at 3 weeks.
Design or chemistry--doesn't matter if therapy is less than effective.
Since I am stuck with my high premium supplement, might as well try to get my moneys worth.

[babydinosnoreless]

When going for pillow/cushion longevity, I noticed my leak rate spiking at 3 weeks.
Design or chemistry--doesn't matter if therapy is less than effective.
Since I am stuck with my high premium supplement, might as well try to get my moneys worth.

I'm using the N20 pugsy sent me in December, out of her box. I don't know how old it is it seemed really new but the leaks last night were bad. I put the back up cushion I bought from amazon on this morning. I hope it fixes the problem. I am boiling the old cushion to see if I can revive it. I can't find a leak in any of the hoses.

[Pugsy]

You know how I handled the "how are you doing ....do you need to order some cpap stuff" phone calls?
They don't come from my actual DME...they are robo calls mostly from lord knows where but it's not from my DME office which I have in my contact list. The robo calls number got blocked...now I get snail mail letters saying "we have tried to call you but your phone number must be bad...can you give us your correct phone number"....like hell I will.

[Muse-Inc]

...I am boiling the old cushion to see if I can revive it...

Remember, distilled water and teaspoon of baking soda. I drag out and check that they are perfectly clear and keep boiling if not.

[babydinosnoreless]

...I am boiling the old cushion to see if I can revive it...

Remember, distilled water and teaspoon of baking soda. I drag out and check that they are perfectly clear and keep boiling if not.

Thank you!