Urgent ResMed filter question

[Pugsy]

Give me some time today and let me see if I have any name brand ResMed filters that aren't hypoallergenic laying around.
If I do I will compare with some aftermarket filters and get pics.

BTW you CAN use a hypoallergenic filter (ResMed name if you prefer or aftermarket) and it won't affect the machine's ability to do its job. I don't know where you read that it would hurt the performance of the machine but whoever said that was just plain wrong.

[Pugsy]

Below is what a ResMed brand standard filter should look like. It's a bit blurry only because my phone would not let me zoom in and keep image nice and crisp but I can keep trying. It has zero loose fibers.
A long way from the ratty one you have.

I don't have an aftermarket standard filter to compare it to. All I have is aftermarket hypoallergenic filters.
I am looking for name brand ResMed hypoallergenic filter to compare those others to but I can't seem to find one. I know I have ResMed hypo filters somewhere but can't find them at the moment.

[ozij]

[Grumpy48]

Are there any known counterfeits/knock-off fakes of CPAP filters? The one pictured on the left is Zaiforce's and the one on the right Pugsy's. I found 'Resmed' filters on eBay that were similar to Zaiforce's packaging (no price noted on the eBay package). Not sure I'd trust eBay for the genuine article. No Resmed brand filters on Amazon, but a Resmed water tank that had package printing like Pugsy's filter package.
Or is Resmed's package simply inconsistent?

[Pugsy]

Or is Resmed's package simply inconsistent?

I think more likely just different packaging for different parts of the world. I seriously doubt someone has gone to all the time, trouble and expense to pass off total fakes for something like a little filter.
The difference in color is an optical illusion for my packaging. The picture looks yellowish brown sort of but actually it is white. Plus I have had that OEM ResMed filter package for at least 2 or 3 years. I haven't bought original ResMed filters in years. I didn't even know I had that package. It had never been opened until today though. It's

The OP's packaging has that little price sticker on it but that was added most likely at the store his chemist or supplier has.

Looks like the OP's filter doesn't have the usual finished edges and the lack of finishing edge allows for the unraveling of the filter.

I think I would be checking lot numbers that OP's supplier is dispensing. See if the other lot numbers are also raggy looking.

[Janknitz]

Curious why you even dry the humidifier tub, when you are just going to fill it with water again???

[Zaiforce]

@ ozij - Thank you for the picture of the hypoallergenic filter, it definitely looks a lot tighter woven and better designed than the standard ones! I haven't received a response from ResMed yet regarding whether it is safe to use the hypoallergenic filter with the high pressure settings my mother's machine has, but I did receive a response from the contact I have at my local regional hospital who organises / looks after the machines and he believes the pressures are likely too high to be using the denser hypoallergenic filters with her machine, which is not the news I wanted to hear but he does know his stuff, certainly a lot more than me, I will see what ResMed say I guess.

@ Grumpy48 & Pugsy - Definitely interesting that the packaging is different, hopefully it's just like Pugsy said and just different because one is the USA and one is Australian, I'd like to hope the chemist isn't selling knock-off products but I guess you never know, anything is possible! I will order a packet from ResMed over the phone today and when they turn up I will compare the packaging and the filters to the ones we are currently using and let you know.

@ Janknitz - For now I have stopped drying the tub to see if it makes a difference in regards to all the little tiny fibres we are finding each morning. The reason I was drying it is we were starting to find that pink bacteria substance forming in the tub (I believe it is called Serratia marcescens), after doing some research on it I found that it forms in areas that are constantly wet.

Keep in mind that we wash the tub weekly and even when I don't dry the tub I still tip the left over water out each morning and then tip a little fresh distilled water in and swirl it around and tip that out also to get rid of most of the previous night's water, and even with doing that we still got the pink bacteria stuff starting to form, so I switched to drying the tub out daily to prevent it which worked. Does anybody else dry their tubs out daily or is it not common practice?

I will say, we did used to clean the tub with lathered soapy water but have since switched to a 1/5 white vinegar/water solution, so perhaps that would stop the bacteria without the need for drying it daily anyway, so I have returned to not drying it.


Just another question while I'm at it, I do believe that a lot of the smaller fibres we are finding in the tub are probably just regular household dust, we washed out the tubing and collected the water yesterday as was suggested in this thread and we didn't find any super long fibres in the water from the tubing but we did find a lot of smaller ones that look like dust fibres.

How dangerous is it to be getting dust in the tub and down the tubing, does anybody else get dust in the water of their humidifier tub? Do you know how dangerous it would be? We breathe in dust just in normal life anyway I guess so I am assuming not that big of an issue? The main thing I have been concerned about is the larger fibres from the filter.

Thanks all

[Really]

Are these decent Resmed filters?
https://www.amazon.com/Resway-Disposabl ... 173&sr=8-5

[ozij]

I haven't received a response from ResMed yet regarding whether it is safe to use the hypoallergenic filter with the high pressure settings my mother's machine has, but I did receive a response from the contact I have at my local regional hospital who organises / looks after the machines and he believes the pressures are likely too high to be using the denser hypoallergenic filters with her machine

Isn't this the same person / place that didn't even of the Philips Respironics recall and gave you one long after they were recalled? If it is, I would totally ignore them.

[Zaiforce]

Just an update for anybody interested.

I received an email back from ResMed, it just said that if I have concerns about the machine I can take it to one of their licensed dealers to have to checked, which I won't worry about doing as the machine is working fine, it was just the filters I was concerned about.

In regards to my question about using a hypoallergenic filter with her high pressure settings, they said that both the standard & hypoallergenic filters were designed to be used with her machine but they cannot offer medical advice and to consult with her prescribing physician.

I totally understand that they can't offer medical advice but I don't think what I was asking was medical advice... I simply told them the pressure settings she is using and asked if using the hypoallergenic filter would inhibit the machine's performance and negatively affect her therapy since it is a much denser filter and her pressure settings are quite high...

You would think since they manufacture both the machine and the filter that they would be the best ones to ask?

Anyway, I am just going to keep using the standard ResMed filters, I have ordered some new ones directly from ResMed, when they arrive I will switch to them instead of the filter purchased from the local chemist, at least that will eliminate any possibility of the chemist ones being poor quality (even though they are also official ResMed filters).

Surely that should fix any potential issue, after-all it should happen to everybody and not just us if we are using all products purchased directly from ResMed.

Thanks all

[ozij]

Please keep us updated when the filters arrive.

I totally understand that they can't offer medical advice but I don't think what I was asking was medical advice...

Don't take it personally I'm sure that's part of the reply template in their system, and people get that no matter what they ask.

[Zaiforce]

Don't take it personally I'm sure that's part of the reply template in their system, and people get that no matter what they ask.

Yeah I am guessing that's the case.

It caught me a little by surprise, I thought they'd be able to answer it with no troubles.

I am assuming the customer service employee that replied to me either misread my question or didn't know the answer and just hit me with the generic response instead of forwarding it to somebody in the company who may be able to answer it.

You'd think the answer would be pretty straight forward, either "Yes the hypoallergenic filters can be used with any machine settings" if there was no issue with it, or "we only recommend the hypoallergenic filters be used on machines with settings under _______" etc. if there was an issue.

Anyway, I didn't bother replying as it would likely just end up going around in a circle of generic responses that wastes both our time lol.

[robbob2112]

The filter pugsly posted is exactly the same as the ones I have - no stray fibers.

For my morning routine - once I turn the machine off I dump any excess water into the plant next to the bed then put the tub back in until the hose dry cycle completes in 30 minutes. Once that is done I just set the tub upside-down and let it airdry

The reason to let it completly dry is that most waterborne bacteria can't survive without the water - so air dry daily does that. High chance of some bacteria in the water that came in the air being pumped. Low chance that the bacteria is any more harmful than what you would get breathing.