Back-Up Machine?

[alsarnac]

How long have you been using your machine/unit? When do you think is the right time to get a back-up in case it gives up or breaks down?

[papdaddy]

It's allways good to have a back up machine. I had my first machine about 5 1/2 years before I got my new one. Now I finally have a back up. If you have a DME they will give you a loaner if yours breaks down and needs to be repaired.

Rich

[Wulfman...]

Like anything, they can fail (or "fall down, go Boom").....usually at the worst possible times (Murphy's Laws). I bought my second machine at about a year and then bought a third one a few months later. And, I'll admit, I was nervous for that first year, too.
After reading some of the stories of the LONG-time users, I think some of those older machines were more reliable than the newer ones.....probably more simplistic and with fewer parts to break. (and they probably cost a small fortune, too)

Den

[oceanpearl]

I have had a backup for years and have never needed it. Dme has told me that they will give me a loaner if mine breaks down. Thinking about selling my Bipap Pro.

[Slinky]

Yeah, well, the local DME might be willing to provide a loaner, but in my case they loaned me (rented) a Respironics whilst my Resmed was in for replacement and they insisted they had no humidifier to loan (rent) to me so what the h*ll good was that loaner Respironics to me? It was pure h*ll trying to use it w/o a humidifier and I had to give up on it UNTIL a fellow CPAPper loaned me his Fisher & Paykel HC 100 stand alone heated humidifier and saved my "bacon".

After being stung like that I bought a "back up" xPAP. And I use it as my travel xPAP as well. I store my old, original mask (got a new mask, same type) in the case w/my back up xPAP. When traveling all I have to do is grab my xPAP carrying case and a bottle of distilled water and I'm good to go. When I get home I don't have to unpack and set up before going to bed. I can just drop into bed, don my home mask and turn my home xPAP on.

No way would I EVER want to HAVE to rely on my local CPAP DME provider!!! They aren't worth ...... diddley-squat (to be polite).

[dieselgal]

I purchased a Respironics Remstar Pro -2 w/cflex & humidifier from someone used for a great price and I have that stored away for my back up machine. I used it a couple of nights to make sure it worked well and then put it up. I prefer my ResMed S8 Elite for my everyday machine but I was really worried about a break down that might happen in the middle of the night. I can guarantee that my DME here would not LOAN me a machine even if I could get hold of them after 4!!!

One day I would love to get a ResMed S8 Vantage for my main machine and then I can have my Elite as the backup.

[billbolton]

When do you think is the right time to get a back-up in case it gives up or breaks down?

The right time is the day before it breaksdown!

Since the degree of prescence necessary to accurately know which day a single machine will break down is very rare, a prudent time is now!

Also make sure you have a backup mask and backup tubing.... failure of any one link in the chain is enough to give you a night without treatment.

Cheers,

Bill

[6PtStar]

I've seen my DME's loaner. I wouldn't loan it to anyone I disliked and if you are going to have a problem it will be when you are getting ready to go to sleep or in the middle of the night. Eather time my DME is closed and doesn't do emergencys for me.

[bdp522]

I got the Evo Everest for a backup, travel, power outage, machine. It has a humidifier, but no c-flex or data. I get by just fine with it when we travel, and during thunder storms. I'm sure it will get me through if my Auto breaks down.

Brenda

[snoregirl]

I got a second APAP for back up 8 months after my first (I also have a used pro for emergencies). I don't ever want to be without or pay rental for a "loaner"

[fredpb]

When I realized how much better I am with my machine, I got a backup. I keep it in the living room next to my recliner. I do use it sometimes while watching TV, as I can fall asleep watching TV.

Got a Respironics DS100 . All it has is Ramp.

I would have gotten a better one, but it was out of my own pocket, and I am saving for a HD widescreen tv

[msheda]

I would have gotten a better one, but it was out of my own pocket, and I am saving for a HD widescreen tv

hmmm... got the HD widescreen TV in front of my recliner and I'm saving for a back up

[Wulfman...]

I would have gotten a better one, but it was out of my own pocket, and I am saving for a HD widescreen tv

hmmm... got the HD widescreen TV in front of my recliner and I'm saving for a back up

There ain't nothing worth watching (most of the time) on my satellite system (even with 100's of channels), so I spent my money on the backup machines.

If I'm napping in my recliner, I'm not watching TV anyway......

Den

[Roadie]

Yes I have a backup machine.

If I were at home I would be willing to wait one night to get some sort of replacement, but not more than one night.

Unfortunately I am rarely at home, my backup machine travels with my work equipment, so my reasonable expectation is that it will take me no more than one day to get the machine, so I am within my one night window. My backup is a complete working system with everything but a humidifier, but I went for 5 years completely without one, and can easily do it again.

I also carry backup batteries enough for three nights of use, a machine in a power outage is useless unless you have batteries, or a generator.

Roadie

[Snoredog]

I have a 420e and a A-Flex, while the AFlex offers the most comfort, I still like the reports & therapy better from the 420e, that is until my aerophagia kicks in, then I go back to the AFlex for about a month.

So I swap back and forth every month or so. It means I need 2 different heated hoses, now if I was smart I would have bought a HC150 humidifier and used just one.