Mask Collectors

[Sgt_Pepper]

I'm sure this subject has been beaten to death but as a fairly new member of the forum who did a quick search ...

How many mask collectors are out there? My insurance pays for a new one eevry 3 months. I can make the mask itself last a long time. Sooooo .. usually when I order I get somethign different. Drives teh DME people ABSOLUTELY NUTS. They seem ot think that I have a legal and moral obligation to simply let them ship me the same thing over and over again on a cyclical basis. That way they don't have to deal with annoying patients like me.

I don't get a new mask every time I qualify, but when the spirit moves I like trying something different. I order or swap for the stuff that wears out (pillows or whatever teh equivalent in a nasal mask is). Some headgear can be problematic in that the snaps and fasteners can be HIGHLY proprietary - I can't find them at the fabric store. Biggest disappointment - the Opus 360 - it simply hurt my nose - not a good fit for me. Biggest YIPPEEEE find - the Swift FX - the mask equivalent of a thong without the accompanying wedgie..

Last week I got a Resmed Mirage FX - I was hoping for a seriously slimmed down Activa. Nice mask, tiny for a nasal, doesn't glue itself to me like the Activa does .. but holds well .. AND .. it's the first nasal mask I can wear reading glasses with!!!!! The other big plus is I think the headgear will be around when they excavate this civilization 500 years from now.

Soo .. been on cpap 6 years + still have 9 different functional masks (I don't abuse the every three months policy - I usually go with twice a year) and only 1 repeat - I have two Activas. Does anyone else enjoy sampling the waters .. trying different masks when the insurance company says you can have a new one? Based on the way two DMEs have acted with me I'd say most people don't but who knows.

[Xney]

The DME I use is very good and has no problem with it. Whenever the insurance allows it, they'll ship me whatever I want. They've even ordered ones they didn't have or don't normally carry.

I would say in terms of DME, probably luckier than most!

[Sgt_Pepper]

The DME I use is very good and has no problem with it. Whenever the insurance allows it, they'll ship me whatever I want. They've even ordered ones they didn't have or don't normally carry.

I would say in terms of DME, probably luckier than most!

So do you often order something different or have you foudn a mask you like and pretty much stick with it? on the DME side I have had one recommended by a number of people I may go with next time around. The two I've worked with so far use an IVR (auto dialer telephone voice response unit) wehre my options are press 1 to have the same stuff sent out again or hang up and call them personally in the morning. Nice profile photo by the way. if The Rolling Stone ever devotes an issue to cpap .. they have their cover photo.

[Pugsy]

I would use my 6 month new mask allowance to try something new but my choices are limited since I won't use or try anything except a nasal pillow mask. Last month I was due for a new mask and wanted to try the Pilairo and let insurance pay for the most of it. So I went in and asked and of course their response was "Huh?" They are so behind the times when it comes to stocking new stuff...It was late June before they started stocking the Aloha. They would have special ordered the Pilairo for me if I asked them to but I just got another Swift FX Bella since that is my main go to mask and ordered from cpap.com since the Pilairo costs less than the Swift FX Bella. My DME stocks the Respironics nasal pillows but I hated the Optilife headgear and just wasn't interested in the Go Life thing. I have to be interested in it to want to try it. They did tell me that they would check out the Pilairo because their main sellers are nasal pillow masks...the 2 main ones being the Swift FX and the Aloha.

Back when the cpap.auction was active I used it to experiment with several nasal pillow masks as well as the nasal prongs. I wish I could have made the nasal prongs work. Talk about a nothing mask but unfortunately the sizing is not nearly as forgiving with the prongs. If they don't fit just perfect it either hurts or won't seal. I was an in between size. Nasal pillows are much more forgiving when someone is an in between size. As it is I can usually use a Small or XSmall pretty much equally well.

[Uncle_Bob]

My BCBS of Alabama policy changed this year with a new replacement schedule and they also explicitly stated that supplies should not be automatically sent. They should be dispensed at the patients request only.

[Xney]

So do you often order something different or have you foudn a mask you like and pretty much stick with it? on the DME side I have had one recommended by a number of people I may go with next time around. The two I've worked with so far use an IVR (auto dialer telephone voice response unit) wehre my options are press 1 to have the same stuff sent out again or hang up and call them personally in the morning. Nice profile photo by the way. if The Rolling Stone ever devotes an issue to cpap .. they have their cover photo.

At the start of xPAP (~2 years ago) I tried a LOT of different masks and mask types, maybe 15 overall, both through insurance and on my own dime. The DME had a very good 30 day return policy but I sometimes wanted to try things more quickly, and I could afford it. I researched around before choosing the DME thankfully and they had a good rep, but that does NOT appear to be the norm at all, sadly.

How do you know the rolling stone magazine hasn't *already* called me for my photo? Well, I think people are a bit too self-conscious about how the masks look, so I figured why not go all the way and put it in my avatar photo.

[LSAT]

I use a walk in DME. Whenever I need a mask, hose, silicone etc I call them to see if it in stock and then stop in to get it.
Previously I has another DME that continually called to see if I wanted them to ship supplies. I told them several times to stop calling...they didn't and now they are history. The new one will get me whatever I want. I DON'T collect masks. When I find one I like and works for me I stick to it.

[DoriC]

Speaking of masks, I had a frustrating encounter with my DME. I was intrigued with the Quattro FX and wanted to try it for Mike so since our Ultra Mirage was still holding up after 3 Mos, I ordered the FX as a replacement. It's really a beauty and so lightweight especially after using one with a forehead strap so long so I tried hard to make it work. The size Medium seems right but kept creeping up into Mike's eyes after an hr or two. I finally figured out that his Medium headgear straps were too short and didn't allow enough length to place the mask lower on his bridge. I went to the DME and showed her the problem, she agreed that was probably the problem but couldn't give me a Large headgear, they only sell complete sets, and even if she could sneak me a Large mask so I could switch out the headgear, lo and behold, the Large mask only comes with Medium headgear too! So I ordered L headgear from cpap.com and hope that might be the answer. Mike says it feels very comfortable otherwise so I'll experiment with naps first. I know I'm asking for miracles because Mike has a hard time even making minor adjustments on his usual UM mask so a new one is going to be very iffy but I guess I'm a glutton for punishment.

[xenablue]

My DME will give me whatever mask I ask for - they even order it in advance so it's there waiting for me when I'm due for a replacement. I cycle between a SleepWeaver, Swift LT and Swift FX, so when I go in for new filters, nasal pillows etc., they give me whatever I ask for - 2 FX, 2 LT or one of each.

I've never had to haggle or harrass this company for what I want or am entitled to, so add me to the list of "happy with my DME" patients - a fairly short list it seems

Cheers,
xena

[the_nap_ster]

Shameless mask collector here. Most aren't through my DME/insurance though. My local Apria branch (my insurance's "preferred" DME, bleh) would like a new Rx signed in my doctor's blood whenever I'd like to try ANYTHING new. I mean, quite literally: they would not let me try a nasal mask at first because my Rx did not specify "nasal mask" -- they would only dispense pillows (the Rx just said "mask).

Fine. So I had my doctor write the Rx for the S9 Autoset (and add "dispense as written"), got my machine through Apria, and now I get my masks and all other supplies online. Apria's loss, cpap.com's gain.

I have tried (and continue to try) just about every mask under the sun, because I am sort of a princess-and-the-pea sleeper. Little problems with comfort bother my sleep a lot. So I'm always on a mission looking for the best-for-me mask. I started this because I had a TERRIBLE time finding a usable mask in the beginning, but I eventually found some I really like. I keep trying new ones though, because you never know what's around the corner!

I also *like* experimenting with masks. The spirit of discovery is really fun for me, and it makes this whole PAP therapy thing more enjoyable. I always feel like I'm back in college running a science lab whenever I try something new! But seriously, I really enjoy trying to figure out why a mask works (or does not work) for me, so I can give honest feedback to others who are considering that mask. Especially since other people's feedback helped me SO MUCH in my initial mask hunt.

I keep most of the masks I've tried, passing them along to other forum members who might like/need them or to local friends who are just getting started. I try to be pretty open about being on PAP therapy, because it's so under-diagnosed in younger women especially. So I play "home DME masking fitting" a lot! I have put a few of my friends on my homespun "sleep lab" (my spare S9 Autoset set wide open and the mask of their choice). Seeing the resulting data has convinced two of them to go talk to their doctors about getting formal sleep studies. Yay!!! Having my PAP supplies take up some of my closet space is a small price to pay for convincing people that this whole thing isn't so scary after all.

[portiemom]

I too am a mask ho....I've tried most every mask out there except a full face, as I am not a mouth breather. I have finally found a mask that consistanly gives me the convience of sleeping on my tummy with my face somewhat buried my pillow. My DME is fantastic and will not only allow me to try or get the mask of my choice, and since they are bound to destroying all returned masks, she lets me pass on the ones I can't use! The Elan has been the biggest surprise in almost 8 years of cpap treatment. I love it and will not order anything else.... until of course the next Newbie mask comes out!

[Sgt_Pepper]

Shameless mask collector here. Most aren't through my DME/insurance though. My local Apria branch (my insurance's "preferred" DME, bleh) would like a new Rx signed in my doctor's blood whenever I'd like to try ANYTHING new. I mean, quite literally: they would not let me try a nasal mask at first because my Rx did not specify "nasal mask" -- they would only dispense pillows (the Rx just said "mask).

Fine. So I had my doctor write the Rx for the S9 Autoset (and add "dispense as written"), got my machine through Apria, and now I get my masks and all other supplies online. Apria's loss, cpap.com's gain.

I have tried (and continue to try) just about every mask under the sun, because I am sort of a princess-and-the-pea sleeper. Little problems with comfort bother my sleep a lot. So I'm always on a mission looking for the best-for-me mask. I started this because I had a TERRIBLE time finding a usable mask in the beginning, but I eventually found some I really like. I keep trying new ones though, because you never know what's around the corner!

I also *like* experimenting with masks. The spirit of discovery is really fun for me, and it makes this whole PAP therapy thing more enjoyable. I always feel like I'm back in college running a science lab whenever I try something new! But seriously, I really enjoy trying to figure out why a mask works (or does not work) for me, so I can give honest feedback to others who are considering that mask. Especially since other people's feedback helped me SO MUCH in my initial mask hunt.

I keep most of the masks I've tried, passing them along to other forum members who might like/need them or to local friends who are just getting started. I try to be pretty open about being on PAP therapy, because it's so under-diagnosed in younger women especially. So I play "home DME masking fitting" a lot! I have put a few of my friends on my homespun "sleep lab" (my spare S9 Autoset set wide open and the mask of their choice). Seeing the resulting data has convinced two of them to go talk to their doctors about getting formal sleep studies. Yay!!! Having my PAP supplies take up some of my closet space is a small price to pay for convincing people that this whole thing isn't so scary after all.

I like it .

I've played around with making a hybrid from parts from different masks. I live in the shadows of Walt Disney World in central Florida .. and one of these days, people will be cutting their Disney vacation a day short so they can visit CPAP World. It's still in the concept stage right now. All I have is a name for the business and a desire to get rich from it. The rest will come over time I'm sure. Could probably make a good Halloween Horror night.

[chunkyfrog]

At first, I stuck to the insurance schedule, but the DME is so frustrating to work with, and I wasn't having any luck finding a fit.
My co-pay is HUGE (BCBS--FYI), and I didn't figure Medicare would be any better later on; so I started using the return insurance at CPAP.com.
After returning several masks, I finally found one I will NOT return. Thanks, Johnny and Carolyn.
I will continue to get replacement cushions from them until Medicare covers them--but if the contracted provider won't carry Circadiance for me,
I will just keep on working with cpap.com, and pestering Circadiance for a full face cloth mask.