Starting New Heated CPAP Hose in Summer?

Pugsy wrote: ↑

Tue Aug 25, 2020 11:04 pm

Now if for some reason your pressures are ungodly high all night...AND you are having massive leaking...THEN THAT COULD EXPLAIN the water consumption issues you are having. But if that's the case then you aren't getting optimal therapy and the dumb ass DME shouldn't just be telling you that "oh...it's normal, you are lucky to get 4 hours without refilling". They should be telling you there is a leak problem and we need to fix the leak so you get better therapy.

There is something wrong somewhere if where you live (and you say it's a high humidity area) and the machine uses all the water during the night so bad you have to refill in 4 hours.

Water consumption....what affects it....
Ambient humidity
Leaks....takes a lot of big leaks
Pressures used...takes some really high pressures
Setting for humidity

I am not having to refill every 4 hours. Well, maybe I am, but I am sleeping until the humidifier metal starts burning and wakes me up. I may be getting 6 hours before refilling it. The DME's story had nothing to do with local conditions. It is part of his canned script that I suppose all DMEs are taught to use when dispensing an A10. I will post it as a separate topic when I get time.

I have to get to bed to go to a specialist tomorrow who may give me a clue about my hip injury that I should have gotten on Friday at the ER. I have spent a week without being able to put weight on my right leg without excruciating pain. Evidently, there is an artery that runs through the area of my pain. If the artery dies because of a condition my dr. suspects I have, then I may need a hip replacemen, which I definitely did not need a week ago before this injury appeared. It is supposed to be treated within 24 hours, so I either have a dead artery or some lesser injury. The hospital ER couldn't be bothered to even let me see a dr. after getting "frog leg" x-rays, which my dr. said I needed for them to see if anything was broken. The ER was quickly dismissing patients on Friday night without full workups. Even the ER staff was asking each other why they were closing, when the ER is open 24 hours.

So, the mystery of why the DME thinks 4 hours is a good life span for water in an A10 humidifier will have to wait for another time.

Good night.

Maryland CPAPer2

Very well.

Believe what you wish and do want you want.

I obviously am unable to explain things well enough for you to understand.

Your insurance pays the same for the hose you got that you have to use the adapter with or the one I linked to that you don't have to use the O2 adapter.

HCPCS billing code for heated hose is ....A4604
https://hcpcs.codes/a-codes/A4604/
Medicare pays for 1 every 3 months.

I am done. I can't seem to get through to you....so good luck. Maybe someone else can explain things better than I can.

I won't be bothering you anymore.

If Medicare pays the same for both hoses, then I suppose the DME is taking a $40 profit by giving me the cheaper hose? I understand your point, and the issues about humidification. I just don't have the energy to discuss them and what the DME said right now. It's after 2 am in Maryland. I still want your input, Pugsy. I'm sorry if I offended you.

Maryland CPAPer2

I have bigger health concerns right now than whether the DME gave me the $69 hose or the $29 hose, whether the humidifier life is being misrepresented by the DME, or even whether the oxygen is doing anything except backing up somewhere in the 50-foot line or cannula. If you read my previous post in this topic, I hope you understand why I am more concerned about getting to the specialist tomorrow than staying up all night discussing hoses. No offense intended to you or anyone.

Maryland CPAPer2

You didn't offend me...but I am frustrated because I cannot seem to get you to understand what I am trying to say.
I don't care what hose you use as long as you are happy with it but I don't like seeing people get flat out lied to.

So I bow out and hope someone else can.

And I don't do O2 stuff...at all. Other than point people to a hose that lets them make use of the heated hose features easier.....if they want to use a heated hose.

Pugsy wrote: ↑

Tue Aug 25, 2020 9:40 pm

I use a heated hose year round.
In the summer I turn the hose air temp down as low as it will go and in the winter I turn it up to whatever is comfortable and prevents condensation in the hose or mask.

Essentially if you turn the hose down to a temp as low as it will go which I think is around 60ish...you end up getting whatever your room air temp is.. There's no air conditioner in the machine so the machine won't ever be able to deliver air that is cooler than whatever the ambient room temp might be. When you turn the hose air temp way down it essentially becomes a non heated hose unless you keep your bedroom like a fridge.

Oh...you can use a hose cover if you want to. All it does is make the heated hose use less electricity to keep it at whatever hose air temp you select.

This is the type of information I was looking for. Thank you for your help, Pugsy.

Maryland CPAPer2