Respironics nightmare

pogertt wrote:Wulfman...........What is your phobia with "Guest" replys? Twice now you have acused people you have criticized as ?hiding" as guests.

The guests are hiding under your bed, and when you go to sleep, they are going to come out and say things you dont like to you.

Sleep tight and dont let the guest bugs bite.

Not a "phobia"......it's based on a LONG history of them ("guests") coming into the forum to offer snide remarks about people taking charge of their own therapy, adjusting their machines themselves, that we should be using brick & mortar DMEs instead of online suppliers, "doctors know best", etc., etc.
I'm just replying with my own logic (and a few snide remarks of my own) to their posts.

Den

We are here to help and spread the truth about Sleep Apnea, not the self serving lies.


Me thinks your signature should read:

"The never ending battle for truth, justice, and the American way." ...

Cause it seems to me I tugged on the wrong cape.

pogertt wrote:Wulfman...........What is your phobia with "Guest" replys? Twice now you have acused people you have criticized as ?hiding" as guests.

The guests are hiding under your bed, and when you go to sleep, they are going to come out and say things you dont like to you.

Sleep tight and dont let the guest bugs bite.

Ditto what Goofproof said.

Also, Guests are often cowards who know they only bring one point to the table. That point is often wrong, or at best unsubstantiated, and they know it won't hold up under open debate.

Regular members with a lot of posts are also often wrong. But they have a track record attached to their UserID which can be used to consider what they are saying. Some regular members I have a lot of faith in and others have a poor track record (IMO). In either case, it pays to "trust and verify".

The best policy: "Don't trust anything I post unless it is consistent with what you already know to be true, or unless you have taken the time to research the matter to prove its accuracy to your satisfaction."

The internet is a tremendous resource for inaccurate information. It (cpaptalk.com) has also been a tremendous resource for me to finally get my CPAP therapy working well.

pogertt wrote:We are here to help and spread the truth about Sleep Apnea, not the self serving lies.


Me thinks your signature should read:

"The never ending battle for truth, justice, and the American way." ...

Cause it seems to me I tugged on the wrong cape.

Yeah, sometimes it SEEMS like a never-ending battle.
(except, at times, I wonder (lately) about "the American way", anymore......seems to be too much GREED involved)

rooster wrote:Regular members with a lot of posts are also often wrong.

None of us are infallible......but neither are the doctors, DMEs and others. So, it pays to use some introspection when you take charge of your own therapy. But, there IS a great deal of satisfaction about it when it finally all falls into place and we feel the results.

Den

jnk wrote:Half of those wacky local brick-and-mortar DMEs that guest mentioned are carrying overpriced inferior products that they still haven't been able to figure out for years! So, actually, your best bet is your friendly, price-matching, authorized Web site, cpap.com, who will not only give you a machine at the best price but also provide you any humidifiers, masks, hoses, filters, and other related cpap accessories at rock-bottom prices, delivered right to your door!

But, let's not forget the other half. I happen to have gotten very lucky with the one my doc sent me to. Per her when I got my machine, I had 30 days to pick out my mask, and I have already been through 5 masks, getting # 6 tomorrow (and the 30 days was over 2 weeks ago)....She is bringing hubby's new Resmed Elite II tomorrow, and tells me that it records more data than my M series, and that if I decide I like the Resmed hubby's getting better, she'll swap it out for me. She does not want to give us the cheapest machine out there, she wants us to have the best machine for the therapy we need.

She knows I'm using the software to read my data, and is happy that I am staying educated on the process, making it a 'team' event. I'm telling her my numbers and leak rates, she's telling me that the doc will probably adjust my machine tomorrow based on the numbers.

They are not all the greedy ******** that many have experienced, believe it or not, there are some that actually give a darn about the patient.

Debjax wrote:

jnk wrote:Half of those wacky local brick-and-mortar DMEs that guest mentioned are carrying overpriced inferior products that they still haven't been able to figure out for years! So, actually, your best bet is your friendly, price-matching, authorized Web site, cpap.com, who will not only give you a machine at the best price but also provide you any humidifiers, masks, hoses, filters, and other related cpap accessories at rock-bottom prices, delivered right to your door!

But, let's not forget the other half. I happen to have gotten very lucky with the one my doc sent me to. Per her when I got my machine, I had 30 days to pick out my mask, and I have already been through 5 masks, getting # 6 tomorrow (and the 30 days was over 2 weeks ago)....She is bringing hubby's new Resmed Elite II tomorrow, and tells me that it records more data than my M series, and that if I decide I like the Resmed hubby's getting better, she'll swap it out for me. She does not want to give us the cheapest machine out there, she wants us to have the best machine for the therapy we need.

She knows I'm using the software to read my data, and is happy that I am staying educated on the process, making it a 'team' event. I'm telling her my numbers and leak rates, she's telling me that the doc will probably adjust my machine tomorrow based on the numbers.

They are not all the greedy ******** that many have experienced, believe it or not, there are some that actually give a darn about the patient.

All good points, Debjax. From what I've read, there are a good number of helpful, non-braindead DME people out there. Though, you said it yourself, you're 'very lucky.'

And I doubt you will read any posts from those good DME people posing as guests here. I don't mind the guest posts from real guests; it's the fake guests that get me riled. Den has seen their tracks along the trail often enough that he is good at sniffing them out.

Go, Den! (Is it OK if I think of you as wearing a cape too?)

Debjax wrote: .........

But, let's not forget the other half. ......

Well Deb, I have "forgotten" them. Even those that do give good services have high prices. For those who will say they don't care about prices because their insurance pays, I say that attitude is one reason for the high cost of health insurance and health care.

Guest wrote:half of those wacky websites you list are advertsising products that have been discontinued 2 years ago! Your best bet is your local authorized DME who can not only provide you with a hands-on demo, but also do any required servicing or immediate replacement.

Pardon me whilst I CHOKE! Yes, there are some good local DME suppliers out there - BUT - ALWAYS be on your guard and AWARE that there are a VERY LARGE NUMBER of them for whom their bottom line is MUCH MORE IMPORTANT than your welfare and xPAP therapy!!!! Way too many are "less than truthful" and NOT knowledgeable about the equipment they provide ESPECIALLY the newer xPAPs and masks. cpap.com is MUCH MORE LIKELY to have the latest up-to-date xPAPS and masks available than the locals who either have outdated or relatively recent equipment setting on their shelves or would have to SPECIALORDER the "latest and greatest" IF they would even be willing to do so.

Heed the voices of experience here. Always check w/your insurance company what local DME suppliers they are contracted with and VISIT each of them in the hopes you will find one that has a knowledgeable, truthful, helpful RT on staff you feel comfortable working with and a lenient mask policy. And always double-check what they tell you BEFORE committing yourself or signing anything!!

rooster wrote:

Debjax wrote: .........

But, let's not forget the other half. ......

Well Deb, I have "forgotten" them. Even those that do give good services have high prices. For those who will say they don't care about prices because their insurance pays, I say that attitude is one reason for the high cost of health insurance and health care.

For some of us, there isn't much choice....my insurance requires me to go through the DME, they won't reimburse for online purchases...so....again, I got lucky to get a good one out of the box. From what I've read here, there was no hassle getting a good machine, even though it cuts their profit margin...Also, to be honest, I don't see much difference between the prices I've found on-line and what my DME is billing my insurance for. (not to mention, my insurance has not been billed for the other trial masks I still have and can't seem to get them to take back, and did not get billed for the backup Quattro she brought me a couple of weeks ago)...so, I guess that for some they work for others they don't.

Here is a copy of the text of a private message I recieved today.

Pogertt,

I saw your post and am more sympathetic to your situation than most (obviously from the responses posted). If you are still in this predicament, I may be able to help.

Because of my job, I have extensive relationships within the Respironics organization. I would be happy to call in a favor for you & get a new (hopefully free) humidifier for you.

What I need:
- Model name & number off of your machine

PM me back with this info & I will see what I can do. Thanks.

Mike



Well Mike....................
The situation has been resolved to my satisfaction.
The merchant corrected his web page to exclude the machine that caused the issue.
He has allowed me a full refund of my purchase price, which I have applied to the purchase of the correct unit.
I offered to pay shipping on the correct unit, and the merchant offered and did pay that expense for me.
I have also conveyed that since making right by me, I will continue to do business with them, and they have agreed to continue to sell to me.

I do have a bone to pick with your approach however.
I thank you for being sympathetic with my situation, but your attempt to lure me into dealing with you under the guise of getting one up because you have "connections" and may be able to get me a unit free strikes me in the play the system and get one up on somebody modus operandi.

How about instead of calling in a few favours and getting me something for free, you instead contact these individuals and get them to send to all their vendors a blurb stating the incompatibilites of the situation so this doesen't happen to anybody else?


Pogertt

Whoa! I think you could have kept that response private in a PM, Pogertt.

I chose to respond here to show when presented with an opertunity to play the system or get up on the vendor, I chose the high road.

Cpap.com has after a bit of dramatics in the court of public opinion ceded to my original request and gone beyond.
I got what I originaly asked for.


Now out pops this Mike, offering me a way to take advantage of an unpleasant experience.
I havent provided any personally identifiable information as to HIS identity, but I have exposed his efforts to help me take advantage.


Pogertt who is today hiding under the Guest log in because he is on a comunity computer.

There are people who browse this forum who are sleep professionals, and just genuinely want to help others out when they see they are having problems... Just putting that out there as a possibility to consider. Of course, perhaps the IM gave more info on Mike than you shared which led you to believe otherwise, and I may be off base here. But I've given plenty of things to patients for free for no reason other than to see them have success with their therapy. Just saying...

Guest wrote:I chose to respond here to show when presented with an opertunity to play the system or get up on the vendor, I chose the high road.

It is no "high road" in posting in public a message that was sent to you in private. When someone sends you a private message there is an expectation of... PRIVACY, otherwise they would have posted it in public. It shows you have a low personal integrity/character when you break that type of implied trust. If you really have a decent character, you would not need to prove it to anyone, it would be apparent in your actions and words.

When I started this belly ache, I got acused of trying to play the system. You made a mistake, man up and just take the loss and buy the right equipment. I was criticized for posting using a guest account. I got warned that unscroupolous people would contact me and offer all kinds of incredable solutions to my worst problems.

Along comes Mike, and what set me off was the maybe i can get it for free for you.

I have made peace with the vendor, I contacted other vendors who sell the same item, and when speaking with a representative of these firms, and seeing the information on the web changed to prevent someone else from this mix up, makes me feel better.

I never tried to get one for free.

Did I tell you that Ebeneezer Scrroge Mc Duck said this to me?
NO you got a first name, and a situation that smells like old fish to me.


Pogertt