What to do if CPAP breaks. :( Immediate Machine Replacement?

Hello,
I'm going to have to call my Dr's office and ask this question but it's after hours and I figure I'd ask it here as well.
A few weeks ago, my TV and Garage door opener quit functioning. This was after a thunderstorm. My TV was on a
surge protector. Well I rent so the rental place is put an order in for a new garage door opener and I have replaced
the TV and surge protector, apperently my old one wasn't good enough. Luckally my CPAP machine survived. Today
I found the location of the hit. The pecan tree outside my townhouse has strips of bark missing. Its most probable
that the tree was where the lightening struck. I was at work at the time.

Anyhow, I'm wondering,
What would happen if my machine DID take a lightning hit and no longer worked? I sleep so much better with the
machine then I do without it, that no I'm scared to sleep without it. As soon as I can I think I'll get a surge protector
for my CPAP machine, because of it's importantce in my life. But the Dr's office isn't open 24/7. So what if it's a saturday
or sunday?

Well just thought I'd ask. Anyone have experiance where something happens to their machine? I wonder if I could
buy a back-up machine? I mean, I'm pretty sure I'm going to outlive the one I have anyway so eventually its going to
break on it's own. Id hate for my machine to brake on a friday night, and not be able to get one till monday. Would
be even worse if it took a week to get one

A back-up machine is always a good idea, even if your DME is a good one;
because you never know when equipment dies--or even if they have a machine available.
Those who have bought used machines know the importance of insuring yourself against
having to go without.

Hi,

I am not comfortable without having a 2nd machine handy. So far, I haven't had my machine break. However, I will not attempt to sleep without the machine, so if it would go south, it could cost me a few days of sleep while I get a new machine shipped in. It is worth the cost of a 2nd machine for me to avoid that worry and not lose a few days of work.

I am sure that there are places where you can rent a machine, and your DME or clinic might even set you up with a loaner. It is a smart move on your part to ask this question, and to check out your options. For now, I have a 2nd machine, I am counting on Johnny's crew at CPAP.com to be able to overnight me a new machine if one of my current machines breaks...assuming of course that I still have a %$#*& valid prescription floating around somewhere.

-john-

As was said above: get a backup machine to have in the closet for exactly those occasions. You hope to never need it, but if you do, it's there. An inexpensive used machine isn't hard to find: secondwindcpap.com or craigslist, or even here on the forum.

My DME agreed to furnish me with a loaner if (or when) my machine quits. I have just moved, and part of my arrangements in moving was to contact a DME in my new location (before I moved) to see if I could have the same arrangement here. Which they said they will do. Sounds like my bases are covered -- but I found an identical machine to which I use on Craigslist, so I bought it. That -- and an extra mask -- and an extra hose -- and an extra water tank --- I think that is probably pretty ordinary among this crowd! What's the old line -- better be safe than sorry.

I travel overseas a couple of times a year and i often wonder what i would do if my machine was broken or stolen if I am somewhere hundreds of kms north of Manila or somewhere like that. At home i think i would be fine as I have a 5 year cover on my machine and ResMed is close to my home but away, where there are no machines, I guess I would just do without. Come on we survived without the machine for years,we wont die just for a week or so.

ozze_dollar wrote:I travel overseas a couple of times a year and i often wonder what i would do if my machine was broken or stolen if I am somewhere hundreds of kms north of Manila or somewhere like that. At home i think i would be fine as I have a 5 year cover on my machine and ResMed is close to my home but away, where there are no machines, I guess I would just do without. Come on we survived without the machine for years,we wont die just for a week or so.

You might not die but depending on the severity of your apnea, you could have a stroke. And at the least you could feel like sh-- for several days due to lack of O2 and frequent waking.

This issue is particularly important for those who don't have a relationship with a full service DME, or if that DME is not available on nights and weekends. If your cpap breaks down on a Friday night, you are out of luck until Monday.

Around here they tell people to save power by turning things off at the outlets (the outlets here have switches on them). Always keep something else plugged into closer than your cpap machine. Get a surge protector for the machine and get another one for the outlet nearest the fuse box. Its best to put it on the same phase as your machine if you can figure it out. You can do that by tripping the circuit breaker that turns off power to the outlet near your bed and then turn off everything on that side and go hunt for the closets outlet without power keeping in mind they had to run the wires through the wall and ceilings. Whole house surge protectors are even better.

Get a spare machine. There are some low cost new imports now that lack features but are cheap. My DME will rent a machine for $200 a month. Used machines can be ok too but you need to ask if they had pets or smoked if that will bother you.

My older M Series is a little bit smaller than my System One, so I take it with me on trips. At home, it will serve me nicely as a backup just in case my main CPAP kicks the bucket. I used to have a 3rd machine, my original unit from 20 years ago (HealthDyne Tranquility Plus) but I gave it away about 3 years ago to a man who's home had just burned down and he lost everything including his CPAP.

Watch craigslist. After about 3 months, I found a PRS1 Auto for about $300. You'll see a lot of ridiculous prices for machines. Someone was billed $2500 for their legacy REMstar plus machine in 2004, the insurance actually paid $1000, but they think they should get $800 for it.

I'd recommend watching for a PRS1 Auto or S9 AutoSet for around $300, but expect to wait a while to find one. It may depend on how big a city you're in.

Or get a prescription and just buy one online.

Or even find someone selling a working, dumb CPAP for under $100.

archangle wrote:Watch craigslist. After about 3 months, I found a PRS1 Auto for about $300. You'll see a lot of ridiculous prices for machines. Someone was billed $2500 for their legacy REMstar plus machine in 2004, the insurance actually paid $1000, but they think they should get $800 for it.

I'd recommend watching for a PRS1 Auto or S9 AutoSet for around $300, but expect to wait a while to find one. It may depend on how big a city you're in.

And check frequently. I recently saw an S9 elite for $100. It as already gone when I replied. I have been trying to find a cheap machine with data capability for a friend who had a bad dme, didn't make compliance, and lost the machine.

I am not worried about a backup because my mom has two old machines that still work. They are both straight cpap, and bricks. But they function, and I could program for it 13 which would take of most of my events. My 95% is usually 11 to 12 something. So, it would get me by if if my machine died.

My mom's dme actually has 24 hour service with somebody carrying a pager. They will bring you a machine in the midde of the night if your machine breaks. I switched to them, but I did not get my machine through them, so I am not sure if I could get that service. They would be the ones I would call first though if something happened as I would need to get it repaired or replaced. And I would rather not give anymore business to my old dme.

My machine keeps giving me a message to take it in for service. I've had it for ten years and thought I would just replace it, but I can't even get an appointment until 4 months from now. Not only can I not sleep without it, but my husband won't sleep because of my snoring.

Guest wrote:My machine keeps giving me a message to take it in for service. I've had it for ten years and thought I would just replace it, but I can't even get an appointment until 4 months from now. Not only can I not sleep without it, but my husband won't sleep because of my snoring.

This is precisely why we strongly recommend that users have spares and backup equipment. SOME day it's going to fail.
Do you have your prescription?
Which specific make and model is it?
If you have a copy of your prescription, you could buy a new one online from places like https://www.cpap.com
Lightly used ones or new ones can also be purchased from http://www.secondwindcpap.com
There are a number of forum members who sell machines, too.

If you would register as a member of the forum and provide some information like where you're located, someone could be able to contact you by Private Message. Don't post any personal information like name or email on the forum itself.

There's also a place that does repairs on Respironics and ResMed machines. They have several locations around the country.
They also have machines for sale.

They're web address is http://www.acbio.com


Den

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Wulfman... wrote:This is precisely why we strongly recommend that users have spares and backup equipment. SOME day it's going to fail. Den.

I just put that in LARGE font, in case anybody missed Den's excellent comment. Write it down if necessary. Better prepared than sorry.

I have a I have a Respironics RemstarPro Cflex+ System One with less than 300 hours of therapy time. It includes original user manuals, a traveling case, power cord, 6-109487 Respironics wisp cushion small/med, 2- 1035442 m series uf filter 2 pks, and 1- 1029416 filter kit ultrafine. $300 for all. Price includes cost of shipping. US only. Smoke free home. I can email pics.