[geeks] CPAP - Was ( McRib power!)

[Geoff Reed]

At 02:14 AM 1/13/02 -0600, you wrote:
>How long have you had the mask?  Most insurance companies will pay for a
>new mask every six months.  You can usually also get a replacement cushion,
>instead of replacing the entire mask.  I know on my Ultra Mirage and
>Breeze, you can order any single part separately.  I had to get a new
>"hose carrier" piece for the Breeze, and paid $20 instead of $150 for a whole
>new unit.  Havent used the Mirage since mid-April of last year, since I got
>the breeze.

the gel pad is glued to the mask :(  Since I'm still unemployed, no 
insurance so I have to pay for this out of my pocket.  but it's necessary 
for continued usefulness and existence so it's on the "i need" category

>I have a passive humidifier, but I dont *like* it with warm water, for some
>reason.  Room-temp water works best; warm water makes it *harder* for me
>to breathe, dunno why.

I have a passive Fisher-Paykel humidifier, but with room temp or colder 
water it makes my sinuses hurt :(  I also have asthma and my lungs react 
badly to cold air :(  so I am currently using a heating pad with the 
passive humid unitl i get a active/heated humidifyer.

>Good place for equipment : www.cpapman.com.  I think Dave got his stuff from
>there.  I got mine from the local DME, Apria Healthcare.  Think I'm just about
>to the "we've made monthly payments on this for a year, you now own it" point
>on my machine, too.  I think I have the Solo LX Plus as well; I'd have to go
>look at it... LCD hour display counter, on/off and ramp buttons... about
>the size of a shoebox or a little smaller; filters in the back ?

No hour display on mine, has a dual 8-segment LED pressure indicator and a 
power indicator LED and that's about it.  I got mine form my sleep doctor, 
then a few months back when i started looking for a new humidifier, I 
discovered that the dang thing he charged me $1400 for (well, my insurance 
$1400 for) was $600 or less at several other places on-line :(:(:(


>When I went for my sleep study, they said I was at 112 incidents/events an
>hour, and I got down to 85% oxygen saturation.  Yow.  They put me on 12cm
>pressure.

I have ~ 100 to 125 incidents/hr (going from memory here, it's been over a 
year since i got my cpap)  I'm at 13 cm?  I thin.... I'd have to bring up 
the cpap in programming mode to get it to display....