Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by sleepycarol on November 16, 2009 at 7:16pm

Most insurance companies in the US will replace your machine every five years, excluding your co-pays and deductibles.

I am assuming that the life span is longer than that.

As far as servicing, they suggest that you get your pressure checked yearly with a manometer. I am unsure other than checking your hoses (recommended you change at least yearly), filters (foam filter every 6 months, but should be washed at regular intervals, and the white filter every few weeks), etc.

Not sure what the price range would be as mine has never been serviced. It has been in use since August 2007.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Dan Lyons on November 16, 2009 at 7:55pm

*PAP units should be services as needed. The pressure should be checked once a year using a manometer (as sleepycarol stated). I replace my unit's filter once every 30 days (or when I remember to). Out side of that, there isn't much to service.

Side Note - I would contact the local DME's and inquire about a "check-up" cost. I would then explore the cost of purchasing my own manometer. Adjusting the air pressure isn't rocket science like they want you to believe.

The "disposable" accessories are at their individual life spans (that translates to when they break or wear out).

Again, as sleepycarol stated, most US insurance companies believe the useful life span is 5 years, however other members on the site have reported 10 plus years of their units durability.

Costs of machines are totally dependant upon your market place, but I wouldn't limit myself to my local area. Shop for the machine with the features you want, not the DME's. The "net" is a great market place and helps drive down local costs. You need to "shop" the market hard.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by 99 on November 16, 2009 at 8:07pm

Building Your Own Water Manometer
Materials Required to Build a Water Manometer

4 or 5 foot length of clear vinyl tubing which can be bent into a U-shape, 3/4" diameter or at least close to the diameter of your CPAP tubing connector (the diameter doesn't matter except in as much as you want the CPAP tube to fit onto the manometer tube and you don't want any air to escape)
Plywood board approximately 3 feet long and 2 feet wide (although you can always build a much smaller manometer)
Meausuring device - either a ruler or custom measuring scale you can affix to the board next to the tube
Several clamps and screws to attach the tubing to the board
Screw driver
Water
Food coloring (if you'd like to easily see the water level)

Note: my water manometer is really big. You could try to build a travel size water manometer!
Assembling the Manometer
First, attach your clear tubing to the plywood board using the clamps. The tubing should be positioned in a U-shape on the board so that you can fill the tube half full of water without any water spilling out either end. One end of the tubing needs to be accessible so that you can attach your CPAP tube to it. Each side of the tube should be pretty much vertical.


Next, make sure your CPAP hose fits securely onto the manometer tube. I used a 3/4" clear tube which I purchased at Ace Hardware, and the fit was slightly loose. I put some tape around the end of the manometer tube to make a better fit.


Fill the tube with water. You'll need enough water to show up to 10 or so centimeters of vertical movement (which would represent a total pressure of 20 cm - 10 cm down and 10 cm up). You can pour the water directly from a water bottle. You won't need much water at all. Add food coloring for contrast.


Affix your measuring scale to the board with a zero marker at the water level.
Attach your CPAP machine and tube to the end of the manometer tube on the opposite side from where the measurement scale is positioned.


Once the CPAP machine is hooked up to the manometer, turn the machine on and watch the column of water rise, marking the new level of the water. The distance the water traveled multiplied by two shows you the CPAP pressure. You have to multiply by two because with this arrangement you're interested in the difference in height between the two columns of water. For example, when one column goes up 10 cm the other goes down 10 cm for a difference in height of 20 cm. On my paper measurement scale each 1 cm increment is marked as 2 cm of pressure to account for this.


That's all there is to a water manometer. Once you have the materials it only takes a few minutes to build.
Testing the Manometer at Different Altitudes
Have you wondered what effect the altitude control has on your CPAP machine? With your own water manometer you can easily see the effect on the delivered pressure as you change altitude settings. When I first powered on a REMstar Plus CPAP machine to test the pressure at 20 cm H2O I noticed the column of water was only showing about 19 cm H2O. When I changed the altitude setting to 2 instead of 1 the water manometer showed 20 cm. This makes a lot of sense because my elevation here in Spokane is approximately 2,450 feet above seal level making the number 2 altitude setting more appropriate.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by RockRpsgt on November 17, 2009 at 12:26am

"Side Note - I would contact the local DME's and inquire about a "check-up" cost. I would then explore the cost of purchasing my own manometer. Adjusting the air pressure isn't rocket science like they want you to believe."

I do not believe that anyone thinks that it is rocket science. There is a certain amount of education needed before anyone should attempt to change their pressures.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Lala on November 17, 2009 at 8:21am

I just found out from my sleep specialist last week that I'm supposed to change my nose pillows every 3 months. I had no idea. I'm also supposed to change the filter in the back every month, but I keep forgetting.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by birdshell on November 17, 2009 at 2:59pm

Side Side Note: I learned to change my own pressure when a dastardly DME provider set my pressure BELOW my most recently titrated pressure. (Yes, certified lab and techs had performed a PSG to determine this.) All I wanted was my most recent pressure. That should not be too much to ask.

And, they wonder why I no longer deal with them for my medical supplies...
___________________

Here, the A.W.A.K.E. support group checks machines for pressure accuracy at several meetings per year. This is a free service provided by the professionals (RT and RPSGT/sleep techs) who basically run the meetings.

That said, a few years ago I met a man whose CPAP machine was over 20 years old. He had participated in one of the first USA studies and got the machine free. I think that he had replaced the mask more frequently. I have no idea if he had had the machine checked for pressure, or even had a repeat PSG.



Rock Hinkle said:

"Side Note - I would contact the local DME's and inquire about a "check-up" cost. I would then explore the cost of purchasing my own manometer. Adjusting the air pressure isn't rocket science like they want you to believe."
I do not believe that anyone thinks that it is rocket science. There is a certain amount of education needed before anyone should attempt to change their pressures.

• ▶ Reply

▶ Reply to Discussion