CPAP Supply USA Community

 I am a new (2 mo) user.

 My doc, Sleep Medicine Seattle, is partnered with a pro-cpap solutions as a provider.

 They only ofered me two machnes.  I chpse the respironics with c-f;ex.  

I had two problems.

the ball joints on the nasal ,ask only last about 2 weeks, then the very thin plastic breaks!

 Worse, the air coming from the machine was refrigerated.

 Respironics refuses to provide  tech support to users and said I needed to go therough my provider.  Their rep told pro-cpap that

1. the mask was my fault because of the way I take it off. This wa not true, thyere is qa design flaw.

2. the cold air was normal.  They even claimed I should use an insulated tube (of course this would make the air colder).

 After investigation,I found that Respronics is aware that the masks are defective and that the likley cause of the refrigeration was a failure of their power supply to heat the humidifier.  If I had not been aggressive, I might still be uncomfportable and buying new masks q two weeks.

 I have reported this to my unsurer and would strongly recommend against buying Respironics until their policies change. 

I have switched happily to Resmed wiht the Swift LT.

 It is nice that you can use any mask with any machine. The Ball and Socket on the Respironics masks do break if pulled to tight. The thermal tube covers really do help in the winter. If you do not want to try that then put your tube under the blanket.

I too have had trouble with the Respironics folks. Their sorry excuse for customer support is a joke. I have used the Optilife Nasal pillow and have up to this week been satisfied with it's performance. The problem arises that when a badly engineered part of the mask fails, the "Healthcare Provider" (they mean your doctor or sleep specialist that diagnosed you) that Respironics refers you to, in their autoresponse email, has no clue how to help. I have contacted seven different CPAP suppliers and none of them can get the part because Respironcs won't supply them.

This sounds to me like a conspiracy on the part of Respironics to force Sleep Apnea suffers to suffer more by forcing us to purchase entire mask assemblies, when only one poorly designed part has failed. They obviously do not stand by their product.

My next step will be to write to my doctor, the Better Business Bureau and my local Consumer Advocate folks reporting this ridiculous attitude on the part of Respironics.

I am in the process of researching a couple of alternate nasal pillow masks and the companies that manufacture them. I'll let you know my results when I finalize a purchase and try it out.

My sympathies...

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