07-11-2021, 03:26 AM
NEW cpap user F20 elbow, AHI, and when to replace questions?
Hello, I am a new user and have been on APAP for a little over a week. The first mask I had did not work, so I exchanged it for a ResMed Airfit F20. Everything went well the first two days. I then decided to wash it, this seems to have been a mistake. I did not know that the elbow had the cotton in it. It made a loud whistle and I could not exhale. At first I didn't know what the issue was until I looked it up online. Before that, I had the machine on, (Dreamstation 2) and I tried to fix it in all kinds of ways. Pulling the mask on and off, putting the house directly in my mouth and blowing on the end of the elbow to try to fix it. This seems to have worked. It seems that blowing on it might have dislodged whatever was in it or dried the cotton.
Anyway, this process took 15-20 minutes. It now does not whistle and I seem to be able to exhale normally (I think) but after sleeping for 9 hours I woke up and checked my AHI, which has been a 3 or 4 for the week and a half I have had the machine. The score was 27. When I was blowing in the elbow and in the hose, did I trick the machine into thinking I was having apnea, therefore making it 27? I am worried that it might have actually been 27, which would mean I did not fix the elbow and something is wrong. It is strange to go for a 3 or 4 to a 27 in one day.
I saw that some people said they were breathing back in their exhales causing headaches and nightmares. I did not wake up with any headaches, I feel rested. I did however have a nightmare about being at some witchcraft event and a demon showing up and chasing me. Normally I haven't been able to remember my dreams well on CPAP. Am I breathing back in the Co2? And if so, what mask do I even inquire about?
I started with the dreamwear full face, but it hurt the bottom of my nose badly as it doesn't cover up your whole nose. I went to some other one for a few hours and it wouldn't seal on my face, so I brought it back the same day, (didn't even have time to look up what it was) Then I got this ResMed F20 mask which seems to be perfect for me. First two nights were great. I wish I would have not washed that elbow. Like I said, I might have fixed it, but I don't know if I tricked the machine or truly got a bad AHI.
Is there not some way to work on the machine without it counting against the AHI? I cannot use OSCAR or software like that to look at what truly happened when I was asleep, because it doesn't work with dreamstation 2. The only thing that works is this app, and it doesn't give any detailed information like that. The company that sold me the machine can see results like that on the software they have, whatever that is.
Replacement Questions: When I got setup with the machine and did the consultation the guy told me NOTHING about replacing mask, hoses, elbows. He only told me to replace the filter in the machine every 3 months. I thought the mask, cushion, elbow, everything was going to last me years honestly.
After researching this elbow issue, I find out that I need to replace my cushion twice a month possibly, my mask every 3 months, my hose every 3 months, and my headgear every six months. He told me none of this.
Now, I do have insurance. But they did not pay for my machine, I had to pay for it. I guess because I hadn't met my deductible which is a ton of money. I have probably met it by now. Is it common for the insurance to pay for a new mask and new cushions twice a month and all of this? Or is this something I'm going to pay for. It seems that online this mask is 120 dollars, am I going to have to pay 120 dollars every 3 months or will the insurance cover it?
I realize you do not know my insurance plan, but its not a horrible plan, and its average. Just a guess would be good.
Anyway, this process took 15-20 minutes. It now does not whistle and I seem to be able to exhale normally (I think) but after sleeping for 9 hours I woke up and checked my AHI, which has been a 3 or 4 for the week and a half I have had the machine. The score was 27. When I was blowing in the elbow and in the hose, did I trick the machine into thinking I was having apnea, therefore making it 27? I am worried that it might have actually been 27, which would mean I did not fix the elbow and something is wrong. It is strange to go for a 3 or 4 to a 27 in one day.
I saw that some people said they were breathing back in their exhales causing headaches and nightmares. I did not wake up with any headaches, I feel rested. I did however have a nightmare about being at some witchcraft event and a demon showing up and chasing me. Normally I haven't been able to remember my dreams well on CPAP. Am I breathing back in the Co2? And if so, what mask do I even inquire about?
I started with the dreamwear full face, but it hurt the bottom of my nose badly as it doesn't cover up your whole nose. I went to some other one for a few hours and it wouldn't seal on my face, so I brought it back the same day, (didn't even have time to look up what it was) Then I got this ResMed F20 mask which seems to be perfect for me. First two nights were great. I wish I would have not washed that elbow. Like I said, I might have fixed it, but I don't know if I tricked the machine or truly got a bad AHI.
Is there not some way to work on the machine without it counting against the AHI? I cannot use OSCAR or software like that to look at what truly happened when I was asleep, because it doesn't work with dreamstation 2. The only thing that works is this app, and it doesn't give any detailed information like that. The company that sold me the machine can see results like that on the software they have, whatever that is.
Replacement Questions: When I got setup with the machine and did the consultation the guy told me NOTHING about replacing mask, hoses, elbows. He only told me to replace the filter in the machine every 3 months. I thought the mask, cushion, elbow, everything was going to last me years honestly.
After researching this elbow issue, I find out that I need to replace my cushion twice a month possibly, my mask every 3 months, my hose every 3 months, and my headgear every six months. He told me none of this.
Now, I do have insurance. But they did not pay for my machine, I had to pay for it. I guess because I hadn't met my deductible which is a ton of money. I have probably met it by now. Is it common for the insurance to pay for a new mask and new cushions twice a month and all of this? Or is this something I'm going to pay for. It seems that online this mask is 120 dollars, am I going to have to pay 120 dollars every 3 months or will the insurance cover it?
I realize you do not know my insurance plan, but its not a horrible plan, and its average. Just a guess would be good.
