Choosing a mask

[Steerpike58]

Well, we are home from our visit to Crapria.
They were true to form. They brought us into their conference room offered us a seat and slid a nice Resmed travel case across the table and told us it is all programed and ready to go. I said I'll just open it up and take look.
Surprise, SURPRISE, it was an Airsense 10 autoset. I told Josh I had ordered an Airsense 11. He said the 10 is just as good. I said I am not accepting anything but the 11.
Josh had to go get approval from his boss and check inventory to be sure they had one. 5 minutes latter he comes back the AS11 all set up.
I can't imagen why they would want to provide me with a $319 AS 10, instead of an $800 AS11, since the get the same reimbursement from my Advantage plan either way.
Then we got to the mask. I think he had selected an N10 which is probably a great mask.
My wife is a very active sleeper. I think she will do better with a mask with a top of head hose connection like an N30i or a P30i. We wound up with the N30i.
I asked if there was a nasal mask that did not actually touch the nostrils and had a top hose connection. He said NO.
We asked Josh what if the N30i doesn't work? We have thirty days to get ONE replacement Mask.
When we got home, I pulled out my Dream Wisp and a brand new sealed backup Dream Wisp.

Wow, you got sat down in a conference room ... luxury! I was just handed a box in the crowded waiting room. And after using the device for a day and loading the data into Oscar, I discovered they hadn't changed the time - it was set for east coast time so 3 hours off. Makes me wonder what else wasn't set right ...

Looking at the N30i and the Dream Wisp, I see that the N30i seals against the nostrils, while the Wisp seals around the nose - is that correct? Just based on the pictures / videos I see on the web, the Dream Wisp looks similar to the N20, which I received; it seals around the nose also.

[bwexler]

[/quote]
Wow, you got sat down in a conference room ... luxury! I was just handed a box in the crowded waiting room. And after using the device for a day and loading the data into Oscar, I discovered they hadn't changed the time - it was set for east coast time so 3 hours off. Makes me wonder what else wasn't set right ...

Looking at the N30i and the Dream Wisp, I see that the N30i seals against the nostrils, while the Wisp seals around the nose - is that correct? Just based on the pictures / videos I see on the web, the Dream Wisp looks similar to the N20, which I received; it seals around the nose also.
[/quote]

I think I was the only customer in the building on Friday afternoon before Christmas. We had josh's attention for just over an hour.
I do believe it was the N20 we were offered and you are correct in your description.
The big difference between the N20 and the Dream Wisp is the hose connection on top of the head instead of on the nose. I have found that to be a great advantage as an active sleeper and thought it would benefit my wife too, after her first night she agrees.

[Steerpike58]

I think I was the only customer in the building on Friday afternoon before Christmas. We had josh's attention for just over an hour.
I do believe it was the N20 we were offered and you are correct in your description.
The big difference between the N20 and the Dream Wisp is the hose connection on top of the head instead of on the nose. I have found that to be a great advantage as an active sleeper and thought it would benefit my wife too, after her first night she agrees.

How did you pay for the device? In my case, I asked about being billed (invoiced), and/or paying by check, and they insisted on a credit card. I remember your advice well (that giving Apria a credit card is like posting it on a billboard!) so I was hesitant, but in the end they offered me no choice so I gave them a debit card which I keep a close eye on.

[bwexler]

When we picked up my wife's machine yesterday no one asked for any money. Insurance is supposed to pay.
When I bought my ASV a couple months ago, I bought it used from another member here and paid him with ZELLE.
In the past when Crapria has asked for a credit card I have always told them NO. That I would leave empty handed before they would ever see my plastic. They have always caved, I haven't.

[bwexler]

So - a question for those who have been on CPAP for a long time - do you typically have a good ongoing relationship with your sleep doctor / sleep clinic, and are they the source of advice, recommendations, and trials for new masks/cushions? I'm thinking that new mask designs come out from time to time, and/or your face changes (eg a beard), etc so do you just have a periodic 'check in' with your sleep folks and they may offer you something new to try?

The last time I had an "appointment with a "sleep doctor" I saw a PA. I gave him some Sleepyhead (Oscar's predecessor) print outs. We had a pleasant conversation. He told me I was doing fine. Good by.
Another earlier encounter, the doc recommended a pressure change. I tried it for about 10 minutes and could not deal with it and did the apposite, which worked great.
I have consistently received much better advice from Pugsy, zonker and many others here than from any of the sleep doctors I have visited.
I get my masks from where ever my insurance tells me they will pay for them. Occasionally from CPAP.com.
I love Crapria. It seldom takes them more than 6 months and 4 shipments to get my order for 3 items correct. After more than 10 years of dealing with them they still have never had a credit card from me.

[bwexler]

Well, my wife Barbara finished her second night on PAP therapy.
I guess she did OK for a beginner. AHI 0.28
Now if we can get her large leaks under control we will be in business.
She is using a P30i mask, which is obviously working pretty well. However she had a couple instances of a stuffed nose last night. She woke me to help her deal with it at 4:30 AM. Solution, remove the mask > blow your nose > put the mask back on. OH. OK.
I am now thinking she may need a backup Full Face Mask for stuffy nose nights. Any thoughts pro or con on the F30i, I am partial to top of head hose connection when available and Barbara now agrees with me.

[zonker]

I have consistently received much better advice from Pugsy, zonker and many others here than from any of the sleep doctors I have visited.

why, that's most kind of you!

i went to see the sleep doc once for my first follow up. his assistant couldn't get the data off of the card so the doctor just spoke in platitudes and said see you next visit. i didn't go back because by then i'd discovered this group.

so far, i've seen no reason to visit the doc for sleep apnea things. maybe i'm just lucky, but i got and continue to get all the help i need right here.

[Pugsy]

So - a question for those who have been on CPAP for a long time - do you typically have a good ongoing relationship with your sleep doctor / sleep clinic, and are they the source of advice, recommendations, and trials for new masks/cushions? I'm thinking that new mask designs come out from time to time, and/or your face changes (eg a beard), etc so do you just have a periodic 'check in' with your sleep folks and they may offer you something new to try?

Talk about LMAO
The last time I saw the sleep doc or his PA....August 2009.
The last time I saw the chosen DME was March 2019. They lied to me so I fired them.
The last time I even mentioned sleep apnea and cpap was just about a month ago when I was seeing my new PCP for the first time and I asked for a RX for a new machine (and I got it).

For new masks...if something new gets released and I think it looks interesting then I will get it and try it. If not interesting I won't bother.
After all these years I have a pretty good idea what my own personal preferences and needs are.
No one knows me better than myself.

As far as your wife goes....she's already got the best coach she could possibly ever get...YOU.
I guarantee you that some flunky at the DME office or even the doctor isn't going to have the personal experience you have available to draw upon to help her along this journey.

[Okie bipap]

We see the nurse practitioner once a year. We both got new machines last January, and picked up masks at that time. We use the DME recommended by the sleep clinic. The sleep clinic, DME, our PCP and my cardiologist all come under the same medical system so everyone has access to all of our medical records if needed. Any supplies we get from the local DME is completely covered by our insurance (Medicare and Tricare for Life). If I see a new mask on the market that looks interesting, I will normally purchase it from cpap.com. Then if either, or both of us like it, we can get more through our local DME. Almost everything I know about controlling my treatment I learned here on this forum.

[ChicagoGranny]

Almost everything I know about controlling my treatment I learned here on this forum.

Same here. Gramps learned first then he taught me and taught me to get my advice from this forum.

Doctors are needed for formal diagnoses and prescriptions so that insurance will pay for machines and peripherals.