HELP !

[Maggie]

Maggie, is it ok to PM you?

Sure - as long as you understand that, although I never give up trying, I'm several decades too old to be really tech savvy - let's give it a go though . . .

[elwoodpdowd]

PM Sent

Look up at the top of the page next to your name.

[Maggie]

Maggie - I just checked with FPM Solutions... You will need a prescription, but not necessarily from a sleep specialist, and they will sell you an Autoset for $1020... no problem, no gov't subsidy.

I've sent a message to FPM Solutions asking for their help and explaining exactly what my problem is. It's the nonsensical requirement for a prescription that I'm trying to avoid and, as I am now at #25 of medical mistakes that have affected me personally, you might understand why I now stay well away from all so-called 'medical professionals' as much as possible.  Number 25 took the form of a letter informing me that due to their negligence in not meeting standard sterilisation practices, a well-known clinic may have infected me with hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HIV. I thought that was hilarious but I bet most of their patients didn't think so.

Any CPAP supplier will sell me a machine provided I show a prescription but GPs won't/can't do those until after a new sleep test - a classic Catch 22 in fact - as GPs have no idea what state a patient's sleep is in without a sleep test.  

I am very grateful that so many of you here today have done their best to help me.  You've given me some ideas on how to proceed. . .

[Dog Slobber]

Hi Maggie,

I'm in Ontario and have bought and sold a few machines from Kijiji, FaceBook MarketPlace and LetGo.

It's getting tougher, because of the prescription requirements Facebook and Kijiji remove listing that sell CPAP systems. But a lot sneak through.

I recommend the Resmed Airsense 10 AutoSet for Her.  I've seen low hour systems listed as cheaply as $300 CDN. Buying used CPAP systems on buy/sell sites is not something many are comfortable with.

[Maggie]

Hi Maggie,

I'm in Ontario and have bought and sold a few machines from Kijiji, FaceBook MarketPlace and LetGo.

It's getting tougher, because of the prescription requirements Facebook and Kijiji remove listing that sell CPAP systems. But a lot sneak through.

I recommend the Resmed Airsense 10 AutoSet for Her.  I've seen low hour systems listed as cheaply as $300 CDN. Buying used CPAP systems on buy/sell sites is not something many are comfortable with.

The ResMed Airsense you recommend is the one others have suggested and my old ResMed has been good to me so I would stick with them for preference.  

 I had to look up 'low hour systems' as it had never occurred to me to calculate the number of hours my machine has worked - just over 20,400 hours at a rough guess -  so I guess it's only fair to retire it.  

I'm not trying to save money (although I'm not averse to that!) - just trying to avoid wasting my time (not much of that left possibly) doing sleep tests and such.   i've been putting out a few feelers again to see what's my best option and I very much appreciate your input.  Thanks . . . Meg

[mamazipp]

Maggie, I live in BC and wanted to get an extra machine to have on hand.  I do not have a copy of my original rx and have had problems getting it, due to the bureaucracy of the medical system here. ( which sucks, fyi).   However, I went to one of the Canadian sites listed in the supplier list here, and bought a ResMed Airsense 10 for her, complete with carry bag, humidifier, and hoses, on sale WITH NO PRESCRIPTION.  i need  to go check which site it was, but it was no hassle.  They shipped it free, as well.  I can check tomorrow to see which site it was.  I’ve had had good luck with several of them. I bought a new machine.

[Fats Drywaller]

I had to look up 'low hour systems' as it had never occurred to me to calculate the number of hours my machine has worked - just over 20,400 hours at a rough guess -  so I guess it's only fair to retire it.  

It's possible to ask the machine for that information. Go to the "clinician's mode" by holding down the Home key and the push-dial together for a few seconds, find the "About" menu item, and scroll down in that list to see the total run hours.

The machines are intended for 15,000 hours, which is about 5 years, before replacement. But they will last longer, as you've seen. A high-hours machine can still be a backup for emergencies.

If you buy a used machine from an individual, always check the total run hours when you have your hands on the machine, before closing the deal. An honest seller who is disposing of a used machine on the Innertubes will post a photo of that screen showing the number of run hours as part of the item's description.

[Maggie]

I had to look up 'low hour systems' as it had never occurred to me to calculate the number of hours my machine has worked - just over 20,400 hours at a rough guess -  so I guess it's only fair to retire it.  

It's possible to ask the machine for that information.  Go to the "clinician's mode" by holding down the Home key and the push-dial together for a few seconds, find the "About" menu item, and scroll down in that list to see the total run hours.

The machines are intended for 15,000 hours, which is about 5 years, before replacement.  But they will last longer, as you've seen.  A high-hours machine can still be a backup for emergencies.

If you buy a used machine from an individual, always check the total run hours when you have your hands on the machine, before closing the deal.  An honest seller who is disposing of a used machine on the Innertubes will post a photo of that screen showing the number of run hours as part of the item's description.

Well, I can still learn something every day.  I often use the clinicians mode to tinker with settings but had never thought to change the 1 day setting as I was never before interested in how many hours it had actually run.  Turns out my guess wasn't far off the actual 22,000 plus hours. Thanks for the tip . . .

[Maggie]

Maggie, I live in BC and wanted to get an extra machine to have on hand.  I do not have a copy of my original rx and have had problems getting it, due to the bureaucracy of the medical system here. ( which sucks, fyi).   However, I went to one of the Canadian sites listed in the supplier list here, and bought a ResMed Airsense 10 for her, complete with carry bag, humidifier, and hoses, on sale WITH NO PRESCRIPTION.  i need  to go check which site it was, but it was no hassle.  They shipped it free, as well.  I can check tomorrow to see which site it was.  I’ve had had good luck with several of them.  I bought a new machine.

We hear the horror stories about health care in B. C. - husband and wife doctors practising medicine for 6 years and neither of them with a license but raking in millions.  I read that they left so where they are scamming patients now is anybody's guess.  And people wonder why I won't go anywhere near so-called 'medical professionals' if I can help it.  

However, on to my little problem.  I used to deal with a supplier in B.C. which shipped everything free but they re-organised themselves and were down for a bit and when they popped up again, the free shipping had vanished so I've been trying out new suppliers all over the place since - there are some odd hole-in-the-wall ones out there these days!  

If you could possibly manage to let me have the web site of the company with which you had such a great experience, I'd be endlessly, absolutely, terrifically grateful.   . . . a message from you will get my instant, enthusiastic attention, I can assure you.  

Thank you for your reply . . . 

[elwoodpdowd]

Maggie,

Go to the suppliers list and check out #32 on the list. The will ship for free over $99.00 and they are very clear that no prescription is required. Further, this is tagged as a Canadian site.

Cheers.