Lincare won't listen to me-Mask problems

[heyheyrayray]

Hi all,
I'm new to the board and new to CPAP. I've been on CPAP therapy for a week now, I have the Resmed Airsense Autoset and the mask i've been using is the Resmed Airfit10 full face mask, I'm a mouth breather. I feel like a brand new person with CPAP therapy BUT I am starting to hate the mask.

I have sores on the sides of my nose, I tried to loosen the straps but that just created leaks, I sleep on my side and my stomach and its been a nightmare so I end up sleeping on my back and waking up with a horribly sore back. I'm at that point where i feel like if I don't try a different mask I might give up so i called Lincare to see if we could try a different mask and was totally shut down.

The resp. therapist who has been really good to me so far listened to my concerns and said "that's a really nice mask I don't want you to switch just give it some time" then gave me some tips on how to sleep on my side (tips I've already heard). I then told her that the sores on my nose are actually broken skin and scabbing it's not that my nose is SORE, the skin is broken and she said "you're kidding?" Well come in on Friday and we can get a larger size mask but I still want you in that mask.

I'm slightly P*ssed because obviously she has no intentions of fitting me with a different mask even though its possible there is a mask out there that could be better for me. I'm half tempted to just buy a mask on a website and ditch Lincare. I guess I'm just wondering what you guys might do in my situation. I'm new to all of this, I don't want to overreact but I really HATE this mask even though Lincare apparently LOVES it. Any thoughts would be appreciated!!

[Crimson Nape]

Welcome to the board!

I too didn't like the FFM and started trying out different nasal pillow masks on my own dime. I'm normally a mouth breather and a side sleeper. I wound up with a nasal pillow mask and a chinstrap. This combination has worked for me and meant the difference of continuing with the CPAP as opposed to throwing out. I also found that the chinstrap has developed a muscle memory that now allows me to skip the chinstrap for a night or 2.

Please remember, what works for one person may not work for another. Good luck!

[trish6hundred]

Hi heyheyrayray,
WELCOME! to the forum.!
I'm sorry you are having trouble with your DME. If you continue to have problems with them, you might try to switch to another one if you can.
Hang there for more suggestions and hopefully, you can get a different type of mask so your CPAP therapy will go better for you.

[heyheyrayray]

Welcome to the board!

I too didn't like the FFM and started trying out different nasal pillow masks on my own dime. I'm normally a mouth breather and a side sleeper. I wound up with a nasal pillow mask and a chinstrap. This combination has worked for me and meant the difference of continuing with the CPAP as opposed to throwing out. I also found that the chinstrap has developed a muscle memory that now allows me to skip the chinstrap for a night or 2.

Please remember, what works for one person may not work for another. Good luck!

Thanks for the reply. I did just go ahead and buy a nasal pillow mask on my own with a chin strap. It should be here tomorrow. Ugh. I hate that I had to spend the money but its clear I wasn't going to get anywhere with this lady at Lincare. Oh well, if the nasal pillow masks works for me at least I will have the FFM as a back up.

To be continued...

---

Hi heyheyrayray,
WELCOME! to the forum.!
I'm sorry you are having trouble with your DME. If you continue to have problems with them, you might try to switch to another one if you can.
Hang there for more suggestions and hopefully, you can get a different type of mask so your CPAP therapy will go better for you.

Thanks Trish! I might look into another DME if this new mask I just bought doesn't work well for me! Keeping my fingers crossed!

[suedanem]

Hi RayRay
I have to deal with Lincare too. And, I agree, they are SOLD on the ResMed F10 mask. That's what they brought for mom. With the RT sitting there, I told mom, "well if you feel too claustrophobic in this mask, we can try the nasal pillows and a chin strap." And, YUP! the RT said, "No, that just doesn't work if you are a mouth breather."

Luckily, mom was able to adjust to the F10. However, I would not have hesitated to order from one of the online suppliers. In fact, I talked to Supplier #1 (see list of Suppliers link at top of page) and they were very helpful. Essentially they said, everyone is different. You don't know how it's going to work for you until you TRY it.

Here are a couple of ideas: 1. Try making a mask liner with some soft fuzzy material. (Or try getting some from Lincare or order online.
2. Try an ACE bandage around your head to see if you can rig a chinstrap that keeps your mouth shut. If that works, you have a better argument for Lincare to try nasal type masks and a chinstrap.

Good luck, my dear. And don't give up. I can't tell you how much better my 83 yr old mother is with her therapy. She was getting VERY close to a Dx of dementia (because of o2 desaturation at night). With the APAP, she's just as sharp as a tack! She also wouldn't have all the heart problems she now has if her sleep apnea had been caught years ago. However, she is getting the AFib under control. The doctors were saying that the only way to control her Afib was to insert a pacemaker. They are backing off on that now.

[Ghost1958]

That is the first DME I ditched when starting Cpap. They started out telling me they could not get the machine I wanted because they werent allowed to by their national office. I called National. They had never heard of such a thing and told me directly themselves they have some trouble with their local offices.
Tried the local office again same lie. Told them I knew better. Then the local lady said the magic words. "Well that is the way it is, your welcome to try find another option". Probably thinking since there was an O2 condenser here from them I wouldnt.

I promptly told her to come get the O2 condenser as I no longer needed it and to forget about a machine I would go elsewhere and hung up as she stuttered. Then, she called back to "try to work something out", told no again. Three call backs later she gave up but I did have to call their national two weeks later to get the o2 condenser picked up by the local office telling them it would make a excellant target stand for pistol practice if it was here another 24 hrs.

It was picked up the same day. By local office. LOL

I dont know if I can post the name of the DME I use now but they have local offices all over the nation and are about as good as a DME gets. As long as they know you know what the story is, no problems.

[PollCat]

Back in `95 when I started on the cpap, Lincare was the provider contacted by the sleep center. Initial service was fine, but as time went on they became less flexible. After trying to "work" with them for several years, I finally gave up and started using the internet for all of my supplies and equipment.

[rapeetz]

I'm not real happy with the local Lincare outfit myself, but the Big office in Spokane seems more user friendly. That being said, I selected a mask at my Sleep Doctor's Office - that is the mask he prescribed & that is what Lincare provided. It's not working the best, but...

When I go back to my Doc next week, I'll have him provide a prescription for a different mask. Don't see where Lincare's Tech can override my Doc...

[Ghost1958]

I'm not real happy with the local Lincare outfit myself, but the Big office in Spokane seems more user friendly. That being said, I selected a mask at my Sleep Doctor's Office - that is the mask he prescribed & that is what Lincare provided. It's not working the best, but...

When I go back to my Doc next week, I'll have him provide a prescription for a different mask. Don't see where Lincare's Tech can override my Doc...

She couldnt over ride taking you from a FFM to a nasal no. She could have offered a different brand or style FFM which can make all the difference.
Example I can use a simplus, a fitlife, but a Mirage Quarto is a nightmare on me while other folks swear by them.

All FFM but if I had to use a Mirage Id have to just stick the hose in my mouth a clothes pin on my nose and hope for the best

Nothing at all wrong with that mask for most it seems but for me is a leaky nose sore creating mess.

[PaulaO2]

Unless the doc wrote in the script "Dispense as written", yes, she can give you whatever mask you want to try. Usually the prescription is for a mask.

Don't wait until next week. Call the doc now. Say you would like to try a different mask but the DME won't let you. Say you would like to be compliant but cannot because of the mask. That the supplier is the one not being compliant. Have them write you a new script for a CPAP mask, no specifics.

Think of the CPAP and mask as a medication. They work together. We users need to stop seeing our stuff as devices like crutches and slings. They are much more than that.