Why change my Swift FX pillows?

[mjbearit]

I find that they often go towards the extreme. I still have nasal pillows in sealed plastic bags from my ADAM Circuit that I never used! I suppose I should throw them away, but I am sometimes a borderline Hoarder! LOL! I would imagine that the reason that they say every two weeks is that while they may recommend cleaning them every day, there are probably people out there who do not clean them at all. They probably figure that in order to cut down on germs and such that changing them out every two weeks helps to prevent infection. We hear from the people on here that wash at least once a week or so, but most people that never wash, probably would not be on a CPAP how-to board... Just sayin....

[JJJ]

I would imagine that the reason that they say every two weeks is that while they may recommend cleaning them every day, there are probably people out there who do not clean them at all. They probably figure that in order to cut down on germs and such that changing them out every two weeks helps to prevent infection.

I'm all for cleaning them, just 'cause a snotty pillow is not something I want in my nose. But I have to disagree on the germ thing. If the bugs are on the pillow, then they came out of you and there are more still inside of you. As far as I know you can't infect yourself.

All this talk has made me queasy. Gonna go soak stuff in bleach now.

[Sleepster]

I'm all for cleaning them, just 'cause a snotty pillow is not something I want in my nose. But I have to disagree on the germ thing. If the bugs are on the pillow, then they came out of you and there are more still inside of you. As far as I know you can't infect yourself.

A virus that you deposit on your nasal pillows or toothbrush could mutate and re-infect you. Haven't you ever had a nasty cold or flu, then beaten it only to have a relapse?

I think the guidelines for cleaning and replacing are way overboard. I think the manufacturers set them in this way to avoid liability. In case of a lawsuit they can always claim that they recommend a rigorous cleaning and replacement schedule to avoid contamination.

I've been on CPAP therapy for almost seven months now, and I've already got a nice rat hole, er ... I mean stockpile, of surplus equipment. Just in case something breaks, gets misplaced, or chewed on by the terrier, dontcha know. I was boy scout and was taught to always "be prepared".

[trish6hundred]

Hi there, If you aren't having any problems with leaks, I wouldn't worry about changing them; I would keep using them as long as I could. I can't keep my cushions for two years though, (Ha-Ha.) I notice that after a while when I wash them in dishsoap, they just don't seem to get clean enough, there is still a rezidule amount of oil that stays with my cushions. I usually like to say that there's too much me on them so I need to pitch them, (Ha-Ha,) but I try to use them as long as I can, that's for sure. I would not soak them in bleach as it might break down your pillows before you are deffinately ready to change them,, bleach is pretty harsh Another thing, I would not store my spair parts in an attic because of temperature and humidity extremes either direction because the parts will more than likely break down.

[GrammaBear]

I also use the Swift FX for her and because I have seasonal allergies, I wash my pillows and humidifier every morning before I do the breakfast dishes. I would like to change pillows once a month, but sometimes have trouble contacting the DME - so I order them online and at least I can get them when I need them.

[greg-g]

In Australia most people have to pay most of the cost of their Cpap equipment.
Not that I'm a cheapskate, but my first set pillows lasted about 18 months, and I'm now 5 months into my second set.
As I've posted on another forum, whenever I start to have problems I boil the pillows for about 15 minutes with a teaspoon of BiCarb of Soda, this removes the absorbed oils and basically restores them back to new. I normally do this about every three months.
The 18 month old pillow still works OK, but has a very slight deformation.
BiCarb of Soda is one of the main constituents of Antacid powders and is completely safe. It stops an oily film forming on the water and on the surface of the pillow.

[Hypnagog]

As I've posted on another forum, whenever I start to have problems I boil the pillows for about 15 minutes with a teaspoon of BiCarb of Soda, this removes the absorbed oils and basically restores them back to new. I normally do this about every three months.
The 18 month old pillow still works OK, but has a very slight deformation.
BiCarb of Soda is one of the main constituents of Antacid powders and is completely safe. It stops an oily film forming on the water and on the surface of the pillow.

I do something similar. I put the Swift FX pillows in a steam steriliser (baby bottle type) sometimes with a drop of scented oil about once a fortnight. Other than they they just get a rinse through.

I was a bit wary at first in case the heat deformed them so I only did it when I'd bought a spare set of pillows but they've been through it many times now and are fine.

Here we're told to change them every six months, which is how often I think the NHS would fund a new set.

The sales rep said if they're cleaned often then they should last a lot longer.

[robpur]

I got my first CPAP, a ResMed Autoset Spirit on 7/11/02 with an Ultra Mirage II mask. It took me until 8/9/02 to go hunting for something better, so I ordered a Puritan Bennett Breeze. For the last almost 10 years I've switched between the two masks, using the Breeze about 80% of the time. The Breeze has broken three times, and I've fixed it twice, so I'm using the nasal mask now. I've not replaced any parts on either mask in nearly 10 years. I just clean and disinfect them periodically. There's nothing in there that bleach won't kill, and as long as the mask seals, then I have no need to replace parts.

However, my Autoset Spirit died almost a week ago, I replaced it with an S9 Autoset, and I'm thinking about buying a new mask. The Mirage still works well with minimal mask leak, but the headgear is falling apart.

I don't recommend that others use their masks as long, but I've seen that it can be done. So way is it recommended that masks and parts be replaced so often? My wild guess is three part. First off, replacing parts is good for the manufacturer. It's an ongoing profit center so it's in the best interest of the manufacturer to recommend frequent changes. Second and third are customer safety and comfort. As slick surfaces wear down and become rough, they can hold more bacteria and be harder to clean. Also, some soft parts may change shape and properties to cause discomfort and mask leak. I imagine that some people replace their parts because they seem "gross" over time. However, if you disinfect with bleach or some other strong disinfectant, then there's nothing in the mask that will hurt you, and the "grossness" is only perceived. It's not a real threat to your health.

The consensus is that one should replace the pillows in a Swift FX two times a month, although there seems to be some complaining that insurance companies sometimes won't pay for more than one per month.

I'm trying to figure out why I need to change the pillow. I've been using the same pillow for about 20 days and it seems the same as when it was new, with no loss of flexibility, no more leaks than before.

So what will happen if I just continue to use the same pillow? Will it become toxic and I'll die from a terminally rotten nose? Will it explode in my face? Will it send a secret message to Resmed and they'll send goons out to make me buy more pillows?

[big_dave]

I imagine that some people replace their parts because they seem "gross" over time. However, if you disinfect with bleach or some other strong disinfectant, then there's nothing in the mask that will hurt you, and the "grossness" is only perceived. It's not a real threat to your health.

C'mon, masks aren't THAT expensive.

[Sleepster]

I don't recommend that others use their masks as long, but I've seen that it can be done. So way is it recommended that masks and parts be replaced so often?

My guess is that it's a liablity issue. If something goes wrong, manufacturers can claim that they warned the patients.

Plus, like you said, it's in their own best interests because it increases their profits.