Still Waiting on My New CPAP Machine

My last article Why CPAP, Why? was about my CPAP being on the recall list and the black specks and toxic fumes now coming out of it which left it totally unusable.

It has now been almost 2 months without a CPAP machine.

The first month of waiting after the recall for my CPAP replacement

It wasn't bad, I have been still using the little fan on my bedstand at night, directing it at my face to get air movement. We have always used the ceiling fan at night because I am pretty sure my husband has sleep apnea. But, he has not gone in for a sleep study and that fan also helps him. So yes, there are 2 fans running in our bedroom in late winter/early spring just so we both can breathe while we sleep.

The first month without my CPAP, I didn't really sleep well at night. Actually, I had to start wearing a sleep mask over my eyes to keep the air from the fans out. I also wore a sleeping cap that I made (it's basically like a larger stocking cap). I wear it pulled over my sleep mask. The sleeping cap is because it's cold in the room, so the top of my head and my ears were cold. For my myasthenia gravis, the cold actually helps me but I really don't like earaches!

I had already filled out the documentation to have my CPAP replaced and I was just waiting on an email letting me know when it would be sent out. I met several criteria on the questionnaire to get a new CPAP machine sooner.

The second month without a new CPAP machine

For 2 days in a row, I would either just be lying down napping – maybe getting ready to go to sleep or actually asleep – and I could not breathe or swallow; my throat was completely closing down. I do have 2 health conditions for which the CPAP machine is very important: myasthenia gravis and Chiari malformation. Both already cause breathing and swallowing issues and the CPAP really helps to keep the airways open when lying down.

So now I'm getting a little concerned about not hearing anything back about when to expect a CPAP replacement. I tried checking online using my confirmation code to see the status of my replacement. When it came up that they couldn't find me in the system, I called the 800 number that was provided in the email with the confirmation number to speak to an actual human representative.

I had to re-answer all of the previous questions I had answered online. The representative was very nice and helpful. I was told that I did get moved up as 'medically necessary' so I can get a CPAP replacement.

The latest email concerning my new CPAP

No, it wasn't about when to expect my new CPAP machine. But, it was instructions for when I did receive the new machine. I was to send my old machine back to them in the postage-paid box that would come with the replacement in it. So, they could fix my original CPAP machine and send it to someone else.

After reading that email, I did check to see if my confirmation number worked online, which it did, and my request was actually moved up.

But I'm really not sure what to think about them fixing someone else’s sleep apnea machine and then sending it to me, or anyone else.

Tell me, are you still waiting on a new CPAP machine too?