I have to use a cpap for sleep and have been trying to figure out how I could use it if the power fails Cpap uses 35 watts/.3amp I have a 10k generator which I use for short power failures but know this won’t work long term. I have been reading posts about solar and wonder if I could use the Xantrex 1500 and recharge it via solar or with short runs using the generator. My plan was to use the generator only a few hours each day to extent the gas I have stored. We live in the moutains and direct sun light in the summer is not great. Thanks for suggestions
Mountiantop,
My hubby also has a c-pap machine. We had a “no power” weekend not long ago and he was able to run his machine on a deep cycle marine battery with a 750W inverter. On a fully charged battery, it ran for 2 nights with the humidifier running. Now that lenth of time would be extended had he turned the humidifier off, since it is a power hog.
How did you charge it up and how much time was required. This does seem like a cheap and easy way. Did you worry about any fumes from the battery? Thanks
Mountaintop and Carrey - Depending on the model of CPAP machine, it can be run directly from a 12V battery pack. Many of the Respironics are equipped to do this at a much lower power consumption than if you fed it AC. This does not include the humidifier, which is too big a drain to run from limited stored power resources.
A word of caution. Most lower cost inverters put out a wave form which is not a clean Sine wave. In the case of a few CPAP machines, this waveform will cause a burnout of the heater controller in the humidifier. This is only in some models.
I am currently in the process of measuring my Respironics machine to see what can be done to support it using 12V packs.
anonymous – at 21:03
We charge the marine battery off the vehical for about an hour. We should have plenty of gas, and I’m not expecting utilities to go out for a sustained amount of time.
Bumping thread to keep it above water, and keep it from gasping <sorry!>
Results of CPAP measurements on battery power
Well, using the equipment available to me at Eccleslab, I have made some measurements of my own CPAP machine to determine how much power it actually uses, and what kind of battery/solar support it needs.
Using my own machine (a Respironic REMstar PLUS/C-Flex), and using the factory supplied DC power adapter for it, I measured the power consumption of the machine in a few states.
all of the above are running open mask
The tests were all conducted using a commercial 12 AH battery pack. So, in my personal case, the pack would be able to provide about 8 hours of sleep before it endangered the battery pack. If using a solar system to recharge the battery, it could be accomplished in 4 hours using a 35 watt or larger solar panel system.
Your own mileage may vary, as each machine, each user and the individual programming for the user will differ. But feeding the CPAP using DC power through the factory provided DC power cord is within the capabilities of a modest system.
Be aware that this was for the CPAP only, and feeding it directly with DC. This was with the humidifier OFF. If you attempt to run a machine like this using an AC inverter, and intend to run with the humidifier ON, then you will require substantially more power.
And I mean SUBSTANTIALLY
Thanks for the information Eccles. I took the top cover off my cpap to see if there was a hidden DC input jack. I found the AC adapter outputted 32 volts DC to the unit so I’m stuck with using the Ac inputs I guess. My unit did measure around 30 watts using a “Kill a watt” meter with the air hose open. I did drop to 12–20 watts while using the mask. I have order a Digital pure sine wave inverter and have been looking at some deep cycle battery AGM sealed battery. I haven’t totally decided on the size but plan on using our generator to charge it during the 2–3 hours a day we run it. I don’t think a solar rig would charge it but I maybe wrong. I have wondered about those small quiet generators to use during the day when we don’t run the well pump which is my power killer.
Thanks for bringing this up. I was diagnosed with severe sleep apnea last week and will be fitted with a CPAP in about 10 days. My first thought was what would I do if TSHTF. Until now I have not worried about alternative power sources other then batteries for flashlights and radios but now I guess I have to start looking into it.
I live in an apartment so a generator is out of the question. Most of the above about watts, volts, inverters and so on is Greek to me. Is there a low power alternative or a primer on alternative power sources? Thanks in advance.
CA Mike- Whew! These thngs have been discussed at length for months. The fact that you are in an apartment makes things more difficult, fer sure. The first question I have is whether you have windows that bring in direct full sunlight for several hours per day.
As for the CPAP machine, since you have not yet been fitted with one, there may be a chance to influence which machine you get (which is often dictated by a conspiracy, oops, partnership of your health care provider and the insurance company.
You can begin to see what is out there if you look at sites like www.cpap.com.
Please don’t hesitate to come back with questions, there are always a whole bunch of knowledgeable and helpful people on this Wikie for every subject imaginable.
Eccles, thank you for your response. I do have windows and a skylight that get full sun for at least a few hours except during the winter of course. I will check out the cpap url and will probably be back with questions. From comments above I will be looking for DC input even if I have to pay the cost myself.
I hear you about the “partnership”. I think I spend more time on the phone trying to get insurance nonsense straightened out then I spend working.
CA Mike- This is a true story. The mask that I got with my CPAP machine is really comfortable. For about a month. Then it begins to suffer from compression and hardening of the padding. I called the medical supply house to see how much another one was. Also, since there are some fragile plastic thingees on it, I could see it would eventually be a problem.
The response from the supply house was that insurance wouldn’t pay for another till 6 months had gone by. I said I would pay cash. It took them 3 days to figure out how to do that. In the meantime, I had ordered one from CPAP.com for $68. When they finally got back to me, the medical supply house said they could sell it to me for $185. They were incredulous when I told them I had already ordered one for 1/3 of what they were asking. In the same order, I also got the DC power stuff, which the supply house said they couldn’t get.
In my case, the insurance Co. rents the machine till they are sure you are succeeding on it. I noticed from my statement that the first (of several) rental payments was nearly as much as I could have ordered one myself from a reputable on-line supplier.
CA Mike- You need to watch which models do and don’t have DC capabilities. SOme can’t take DC at all, while others are very happy with it. Since I wasn’t thinking about that when I first got mine, I just lucked out.
Eccles, thanks again. I will check out the CPAP url before I make any decisions. I very much appreciate the input.
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Just got done with my 3rd sleep study last night. My sleep apnea is severe—55 occlusions per hour. I also have delayed sleep phase syndrome. Last night, they finally got me to dream with a pressure of 16. Previously I’d never slept long/well enough. I started CPAP 3 months ago at 11, now 13. Can’t say it has helped much. Hopefully, new pressure will make a difference. It had better because I have been taken off of work b/c the sleep deprivation has caused inability to concentrate, poor memory, cognitive impairment etc. I’m an attorney and I can’t work if I can’t think clearly—most days I could fake it but that’s not fair to my clients and I refuse to put their interests at risk.
So, I have watched this thread closely and appreciate your advice Eccles. I have a Respironics CPAP and I need to figure out if it is 12v compatible. Should there just be a separate12v jack?
And about the pure sine wave inverters—how much should one expect to pay for 1500 watts? I have identified several essentials that I’d like to be able to run if necessary.
Thanks much.
Power Hungry- The DC connector for my model is right on the back between the AC line cord jack and some kind of data jack. it is a cylindrical power connector. The user manual should have a labelled diagram pointing out the features. Or if you know the model, we can hunt down the answer.
As for sine wave inverters, I think Hillbilly Bill just bought one of those at the 1000 or 1500 watt level. He would be the best guy to ask. I think he ordered his through invertersrus.com
My one question is, with an inverter that big, do you have batteries and a charging system to go with it?
I was thinking 3–4 Deep cycle 700 mca 85 amp hour batteries. When power is on, I’ll charge via the grid. Otherwise, I would charge off &/or run off my Expedition’s alternator. I have 40 gallon’s of gas stored.
Obviously, I don’t expect the power to be off long term. I’m anticipating rolling blackouts in my worst case scenario.
Certainly those batteries ought to carry you for many days of CPAP. If we estimate about 3–4 days per battery, minimum, then a week or two of support will be there. Depending on what you plan to use for a recharge source, that should lighten some of the concern for short-term outages. For extended periods, providing sufficient power may become an issue.
Thanks Eccles.
I also found this helpful article regarding running CPAP on battery.
For CA Mike and others…The really SIMPLE option with no power is to sleep sitting up in a chair. (Worked great for my grandparents!)If you aren’t snoring, you’re breathing just fine. To test the feedback loop, ask your partner…they are usually happy to tell you if you’re snoring…
my hubby snores in the lazy boy too!! LOL
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Ceredwin - thanks for the tip. My doctor said much the same thing. I will give it a try and see if it helps.
Eccles and others, the CPAP url shows a battery powered CPAP machine on the first page. Would that be any easier to charge in an apartment setting? I am assuming the answer is no and that I will have to give up on charging alternatives if the grid goes down.
I am currently thinking about getting the battery-powered unit with extra battery packs (I need to find out if the packs can be recharged without using the CPAP unit). That way I could keep at least a few packs charged which would handle short-term grid outages. If the grid stays down longer then I will have to sleep in a chair as Ceredwin suggests.
Finally, any recommendations as to type of CPAP machine? I noticed Respironics mentioned a few times. Is this a good brand or just what the insurance compamy will pay for? I am getting the impression that a good fitting mask is as important if not more so then the actual machine.
Again, thanks for all the input. I finally see my Dr., in a couple of days, and find out the next step.
Good Evening all, I stop breathing 130 times an hour. That’s 2 times every minute. Even sleeping in a chair I stop breathing. I never get to REM sleep. The people I may have to SIP with are very concerned. Hunky Hubby and Sweet Son want me to sleep- for their own good! I can get very, very (ad infinitum) crabby :-( when I don’t sleep.
Yes, a mask is all important. Without a proper fit you will have leaks and other problems. Eccles helped me. Thanks again Eccles. Listen to him as he is the CPAP guru. July 5th DH will start reading these threads and figure out along with Eccles how to tackle this issue.
Good luck CA Mike and I wish you a good night’s sleep.
PBQ - 130??!!
I thought my 87 was a significant achievement. I can’t even figure out how you can occlude that often (130) and stay alive!
Hey, since we’re all in this together, we can all share our experiences and the sum will be greater than the individuals.
Yes I know, the whole not breathing thing drives DH crazy! Even now with the CPAP I still have 7 an hour but that is quite tolerable. Before I got my CPAP DH would lie awake and poke me to wake me up to breath. He loves my CPAP too because it lets him sleep too!
I guess we don’t have much of a survial instinct because we just stop breathing, all of my CPAP buddies. People that do breath, don’t have a clue how difficult not breathing is and how life changing our little machines and masks are. Now if we can fix my hormones life will really be great!
PBQ- The other thing that CPAP candidates who resist it don’t realize is that their problem deprives the whole family of sleep. My DW and son are both better off for it, even if it does make me look like a hosenose.
Luckily, the mask is actually an improvement in the way I look!
I use a c-pap and couldn’t imagine if the power went out. However my biggest concern is my husband. He has a lung disease called idiopatic pulmonary fibrosis. He is on oxygen 24/7 and uses a bi-pap at night. His oxygen is supplied thru a oxygen concentrator. He does have a portable unit with liquid oxygen in it, although with constant use it would only last a day or so before needing to be refilled. (refills come once a month by truck delivery). I dont even know why I’m bringing all this up to you guys. Just the thought of trying to figure out a way to keep him in power… I know if he didn’t have his oxygen he would die fairly quickly. But this problem is not unique to us, as there are many oxygen users out there who would have the same situation.
lohrewok- Let’s start to see what the options are. The first thing that we’ll need to find out is the power required to keep the O2 concentrator running. If you can find that number in the user manual, or on the data plate which is usually where the line cord goes into the machine, we can begin to se what we can do to keep your hubby around awhile.
Thank you Eccles. That brought tears to my eyes.
I’m not sure what these numbers mean so I’ll write exactly what it says
Specifications 120 VAC Device 230 VAGdevic Input Voltage 120 VAC +10%,−15% 230VAC+10, Input Frequency 60Hz 50Hz Average Power Consumption 450W 440–500W
Operating tempature 55–90*
OK lohrewok, this is a good news/bad news situation. The good news is that it is certainly possible to come up with a way to run the O2 concentrator without power from the mains. the bad news is that it will either require a (small) generator and therefore a source of fuel, or else will require some fairly expensive solar or wind power based systems.
The generatoor option would be my first choice for all but the most dire of circumstances. With a peak power requirement of 500 watts, this would put you right in the range of a small and very quiet generator like a Honda EU1000i. It would burn about 1/10 of a gallon of gasoline per hour to generate the 500 watts.
Thus, a 5 gallon gas can would last you about 2 days.
The other alternatives, i.e. solar or wind power of a size sufficient to support a 500 watt load 24/7 would probably be cost prohibitive.
So get back to me and we can discuss the pros and cons of the generator option, and see what else we might be able to figure out.
Ok. So is a 500 watt load a lot? What would a normal house use with just the basics? Is that a stupid question?
I did a quick google of cost of Honda generator is about $1000. That is more $ but we could do it. Then the gas portion of it is a little tricker for long term…IF both vehicles were full when TSHTF that would be about 40 gal…how much gas to store? How long is the power going to be out? In our city, they totally have their heads in the sand about a possible pandamic. I have writen the mayor and the schools to start with.
If I were rich, how much would solar cost? We live in the midwest.
Can you tell I’m just running around in circles here in my head? So many considerations. My Dh has basically said he does not want to hear about any of this. I think his opinion is that if indeed SHTF he would be one of the first to go. His immune system is non-functioning due to the drugs he has to take. We are very careful about keeping him away from even a cold. Last time he got sick it took about 9 months before he was back up to par. Could we run it in the garage? (attached)
We may want to think about SIP with his brother. They live in the country and are much more equipped in terms of heat/location. Sorry this is so disjointed. :(
PBQ at 19:05, thanks for the encouragement. My rate is 74 times an hour so I am the baby of the bunch. I do get REM sleep although not enough. I see the Dr. tomorrow so expect to have a CPAP shortly. I am not looking forward to it but if it helps me sleep I will put up with it.
lohrewok - hang in there. There are a lot of smart people on this forum. Hopefully someone can help you with your situation. I know nothing about any of this so all I can offer is encouragement.
PH at 23:55, yeah I think the mask will be an improvement in looks for me also. Maybe we should find some stickers for the masks so we can start a fashion trend. “Masks by Mike”. It sort of has a ring to it.
CA Mike- if you are living with obstructive sleep apnea, then going onto a CPAP machine can make a remarkable and very sudden change in your life. This asumes that you are properly fitted with the correct mask and resolve to make it through the adjustment period of learning to sleep wearing the mask and learning to let it help you breath during the night.
Lohrewok- To continue bringing you up to speed. 500 watts is not particulrly alot of power when you compare it to the amount most folks consume in their homes here in the US. If you have 2 or 3 60 watt lamps burning in 2 or 3 rooms, that is about how much power you are consuming. A nice color TV consumes about 300 watts. A hairdryer consumes 1000 watts (more or less). So the amount of power we are talking here is not inordiantely high For Normal Times.
And there’s the problem. In the event that times become abnormal, then 500 watts becomes a great deal of power to have to supply 24/7 without fail. It really becomes a question of what happens if there is a failure of the electrical utilities which feed your home. For a few hundred dollars, you can buy a device called a UPS (Uninterruptible Power Supply) which takes over automatically and instantly if the power fails. It contains internal batteries which can provide the power you need. For between 10 minutes and an hour depending on which unit you buy. It is intended to get electronics through the kinds of fluctuations and power drops that can occur during a normal day, or a day with poor weather.
If you went a different route and bought large storage batteries and a charger for them, plus a device called an inverter to provide AC power to the CPAP, you could store enough power from when the power is on to keep you running for about a day.
The real problem begins to come into the picture if the utilities go down for several days or longer. The simplest means of acquiring the power you need to keep the concentrator running is a generator. As I said, the Honda unit (or a different one by Yamaha) can run fairly quietly and fairly economically, and they will be able to keep the machine running on about 2.5 gallons of gas per day.
The question of how much gas to store is a matter of how long the utilities will be down, should it come to that.
Alternatively, if your home runs on either propane or natural gas, it is entirely possible to equip a generator to run on those fuel sources. The advantage is that if you are on a natural gas line, they usually stay up and running during normal power outages. In the event of a Grand Mal failure of the system, then who knows?
The other option is propane. You can have a fairly large propane tank on your property which can run things for a few eeks at a time, if all you are doing is running the CPAP.
All of the rest of the solutions, which anticipate that things are out for a very, very long time require the use of a renewable energy source, such as solar, or wind, and in those cases, s system which can provide 500 watts 24/7 without fail are pretty expensive ($10,000 and up kind of expensive).
So work on digesting this bunch of info, then we can proceed another step or two, as you come up with new questions.
CA Mike, Is your insurance paying for this? If it is then you can get a mask every 6 months! Yea, you’ll need to. Clean the old masks very well and store them as you don’t know when they might come in handy. The mask I use is the standard ResMed. I came home with the one they used at the sleep clinic and it was terrible for me. But since I am slow ( so please type real slow so I can read) it took a while for this info to seep into my brain. Now I am becoming more proactive about my body instead of trying to ignore it. DH said if worse comes to worse he will take a bike tire pump to the mask! HeHeHe.
It will take a few weeks to get used to the mask. If you pass a mirror on the way to the bathroom at night don’t freak out. I like Eccles “hosenose” but I look more like a trashy alien. I wonder if life on other planets have their version of the National Enquirer? >:0)
Eccles @ 13:06
Ok. We’ve talked about it.
The UPS wouldn’t be practical for a long term outage.
We live in a small city, I don’t think anyone uses propane. Our furnace is forced air gas. So I know we need electrical for the furnace. But I don’t know if the gas would be available for a generator.
So I suppose we’re looking at the Honda/storing gas. Why do you recommend that one? What about a briggs/stratton? Also, could we run it in the garage? (attached)
Would this be dangerous?
All, I could use some advice. PBQ, yes the insurance will pay for it after I pay 10%, plus meet a $600 deductible and pay $20 a month for 10 months (for rental - on my Doctors advice). I was not expecting this so I was fairly upset when I heard the news (thus I did not ask for the price to buy the system nor did I ask for the model number for the unit or the mask).
I plan on calling back, tomorrow, to get a price on purchasing the unit/mask plus model numbers.
So the question is: is it feasible to buy the unit and mask on my own (provided I can get the Dr. to cough up the prescription)? Does the mask need to be fitted by a professional? Could I pay for the unit then let the “professionals” provide the mask and fitting?
Sorry for all the questions but I know I need the CPAP but am astounded that the insurance company won’t pay for it. This seems like preventative medicene to me. Unfortunately, the US insurance system seems to be more focused on reaction then prevention.
Any advice would be appreciated.
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CA Mike @20:00
I know the upfront costs seem like a lot. You have a high deductible. Our is 250 per family member/500 max for family. We also paid 10% for each machine. A 10 month rental seems excessive. Mine was just for one month. Cost for E’s bi-pap was around 3,000 and my c-pap was 1500 or so. Your mask needs to be fitted by a pro. (initally)
If the 600 deductible is for a whole year, could you time your purchase to coincide at the start of your medical year so at least your dudctible would apply to other medical costs? With a 10 monyh rental you have some leeway there. that is a point to consider.
I think as long as your Dr. gives you a RX you should shop around. We went thru a oxygen supply company here locally, but prob. could have been charged less mark-up in doing our own shopping (online?)
I will tell you that the change in your quality of life will improve immeasurably. It will well worth it. Most nights I don’t wake at all. Not even to roll over. IT is so great! Good luck.
CA Mike - The one thing to watch for in the Insurance Powered suppliers vs suppliers you can buy from yourself is a steep price differential. As an example, just the mask from the Official Insurance Powered supplier is $185. From CPAP.COM I get the same mask for $68.
In machines, the first months rental (paid by insurance) for my current machine was $400 something. The entire machine from CPAP.COM is about $800.
Once they are making you spend a siginificant amount of your own money, you should sit down and work through the numbers carefully.
I hit an astounding reaction from the respiratory specialist (physician) I visited. When I tried to discuss the price differential with the suppliers, he just said “What are you concerned about, it’s free with your insurance”.
As for mask, at least for first one, it probably should be fitted by folks who know how to fit one and make sure it is adjusted correctly. A pooprly fitting mask, or the wrong one can make your nights dreadful and permit leaks which will reduce or eliminate the benefits of CPAP
Eccles,
Thanks for all of this. I’m following the issue for my bro, who needs bipap.
As usual, you’re the man when it comes to heavy lifting on the equipment front.
Melanie- I know I’ll be punished for this comment, but-
This thread is like a breath of fresh air
Sorry. I’m going back to bed now.
Lohrewok-
I recommended the particular generator for three reasons; First, it is very small (as generators go) and lightweight (as generators go) so you would be able to handle it yourself. Second, it is very quiet, which will make it less likely to attract attention from folks who may covet your power source, Third, it is about the most efficient user of fuel I have seen. Most generators are much larger, much heavier, much louder and burn lots more fuel. this one is sized just right for the task you have described.
As for running it in an attached garage. it would be a very dangerous thing to do, as many people are injured or killed by just such a practice. Carbon monoxide build-up in an attached garage is not something to be taken lightly.
Thanks all for the information and support. It has been very helpful. I have gotten over my “mad-at-the-insurance-company” syndrome, so it is time to make some phone calls. If I can get a prescription from the MD then I will probably order my own unit/mask. I need to do a little research to determine where I can get the mask fitted. I will start with CPAP.com.
One final question. My mom has an old CPAP unit. It is about 8 years old and still functioning. The question is would I be better off ordering a new model or using her unit with a new mask?
Thanks again. I know I need one of these. I just need to figure out how to get it without breaking the bank.
Eccles,
Which just goes to show you that neither of us should be posting at 4 AM.
CA Mike- I have no real info on this, just a gut feeling that the CPAP units that are out now are probably spuerior to an 8 year old one in many ways. Also, since the pressure that it runs at is critical to YOUR proper operation, it would at least need to be serviced and calibrated.
The newer units have features, such as C-Flex, which was not available years ago, which makes exhalation much easier, and therefore using it much more comfortable. The newer units are probably much quieter.
However, if that’s what it takes to get you onto a CPAP, then go with the older unit, after having it set and tested by a certified facility. It is important to get onto a CPAP if you have obstructive sleep apnea. You’ll not only feel much better within days, but you’ll probably live alot longer as well.
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Eccles, thanks for the advice. I sort of figured that getting a new unit was the best path for me.
My current plan is to get a prescription or two from the MD and order my own unit. If I can I will also order a mask and see if I can get an initial fitting. If not, I will get the mask/fitting from the local gougers/insurance/what-not. I am hoping that once I have gotten the first mask fitted, I can reorder the same mask as needed.
Isn’t dealing with insurance companies fun? I have a condition that can lead to disablity, stroke and other “fun” things. Preventative versus reactive medicene. Seems a simple choice to me but then I do not work for an insurance company.
Don’t get me started. You know what’s good about insurance companies?
(If you do, please post it as a new thread I’m sure the whole rest of the world would like to know too.)
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I tested out my new battery backup using my cpap and if worked better then I thought it would. I have a 100/amphour AGM battery with a aims 620 digital pure sine wave inverter. It ran 8 hours last night and still showed 100% on my Xantrex 40a battery charger. I’m sure it will drop after tonight to 80% remaining. My cpap uses 25–30 watts and my inverter consumes around one amp. It is a not a cheap setup but should work around 4 nights before I recharge the battery with the generator.
mountaintop – at 18:09
Allow plenty of time for recharging, I was unpleasantly surprised how long it took to bring my batteries back up after running a few appliances to test them out.
You know, we have been blessed with sufficient time to have gotten well underway of working out the wrinkles of how to deal with the potential outages that could possibly be coming. We have been given time to acquire the things that we need and good natured and intelligent colleagues who try out and report back to us their results.
I would say that this is as close to a helping hand as any of us need to realize that we have been blessed with a little extra assistance. Imagine trying to cope with a loss of CPAP without having had the opportunity to even understand what we would have been up against.
Thanks to Mountaintop, Hillbilly Bill, wetDirt and Will, who ahve given us all a running head start to take better care of ourselves.
Eccles,
This is the hive mind at work at its finest. My brother is on CPAP and we live in a hurricane zone so he really needs the information NOW and I was pleased to be able to help him with a link to this thread.
Melanie- I’ll let you know how well it works after we get this massive line of really evil looking T-storms through the area. I suspect that there is a reasonable chance I may be running on emergency preps before tonight is done with.
But that what’s we’ve been trying to get through to some folks. It isn’t just the flu that we’ll need to deal with, its all the “normal” adversities which will keep right on a’coming whether there is a flu or not.
bumping for bill
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I still have not gotten my unit. Insurance issues as usual.
Bump. I hope to have this settled by Monday. That was sarcasm for anyone that has to deal with insurance companies.
It amazes me that the insurance companies will not pay for preventative medicene but will pay when you are at deaths door. Is this is a US thing? :sigh
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CAMike,
Back in the days when I still had insurance, I tried to get enough of my regular meds to take on vacation, which would span the time when my usual 30 supply ran out and run a couple of weeks. It took me 15 hours on the phone with the insurance company over three days. I discovered that the magic words are, “let me talk to your supervisor.” I had to get to the vice president of the company to get my prescription extended. I kid thee not, for three weeks of a very common drug.
Melanie- There are cases where it is better to just tell them to be Fruitful and Multiply, only not in those exact words. If you look into things, there are some very interesting pricing anomalies you encounter.
As an example, someone I know requires insulin. When she gets it via insurance, the co-pay is $30. Once, the pharmacy declined to fill because the insurance Co. said it was too soon. but since she needed the insulin, she said she would just pay cash. Cash price was $32.95.
Also, a long time ago one of the folks (I think it was one of the Florida girls) pointed out the prices that one could find at a Costco pharmacy. Some are astoundingly low when compared with, for instance, Walgreen’s on-line pricing info.
Eccles-
How about ebay for a Honda generator? Looking at their prices are pretty good compared with retail. Also, what other kinds of things will we need to get to just hook it up w/ the ox concentrator?
Melanie, thanks for the tip. I have been trying to build up my supply of meds but it is slow going. Fortunately, I was able to get about 30 days ahead on the critical medications (I take 10 total of which 4 I consider critical). My Doctor has been very helpful. He has given me free samples of some of the medications. It is hard to SIP for any length of time if you only have meds for 30 days.
I have used the “let me talk to your supervisor” line under other cirumstances. I just never considered using it for this. Thanks again.
lohrewok- I can’t speak for your own financial position, but for me personally, i would rather go and spend the money for something like this Honda generator at a local implement dealer who does service and works on a repeat business customer base.
I don’t have any way to know the previous history of any item I buy on E-bay, and in my own personal circumstance, where money is tight, but available if needed, then for something which I will be depending on to preserve the life of a loved one, I would rather get one which I know has zero hours and zero abuse at the start. And have someone locally who can service it and teach me how to get the best service out of it.
While I DO buy tings via E-bay, and while I have never been burnt ordering via E-bay, my own personal view is that for an item of this expense and this importance, I would rather go somewhere where I knew what I was getting and who I was getting it from.
Having said that, I am not unaware how hard it is to come up with the money for a generator. So you will ultimately have to balance your own financial situation with the considerations I have outlined above.
bump
Closed due to length. Conversation is continued here.