DreamStation Go - My Review

General Discussion on any topic relating to CPAP and/or Sleep Apnea.
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QueSera
Posts: 141
Joined: Fri Jan 01, 2016 11:17 am
Location: in the NYC suburbs in New Jersey USA

DreamStation Go - My Review

Post by QueSera » Mon Oct 02, 2017 9:05 am

Without starting with the background of why I made this choice, I’d like to review the DreamStation Go, which I’ve been using for about two weeks now. It’s meant to be a travel machine, but I’ve been using it at home as well. My current setup is

DreamStation Go, battery attached (no humidifier available at this time)
DreamWear Mask with nasal pillows
Chinstrap
HME (Heat Moisture exchanger) attached between mask and hose
Hose size 22 (not the 12 that came with the DSG)

Note: In the first week, I used the smaller hose, and I didn’t use the HME.

Setup: There really is no setup. Once your DME has entered your pressure from your Rx, you take the machine home, plug it in, connect the hose, and you’re on. I was able to go into the Clinician’s menu to check on things, but there was nothing I needed to change.

There is no power block, just a power cord with a standard plug, which is very, very nice. This alone will make it easier to travel with. The power cord can plug into the DSG directly, or into the battery pack which attaches to the main body of the DSG. It is not too heavy to travel with, and its blocky shape makes it very easy to pack.

It comes with a narrow-width hose (which will be easy to pack), but the connector will accept any standard (non-heated) hose. This is a nice feature. I’m using a wider tube that I had on hand and saving the narrow one for travel.

The hose comes with an adapter to accommodate different mask connectors. It can be used with any mask you have, or get. This is a tremendous advantage over the AirMini, from what I read. I had no trouble connecting my DreamWear, and no trouble attaching an HME between the mask and the hose.

Humidifier: As mentioned, there is no humidifier available for the DSG at this time. The humidifier is the aspect of CPAP that annoys me the most; I’ve never used one when traveling before, and I hope not to use one in the future. This is just me; it wil be different for different people. But the absence of a humidifier and water is a big plus for me. (I have also used my original ResMed without water; I know it can be done.) The addition of the HME is a nice workaround. Each one costs about $4.50, and can be used for a week, as far as I know.

Upkeep is much easier without a humidifier. It came with a re-usable filter that needs to be cleaned monthly. There are also disposable filters available. I haven’t had to do anything with the filter yet.

Control Panel: The screens are very simple and easy to understand, and easy to adjust. The only settings you’re likely to need to change is your mask type and/or your tube width. Note: If you’re using a Respironics mask, look for the mask setting on the package. The DreamWear, for example, is 1X. If you’re not using a Respironics mask, set this setting to Off. This is a separate setting from the full/nasal/nasal pillows setting. You can set some of these items in the DreamMapper app.

Features: It offers ramp, and auto-start and auto-stop. I don’t find auto-stop to work that well on this or on myResMed machine, but the auto-start is nice.

Noise: I know this is a big question for many people. When you read my answer, keep in mind that I am 100% deaf in my right ear, and I always keep my CPAP on my right side for that reason. To me, my ResMed AirSense 10 makes no sound at all. My Transcend, however, made a lot of machine noise.

The DSG makes no machine noise that I can hear. I do hear breathing sounds (aka, Darth Vader noise), in and out. There is no difference when I use a larger or smaller diameter hose, or when I use the DreamWear original nosepiece or nasal pillows. There is no difference with or without the HME.

There is no whine, just what sounds like heavy breathing. After a few minutes, I’m able to tune it out. I have always slept with white noise, and they appear to cancel each other out. If the breathing does bother me from time to time, I try to focus on it, which has the effect of meditation, which I find soothing.

Data Capability: The DSG has Bluetooth, and can connect directly to DreamMapper, an iPhone app provided by the manufacturer. It’s a nice feature, but the app provides very little information, as these apps generally do.

Sleepyhead: Excellent. It’s never been easy for me to set up Sleepyhead; I hate PC’s (gave them up 15 years ago), and I still want a nice iPad app that will give me the full range of information, but until then we have Sleepyhead, of which I am a big fan.

The DSG has a slot for a tiny SD card, which it did not come with, but I had one in the house and popped it in. Setting up Sleepyhead was as simple as popping out the SD card one morning, starting up my PC tablet, and popping the card into the built-in slot on the tablet. As soon as I selected Download (or whatever it says there, not in front of me just now), it found the SD card, changed the machine format to a Phillips Respironics DreamStation, and pulled the data in. That’s it. Nothing to it.

The categories were a bit different, so I had to make some adjustments there, but I get all the information I want easily.


Most important of all, I am doing very well on this machine, and I had begun to do less well over the summer. The only good week of sleep I had was the one I spent in Maine, using the Transcend. But when I get home, I was unable to get its data, and that was very frustrating. (BTW, if anyone wants a used Transcend, let me know.) I’ve spent the summer trying to get back to the better sleep I was getting in the spring, before my numbers went crazy. My numbers have improved greatly with the DSG. I can’t say why, but I’ll guess that it has something to do with different brands and machines using different algorithms.

Post any questions you might have about the DSG and I’ll do my best. Also, shoutout to Milton at The CPAP Shop in Berlin, NJ, where I went in person to get the machine. They are very nice there and very knowledgeable, and have a showroom, so to speak, for masks and machines. (It’s about an hour and a half away from where I live in north Jersey.)

Summary: I’m very happy with the DreamStation Go; it’s working very well for me.
It's always something. Roseanne RoseannaDanna
I was a victim of a series of circumstances, as are we all. Malachi Constant

User avatar
ChicagoGranny
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Joined: Sun Jan 29, 2012 1:43 pm
Location: USA

Re: DreamStation Go - My Review

Post by ChicagoGranny » Wed Oct 04, 2017 11:37 am

Thanks for the review!
QueSera wrote:I was able to go into the Clinician’s menu to check on things, but there was nothing I needed to change.
As you know, it is always a good idea to verify and control your own settings.

Glad to hear you are doing so well!

Cardsfan
Posts: 1509
Joined: Wed Apr 29, 2015 3:02 pm
Location: Close to St. Louis, MO

Re: DreamStation Go - My Review

Post by Cardsfan » Thu Oct 05, 2017 6:22 am

Great review- with lots of details. I'll add my 2 cents worth. I just got back from an overseas trip using my new Dream Statio Go with Battery attached. I used it on the plane, with no problems. And no one questioned me using it. I just pulled it out of my carry on and set it up. It does take up almost all of the pull down tray, so you don't have room for anything else to sit on the tray table of the plane. The battery will last 2 full nights (8 hr each night) at 10-14 pressure, without needing re charged.

_________________
Machine: ResMed AirSense™ 10 AutoSet™ CPAP Machine with HumidAir™ Heated Humidifier
Mask: AirFit™ P10 For Her Nasal Pillow CPAP Mask with Headgear
Additional Comments:  CPAP 10 cmH20., User since 1/1/15.

User avatar
QueSera
Posts: 141
Joined: Fri Jan 01, 2016 11:17 am
Location: in the NYC suburbs in New Jersey USA

Re: DreamStation Go - My Review

Post by QueSera » Thu Oct 05, 2017 7:35 am

Good to know about the battery; I haven’t tested that out yet. Thanks.
It's always something. Roseanne RoseannaDanna
I was a victim of a series of circumstances, as are we all. Malachi Constant

christian4870
Posts: 1
Joined: Sun Feb 11, 2018 2:58 am
Location: Austria, Vienna

Re: DreamStation Go - My Review

Post by christian4870 » Sun Feb 11, 2018 3:08 am

Hello dear all,
my name is christian, i am new here, living in Vienna, Austria and I am apap user since about 1 year. I use Resmed Airsense 10 autoset (is ok, i like it), i tested Resmed Air Mini (do not like this) and because I am travelling a lot I read this review of the Respironics Dreamstation Pro Auto. I would like to test this also with the battery and have a few questions therefore:
- do you still like it?
- any cons (compared with other items)?
- how do you carry this around the world by using the offered medium travel case? This looks good, but I can not imagine how to transport this, without putting the whole travelling case in another bag, because I see no strap or handle?
Thanks a lot for your information.
Best regards
Christian

PS: if this message is not allowed in this review-thread, moderators please forward it to a better place...thank you

User avatar
QueSera
Posts: 141
Joined: Fri Jan 01, 2016 11:17 am
Location: in the NYC suburbs in New Jersey USA

Re: DreamStation Go - My Review

Post by QueSera » Sun Feb 11, 2018 7:14 am

Hi Christian! I can answer some of your questionss.

Yes, it is carried in another bag, but its easy to remove so it can be inspected, if asked. It fits easily in my carry on bag, the one I keep with me at my seat (not the one I put in the overhead compartment.)

It is a little noisy, but that's not as problem for me.

I used it about a month ago for a weekend trip, but I won't bee using it anymore because I've been diagnosed with complex apnea and I've just starteed using aan ASV/Bipap machine. I'll have to bring that with me from now on.

I have used it with the battery and it lasted the whole night.

I hope this helps a bit.
It's always something. Roseanne RoseannaDanna
I was a victim of a series of circumstances, as are we all. Malachi Constant

Cardsfan
Posts: 1509
Joined: Wed Apr 29, 2015 3:02 pm
Location: Close to St. Louis, MO

Re: DreamStation Go - My Review

Post by Cardsfan » Mon Feb 12, 2018 11:54 am

It doesn’t have a travel case. The machine has a a protective hard shell case. The mask and hose fit in a little silkey bag, that has no real protecton for crushing the contents. I put the 2 items, the hard shell case and the hose/mask bag inside another bag. Both would fit inside a larger purse or under seat airplane bag.

_________________
Machine: ResMed AirSense™ 10 AutoSet™ CPAP Machine with HumidAir™ Heated Humidifier
Mask: AirFit™ P10 For Her Nasal Pillow CPAP Mask with Headgear
Additional Comments:  CPAP 10 cmH20., User since 1/1/15.