Why you like your Brand/Model APAP Machine

[atruvirgo]

I have decided to ask my M.D. at my appointment on 2/23 if he will order me an APAP. I have been reading on CPAP.com about the various APAP with C-Flex or EPR and I would like to know which machine you use and your personal opinion of the machine as a user. Pros and Cons. Since I do travel (3 children in the military) small would be nice but, I want it to have as much data capability as possible. I want to get as much info about machines as I can before my appointment. I have started my list for my new pulmonologist. My last one was not very helpful!

Thanks for you input and your time!

Sleep Well!
Debbie

[ResmedUser]

I have decided to ask my M.D. at my appointment on 2/23 if he will order me an APAP. I have been reading on CPAP.com about the various APAP with C-Flex or EPR and I would like to know which machine you use and your personal opinion of the machine as a user. Pros and Cons. Since I do travel (3 children in the military) small would be nice but, I want it to have as much data capability as possible. I want to get as much info about machines as I can before my appointment. I have started my list for my new pulmonologist. My last one was not very helpful!

Thanks for you input and your time!

Sleep Well!
Debbie

If you are going to buy an APAP my advice is buy one new and buy the best one you can afford. Minimum pressure for me has been critical, I use my CPAP titrated pressure as my minimum APAP pressure. I dont know how others do that. I know if I drop my minimum pressure below my CPAP titrated pressure I fall apart fast.

Id say you should do well on either a Resmed S9 APAP or a Respironics APAP. Either are fine. I have given thought to buying a Devilbliss or Puritan Bennet next time to save cash because I am not into all the bells and whistles that comes with these premo Resmed or Respironics APAPs.

Another thing is if you try to get it thru your DME/insurance, you may run into problems. Some insurance/DMEs dont like to give APAPs because they dont make as much money off them as giving you straight CPAP machines. So you may have to pay for an APAP out of pocket, possibly. It depends on how aggressive your doctor is and how aggressive (pushy) you want to be. The first APAP I got years ago, I got no flack at all from anybody. This last time though, it was like pulling teeth, I put a lot of pressure on my DME and basically forced him to give me one thru force of my personality. But that left me emotionally drained and yesterday I thought my DME guy was going to start crying on me in his office almost and I felt bad for him almost.

Then I bought a second APAP out of pocket. Unless your health insurance is stellar and pays and gives you no lip, it is oftentimes easier to buy an APAP out of pocket.

Mikey

[Pugsy]

Debbie,
Since you already have EncoreViewer 2.0 you might consider the Repirionics.

I have 2 M Series APAP's, one is the CFlex and one is the AFlex. The CFlex was bought first and is now my back up machine as I found I liked the AFlex better. They have served me quite well and if I was going to get a new machine I would stick with Respironics. The newer ones are quite fancy I hear. I just can't justify the expense right now.

Are you going to be paying out of pocket for it?

Is there some way you could try different machines just to see if one suited you better than the other?

[dtsm]

Discussed many times, here's one recent thread to help your search:
viewtopic/t59762/Newbie-wondering-about ... lable.html

[Slinky]

I'm a little outdated as I haven't had the opportunity to try a new Resmed S9, nor the DeVilbiss IntelliPAP nor the Fisher & Paykel ICON ....

However, I HAVE used the Resmed S8 Elite, Resmed S8 AutoSet Vantage, Resmed VPAP Auto, Respironics pre-M Series Auto, Respironics pre-M Series BPAP Auto and PR SystemOne BPAP Auto ...

Of them all I still prefer the Resmed S8s. I've gotten good therapy w/each of these devices so its the other features that influence my preferences. First off my preference for the Resmed S8s is for the ease of access to and amount of data available via the LCD screen. I really appreciate the well-lit easy to read LCD screen. They are supremely easy to dismantle and set up when traveling. The humidifier water tank water content is clearly visible. Not only do the S8s run at a low setting after being shut off to remove the condensation from the humidifier but its so easy to just pop the lid on the humidifier to further assist in removing the condensation for the day. While it is recommended that the tank be emptied and cleaned each day, I only use distilled water and I just keep topping off the tank each night except when having to empty it for traveling so being able to just lift the lid and let things dry out is especially important. The S8s are sturdy and travel well. Mine came w/well-padded carry case tho I would have wished for slightly more space for storing the mask. I like the handle on the S8s making them so easy to pick up and move to another location, sans the humidifier water tank of course. I especially like that the S8s do NOT require or use a separate power brick.

One thing that I especialy like about the PR SystemOnes is the swivel hose attachment on the integrated humidifier. But Respironics still hasn't figured out that an LCD screen that is well-backlit when wanted and dark when not needed or wanted really is DESIRABLE. Over-reaction to the M Series blue light problem? Nor have they figured out making more data available via the LCD screen. They did finally figure out how to get rid of that PITA platform. I find the integrated humidifer tank a real PITA for discerning how much water in the tank and for filling. It strikes me as an over-reaction to the M Series humidifier leak problem. AND they finally figured out how to make the limited data more easily accessible via the LCD screen. No more unplugging and plugging, thank goodness!!! I do like the new "plug" that fits into the PAP device itself. The carry case doesn't have enough padding to provide any real protection when traveling.

And I much prefer Resmed's ResScan software to Respironics' EncorePro software and their methods of displaying the data. Except, I really do like EncorePro's Daily Events Per Hour table AND I prefer the way EncorePro provides an IPAP and an EPAP pressure line instead of ResScan's insistence on providing just one mid-line pressure line but that is due to the difference in the way each manufacturer's Pressure Support works on their bi-levels. I do prefer the Respironics manner of pressure support, it is easier for me to understand and work with.

I can NOT complain about the therapy provided by either brand. Both have worked very well for me once we established my pressure needs. Since I didn't cooperate by sleeping any real length of time thru TWO in-lab bi-level titrations it did take some time to determine my needed IPAP and EPAP settings via the bi-level autos.

[ozij]

Try before you buy, rent if you have to.
I like my S9 Auto because it treats me better than the S8 Auto II-- for me, S8 raised pressure when it shouldn't have, and the humidifier is better too on the S9.

I love the exhale relief given by Resmed's EPR.

I tried a Resprionics machine: it's digital Auto-Trak altgrithm is incapable of tracking my breathing pattern - I couldn't slee a night with it - it was that bad.

I also tried DeVilbiss - it was not good for me either.

All of which says abolutely nothing about how each machine may treat you -- but it does say that for some of us, some machines are simply not right.

Try before you buy. Rent if you have to.

O.