CPAP question

I have been using CPAP machine since January ( Resmed AirSense 10 Autoset)

Machine makes a difference but rent expensive, 110 eur per month. Wondering if anyone has purchased CPAP machine outright?If so did you find it trouble free or did it need frequent repairing?

found 2 online european CPAP stores, multidoctorshop registered in Greece and CPAP stores.eu registered in Bulgaria. Both have AirSense 10 for around 900 eur. Couple of eBay sellers offer similar price.

Any experience with this sellers?

Thanks

Many buy outright (esp. from Cpap.com - great prices) or e.g. Secondwindcpap.com if no insurance, but you need to check with your country's import regs to be sure you can get a machine, etc. and what extra fees it could cost you (for duty, etc), though you can also request from the seller to put "medical device" on the package which might help there.

cpap.com is not allowed to ship ResMed or Respironics products outside the US. So they aren't an option for people outside the US.

Now secondwindcpap.com doesn't have that same contract restriction and they can and do ship ResMed and Respironics machines all over the world.

I don't know about exchange rates for the Euro and the US dollar but you might check out their prices to see how they compare with your sources you found.

Warranty issues can be a pain but failure rates or problems are very rare.
http://www.secondwindcpap.com/

As per your question about anyone having personal experience with the sellers you found...most of the forum members here are in the US or Australia with a few others from various countries in Europe. It's unlikely that you will find anyone having personal experience with those 2 particular sellers on this forum.

I know many people in various corners of the world who have bought from secondwindcpap.com and are very well satisfied.

Thanks for your replies, much appreciated.

I never used any machine other than Airsense 10. Is it good choice or may be there are better options? How does Dreamstation compare to Airsense?

Thanks

The AirSense 10 AutoSet is an excellent machine.
You would be hard pressed to find a better machine IMHO. The Respironics DreamStation is a good machine too but between the 2 brands (and I have used both brands and actually still own a Respironics bilevel Auto machine)...I prefer the ResMed for various reasons.

Thanks a lot Pugsy! Another question:
Cooling CPAP air.
This topic was discussed before but I couldn't find any suitable solution.
I'm renting Airsense 10 with Humidifier and ClimateLineAir tube to heat air. Is it possible to cool air instead of heating? I prefer cool air.

vps wrote:I'm renting Airsense 10 with Humidifier and ClimateLineAir tube to heat air. Is it possible to cool air instead of heating? I prefer cool air.

No...there is no air conditioner but you can turn the heated hose air temp down or even off and not sacrifice humidity.
Then the hose air temp will be more governed by ambient room air temp.

I use warmer temps in the winter (keep bedroom at around 55 degrees and that does NOT feel good going up the nose) and use lower temps in the summer when cooler does feel better. All the while the humidity being delivered stays the same. My nose doesn't like for me to go playing around with the moisture levels.

If turning the hose air temp off still results in too warm for comfort hose air temp you might try reducing ambient house/bedroom temps or putting the machine near a window (open) so that air coming into the machine is cooler.

Do be aware that with hose air temp on the cool side you run the risk of having condensation happen in the mask or hose...but if that happens are are ways to reduce that annoyance.

Hi vps,

You shouldn't be renting a CPAP machine on a long-term basis, in my opinion. It's not economical.

For comparison, there are a couple of places here in the UK which rent-out machines by the week - but mainly to people who want to by-pass the national health service, and to get a quick answer to the questions: "Have I got sleep apnea?" and "Will a CPAP machine help me?"

But once anyone here decides to buy, they can call up either Resmed UK direct or Philips Respironics UK direct, and both manufacturers will happily sell you a machine - provided you get a doctor to complete the downloadable prescription form.

I know this because I bought my machine direct from Philips Respironics. And I buy my mask replacement parts direct from Resmed.

I'm pretty certain there must be some way you can get a machine direct from either of these two manufacturers, and have it sent to you in whichever European country you are in (you don't say which).

And there shouldn't be any customs duty if you are already in one of the 28 EU countries and the machine is sold to you by a manufacturer or supplier in any one of the 28 EU countries. That's one of the benefits of having a joint customs area.

So, in addition to the excellent suggestion about secondwindcpap.com, you might try contacting Resmed Europe here:

https://mysleep.resmed.com/GB/en/Sleep- ... gI0XvD_BwE

and ask them what they can do for you.

Hi Rick

Resmed charges 1700 eur for AirSense 10.
German online stores price 883 eur for the same new model plus 35 eur postage.

Is there any point in paying double price?

Hi vps,

Are you sure that Resmed charges 1700 euros for the Airsense 10? What or who is your source for that?

It doesn't make sense.

I could buy the machine (plus hose) today, from Resmed UK, for £689 - or 788 euros - and ship it to you via FedEx International for about 50 euros. And, as I said above, there wouldn't be any customs duty or import charges because - for the moment - the UK is still in the European common market.

The only significant difference I know between buying a brand new machine direct from the manufacturer and buying through a retailer or vendor is that, under European law, the two-year warranty period starts on the day the machine leaves the factory.

So if it sits on a shelf in a shop, or in the warehouse of an on-line vendor, for, say, six months before you buy it, there is only 18 months left on the warranty.

But that's a minor point. And wouldn't explain the price difference you say you've been quoted.

PEI is Resmed representative in Ireland who supplies my CPAP for 110 eur per month. Their price for new AirSense 10 is 1700 eur.

I've contacted Resmed directly, they forwarded me to PEI.

Thank you for contacting ResMed.
To purchase items in Dublin, please contact the following:
ResMed-PEI

M50 Business Park
Ballymount Road

Upper Dublin 12

vps wrote:Their price for new AirSense 10 is 1700 eur.

Check out the prices for ResMed S10 AirSense AutoSet at SecondWind - either gently used, open-box specials or factory-sealed new. The gently used ones have one-year seller warranty and the new ones have two-year manufacturer warranty. (I buy from SecondWind.)

If you buy, make sure to get AirSense AutoSet model.

http://www.secondwindcpap.com/

Hello again vps,

You're posting from the Republic of Ireland - or Eire. Why didn't you say?

I know that the 'vehicle registration tax' on cars imported into Eire is something fierce. And likewise the VAT. ("VAT is payable even where you have paid VAT in the other country.")

And I don't know any legal ways round it. But have you asked at the Department of Health (at Hawkins House, Hawkins St, Dublin 2, D02 VW90; +353 1 635 4000) if CPAP machines are exempt from either of these taxes?

CPAP machines are considered a medical necessity in the UK, and are thus VAT-exempt. Surely the same argument can be made in Eire.

Have you tried writing to one of your TDs (members of parliament) to ask if they can help you with this? Find out for you if there is some exemption which applies.

It seems to me unfair that this PEI outfit is, or seems to be, the sole supplier in Eire. And that they are, or seem to be, allowed such a horrendous mark-up - in addition to the taxes which apparently have been tacked on to make that 1700 euro price.

vps wrote: ↑

Thu Oct 26, 2017 8:55 am

I have been using CPAP machine since January ( Resmed AirSense 10 Autoset)

Machine makes a difference but rent expensive, 110 eur per month. Wondering if anyone has purchased CPAP machine outright?If so did you find it trouble free or did it need frequent repairing?

found 2 online european CPAP stores, multidoctorshop registered in Greece and CPAP stores.eu registered in Bulgaria. Both have AirSense 10 for around 900 eur. Couple of eBay sellers offer similar price.

Any experience with this sellers?

Thanks

Hi vps,

I used to rent this machine as well, but could not afford it anymore, decided to invest in my own machine. So I bought AirSense 10 AutoSet from the first one, multidoctorshop. Wasn't sure about it at first, as the site did not have many reviews, I was hesitant. But they turned out to be very reliable and truthful with their marketing. I do not know anything about the second seller you mentioned, never heard of them.

Hope this helped!