REMstar Plus or Auto & how long do these machines last?

General Discussion on any topic relating to CPAP and/or Sleep Apnea.
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littlebaddow
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Joined: Wed Dec 08, 2004 12:21 pm
Location: Essex, England

REMstar Plus or Auto & how long do these machines last?

Post by littlebaddow » Mon Dec 13, 2004 3:09 am

Hello everyone.

I'm a newcomer to the world of apnea, having been diagnosed a few weeks ago and I'm about to purchase my own equipment. This will be self-funded as I have no insurance and there is a long wait to get anything on the UK's welfare system (the NHS). I have moderate apnea and have been prescribed a pressure of 11cm. I've been reading around and have found this forum a very valuable source of info - thanks to all who freely share their views.

I've had 2 trial machine for a few days each (a Drager Luna fixed pressure and a Resmed Auto) both without humidifier. As I've been having some problems with a blocked nose, it seems a heated humidifer will be useful, so I'll get one. I haven't really seen any improvement yet (I realise it's early days) so I can't really tell whether fixed or auto will work better.

I've decided to go for a Remstar machine, but do I go for the Auto or the Plus, and in either case is it worth getting the C-Flex model?

The manufacturers blurb says the auto will adapt better to changing needs, but it seems easy to get the pressure setting changed on the fixed pressure machine when necessary. What are the pros and cons? Another factor is how long do the machines last? If they last a long time, I'd prefer to make the right choice now! And what about C-flex? Sounds sensible, but is it really worth it?

Any guidance from experienced users would be very welcome!

Thanks

Paul from Little Baddow in the UK

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Guest

Post by Guest » Mon Dec 13, 2004 5:53 am

I've got the Remstar Plus with C-Flex. I'm certainly no expert but for me the C-Flex option is great because as an asthmatic, exhaling is a concern. (For those who don't know, asthma is a problem with exhalation rather than inhalation.)

The machine is super-quiet when the mask fits snugly. I purchased the "Comfort Lite" mask and it really does feel like I don't have a mask on at all.

Where changing the setting is concerned the user-manual says to consult your health-care advisor, but the guy who delivered mine and set it up left all the manuals including the 'professional' one and it's really easy to change, not that I have.

I got the humidifier because here in Johannesburg the air is really dry in Winter. The whole thing is still light enough to travel with.

Welcome to the Hose-Heads Club!

Guest

Post by Guest » Mon Dec 13, 2004 7:40 am

I have the Remstar Plus & was told to expect it to last at least 10 years with good care.

hoser

Post by hoser » Wed Dec 15, 2004 12:24 pm

These machines are designed to last at least five years with reasonable care. How much longer? It will vary considerably. The motor fan assembly bearings will wear out eventually.

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rested gal
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Location: Tennessee

Post by rested gal » Wed Dec 15, 2004 12:56 pm

littlebaddow, while the pressure on a straight cpap machine is easy to change (if you have the clinician's manual which does come - or should come - with online purchased machines) here's the problem... without an autopap and software to monitor your nightly events, how would you know whether the pressure is working or not working well enough? With any machine, you might not feel like you're getting results as fast as you want. Continued fatigue after getting on cpap might not have anything to do with the pressure. The pressure might be preventing/clearing your events just fine. Blindly upping the pressure or turning it down might work...or it might be counterproductive if you have no overnight data at home to base a guesstimate on.

While I don't believe it's always necessary to get a doctor's "ok" to make adjustments in our treatment (I'm not a doctor), I do believe strongly in this - if we're going to tweak our own treatment, it's a very good idea to have a machine that can use software to tell us a LOT about our events. That usually means an autopap, even if you used the autopap at identical high/low pressure setting as if it were a cpap. If I needed a bipap machine rather than the autopap that does fine for me, I'd still want the software. I'd feel like I was driving half-blind in dense fog if I couldn't download my sleep data the next morning into my own computer. But, that's just me - ever nosy about my own therapy - and definitely not gonna tweak the pressure without seeing data feedback for myself the next day.