Puritan-Bennett 420E: A few questions

In another topic line, someone mentioned following feature of the Puritan-Bennett 420E:

"Hose has a separate sensor line which allows the unit to work with any interface."

I am unable to find any information on this. Is this a unique feature of the 420E or all 420's? How does it work?

Also the following was mentioned:

"Allows adjustment of several triggers for tweaking treatment"

What exactly are these adjustments?

I am seriously looking at this machine, but my DME is not as impressed with the quality of the Puritan Bennett CPAP's. FYI, he prefers Resmed or Respironics. (He did mention that the PB rep for my area was not good, and this may have skewed his judgment. He also seems to find it negative that PB does not exclusively do CPAP products, like the other manufactures. I don't fully understand the logic there. I am happy with the RT, when I mentioned to him about getting an APAP, he immediately told me that was the way to go, no question, if I wanted to pay for it. (I thought he was going to be against it, like my Dr. was). He is also excited that I was interested in getting the software, and that I was generally being hands on with my treatment.

Do people think it helpful to have a dedicated RP when you first start off with using CPAP?

Opps, I'm all over the place. To many questions. Sorry.

Thanks again in advance for all the great responses.

Dougc4

I've had a Resmed Spirit and a PB 420E . They are both good units. I prefer the 420E. Smaller, Runs on 12 Volts , Software is cheaper.

:twis ted:

I have tried an older Respironics BiPAP S/T,,but prefer the PB Goodknight 425.

The sensor tube is a very small (1/4" OD) tube that runs inside the length of the air hose and attaches to the unit. (the other end just floats inside the airhose near or inside the connecting tube of your mask.) When you create negative pressure to breathe in, the much smaller inside diameter of the tube transfers this negative pressure to the device much faster than the big air hose, so it delivers the air you are trying to inhale much more quickly than a standard device.

For me, that means that my muscles don't get sore trying to breathe in and I don't wake up gasping because the machine isn't delivering air fast enough.

I hope that answers your question.... Actually, rereading your Q, I'm not at all sure of what you are asking?

What is a n "RP"? Are you talking about a Respiratory Therapist (RT)? I would think that working with only one would be the best way to go. That way you don't have to explain things over and over again each time you see someone else. I can't imagine trying to work with more than one myself.

- JB

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CPAPopedia Keywords Contained In This Post (Click For Definition): respironics, bipap, hose

First of all ask the RT or DME where do they get their income from? Does the DME company get higher commissions from one co. versus another. I ran into this very same comment from a local yokel, who said he would never never never recommend this machine. When I pressed him re: the 420E (Which I have and have used for 4 mos. no problem, software can be checked daily) he said NO.....So I pressed him some more and he said he had to admit he had never ''sold or leased the 420E". There ended my call to him. The flakey DME I wound up with pressure from the doctor Who swore they had no $$interest (yeah sure) wanted to give me a CPAP no APAP, I could not even find the old bomb they were hawking. So when I pushed, she didn't pull back too hard, and with some haggling, new scrip, a few perturbed phone calls from the doctor's RT, the DME relented and go tme the 420E. She came in (I call her casper the ghost remember..?) never sat, told me the 'sales rep'' gave her a mini lesson, handed it off. And out she went, and not a call, visit, card, note, NOTHING ever since. The only thing I have received from her company with no problem punctually ea. mon. is the difference between my insurance coverage and what I owe. My ins. company now purchased it. Do you think I'd get a follow up call ? Nah......got a better chance at the lottery. this was all long before I discovered cpap.com. I I have since purchased a complete ''duplicate'' set of 420/heated humidifer, and I use the swift nasal pillow.

All I can say is it works for me. I am not a doctor, nurse, RT, DME, or anything else other than a fellow Apap-er. I prefer the 'apap' routine as I do not want more pressure than I need, and also the ability to monitor myself and change settings if need be. It takes some education on your part, but believe me, I am no computer whiz, and if I can do it, anyone can learn it. Cpap.com will walk you thru any questions. (and no I don't work for them either).

I like the size of the 420E, I have not had the run away pressures that some people report, and all things considered I'm satisfied with it. I made the mistake of calling PB themselves for a question and I got blown off as I am not a DME. Guy all but told me I was committing fraud till I told HIM I only needed a scrip to order the machine, and that his attitude should change as more and more people become cpap savvy and follow their own treatment.

I can't speak for any other 420E owners, but I am satisfied. I follow my own course, and what works for me..

Good luck, hope this is of some interest and help to you..
I am finding that in CPAP world, we are best our own advocates.

dougc4 wrote:In another topic line, someone mentioned following feature of the Puritan-Bennett 420E:

"Hose has a separate sensor line which allows the unit to work with any interface."

I am unable to find any information on this. Is this a unique feature of the 420E or all 420's? How does it work?

Also the following was mentioned:

"Allows adjustment of several triggers for tweaking treatment"

What exactly are these adjustments?

I am seriously looking at this machine, but my DME is not as impressed with the quality of the Puritan Bennett CPAP's. FYI, he prefers Resmed or Respironics. (He did mention that the PB rep for my area was not good, and this may have skewed his judgment. He also seems to find it negative that PB does not exclusively do CPAP products, like the other manufactures. I don't fully understand the logic there. I am happy with the RT, when I mentioned to him about getting an APAP, he immediately told me that was the way to go, no question, if I wanted to pay for it. (I thought he was going to be against it, like my Dr. was). He is also excited that I was interested in getting the software, and that I was generally being hands on with my treatment.

Do people think it helpful to have a dedicated RP when you first start off with using CPAP?

Opps, I'm all over the place. To many questions. Sorry.

Thanks again in advance for all the great responses.

Dougc4

Welcome dougc4!

I have the 420e, and while I am no expert, I am very happy with my machine.

The sensor line, as ahujudybear says, is a small tube inside your main hose. It "listens" to your breathing (or lack of it). It senses Apnea with cardiac oscillations (centrals) by listening for a heartbeat without a breath. Pretty cool -- huh? It detects snores as the precursors to apneas/hypopneas and responds to stop them before they disturb your sleep. That is a very basic explanation -- check out -SWS posts -- he is quite knowledgable!

The adjustments are probably the IFL1 and IFL2 settings. Occasionally the machine will runaway the pressure and you can turn off IFL1 to stop that. I believe that the machine is picking up my bruxism -- I wear an acrylic mouth guard and clench my teeth on it at night and I think that it hears that and interprets it as a snore and ups the pressure.

I would believe that the DME is probably either getting a kickback for the other machines or their company just doesn't deal with the PB line. My sleep doc and lab like ResMed -- they don't know much about PB, but I wanted a small, light unit for travel, so I got mine from our hosts at CPAP.COM -- very good to deal with! I have educated myself about the machine and software (and OSA). Also -- do some price shopping -- you will probably be shocked at what the DME will charge for the same exact setup vs. CPAP.COM. As ChrisP says, "Follow the money!".

As far as I am concerned, the folks on this forum are much more helpful and knowledgable than any RT's that I have tripped over! Sizing is difficult at a distance, but a lot of DME'S do not have the selection available in different interfaces or sizes. It is up to you -- read, learn and make an educated decision!

Good luck and let me know if I can help!

dougc4 wrote: ...He also seems to find it negative that PB does not exclusively do CPAP products, like the other manufactures. I don't fully understand the logic there.

You can point your DME to the following Example of non CPAP products by Respironics. And check the other companies' (e.g. Fisher&Paykel) sites as well.
I remember only Resmed making it a point of pride that they only do xPAP....

There's also this new company, specializing, I believe, in CPAP called AEIOmed - I wonder if your DME would prefer them....

In other words, he's selling you a wagon full of discarded masks.

O.

I've used three different manufacturers autopaps:

Puritan Bennett 420E
ResMed Spirit
Two Respironics Autos (one without C-Flex, one with C-Flex)

All three manufacturers' machines did a great job for me.

dougc4, I think you hit the nail on the head:

He did mention that the PB rep for my area was not good, and this may have skewed his judgment.

I wouldn't hesitate at all to get a PB 420E again. Excellent machine, imho. Very nice size for travel, as well as a workhorse in a small package at home.

Where i can purchase this product at cheap price?

Osi wrote:Where i can purchase this product at cheap price?

https://www.cpap.com/advanced-find-cpap ... ting-CPAPS

cpap.com usually has the least expensive prices of internet stores. If you see a machine priced cheaper at another store, cpap.com will probably price-match it.

Personally, now that Puritan Bennett / Covidien has introduced the "Sandman Auto" machine, I'd get the Sandman instead of the older 420E. Either one would be fine though.

cpapauction.com is another place to check for low prices, if you are comfortable (I am ) about buying from auction sellers.