Best machine for CENTRAL apnea?

Hello,
I was wondering if there are any machines that are better at central sleep apnea?

I have a mixture of central and obstructive apnea.

I currently have a Phillips Respironics auto pap 560 but it needs to be replaced as it has a whining noise.

My provider is suggesting I be prescribed an AirSense™ 10 AutoSet™ CPAP Machine with HumidAir™ Heated Humidifier
as he is able to adjust my settings via his office and download reports.

I asked him if one machine is better than the other, and his response was that the auto paps are about the same, just different software and how the air is delivered.

Fourtay wrote: ↑

Sun Apr 22, 2018 9:55 pm

Hello,
I was wondering if there are any machines that are better at central sleep apnea?

I have a mixture of central and obstructive apnea.

I currently have a Phillips Respironics auto pap 560 but it needs to be replaced as it has a whining noise.

My provider is suggesting I be prescribed an AirSense™ 10 AutoSet™ CPAP Machine with HumidAir™ Heated Humidifier
as he is able to adjust my settings via his office and download reports.

I asked him if one machine is better than the other, and his response was that the auto paps are about the same, just different software and how the air is delivered.

It's a great cpap, but it won't do squat for central apnea.

There are other ResMed matches that can do what you want.
Generally we would recommend you choose a Respironics machine if your old one works well for you. The two companies use different algorithms to treat apnea.

I think one of these would work. I will defer to the more experienced users such as Pugsy & palerider.

https://www.cpap.com/cpap-machines/bipa ... e.php#:::1::::

Interesting that you were prescribed an auto-cpap machine when your diagnosis is complex sleep apnea.

I started on a Respironics 760 auto-BiPap machine seven years ago which, like the 560, did nothing to treat the central component of my complex apnea.
Four years ago, I switched to a Respironics 960 ASV machine which does treat the central component as well as the obstructive apneas. Life is much better.

Since you are comfortable with the Respironics algorithms (as opposed to the ResMed ones) keeping with Respironics is recommended.

I have on order a Respironics DSX900H11 ASV machine to replace my elderly 960 machine.

Perhaps you should discuss machine choice with your sleep doctor to see if an ASV type machine would be appropriate for you.

palerider wrote: ↑

Sun Apr 22, 2018 9:57 pm

Fourtay wrote: ↑

Sun Apr 22, 2018 9:55 pm

Hello,
I was wondering if there are any machines that are better at central sleep apnea?

I have a mixture of central and obstructive apnea.

I currently have a Phillips Respironics auto pap 560 but it needs to be replaced as it has a whining noise.

My provider is suggesting I be prescribed an AirSense™ 10 AutoSet™ CPAP Machine with HumidAir™ Heated Humidifier
as he is able to adjust my settings via his office and download reports.

I asked him if one machine is better than the other, and his response was that the auto paps are about the same, just different software and how the air is delivered.

It's a great cpap, but it won't do squat for central apnea.

could it be the reason they were told to get that machine is that their provider doesn't know what they're doing? I know mine doesn't

Barb (Seattle) wrote: ↑

Mon Apr 23, 2018 7:31 am

palerider wrote: ↑

Sun Apr 22, 2018 9:57 pm

Fourtay wrote: ↑

Sun Apr 22, 2018 9:55 pm

Hello,
I was wondering if there are any machines that are better at central sleep apnea?

I have a mixture of central and obstructive apnea.

I currently have a Phillips Respironics auto pap 560 but it needs to be replaced as it has a whining noise.

My provider is suggesting I be prescribed an AirSense™ 10 AutoSet™ CPAP Machine with HumidAir™ Heated Humidifier
as he is able to adjust my settings via his office and download reports.

I asked him if one machine is better than the other, and his response was that the auto paps are about the same, just different software and how the air is delivered.

It's a great cpap, but it won't do squat for central apnea.

could it be the reason they were told to get that machine is that their provider doesn't know what they're doing? I know mine doesn't

The providor supplies what the doctor prescribes.

LSAT wrote: ↑

Mon Apr 23, 2018 7:51 am

The providor supplies what the doctor prescribes.

Well that's what they are SUPPOSED to do but I have seen DMEs supply regular bilevels and tell the doctor and the patient that they will work just fine instead of bilevel with back up rate. Pretty scary what some of them do and they are supposed to know their stuff.
Either stupid or liars...and a person's health is at stake.

Fourtay wrote: ↑

Sun Apr 22, 2018 9:55 pm

I have a mixture of central and obstructive apnea.

Did you have the centrals on your diagnostic sleep study or did they pop up maybe on the titration sleep study?

How many centrals are we talking about here? Half a dozen all night or 50 during the night?

Do you have a copy of any sleep studies you had...if not...get them.

You are on the correct track based on the original question. Patient who suffer from mixed or purely central Sleep Apnea have very different considerations than those of us with the purely obstructive variety.

I just went through months of jumping through hoops with the OG sleep study showing Complex Apnea .... 95 AHI with 90% Central.. In my case it was for coverage and they had to start me on CPAP be compliant and fail and then BiPAP being compliant and failing again .. The hardest was being on BiPAP making the Central apnea off the charts (50+ AHI) and having such horrible wake ups in the night worse than not on a machine ... Finally weeks later and with the encouragement of Pugsy and others to stick with it, I was switched to ASV last week and it was the best thing that has ever happened .. My AHI now is well below 5 most nights coming in at 0.5 - 1 ... I finally feel rested ... Now the wait beings if I will be covered for this machine the paper work was sent in so fingers are crossed, if so I get to keep this machine the Aircurve 10 ASV .. The DME is horrible and tried every thing to get me on the lowest oldest model they could get away with, I told them flat out I would switch providers if I didn't get a current model and it was ordered that day (after the script for ASV was written by the sleep Dr) ... I wish you luck ... it is worth it if you are patient, and you will be treated correctly soon... pretty sure you will be needing ASV..

LSAT wrote: ↑

Mon Apr 23, 2018 7:51 am

Barb (Seattle) wrote: ↑

Mon Apr 23, 2018 7:31 am

palerider wrote: ↑

Sun Apr 22, 2018 9:57 pm

Fourtay wrote: ↑

Sun Apr 22, 2018 9:55 pm

Hello,
I was wondering if there are any machines that are better at central sleep apnea?

I have a mixture of central and obstructive apnea.

I currently have a Phillips Respironics auto pap 560 but it needs to be replaced as it has a whining noise.

My provider is suggesting I be prescribed an AirSense™ 10 AutoSet™ CPAP Machine with HumidAir™ Heated Humidifier
as he is able to adjust my settings via his office and download reports.

I asked him if one machine is better than the other, and his response was that the auto paps are about the same, just different software and how the air is delivered.

It's a great cpap, but it won't do squat for central apnea.

could it be the reason they were told to get that machine is that their provider doesn't know what they're doing? I know mine doesn't

The providor supplies what the doctor prescribes.

exactly.

Barb (Seattle) wrote: ↑

Mon Apr 23, 2018 7:31 am

palerider wrote: ↑

Sun Apr 22, 2018 9:57 pm

Fourtay wrote: ↑

Sun Apr 22, 2018 9:55 pm

Hello,
I was wondering if there are any machines that are better at central sleep apnea?

I have a mixture of central and obstructive apnea.

I currently have a Phillips Respironics auto pap 560 but it needs to be replaced as it has a whining noise.

My provider is suggesting I be prescribed an AirSense™ 10 AutoSet™ CPAP Machine with HumidAir™ Heated Humidifier
as he is able to adjust my settings via his office and download reports.

I asked him if one machine is better than the other, and his response was that the auto paps are about the same, just different software and how the air is delivered.

It's a great cpap, but it won't do squat for central apnea.

could it be the reason they were told to get that machine is that their provider doesn't know what they're doing? I know mine doesn't

Complete guess, but possible.

Pugsy wrote: ↑

Mon Apr 23, 2018 7:55 am

Either stupid or liars...and a person's health is at stake.

Hrmph, someone said I was kinda harsh the other day for making that exact same statement about DMEs

palerider wrote: ↑

Mon Apr 23, 2018 11:13 am

Hrmph, someone said I was kinda harsh the other day for making that exact same statement about DMEs

I missed it I guess.

To be fair I am not saying that they all are liars or stupid...just some of them.

It just bugs me that most of the time when they are going to be liars or stupid it's usually with someone who has more than run of the mill OSA and it's kinda important that the therapy be the correct therapy for the problem.
And people tend to think that if someone works in the medical field that they all know their crap and don't make mistakes (perpetuated by the people who are on the power trips and think they walk on water) when anyone who has actually worked in the medical field will tell you the good ones will tell you when they don't know something or make a mistake.

I just silently chuckle when someone says "My DME/doctor says so and so" and they get believed as the gospel...when the truth is that isn't always the case.
Like the DME who says "your insurance only allows one mask swapping"...and it's a crock of crap. It's the DME's own in house rules that only allow one mask swapping. Or the "your insurance only pays for this mask" which just happens to be the el cheapo brand.
I don't have a problem with in house rules...what I have a problem with is the lack of owning up to those in house rules.

My DME said insurance never covers heated hose and they refused to look at my copy of the preauthorization letter they got from insurance spefifying the heated hose.

It was only my insistence, saying I would pay for it of needed that got them to sell me one which was 80% covered by insurance, as expected.