Remstar auto with c-flex

I am replacing my 10 yr old Resmed vpap machine and i think I want a Remstar auto with c-flex.I had the vpap because of a pressure setting of 12,was causing rebound problems with a cpap.Is the Remstar auto a good choice,and if not what else should I consider?Also is there any advantage to the m series other than size and weight?The older machines added size and weight is not a problem for me,and I think craming the same components into a smaller box could cause problems. Any help woud be appreciated. Thanks, John

Hi John,

Is your VPAP a bi-level (Bipap machine). If yes, unless your treatment changed, I would strongly recommend you change it for a BiPAP auto.

Is your VPAP an ST model, if yes, I would be very cautious changing it to a simple Bi-level machine.

What do you mean by a rebound effect?

Yes my vpap is a bi-level machine.When I first got a cpap machine the high pressure (12) caused my mouth to open during the night and and the machine would blow air through my nose and out of my mouth constantly and this would give me a severe allergy attack the next day.About 2 hrs. after I got up my nose would run and my eyes would water so bad I couldn't see and I couldn't stop sneezing.I was told this was called rebound.I don't know what an ST model is,but I will find out if thats what my machine is.I was hoping the c-flex option would eliminate the need for bi-level.Thanks this the kind of response I was hoping to get.

john44 wrote:Yes my vpap is a bi-level machine.When I first got a cpap machine the high pressure (12) caused my mouth to open during the night and and the machine would blow air through my nose and out of my mouth constantly and this would give me a severe allergy attack the next day.About 2 hrs. after I got up my nose would run and my eyes would water so bad I couldn't see and I couldn't stop sneezing.I was told this was called rebound.I don't know what an ST model is,but I will find out if thats what my machine is.I was hoping the c-flex option would eliminate the need for bi-level.Thanks this the kind of response I was hoping to get.

That part sounds like a typical case of mouth-leaking. The most common treatments for that are a full face mask or taping/sealing the mouth with several types of medical tape or Polident adhesive strips.
I've never heard the term "rebound" in conjunction with allergy attacks/sneezing.

Den

john44 wrote:Is the Remstar auto a good choice,and if not what else should I consider?

I think that's a good choice.

john44 wrote:Also is there any advantage to the m series other than size and weight?

In my opinion, the main three advantages (if a person needs these features) of the M machine are:

1. Ability to use ramp in auto mode with the M. Older model REMstars did not have "ramp" in auto mode.

2. If you use the M's integrated heated humidifier, the heat turns on/off when you turn the machine on/off. This can be an advantage for people who get up during the night and turn the machine off, then come back to bed and turn the machine on again. If they forget to turn the humidifier back on too, they do not get heated humidification the remainder of the night. The "automatic on" can be a disadvantage, however, for people who like to turn the humidifier on ahead of time to preheat the water.

3. Ability to see some data in the M's LCD window. However, it's a rolling weekly and monthly average...not a "last night's data". You still need the Encore Pro software to see nightly detailed data.

john44 wrote:The older machines added size and weight is not a problem for me

Not a problem for me either. There isn't a lot of difference in size/weight anyway.

If I were going to use an M series machine, I'd use a separate heated humidifier with it (like the F&P HC 150 heated humidifier) and not even buy the integrated humidifier for the M machines. I prefer just adding more distilled water each night -- for weeks at a time without dumping the unused water. The humidifier for the older "classic" REMstars is easy to fill from on top without removing the water chamber. The F&P HC150 fills that way too, from the top. The M humidifier is not as convenient to fill.

In the provider manual for the M series auto and regular CPAP it says you can go into the provider menu on the "Therapy Usage" screen and hold down the "-" button for about 5 seconds to reset all Data screens to zero, which includes the AHI screen. If you did this each night before going to bed, couldn't you get the nightly LED screen numbers that way (when you don't have the software yet)?

The numbers I get doing this are about the same as when I don't reset and just use the averages. This isn't detailed data, but it does reset everything that has the "7-day" and 30-day" average data (for regular cpap those screens are Therapy Usage, Session > 4, System Leak, Apn-Hyp Index).

I've done that with the regular cpap and it seems to work, but I can't wait to start using the software in order to get more detailed information!

Pam