Hepa Filters Airsense 10 AutoSet?

[FlanMaster]

DISCLAIMER:
I've searched and read many resulting threads without satisfaction. I have called the help desk listed here http://www.resmed.com/us/en/consumer/contact.html without success (the phone support didn't seem to know the answer & wouldn't admit it. Polite but unhelpful) I've seen the 3rd party ads but no technical information on whether the 3rd party filters work properly with my unit.
AND BEFORE I OFFICALLY ASK MY QUESTIONS:
I apologize in advance for what will appear to some (if not all) to be a level of rudeness. I am simply trying to make it clear that I can't handle a debate of any sort. The answers to my question should hopefully be simple (yes or no). I am unwell, and NEED answers, NOT criticism. IF YOU ALREADY ARE, OR THINK YOU WILL BE OFFENDED. PLEASE DON'T READ. I DON'T WANT TO OFFEND ANYONE.

In all the threads I read before giving up on the search (via google both generically and with "site:cpaptalk.com"), the prevailing responses weren't to answer the questions, but rather to criticize the person asking & to debate some irrelevant point. Sometimes it seemed in genuine concern, but often it seemed for no good reason. Please forgive my frankness but those types of responses are NOT helpful. I just need my question answered.

Since someone will invariably ignore my disclaimers, I will, AFTER my questions, explain WHY. Not for debate, but simply in an effort to help those individuals to hopefully understand. (but please, don't refute or debate. Please)

THE QUESTION: (in the title)
Do they make a hepa type filter that works well in the Airsense 10 AutoSet (air10 on the bottom) (Yes or NO)? IF YES, would someone link me to it please (and I'm sorry for asking again if the answer was posted and I missed it in all the threads)? If no, I apologize for revisiting an old question (series)

THE EXPLANATION: (For those who refuse to believe that someone might actually need this).
1. I am veteran, and receive my medical care via the VAMC system, which only provides very limited, very specific services. If they don't stock it, they don't provide it, and the technicians don't research alternatives that they don't support so their answer was: "We don't know". as an FYI they won't provide a newer or different unit as this is the unit they are supporting at this time. they MIGHT provide the hepa filters (if available) but I will likely have to try to buy them on my own.
2. MY HOUSE IS OLD and FULL of allergens. I HAVE REALLY BAD ALLERGIES/ASTHMA etc. AND MEDICATION SENSITIVITY. I need to be able to breath at night, as allergen free as possible, without having to be forced to take medications. purified air is the best answer.

3. My allergist (non VA since there is no resident allergist on staff anywhere in this VAMC region) has some way he tests the air quality of devices designed to provide purified air to people. He says it's actually much easier to test cpap machines than the standing room filters and with greater accuracy. According to him, the air coming out of the mask, after the stock filter (even a new one), machine, humidity chamber, and heated hose, is almost as full of allergens as the surrounding air. unlike the old (now dead) cpap machine I had, which used a foam filter plus a hepa filter. Since he's not a sleep specialist, HE said "I don't know".

4. Antihistamines and albuterol affect my heart negatively. Steroidal inhalers affect my intestinal tract (bleeding, thinning walls), Doctors verified. Please don't respond to say these things are not possible. They've already been proven to be problems for me AND are acknowledged by the pharmaceutical companies as side effects.

5. DURING THE DAY I use cromolyn sodium medications (mast cell stabilizers) and function reasonably well, IF I REMEMBER to get up at night for a treatment, but this sleep interruption is not good. Putting cromolyn sodium in the distilled water does not work. The heat breaks down the medication and eliminates the efficacy. On the old system, this was not an issue as the hepa filter eliminated the allergens, and I could take a treatment as soon as I woke and everything was fine.

Again, thank you to all who will be sympathetic and NOT critical, understanding my fatigue, health issues, and at least accept that I am asking, not to be an uber fanatical hepa fan, nor to be rude, but out of genuine need & only after failing to find the answer via google search. I also apologize for posting what SHOULD be way too much information, and completely unnecessary, in order to get answers to my questions (hopefully without debate), but I find that this approach USUALLY works (there's always the exceptions) to minimize and sometimes eliminate critical, unhelpful responses. As I tried to express in the beginning, I need answers to my questions, not debate. The explanation is only anticipating those who will insist on asking "why". Please don't try to refute or debate anything in the explanation. I don't have the strength or energy.

In closing, again I apologize for any perceived rudeness, as well as the excess information (which I admit to resenting feeling like I have to post in an attempt to avoid arguments and criticisms). Thank you to those who will be kind and polite in response.

[HoseCrusher]

Not Hepa but it seems Hypoallergenic are available...

http://www.resmed.com/epn/en/healthcare ... lters.html

[palerider]

THE QUESTION: (in the title)
Do they make a hepa type filter that works well in the Airsense 10 AutoSet (air10 on the bottom) (Yes or NO)? IF YES, would someone link me to it please (and I'm sorry for asking again if the answer was posted and I missed it in all the threads)? If no, I apologize for revisiting an old question (series)

>>>>>> NO <<<<<<

Now, if you were less restrictive on the answer you were *requiring*, then you could get a more useful and helpful answer, such as "Nobody makes a HEPA filter, but they do make hypoallergenic and antibacterial filters, neither of which meet the standards for HEPA.

[Okie bipap]

I am also asthmatic and have severe allergies. I use the Hypoallergenic filters and change them every two weeks, which is the recommended length of time Medicare recommends. I am retired military, but do not use the VA. I am old enough to use Medicare and Tricare for Life.

[yaconsult]

I do not think that what you are looking for is commercially available. The market is probably just not big enough as most people are able to get by with the simple filters that the machines come with.

However, some people have rolled their own.
Here is one example: http://pqltd.blogspot.com/2008/02/moddi ... chine.html
Some of the comments are interesting as well, in regards to needing a large surface area to compensate for the reduction in airflow caused by the hepa filter. One guy talked about putting the cpap in a small cabinet that had rectangular cuts in three sides in which hepa filters had been mounted.

[Julie]

Just one thing - you mentioned using something 'in' the distilled water (that didn't work). For what it's worth, many members like to use scents for Cpap, but we always advise never to put the oils (or anything else whatever) in the water itself, but on e.g. cotton balls just outside of the intake filter... compromising the distilled water that goes into your airways is not a good idea even if whatever it is does hold up.

PS - It's not that anything in your note was rude, but when asking for help it is generally best to not demand that replies be expressed in particular ways... decent people will just give you straight answers and not-so-decent ones will not be put off by your request to do anything other than what they choose to.

[cathyf]

PR makes an "In-line Outlet Bacteria Filter for CPAP/BiPAP"
https://www.cpap.com/productpage/respir ... -pack.html

According to our host's catalog, it works in most brands of machines. For $6 it might be worth it to order one and see if it does what you need it to do.

I also found this discussion of a DIY hepa filter: http://www.air-purifier-power.com/doity ... 20510.html

Again, it might not work, but is cheap enough to be worth a try.

[FlanMaster]

Thank you for the responses. I was beginning to fear as much. Small market, Smaller subset with specialized needs.

Some of the comments are interesting as well, in regards to needing a large surface area to compensate for the reduction in airflow caused by the hepa filter. One guy talked about putting the cpap in a small cabinet that had rectangular cuts in three sides in which hepa filters had been mounted.

I have seen (again 3rd party) adapters, etc. for the units for hypoallergenic, which I have not yet researched as I am used to Hypoallergenic simply meaning the contents of the product won't cause allergies, and not that it helps to protect against or prevent allergies, But most of these devices turn the cpap into a bear to lug around and make them virtually unportable, so I was hoping for a factory filter that might work. I can understand the need for increased surface space for smaller filtration. It compensates on air flow, which is otherwise constricted with a tighter filtration device. just like a faucet. If you take the screen filter off, you get faster water flow (greater capacity). for the sediment filtering, you either accept slower through put, or you increase the size of your faucet head.

I am also asthmatic and have severe allergies. I use the Hypoallergenic filters and change them every two weeks, which is the recommended length of time Medicare recommends.

The VA actually has the stock filter changed once a month, "flicking" the filter out once a week. I will research the hypoallergenic for efficiency, but would you happen to know of any links that discuss how they affect the machine?

PR makes an "In-line Outlet Bacteria Filter for CPAP/BiPAP"
https://www.cpap.com/productpage/respir ... -pack.html
According to our host's catalog, it works in most brands of machines. For $6 it might be worth it to order one and see if it does what you need it to do.
I also found this discussion of a DIY hepa filter: http://www.air-purifier-power.com/doity ... 20510.html
Again, it might not work, but is cheap enough to be worth a try.

Again, thank you. I will research these, and try to contact the customer service of the manufacturer of the bacteria filter. In my previous search efforts, I haven't found any easy locatable information on how the 3rd party units affect my machine. That's where my hesitation comes in.

Thank you all for your responses and suggestions. I will use this to continue researching. a homemade/diy cabinet may be what I have to do for home, but I am still in need of something for travel. I do visit my children & my wife, who has ms, prefers me to be with her when she needs to travel as well. So i do need to find, make, or design some type of travel option.

And thanks to all who respect my request to avoid debating or refuting things in my original post. It is very tiresome, when physically ill with chronic health problems, to have to sift through such posts that often serve only to "hijack" the thread. Thank you again.


edited last pg for clarification

[palerider]

T I will research the hypoallergenic for efficiency, but would you happen to know of any links that discuss how they affect the machine?

they don't.

[FlanMaster]

but would you happen to know of any links that discuss how they affect the machine?

they don't.

They don't discuss it, or the filters don't affect the machine differently than the stock filters?

[chunkyfrog]

Deleted by me.
They say there are no dumb questions.
I beg to differ.

[palerider]

but would you happen to know of any links that discuss how they affect the machine?

they don't.

They don't discuss it, or the filters don't affect the machine differently than the stock filters?

why would hypoallergenic filters (which means, lower allergy) filters, designed by the manufacturer, 'affect the machine'?

[FlanMaster]

why would hypoallergenic filters (which means, lower allergy) filters, designed by the manufacturer, 'affect the machine'?

Like they discuss in the various threads, smaller spaces for air to flow. When you are putting a filter on the intake of a device, it vacuums air through the filter, thus more surface space is required. this is why air filters on engines are ribbed, more surface space in a compact confine permits greater air flow capacity, reducing the strain on the intake system. Often times a filter that was designed "after the fact" isn't designed by an engineer that takes these things into consideration, but a technician that considers primarily the length and width of the space available, not the abilities and durability of the vacuum motor. I am still looking for specs on the motor/pump, etc. of the device to see what it's maximum capacity is, etc.

[palerider]

why would hypoallergenic filters (which means, lower allergy) filters, designed by the manufacturer, 'affect the machine'?

Like they discuss in the various threads, smaller spaces for air to flow. When you are putting a filter on the intake of a device, it vacuums air through the filter, thus more surface space is required. this is why air filters on engines are ribbed, more surface space in a compact confine permits greater air flow capacity, reducing the strain on the intake system. Often times a filter that was designed "after the fact" isn't designed by an engineer that takes these things into consideration, but a technician that considers primarily the length and width of the space available, not the abilities and durability of the vacuum motor. I am still looking for specs on the motor/pump, etc. of the device to see what it's maximum capacity is, etc.

blah blah blah... again, why would hypoallergenic filters (which means, lower allergy) filters, designed by the manufacturer, 'affect the machine'?

also, nice of you to start out with a rude demand for yes/no answers, and then segue into arguing about the answers you get.

[FlanMaster]

I use the extra fine filters, whatever they call them; and they seem to have no effect on my machine.
They do significantly reduce my allergic rhinitis. Sometimes I even forget I have it.

How long have you been using them on your machine?