Switching to a Resmed machine made me feel wonderful!

[See-Papa]

I have been using a Dream station 1 for 4 years. I recently bought myself a Resmed Airmini Autoset travel CPAP.

The difference in how I feel is very significant. This is a wonderful feeling and I feel like a kid again.

I have stopped using the Dreamstation and only use the Resmed Airmini now. It seems to actually cure my OSA problem completely.

I am quite surprised (very pleasantly).

I am now not tired. I think clearly. I don't get exhausted. I feel normal without anxiety, and my blood pressure is normal.

I feel that the Dream station was never actually working for me. The Dreamstation would show low AHI (.3 to 1), but it would always show uneven breathing. I also had to sleep on my side to feel Ok. I would sometimes feel OK,
But often wake feeling like I was having breathing problems, I would wake with a racing heart, all while AHI showed low number of .3 to 1. My blood pressure was very variable and spiked up and down when awake.

My dentist says that I was still having flow limitations and that can cause these symptoms.

Now on the Resmed Airmini, I can sleep in any position and it seems to keep me breathing and I feel absolutely great!


OK, so now Philips sends me a note that they are ready to ship my Dreamstation 2!

What can I do to switch my machine to a Resmed? Ay advice?

I must assume there is something about the Resemd that works better for me? AM I making this up! I really am not.

[Janknitz]

Philips is sending you the new DreamStation as a replacement for your original machine, which was recalled. They will NOT send you another machine from this or any other brand. Keep what they send you as a backup because you never know what might happen. 5 years ago wildfires swept through my town in the middle of the night and most people were lucky to get out with their lives, in their night clothes. I keep a "go bag" by my front door now, with a backup CPAP, because you never know what could happen.

ResMed and Philips have different algorithms. I HATED the algorithm on my Philips machine, and when I finally switched to ResMed it was like going from choppy waters on a boat to smooth sailing. They are much better machines. If and when your insurance will cover it, get another ResMed. Then you can sell or donate the replacement Dreamstation.

[Miss Emerita]

Same experience—had a horrible week fighting a PR machine, and then got a wonderful Res Med machine that figured out how to breathe WITH me. What a relief!

[chunkyfrog]

Stick with what works for YOU.

[See-Papa]

Thanks for the feedback. Looks like I am not the only one. Looking through cpap talk I can see many of us that seem to do much much better with Resmed.

There is a Youtube video showing the Phillips machine allowing people to have apnea, measuring it but not making any changes. Just search for something like 'Phillips Dreamstation vs resmed This is scary'.

My insurance says they will cover any brand and leave it up to the medical supplier.

Medical supplier says that I can get a new machine in 2023 under insurance since it will have been 4 years and the replacement is covered.

They also say that I have already paid for the new dreamstation 2 so should take it.

I wonder if I can get my doctor involved here to say I need the Resmed now?

[See-Papa]

Philips is sending you the new DreamStation as a replacement for your original machine, which was recalled. They will NOT send you another machine from this or any other brand. Keep what they send you as a backup because you never know what might happen. 5 years ago wildfires swept through my town in the middle of the night and most people were lucky to get out with their lives, in their night clothes. I keep a "go bag" by my front door now, with a backup CPAP, because you never know what could happen.

ResMed and Philips have different algorithms. I HATED the algorithm on my Philips machine, and when I finally switched to ResMed it was like going from choppy waters on a boat to smooth sailing. They are much better machines. If and when your insurance will cover it, get another ResMed. Then you can sell or donate the replacement Dreamstation.

This is great advice to have a backup system in place and ready to go! Thanks for that.
I like your plan. This is what I will do unless I can get the doc to step in and say I need the Resmed now. I have not asked him yet.

[Janknitz]

unless I can get the doc to step in and say I need the Resmed now. I have not asked him yet.

You just need to understand how this works if you want insurance to cover a new ResMed.

Most insurers pay by billing codes, and the billing code for a CPAP or APAP machine of ANY manufacturer is E0601. Most of the insurers follow guidelines similar to Medicare's and will only pay for ONE E0601 machine every 5 years, and even then only if there is a reason for replacement (machine is not working and it's not economical to fix). So your doctor can write you a script for a new ResMed machine, but that doesn't mean your insurer will pay for it if they've already paid for one in the last 5 years. Some might, but I wouldn't hold my breath.

You can learn how your insurer determines coverage by asking for the" Evidence of Coverage" (EOC) which is the actual contract between you and your insurer that you have never seen unless you know to ask for it. The EOC should spell out in detail how they cover Durable Medical Equipment (DME), how often they will replace it, whether they purchase it outright for you or require you to pay for a rental either a capped rental or perpetual rental. If you have Medicare or a Medicare Advantage Plan that 5 year rule applies, and traditional Medicare has a capped rental requirement which is 13 months (to make sure you have to pay two deductibles) and Advantage plans mostly have perpetual rental which means you have to pay a monthly rental fee for the rest of your life.

So if you really want another ResMed as a backup, consider buying one outright from Secondwind.com or used.