Local DME Dealer Experience - Boy are you guys right!

Rusty! · Post by **Rusty!** » Mon Aug 27, 2007 7:12 pm

THANKS to all of you who recommended 1) knowing what your insurance pays and 2) knowing what you want before you take the DME dealer's recommendation. Even though my SleepTech said I needed a humidifier and chin strap, neither were part of what I was initially provided. Dealer said my insurance pays 50%, company actually pays 80%. Dealer provided a ResMed but acknowledged I had asked for a Respironics.

Turns out the only Respironics they had has "been there a while" but was not "used," so I took it home with no manual with a promise that they're ordering me a new one. No data card port but I showed them how to remove the dummy plate and swap it for a real one. Give me a break.

Ordered the Hong Kong data card reader and am working on obtaining a copy of the software.

Question - this machine says it is a Respironics M200 - is this the latest and greatest M series? Are those who are used to warm humidity OK to travel without the humidifier?

Thanks in advance - this would have been a very different experience without your help. Tonight is first night using CPAP except for the titration.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Mon Aug 27, 2007 8:25 pm

Rusty, Im sorry to hear about what a moronic DME you have...it's sad. Who is it and where?

6PtStar · Post by **6PtStar** » Mon Aug 27, 2007 8:40 pm

Sorry to tell you but the model 200 you are wasting your time with a card port and reader software. The model 200 is the Remstar 'M' Plus and the card will only give you compliance data and you can get that off the LCD display. It will not give you any data. Don't waste your time putting in the card port.

JZ · Post by JZ » Mon Aug 27, 2007 9:05 pm

Rusty,

Last winter I ran my humidifier at setting 2. But when it warmed up and got humid here, I started leaving the humidifier at 0, but putting water in the tank so I had passover humidification. Before my vacation, I used the machine without any humidification to see how it was because I did not want to take the humidifier with me if I did not have to. That was OK, but I decided to take it after all because I was traveling to a dry climate. I was glad to have the humidification there. I bought a jug of distilled water at my destination.

By the way, that was my first trip with my cpap. On the plane back home, all of a sudden I got paranoid that I had not emptied out the humidifier. I was sure that when we landed I would have a ruined cpap full of water. Fortunately, I had emptied it and the machine was fine. On all future trips, though, I'm attaching a little sign to the machine to remind myself to empty the humidifier.

Janna

cpapernewbie · Post by **cpapernewbie** » Mon Aug 27, 2007 9:22 pm

Rusty

you get conned again and then again

Pls do not take the DS100, 200 etc

Minimum aim at DS400 and above

Read this page carefully and let the DME know that you are familiar with this page

bearcatx16 · Post by **bearcatx16** » Mon Aug 27, 2007 9:50 pm

I take my humidifier with me wherever I go. Have a Rx for distilled water, take 2 16 oz bottles w/me on the plane.

Fred

Daddysaur · Post by **Daddysaur** » Mon Aug 27, 2007 10:00 pm

Rusty,
I have been operating without the humidifier ~6 weeks, and have not had a problem in Ca. in the summer, so it is worth trying without, and going from there. Others swear you need to use the humidifier and the site is loaded with how to fine tune and solve humidity issues. There is one sad tale about rolling over pulling on the hose and dumping the humidifier into the CPAP machine and frying the sucker. Your nose knows best and good luck.

Rusty! · Post by **Rusty!** » Tue Aug 28, 2007 5:42 am

"Pls do not take the DS100, 200 etc
Minimum aim at DS400 and above "

Appreciate the advice but I'm not sure how to specify exactly which machine to tell them I want. The models are very confusing because they are all called the M-series with C-Flex. How may I be more specific?

The alternative to this local provider is LinCare.

Sleepdeprived · Post by **Sleepdeprived** » Tue Aug 28, 2007 6:08 am

[quote="Rusty!"]"Pls do not take the DS100, 200 etc
Minimum aim at DS400 and above "

Appreciate the advice but I'm not sure how to specify exactly which machine to tell them I want. The models are very confusing because they are all called the M-series with C-Flex. How may I be more specific?

The alternative to this local provider is LinCare.

ibthebest · Post by **ibthebest** » Tue Aug 28, 2007 8:44 am

What is a model 500M? I was told it is an auto with A-flex. Have my doubts. Think it is an auto with C-flex, no A-flex. Why don't they publish what these model numbers mean?

Michael

6PtStar · Post by **6PtStar** » Tue Aug 28, 2007 8:56 am

The model 500 is the auto with C-Flex. The A-Flex model is 510.

Rusty! · Post by **Rusty!** » Tue Aug 28, 2007 10:33 am

The Hong Kong card reader will be here tomorrow (ordered on Monday!). Encore Pro 1.8 is installed and awaiting a machine. Yay!

AdmiralCougar · Post by **AdmiralCougar** » Tue Aug 28, 2007 5:05 pm

Go Rusty

Now all you need to do is knock that stupid DME into line...

And get the right machine.

Christy

Rusty! · Post by **Rusty!** » Tue Aug 28, 2007 6:21 pm

Should I be overly concerned with the 500 vs. 510 differences?

cargusjoh · Post by **cargusjoh** » Tue Aug 28, 2007 9:58 pm

Great thread.. Leaning to APAP with smartcard now, had thought Puritan B... was only option to see data myself, seems Encore sw available.. Will it run on a Mac?

Can do Parallilis + XP if necessary, hoped some simple card reader SW would at least collect the data and I could graph in a spreadsheet or the like.

Carl

Local DME Dealer Experience - Boy are you guys right!

Local DME Dealer Experience - Boy are you guys right!

What do I ask for?

Re: What do I ask for?

Some good news

Difference?

Encore and Mac