HELP!!!

[ofarchesandants]

I posted this from another thread in case it got missed there. I'm trying to make this work and have even written long exposes on why others should not give up but i'm getting really exhausted by the whole thing. Please read on and offer help if you can.
thanks,
gregg )

Thanks "feeling better", actually i am doing research and am now more confused than ever. I need to know which passover units my machine will integrate with as all sellers say used with remstar auto but then one seller will say, not useful with M series while another will make no mention of that. Part of my confusion is in not understanding why it would not work with m series and a larger Part of my confusion is that i still really do not know what machine i have. When i posted a query about that last week, one of the replies said to just look at the machine but that is not helpful. I got many other replies and thought i had figured it out but now i'm not sure again as the machine says one thing, the instructions say several other things and neither the exact wording on the machine nor the exact wording on the manuals are listed on any retail websights nor on this forum when i tried to input what machine i have. Ohh some of the words are the same but there is nothing exact.

Here is what I do know
I have a "Respironics REMstar Auto M series with C-flex" and the attached M series heated humidifier and some kind of smart card.

Here is what i do not know
I see some things list what i wrote above in italics with either the "REMstar" part omitted or with the M series" part omitted but i have seen nothing anywhere on the web that lists the full name i wrote above.
So which is it?
I'm guessing the "REMstar" part is superflous and not the "M series" part but i don't know why that would be or even if i'm correct in that assemption?
What does M series mean?
What does the REMstar part mean?
Why is it that even on the CPAP forum control panel, nothing has the full name with every word i wrote instead of just most of them?
Then i also see all kinds of things about "Pro" or "Plus" but i have no clue what those terms mean either. My manual says "Encore Pro Smartcard". Does this mean the "Pro" applies to my whole machine or only to the smartcard or ???

once all that is answered then i of course need the original question that started this thread answered of what passover unit will interface with whichever machine it turns out i have??

As you can see i'm very confused. I used to be sleepy everday but though not liking it, didn't realize how abnormal it was. Now in addition to being sleepy every day, I'm exhausted by the process, I'm depressed at feeling worse instead of better, while this forum is great, the several hours per day i am spending on it is taking away from getting other things done in my life which would be ok if i were getting better but at this point i'm only getting worse and more frustrated and depressed that no matter how much i do or how many little things i fix, i'm still going downhill compared to when i started. I'm a highly intelligent person and am even a full time registered nurse. So after several months on this thing, if I can't even figure out the dam name of my machine, how the hell can i figure anything else out. I'm sorry to rant but i've been trying to stay positive, I really have, but I feel I'm nearing the end of my rope. I can't continue to live this way with no improvement. I want to make this work I really do but i'm very frustrated and more tired than ever. Please help.
Thanks,
Gregg )

[jules]

Look for stand alone passover humidifiers - or even stand alone humidifiers and don't plug them in. You can search cpap.com for several models.

An integrated humidifier requires you match that with your machine. A stand alone is used with any machine and a short hose added to the circuit.

I understand with the m series there is a special piece that is needed to connect a hose without the humidifier - make sure you got it too.

[ofarchesandants]

on the top of the machine if i nclude everyword from all buttons and either painted on or molded into the plastic then it says, "Respironics C-Flex REMstarAuto M Series"

on the bottom when taking the machine off it's model: "M series heated humidifier-Dom" then it says Model: "REMstar Auto M series" Model # 500M

In addition to lots of other stuff there is another tag that says "M series REMstar/BiPAP" which makes no sense cause this is not a BiPAP and while i know it is a C-Flex as i set the C-Flex control to 3, the only thing on the whole machine, top, bottom or sides that makes mention of C-Flex is the button itself and the inner though not outer cover of the manual.

So again, no consistancy from top of machine to bottom of machine or even among different stickers on the bottom nor from the outside of the manual to the inside. My guess would be as with many things, they are trying to make it as confusing as posisible to sell more product. Sort of like having 50 names for tylenol even though the reality is there are only differences in a couple of those that involve things like dose or addition of bendryl for nightime version. Otherwise 500mg of acetaminophen is 500 mg of acetaminophen even if you change the box design and call one (examples and not actual names) tylenol headache and another tylenol back ache. That i have figured out though most consumers remain unaware, the machine i have long to go before i start to even have a clue.

anyway if you can make head or tales of the wording i put in italics from the top and bottom of the machine then please do tell.
thanks again,'
gregg )

[jules]

you have the m series apap with cflex - you can check the model number on this page

https://www.cpap.com/cpap-machine/Remst ... -Flex.html

or on this one - http://encore.respironics.com/type.aspx

there were some (maybe all) with that bipap label on them but the model number is for the apap with cflex

there is an integrated passover humidifer available for the m series - it would be just like the heated integrated one - if I were to buy a passover humidifier, I would opt for a stand alone one unless I did a lot of traveling - the picture snoredog posted above is one -

https://www.cpap.com/productpage/respir ... ifier.html

[cflame1]

For what it's worth.... here's my attempt at answering your questions

Then i also see all kinds of things about "Pro" or "Plus" but i have no clue what those terms mean either.

A PRO is a fully data capable Respironics machine (if it's an M series). A PLUS is a non fully data capable Respironics machine (either M series or not). Neither one of these is an Auto adjusting machine. They are both fixed pressure CPAP machines.

My manual says "Encore Pro Smartcard". Does this mean the "Pro" applies to my whole machine or only to the smartcard or ???

This is my guess anyways... The reason that the smart card says "Encore Pro Smartcard" is that originally it was to be read in conjunction with the "Encore Pro" software. Now the patients can use "Encore Viewer" in order to read an "Encore Pro Smartcard".

I'm guessing the "REMstar" part is superflous and not the "M series" part but i don't know why that would be or even if i'm correct in that assemption?
What does M series mean?
What does the REMstar part mean?

The reason that some are called M series and some not... is that there are 2 different versions of machines put out by Respironics. The ones that aren't the M series are older... the ones that are M series are newer. At least here... I'd say that the "REMstar" part is superflous (now that I looked up what that meant).

Oh and there are quirk's to the M series that the non M series don't have.

[jules]

Remstar is an old name - even before the Legacy series (tanks) - my trash can cpap is a Remstar

[Julie (probably coming in as Guest tonight)]

Hi again... I think what might be confusing you is that you're reading too much. What I mean is that you have all the info you need, such as the name of your machine (as you've posted it in your profile), but what may happen is that you're looking at a manual written not just for your machine alone, but others in the series with such similar requirements and accoutrements that they stuff it all in one place rather than printing 5 (or whatever) different manuals with just a couple of differences. You may just have to sort through some unnecessary stuff (and not try so hard to sort it all out if it doesn't make sense) and weed out what applies to you and your machine and what doesn't. Kinda like reading product monographs that give all the different formulations of a drug, with all the different dosages, etc. - the kind I'm sure you can sort without blinking if you've been a nurse. If you do get stuck on a specific problem, please do ask here but maybe you shouldn't try to solve all the Cpap and OSA questions and answers in a few weeks as you're only going to get dizzy! You're not going to be struck by lightning if something is mistakenly set too high or low one night, or even one part of equipment mixed with the wrong other part... relax already and just take things as they come - it will all work out in time.

[ofarchesandants]

Thanks everyone for all the info. "cflame your and jules answers to the name issue were worth a lot. it helps to clarify, so thanks. I do wonder cflame what those quirks were you mentioned in the m series. Julie, i could not agree more about not focusing on every little detail and had decided to give up on figuring out the name after my post last week. The only reason it became an issue today was as i was trying to find a passive humidifier and many were compatible with one machine and not the other, it made it imperative that i have a better clue as to what machine i had. Otherwise you are correct, i won't solve all the p[roblems or learn everything the first few months, nor even the first few years but trying to get enough info now to start feeling better instead of always feeling worse. I think the 8 hours ;o)~ of online research i did today paid off. I ended up ordering the first passive machine suggested and even realized why it said it was not compatible with mine which i am too tired to go inot now but i have two solutions and though i know both will work, i decided a redundancy plan was worthwhile, especially since it added less than 10 dollars to my purchases today. Thanks again all and i give an update when the new supplies come in.
cheers,
gregg )

[turbosnore]

I wouln't be worried about the "respironics"-part It's just branch of Phillips that makes the xPAP devices.
This is probably the user guide you have.
It says "The REMstar® Auto M Series with C-Flex™ system..."
And

6.1 ADDING A HUMIDIFIER
You can use the M Series Heated humidifier or the M Series Pass-over humidifier with your
device. They are available from your home care provider.

The passover humidifier manual here
says:

The REMstar Pass-over Humidifier is for use with most Respironics
CPAP and bi-level systems. This humidifier is not for use with
Respironics Virtuoso®, Virtuoso LX, Virtuoso Choice, or Quartet®
Systems. The humidifier moistens the air delivered by the CPAP and
bi-level devices