System One - CPAP Newbie

[DebMom]

HI - I was diagnosed with sleep apnea about 2 months ago and have learned a lot from this board already..

I was given a System One Remstar Plus with C-flex CPAP. It was apparent to me that my dr and DME had very little knowledge about the machine when I received it but I had hopes that they would be more informed by my follow-up appointment last week..

I have been using my CPAP faithfully every night and do feel much better than the sleep deprived person I was in early November, but still lack enough energy to make it thru the day without a nap and just still feel blah. I asked at my followup appointment for a download of my machine and asked if it would tell me if I was still having apneas. After about 20 minutes the DME finally came back with a chart of my "therapy hours" and said everything looked great. Sure, I'm sleeping 7 hours a night and using the machine but I still feel lethargic etc... They were not able to get any other "useful" data about apneas etc..

I have read on here that this machine does not user software, but I thought my DME would have access to my apneas, and other data to measure whether or not my CPAP treatment is successful. Shouldn't that be part of assessing whether the pressure is set at the right level etc?

Can someone confirm that my DME should have the ability to give me more data and what data they should be able to give me?

Also, it looks like some people with the System One are able to get data off their machine - is that correct? How are you doing that? - I only see therapy hours - which really seems pretty worthless to me.

A second issue I am having involves my mask (and forgive I don't know the name of the masks I am using _ I'll look that up). I'm trying a new nasal mask - as I had a lot of leaks with my previous one.. and now I have rainout.. does that make sense.. why did I rainout with the new mask and not the old one? I turned the humidifer down and it is better but still there.


Thanks
Debbie

[Slinky]

Assuming that the PR SystemOne Plus follows in the footsteps of the M Series Plus and pre-M Series Plus your SystemOne Plus can't tell anyone diddley-squat except compliance (usage) data. The printout you got was all you can get outta that device. They foisted a compliance data only CPAP off on you. Local DME provider's like to do that. It puts more money in their pocket. I don't know if at this late date you can convince them to exchange that SystemOne Plus for a SystemOne Pro or not but what have you got to lose? Maybe your doctor will back you up on getting it exchanged. If not your only other option is to save up your pennies and buy a fully data capable CPAP outta pocket when you can.

[pmcall57]

Not to hijack this thread, but why in the world are these non-data-capable machines even made? I just don't understand the shoddy state of CPAP therapy. Thank goodness my HMO requires Apria (ugh) to provide us with decent equipment (if so-so service).

Getting cranky, better go to bed.

And yes, DebMom, you deserve a better machine. Get mad (or whatever works for you) and go get it!

Pam

[DebMom]

ARGHHH _ I am so frustrated... I thought I had the System One which could at least get downloads from the DME... WHy even make a machine that is so worthless...I was clear to my doctor and the DME that I wanted a machine with data..

Ok - next question.. what machine should I be asking for as I fight with my DME and dr today? I did start to using the C-flex this week and it seems to be helping.. My pressure is set at 9 and I use the ramp too.

My blood pressure is boiling right now..and I am 2.5 months late fighting this battle and a NEW calendar/insurance year.. this could be bad...

I tell me dr last week that I am still feeling crummy and having trouble failiung asleep - her response is to write me a script for sleeping pills.. NO WAY - I want to know my data and find out if the CPAP is working for me or if it needs adjusted!

Thanks everyone - I welcome suggestions on what type of machine to ask for...

Debbie

[ozij]

PR1 systems comparison, from Respironics' site:
http://respironicsremstars.respironics.com/

Advanced event detection and reporting is N/A for the Plus.

There's a glossary at the bottom of the screen.

O.

[Hawthorne]

You can still have a PR System One machine(which seems like a very good machine and seems to be good foryou) but you should try to exchange it for a PR System One PRO or, even better, a PR System One AUTO. The PR System PLUS that you have, will only tell how long and how often you used the machine.

The others will give detailed data on what is happening during the night. The PRO and the AUTO will give you info about apneas, hypopneas, leak rate, etc., which are most helpful in tweaking your machine to get the best therapy. The extra advantage of the PR System One AUTO is that it can be run in straight cpap mode (one set pressure) and it can also be run in AUTO mode (set at a range that will allow the machine to go to a higher pressure anytime during the night, if it is needed within the range of pressures set).

While there is no patient software for this machine yet (we are promised some this year), if you have the PRO or the AUTO, your DME should have the Professional software that will show the detailed data you need for the best therapy. They can download that and give you copies.

Try to exchange your PLUS for a PRO or an AUTO if your DME will cooperate. If they won't budge, you may be able to get your doctor to write a new prescription specifying the PRO or the AUTO. With a new prescription, the DME should exchange it for a detailed data machine.

They only continue to make the PLUS and other "compliance only" machines from other Manufaturers (like Resmed and others) so that DMEs can make a bigger profit. That's the only reason I can see anyway.

Good luck!

[KatieW]

If you're generally happy with how your cpap "breathes", you could upgrade to the Pro, but software is not presently available to patients. Does your DME have the software, and can they provide printouts for you?

Have you been renting-to-own, or have you purchased it? If your doctor is willing to write a specific prescription, that would be the easiest way to "upgrade". This will take some persuasion and negotiation on your part, but it's worth it.

I have the Resmed S8 AutoSet II, can be set on cpap (fixed pressure) and apap (a range of minimum and maximum pressures); I like it very much. Software is available. Resmed Elite II is a cpap only, and is also data capable. Don't get the Escape, it's not data capable.

Worse case scenario, and if you can afford it, you could keep this as your back-up machine, and purchase another one out-of pocket. cpap.com will match any on-line prices.

[Tielman]

HI - I was diagnosed with sleep apnea about 2 months ago and have learned a lot from this board already..

I was given a System One Remstar Plus with C-flex CPAP.

If it is a "Plus" model, then it does do a FULL data dump, as it is the same model that I have. You should have been shown where the SD card is on the back of the machine (it's near the top of the unit, above where the air filter is), and if you have a SD card reader, you can check it quick on your PC to see if there is data there.

You can take your SD card to the DME and they should be able to pull a "detailed" report for you (there are three types of reports: Compliance, Trends, and Detailed). There is also a nightly data view that shows tons of data (basically every breath), but that gets overwritten after 7 days.

Good luck!

[ozij]

Tielman, according to you signature, your machine is a Pro - that one does indeed do everything you say your machine does.

The Plus does not.

The Plus only collects usage.

O.

[Hawthorne]

The PLUS and the PRO are not the same machine, as Ozij says. Unfortunately, the manufacturers make their machines all look the same but they are not the same as far as available data is concerned.

Tielman - Do you actually have the software on your computer to read the detailed data from your PR System 1 PRO?

There will be an SD card in the PLUS as well but it will only show compliance - how long and how often the machine is used - nothing more. Even the DME can't get any detailed data from a PLUS.

The same is true of the older M Series and the "Classic" (tank) models by Respironics. There is the Plus, the Pro and Auto in these older machines as well. The same holds true for available data. Compliance in the PLUS - detailed data in the PRO and the AUTO.

In all Respironics machines the AUTOS can run is straight cpap mode, but they can be set to run in auto mode with a set range of pressures.

It's too bad that, in each series, they all look the same and they all have a data card because they don't all give detailed data.

[DebMom]

YIPEEE - Can you believe it? - The DME is going to order the System One Pro for me and "swap" out my S1 Plus..... Yeah - it was actually relatively easy to convince the DME they should do this...

I think they realized that they clearly did not know the capablilities or lack theroff of the Plus... both techs that worked with me definitely told me all my data would be on the smart card. It was a new machine, they assumed (I think - as did I) that it could do what most standard CPAPs do now.

When I went for a download last week, it took them 30-40 minutes and they were as purplexed as I was that it only had therapy hours. I asked them to keep looking at the data as I wanted to see leaks and AHI - they called the next day and said that therapy hours is all it has, but they look good "you are doing great."

THANK you all for your help - I was quiet confused and frustrated.. You all helped a lot. Next I might be asking for some leads on where to get the software to read the Pro data, but for now I'll be content that there will be data and the DME can at least read it!

Debbie

[Hawthorne]

Great news, DebMom!

I'm glad they were so cooperative!!

[cotech50]

As far as I know the PR system one is a PR system one as pictured. There are stats that can be turned off to the lcd screen and have to be turned on to see them. I do not think there are different models of the PR system one. The LCd can report therapy hrs, and large peak, periodic breathing as well as ahi, and 90% pressure 7 day and 30 day averages. Perhaps the DME is just not versed on this machine. The PR System one is a good machine very quiet and with different flex technologies. The lack of software at this time is a disadvantage for those people wanting it. The stats on the lcd provide good indications of how the therapy is working with large leak,90% pressure and ahi even though they are 7 and 30 day avg numbers.

[jules]

info on system one data for cpap models

http://respironicsremstars.respironics.com/

[cotech50]

I stand corrected!