Saying hello

[devinf]

Just wanted to say hello to everyone. New here and fairly new to the CPAP thing. I'm sure I'll have all kinds of questions (particularly about the software and reading info from the card). I'm without any kind of insurance so I'm drifting along in the shallow end of all this stuff as I try to figure it out. I'm also interested in helping my dad get setup on a machine. He's used mine a few times to great benefit (he took to it like a fish to water) and I'd like to see how to get him going on the cheap.

Anyway - hello! And I'm sure the questions will come soon enough. Here's to a good night's sleep!

Devin

[rested gal]

Hi Devin,

Welcome to the forum!

Hope you and your dad both get your therapy going well. You've definitely come to the right place to get help.

Ask anything you've been wondering about.

What machine and mask are you both using? And what pressure?

[Pugsy]

Please confirm which machine you are using. The M series Plus you show in your profile has zero meaningful data capabilities. All it will offer is hours of use.

If it happens to be another model M series machine then you may have some meaningful data available. Software is available but a very special and pricey smart card reader is needed for M series machines (and older).

If financially able, best alternative is to step up to either ResMed S9 series of machine (avoid models with Escape in name)
or the Respironicis PR System One series (avoid the one that has Plus in it like is shown in the M series plus).
These newer machines use a simple SD card for data and software transfer. No special pricey card reader is needed. At most generic SD card reader ($10 -15) if your computer does not have SD card slot. These newer machines also offer more comprehensive data.

RX or physician order required for online purchases but sometimes these newer machines are found on craigslist. Just have to be sure you know exactly which model does what, because often the craigslist ads don't even mention models.

There are other data capable machines available that will work quite well, but software is sometimes not so readily available. ResMed S9 machines (Elite or the Autoset) probably offer the most comprehensive data on the LED screen. Respironics (Pro or APAP) onscreen data is more severely limited.

[devinf]

REMstar Plus M Series is the machine. The barcode on the manual says XX200HS so I'll assume that's the manufacturer's model number? I got the machine basically because it was cheap (under $500) and most of the reviews I read were positive. It was being discontinued so the data card part was a freebie I didn't order, probably last machine in stock.

It's set to 4cm. Although I can't tell in my sleeping patterns, I'm pretty sure it's wrong, because my sleep study I paid for was a textbook case of disaster after another. After having to spend nearly $1K on the study and follow-ups I am most definitely out of the running for doing it again. I did call the sleep study people to verify the pressure amount and that's what they have, but they also would like me to come back for a titration(?) - again not possible because of costs.

As for my dad, I'm trying to get him to get this going on his next doc visit and see what they can do for him, but I know a sleep study is out of the question because of cost. Thankfully this site had a link to CPAPAuction so at least we can try and get a machine on the cheap for him as well.

Devin

[Janknitz]

REMstar Plus M Series is the machine. The barcode on the manual says XX200HS so I'll assume that's the manufacturer's model number? I got the machine basically because it was cheap (under $500) and most of the reviews I read were positive. It was being discontinued so the data card part was a freebie I didn't order, probably last machine in stock.

It's set to 4cm. Although I can't tell in my sleeping patterns, I'm pretty sure it's wrong, because my sleep study I paid for was a textbook case of disaster after another.

Umm, Ouch, Devin. The data card was a freebie because it's worthless. Your machine only has COMPLIANCE data--how many hours you use the machine. Since your insurance didn't pay for the machine, nobody cares how many hours you use it--you don't have to prove up compliance to get your insurance to pay. And you already KNOW how many hours you use it or not. So the "freebie" data card is worth exactly what you paid for it.

Unfortunately, with a lousy sleep study, you're going to have a hard time using a fixed CPAP without data to find the right settings (difficult, but NOT impossible). The machine you got just doesn't have much capability there to help you with that. You might have been able to get a better data capable machine for around that much from an online supplier, used or auction site, if you had done some research.

As for your dad, if you are in the US, I'd assume (perhaps incorrectly) that your dad might be on Medicare, and Medicare and possibly a supplemental insurance WILL pay for his test and machine.