Question about an older CPAP Machine

[tbhit]

Hey everyone,


My mother has a Respironics Remstar model CPAP machine. I'm not sure if it is the exact same model as in the picture but it looks almost identical to it. She has had it for a few years (maybe 2009 or so, can't say for sure). She has not been very strict on her usage in the past couple of years. She had been doing well on it, but had to spend a month in the hospital and just never got back in the habit when she got back home (she says - haha). I'm not sure if she's ever replaced her mask or anything (but that's another story for another thread). Her prescribed pressure is set at 11, but this is where the problem comes up. She couldn't tell me her AHI when I asked, she had her sleep study at a different place than I did, and she said they gave her a machine and basically told her "good luck" and so she doesn't know anything about her treatment. I told her that her machine may tell her what her AHI is (since my ResMed S9 does), but I wasn't sure. So my question is: is there any way to read her AHI on this machine? I live a couple hours away from her so I can't help her in person, but any help I could give to her would be much appreciated. Thank you all for your time.

Sincerely,
tbhit

P.S. - Her screen is not a color screen (I don't know if that helps or not). Have a blessed day.

[chunkyfrog]

If it says "plus" on the front, it is a brick.
There is no data except usage.
How old is it? Maybe she can get a newer model?
If insurance or Medicare will not cover one, check Secondwindcpap.com, or cpap.com.

[tbhit]

Thank you for your response. It is a few years old. It is much bigger than mine. If I had to take an educated guess, I say atleast 3-5 years old. I'm not sure if her insurance covers it or not, I'm pretty sure it covers atleast most of it, if not all of it. Unfortunately, I probably couldn't convince her to upgrade to a new one.

[Pugsy]

That machine style is the M series machine. The M series machines came out around 2006 late or 2007. Replaced in late 2009 early 2010 with the PR System One machines.

The picture you are showing is for the Plus model but there are other models in the M series line. The Plus model doesn't gather AHI data but the other models do. If you can confirm exactly which model she has I can help you with getting what you need to get the software reports or simply just seeing the AHI on the LCD screen. The only data the M series machines showed on the full data models was 7/30 day AHI average and leak average. Software shows more data.
Might not want to mess with the software and the card reader...would likely depend on what the screen showed.

So if she does have a machine that says Remstar Plus M Series...no useful data is collected...it only reports hours of use....
but if she has a machine that says Remstar Pro with CFlex or Auto with AFlex...those machines collect full data.
If she lives a long way and you can't visually see the machine...just have her read everything that it says on the top of the machine.
If its a really basic machine it may just say Remstar and M series with no other wording.

If it is a full data machine...send me a private message and I can get you a manual that explains how to get to the data available on the LCD screen.

[cosmo]

Might be time to buy your mom a new data capable machine/mask and keep tabs on it.

[tbhit]

That machine style is the M series machine. The M series machines came out around 2006 late or 2007. Replaced in late 2009 early 2010 with the PR System One machines.

The picture you are showing is for the Plus model but there are other models in the M series line. The Plus model doesn't gather AHI data but the other models do. If you can confirm exactly which model she has I can help you with getting what you need to get the software reports or simply just seeing the AHI on the LCD screen. The only data the M series machines showed on the full data models was 7/30 day AHI average and leak average. Software shows more data.
Might not want to mess with the software and the card reader...would likely depend on what the screen showed.

So if she does have a machine that says Remstar Plus M Series...no useful data is collected...it only reports hours of use....
but if she has a machine that says Remstar Pro with CFlex or Auto with AFlex...those machines collect full data.
If she lives a long way and you can't visually see the machine...just have her read everything that it says on the top of the machine.
If its a really basic machine it may just say Remstar and M series with no other wording.

If it is a full data machine...send me a private message and I can get you a manual that explains how to get to the data available on the LCD screen.

Unfortunately, I just found out it is not a data machine. So I guess we won't know for awhile. I will continue to try to put pressure on her to update her stuff, because she has been on high blood pressure medicine for awhile now, and I am almost certain the apnea is atleast partly to blame for it. Too bad she doesn't heed my advice very often

[Pugsy]

You know if you are really worried about the state of her treatment and she lives nearby then you could swap machines with her for a night so you could see her data.

If she does have the Plus model and you think she would benefit from a full data model....there are ways to get them without breaking the bank. One of our forum members is a DME who often has some gently used machines available for very fair prices.
I can point you to him if you are interested.

Medicare will want a new machine to be broken before they will pay for a new one...most likely... since the new changes in what Medicare wants to pay for. The old 5 year new machine thing may be history.

If she has a full data M series machine all that is needed is a little $45 smart card reader and the Encore software (you know who can help you there for free )

Edit...I see you say she has a non data machine...so you have the other options to think about.

[tbhit]

You know if you are really worried about the state of her treatment and she lives nearby then you could swap machines with her for a night so you could see her data.

If she does have the Plus model and you think she would benefit from a full data model....there are ways to get them without breaking the bank. One of our forum members is a DME who often has some gently used machines available for very fair prices.
I can point you to him if you are interested.

Medicare will want a new machine to be broken before they will pay for a new one...most likely... since the new changes in what Medicare wants to pay for. The old 5 year new machine thing may be history.

If she has a full data M series machine all that is needed is a little $45 smart card reader and the Encore software (you know who can help you there for free )

Edit...I see you say she has a non data machine...so you have the other options to think about.

Thank you for all of you're help. I am talking with her right now about it, and to my surprise, she has agreed to get her sleep study re-done through the people I did. I am very much more optimistic than I was before.

[archangle]

Wow, that's encouraging. Congratulations.

Read up here about how to be sure she doesn't get screwed again with a non-data machine. There are some useful links in my signature line.

[tbhit]

Wow, that's encouraging. Congratulations.

Read up here about how to be sure she doesn't get screwed again with a non-data machine. There are some useful links in my signature line.

Thank you so much! Believe it or not, the machine she ended up with was better than the initial one they gave her. The one she has we had to fuss at them to get, haha. Shows how ignorant we were, we thought we were getting a good deal!