Offered a new machine..... what should I do?

[Catpap]

Hi all!

Just got back from my 4 week check up and explained to the nurse that I was getting rainout with my Resperonics System One A-Flex machine. She immediately gave me the option of having another new machine, a Fisher and Paykal machine that has a built in humidifier and heated tube, but the only problem was that the Fisher and Paykal does not have the flex technology so she warned it may be harder for me to breathe out esp as my pressure gets up to about 18.

I was offered a trial of the machine before ordering a new one so I could test it, but am very happy and love my Resperonics System one (which has been made better with the Nuance mask I was given also).

Does anyone know which Fisher and Paykal machine it would likely be, and other than the heated hose if there anything I would have about the F&P compared to my resperonics.

I'm pretty sure I will stay with he resperonics as I don't want to hoard 2 machines and only use one since its the NHS.

Any comments would be welcome!

Many thanks

[JimP]

Isn't a heated hose available for your respironics machine?

[Julie]

What difference does it make which model you're offered if you're happy with your machine and only need to tweak the hose problem? Have you located the machine so it's below your head (the water will run back to it rather than into your mask)? Have you exhausted all other fixes re heated hoses?

[archangle]

IMHO, don't switch to the F&P. The data is better on the Respironics.

If you have the 50 series PRS1 machine in your profile, there is no heated hose option. The more recent PRS1 machines have the heated hose as an option. If you don't know which one you have, take out the water tank and look on the bottom of the blower unit for something like REF 550 or REF 560.

If it is the 560 model, there are two versions of the humidifier. One supports the heated hose and one doesn't. You can tell them apart because the heated hose version has an electrical connector on the hose connector on the top of the humidifier.

There's a $75 upgrade kit available from our host, CPAP.com, but I don't think Respironics lets them ship it outside the country. Your supplier should be able to get it in the UK, but I don't know how your bureaucracy works.

Remember the upgrade is only for 60 series machines.

[Catpap]

What difference does it make which model you're offered if you're happy with your machine and only need to tweak the hose problem? Have you located the machine so it's below your head (the water will run back to it rather than into your mask)? Have you exhausted all other fixes re heated hoses?

Yeah - that's pretty much what I'm thinking regarding the machine - I'm really happy with the System One, it looks good next to the bed and I find the water tank easy to get to and pull out for maintenance.

I just wanted to see if people thought F&P machines were better / worse than mine, but if its just a case of "horses for courses" then Ill keep my Philips. If lots had said the F&P was vastly superior / longer functional life / less problems etc I would have considered, but for reading on here I do not think my A-Flex system (561P) one is a bottom of the line machine.

I'm going to try the suggestions regarding height as its currently at the same height as me, I just try to ensure my hose drapes to the floor first before coming up to my height.

Oh and my humidifier is heated, but has no heated hose so Id have to buy the upgrade kit which is $200 in UK or buy a non Philips heated hose which is about $75 here.

Strangely enough the NHS doesn't seem to offer a separate heated hose nor the upgrade kit, but was fine with offering me a new machine!

Unfortunately I cannot afford to buy either the hose or upgrade personally at the moment so am reliant on what the NHS can supply.

However will be buying a fleece and trying the lower machine tip to see if that sorts it out.

[archangle]

I do not think my A-Flex system (561P) one is a bottom of the line machine.

The PRS1 561 Auto, the ResMed S9 AutoSet, and the ResMed A10 AutoSet for Her are probably the top 3 models, without a real clear winner among the three.

BTW, your profile lists the 550 model. "PR System One Remstar 60 Series Auto CPAP Machine" would be the right choice, if you have a 561 model. The 561 and 560 seem to be the same machine, they just use a different model number in different countries.

[TangledHose]

Although the F&P Icon is a good machine I think you're better off sticking with the PR machine that you have. You are right that the A-Flex pressure relief on the PR will be better if your pressure does indeed go up as high as 18. The F&P machine uses a system called SensAwake for their pressure relief and it's really not very good, I turned that function off on my F&P as it really never worked as advertised. I breathe on it just fine, but my pressure never goes up more than around 13 cm.

Anyway, I would stick with your Resperonics machine and try what's been suggested to solve your rainout issues.

[Pugsy]

If you get in a position where you can afford around $100 US and want to have a heated hose...check with me as I would be willing to buy the upgrade kit which is $75 here in the US and send it to you and I think I can send it for $25 to the UK (maybe a little less and all I would want is actual shipping costs)....so you could buy it from me.

That is of course if the hose cozy trial doesn't work out for you...and you may find that was the weather warms up that the chances of rain out happening will lessen. Winter and cold weather was always my biggest problem time for rain out until I got the heated hose machine.