Do I need to see my sleep doc again??

[tps7c]

Hi!

Guys, I know I've been bad, lol. This is what happened. I lost 40 pounds and thought, heck, I don't need to use cpap. Well, long story short, I got really sick and started gaining weight, and I think maybe it's a result of the untreated apnea. My primary doc is still trying to figure it out. In any event, I lost my cpap machine in a move, and my old setting was 8cm. It was either 7 or 8, to be honest. So, I'm kind of in a panic and around here it takes months to get an appointment at a sleep center, so I'm wondering in the meantime, would there be any harm in acquiring a used machine and setting the pressure myself, just to get back on cpap? My initial sleep study was over 5 years ago so I know I need a new one, but in the meantime, is there any danger is getting a machine on my own? I could be wrong, but my opinion is being untreated is more dangerous than having a pressure setting that is slightly off.

Any advice would be appreciated!

[Sylvia54]

Hi!

Guys, I know I've been bad, lol. This is what happened. I lost 40 pounds and thought, heck, I don't need to use cpap. Well, long story short, I got really sick and started gaining weight, and I think maybe it's a result of the untreated apnea. My primary doc is still trying to figure it out. In any event, I lost my cpap machine in a move, and my old setting was 8cm. It was either 7 or 8, to be honest. So, I'm kind of in a panic and around here it takes months to get an appointment at a sleep center, so I'm wondering in the meantime, would there be any harm in acquiring a used machine and setting the pressure myself, just to get back on cpap? My initial sleep study was over 5 years ago so I know I need a new one, but in the meantime, is there any danger is getting a machine on my own? I could be wrong, but my opinion is being untreated is more dangerous than having a pressure setting that is slightly off.

Any advice would be appreciated!

Over 5 yrs is a long time where a lot can change. Have you really checked every sleep clinic/hospital sleep clinics in your area and in
the next nearest town or city?
Sure you know about all the clinics that are in your area? There could be more you don't know about (as in my case not all showed up in an internet search).
There's new ones opening where I live.

[BlackSpinner]

Just tell your doctor to write a prescription and buy an apap online that has efficacy data.

[Julie]

Secondwindcpap.com has slightly used machines you can buy for much less than new prices and - I believe - no script.

[palerider]

Any advice would be appreciated!

buy a 'previously owned' apap from grayghost4, send him a PM.

[palerider]

Over 5 yrs is a long time where a lot can change. Have you really checked every sleep clinic/hospital sleep clinics in your area and in the next nearest town or city?
Sure you know about all the clinics that are in your area? There could be more you don't know about (as in my case not all showed up in an internet search).
There's new ones opening where I live.

sleep studies are not only overpriced, they're overrated.

[palerider]

Secondwindcpap.com has slightly used machines you can buy for much less than new prices and - I believe - no script.

*sometimes* no script... you're supposed to have a script if you're in the US... I've heard sometimes they 'forget' to ask for it.

[ChicagoGranny]

would there be any harm in acquiring a used machine and setting the pressure myself, just to get back on cpap?

No. Go for it. Just make sure you get a data-capable model and check the results each day until the therapy is effective and stabilized.

[Pugsy]

There shouldn't be any harm as long as what you have going on is plain jane vanilla OSA and if you get a newer full data machine that gathers meaningful data it will let you know if there is something other than plain jane vanilla OSA going on.

So...target these machines in your search
in the Respironics line....PR System One Auto CPAP model 550 or 560 or the very latest DreamStation Auto CPAP. You will most likely find it easier to find a used PR S1 machine though.
in the ResMed line....S9 AutoSet or the latest AirSense 10 AutoSet.

The models listed above are full data and use a SD card that makes it easy to use available software (which is free).
https://sleep.tnet.com/equipment

Forum member Grayghost4 usually has one of these machines available for sale at very fair prices.
You might contact him if you wish to buy privately. He's trustworthy.

There are lots of other used machines out there but if at all possible I would stick to the ones I listed above because of the data they collect and what their functions are.
Be careful about models...some have SD cards but all they gather is hours of use.
That's why I was specific about model names and numbers.

[tps7c]

Thanks everyone for all the advice!!

Hey Pugsy, I read that the ResMed S8 AutoSet Vantage™ EPR™ Auto CPAP also offers full data recording, and I found a used one for $100. Do you think this would be a good option to get me started again?

Thanks!
Tom

[palerider]

Thanks everyone for all the advice!!

Hey Pugsy, I read that the ResMed S8 AutoSet Vantage™ EPR™ Auto CPAP also offers full data recording, and I found a used one for $100. Do you think this would be a good option to get me started again?

Thanks!
Tom

I'd recommend at least an s9, or system one machine from respironics, due to the greatly advanced data available, as well as it being hugely simpler to get that data.

[tps7c]

The guy also has an S9 Autoset for sale for $300 o.b.o. Maybe I can talk him down to $250? What do you guys think?

[Pugsy]

I would put my money in the S9 if it were me.

The S8....needs a very expensive and hard to find card reader and a smart card that is also pricey and hard to find...plus it uses an old discontinued algorithm and it doesn't flag central apneas at all and in your situation I would want a machine that flags centrals.

[bwexler]

Make sure the S9 is an autoset and not just auto. Then go for it.
You might want a few questions answered.
How many total hours on the blower?
Any pets or smokers in the house where it was used?
Why is he selling?
Does it include the H5i humidifier?
Heated hose?
Mask?
Then plug it in and test it, to be sure it actually works.

[tps7c]

Guys, here is the link to the s9 autoset for sale:

https://norfolk.craigslist.org/hab/5656736636.html

What do you think?

Thanks!
Tom