The Best CPAP!

[colston]

I think by far the Remstar Pro 2 with C-Flex
including the smart card and Humidifier is the best
CPAP combination.

C-Flex is much more comfortable than just
blowing out air in an unregulated way.

Colston

[birdshell]

From reading the forum, it would appear that many would agree.

However, not everyone needs the same things from their xPAP. Thus, the prescription is (sometimes, anyway) written for any of a number of machines.

Health is the most important factor--of course, some here take better care of their sleep-related health than the experts who write and fill the scrips!

And, of course, personal preference is a consideration too.

[roadwarrior]

I would only agree with you insofar as the fact I called 5 DME's and asked what their sleep study locations used for evaluation, and what their experiences have been as far as durability and reliability overall. The #1 answer was the REMstar Auto with Cflex. They do NOT use the humidifier on the units in the labs for the reason that they do not wish to cross contaminate patients as the humidifier would require an additional sterilization step. So that is the machine I got for myself the other day. I too was tested on that machine. The REMstar + is of course a fixed CPAP and fine for many if not most folks out there. So all in all I'd agree I guess based on the statistics I came up with. I feel the labs are as good or better resource to determine what would be the overall best machine. Respironics certainly does have a great reputation out there, and is perhaps the most effectively marketed product as well. For what it's worth other brands ( such as Puritan Bennett, ResMed and others) are very reputable as well. I'll go with the one with perhaps the most respected track record. And I did. Respironics answered the frequent travelers requests with the newer M series. It hasn't in any way reinvented the wheel, just made a different profile for their already successful technology. I had an M for a while, but elected to save the extra money on the one which has been in the line a bit longer. In the bag the profile is nearly the same so I didn't see any point. IF one were going to do without the humidifier the M would be a best choice for the frequent traveler........

[birdshell]

I would only agree with you insofar as the fact I called 5 DME's and asked what their sleep study locations used for evaluation, and what their experiences have been as far as durability and reliability overall. The #1 answer was the REMstar Auto with Cflex. They do NOT use the humidifier on the units in the labs for the reason that they do not wish to cross contaminate patients as the humidifier would require an additional sterilization step. (snip)

Interesting, as my titration study used a bipap and humidifier.

[cpapjack]

Interesting, as my titration study used a bipap and humidifier.

Mine did as well. No humidifier though.

[rested gal]

I called 5 DME's and asked what their sleep study locations used for evaluation, and what their experiences have been as far as durability and reliability overall. The #1 answer was the REMstar Auto with Cflex.

This surprises me. I don't mean I'm surprised that DME's would recommend Respironics machines in general for reliability and durability, but that they would say that ANY autopap was being used in "sleep study locations." I could understand if they were saying the sleep labs they deal with use "Respironics BiPAPs" or specifically "Respironics Synchrony" (another bi-level machine), but surely the sleep labs are not using autopap machines to run attended PSG sleep study titrations??

I could also understand if the DME's meant that when they are told to put someone on an auto-titrating machine for additional titration at home, they'd give them a Respironics REMstar Auto with C-Flex. But.... for overnight in-the-lab PSG sleep studies? I thought it was always a bi-level machine in the lab...used in cpap mode and switched to bi-level mode only if necessary.

They do NOT use the humidifier on the units in the labs for the reason that they do not wish to cross contaminate patients as the humidifier would require an additional sterilization step.

Heheh, well, time is money. Kudos to the sleep labs that do provide heated humidification -- who understand it's important to give people as good an nitial impression as possible of what this kind of treatment "feels" like, especially if the titration night is going to be a full night, not a split night study.

Takes a little more time, a little more money to sterilize a humidifier water reservoir between users, but can make for a much more comfortable experience for many folks. Cold cpap air blowing at them all night would be pretty rough for some.

So that is the machine I got for myself the other day. I too was tested on that machine.

Are you sure the Respironics REMstar Auto with C-Flex was the exact model that was used the night they used cpap on you in your sleep study in the lab? Or do you mean they gave it to you for a week or two of additional titration at home?

No matter what, it's an excellent machine, imho, that Respironics REMstar Auto with C-Flex...either the big version or the new small Respironics M Auto with C-Flex.

Ya done good, roadwarrior!! You're using one of my favorite machines.

[dsm]

I like to think of the Remstar AUTO with Cflex & h/h as the 'panzer tank' of the attack on apnea

From an engineering perspective they are just so well built.
The blower is (IMHO) one of the quieter ones on the market.
The electronics are very well laid out & built.
They sit well on the night stand.
They deliver good therapy.

A 'classic' product.

DSM