Started on Craigslist - Now need a real machine

[trslp1]

After feeling tired and finding that with a high degree of certainty, I had apnea, I grabbed a S8 Escape II from Craigslist for $100. Set it at 10 and felt the burst of energy the first day. I guess you could call that a positive diagnosis. Now that I know it works, I want to get more data on my Apnea so I can set my machine properly to get optimum AHI. Basically I want the machine that does as close as possible to a sleep study every night. I have never done a real sleep study.

What machine is the best to get for consumer accessible data? I have a recommendation for the Philips DreamStation Pro. Is it the best for consumer data?

I am comfortable with downloading data from the machine, analyzing it in Excel or some other way.

[Pugsy]

I would suggest the apap model version of the DreamStation Pro...if you are wanting Respironics.
That would be the DreamStation Auto CPAP.
The Pro doesn't do flow limitation flagging...the Auto will when in Auto mode.
Plus the Auto has 2 modes of operation...cpap and auto mode...2 machines in one.
You may or may not need that auto mode but it's better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it.

ResMed also makes a similar machine
AirSense 10 AutoSet

If money is tight you could find either of those models from forum member grayghost4.
He usually has both new and used of both brands.

You can use SH with either brand...SleeyHead software
https://sleep.tnet.com/equipment

[D.H.]

I have a Phillips Respironics Dream Station Auto CPAP. It’s my fourth machine since 1999; the others were all “bricks.”


Advantages:
• Automatic means that it will raise the pressure as needed when it senses distress. I think I fell more refreshed than before.
• Good statistics are generated, so you can see how you slept, and make adjustments as needed. In addition, stats are good for your doctor to see how you are doing.
• Machine is very quiet.
• Heated hose is very good, never had rainout despite full setting on humidity.
• Automatic altitude adjustment (good for travel).
• Leak compensation.
• Auto/on and auto/off can be activated and deactivated separately.
• Puts out the prescribed pressure more precisely than my old machine (yes, I verified this).


Disadvantages:
• Machine is a bit larger than the major competing machine.
• Sometimes, there is a burning smell, especially after a potty break. I’m pretty sure it’s harmless.
• Frequently, the water does not last the whole night. I generally wake up at least once overnight, so I refill it at that time. This might not work for everybody.
• Some have complained about the brightness of the display when you turn it off and back on, such as for a potty break. I don’t find this a problem. In fact, I use the light to reattach my mask to the hose.
• The power cord has a proprietary signal, so you cannot use a different cord, even if the voltage, wattage, amperage, and fitting are all identical. This means that if you need a replacement cord (or a spare cord), you have to get the cord specific to Dream Stations. If you want to use a battery (such as for camping and electrical outages), you have to buy an $80 proprietary device to generate this signal.

[D.H.]

In any event, keep you $100 machine as a backup.

Note that in the U.S. (and many other countries) you - at least theoretically - need a prescription to buy a CPAP. Enforcement is lax, so this is not reality.

However, you really should see a sleep doctor if at all possible.

[Guest]

If you want to use a battery (such as for camping and electrical outages), you have to buy an $80 proprietary device to generate this signal.

That would be for the resmed DC power cord. The respironics DC cord is about $50 less. So hey you can get two

I think all of the modern cpaps auto adj for altitude at least in the last 10 or 12 years

[trslp1]

Thanks for the pointers. My healthcare covers everything after I pay the first $5000. Yay Obamacare. I often find that offering to pay cash helps keep my healthcare costs under control. Doing a real sleep study at some time would be interesting if it were free, but there is such a thing as good enough. I am sure that most people need help with OSA, but giving us the option of Craigslist is welcome.

Can anything bad happen from breathing air from a hose? I'm sure my doctor would recommend that I don't attach the other end if the hose to my car's exhaust.

[bonjour]

Can any harm come from treatment with a CPAP Or APAP machine? The answer is yes.

On a CPAP machine you treat OBSTRUCTIVE Apnea generally by increasing pressure.
If you have CENTRAL Apenas they tend to increase with increased pressure. This means if you have CENTRAL Apnea you will be hurting yourself, potentially badly.

A sleep study can determine if you have real or true Central Apnea because your brain waves are monitored. A xPAP machine is not capable of this.

A full data machine like the autoset can indicate that you MAY have Centrals but that would have to be verified by sleep study.

[palerider]

Can any harm come from treatment with a CPAP Or APAP machine? The answer is yes.

no, not really, cpap/apap is one of the least side effect ridden medical treatments there is. it's more benign than wearing the wrong prescription glasses.

On a CPAP machine you treat OBSTRUCTIVE Apnea generally by increasing pressure.
If you have CENTRAL Apenas they tend to increase with increased pressure. This means if you have CENTRAL Apnea you will be hurting yourself, potentially badly.

no, again, not really. normal central apnea isn't exacerbated much by simple pressure from a cpap/apap. pressure SUPPORT however, is a different situation, since that increases ventilation, and can cause some people to have central apnea, the body deciding that it just doesn't need to breath because it's being hyperventilated.

A sleep study can determine if you have real or true Central Apnea because your brain waves are monitored. A xPAP machine is not capable of this.

A full data machine like the autoset can indicate that you MAY have Centrals but that would have to be verified by sleep study.

again, not really. you can get enough indication of whether or not there's a problem with a resmed s9 elite, or better.

[palerider]

What machine is the best to get for consumer accessible data? I have a recommendation for the Philips DreamStation Pro. Is it the best for consumer data? .

resmed airsense 10 autoset, it provides a bit more detailed data than the dreamstation, though the dreamstation has a couple extra things (some of them confusing) that it flags.

[ChicagoGranny]

After feeling tired and finding that with a high degree of certainty, I had apnea, I grabbed a S8 Escape II from Craigslist for $100. Set it at 10 and felt the burst of energy the first day. I guess you could call that a positive diagnosis. Now that I know it works, I want to get more data on my Apnea so I can set my machine properly to get optimum AHI. Basically I want the machine that does as close as possible to a sleep study every night. I have never done a real sleep study.

You are a take-charge guy, and I predict you will do very well without a sleep study.

I bought this machine about two months ago and plan on using it for years - http://www.secondwindcpap.com/ResMed-S9-AutoSet.html This machine will give you all the data, and is compatible with Sleepyhead software (https://sleep.tnet.com/resources/sleepyhead). I don't use a humidifier, so that saved some money. If you need one, it's another $90.

As Pugsy mentioned, grayghost4 is another good option.

[trslp1]

What machine is the best to get for consumer accessible data? I have a recommendation for the Philips DreamStation Pro. Is it the best for consumer data? .

resmed airsense 10 autoset, it provides a bit more detailed data than the dreamstation, though the dreamstation has a couple extra things (some of them confusing) that it flags.

The resmet uses cellular to send your data to their online systems. Do you get a monthly bill for data sent or is resmet picking up the tab for the cost of transmission?

I like the ease of use this would provide but wonder about security and privacy...... (I imagine the CIA is hacking it as we speak)

[trslp1]

As Pugsy mentioned, grayghost4 is another good option.

Where is grayghost4?

[ChicagoGranny]

grayghost4?

memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=72737

[palerider]

What machine is the best to get for consumer accessible data? I have a recommendation for the Philips DreamStation Pro. Is it the best for consumer data? .

resmed airsense 10 autoset, it provides a bit more detailed data than the dreamstation, though the dreamstation has a couple extra things (some of them confusing) that it flags.

The resmet uses cellular to send your data to their online systems. Do you get a monthly bill for data sent or is resmet picking up the tab for the cost of transmission?

I like the ease of use this would provide but wonder about security and privacy...... (I imagine the CIA is hacking it as we speak)

resmeD, if you don't sign up for their monitoring, then nothing gets sent, you don't pay anything for it, if you want it.

all you really should care about is the data written to the SD card in the machine.

why would the cia give a shit about how many apneas you had?

[LoBattery]

resmeD, if you don't sign up for their monitoring, then nothing gets sent, you don't pay anything for it, if you want it.

If you buy a used machine from someone that works for a DME they will likely reset the serial number so you can use MyAir. If bought from a private person, get them to change the email and name to you before you leave with it. You can make up the name, Joe McApnea, and birthday, you just have to put in something. You never pay for the cellular connection. The 2 week logging is basic data but provides some convenient idea of progress without removing the SD card all the time. The Autosense 10 has a Plus feature that gives out some good data for the night, week, month before you shut it down each morning.