Machine opinions please
Machine opinions please
I just started on CPAP a couple of months ago. My provider was Apria who gave me a REMStar CFlex with humidifier. Because I was going on vacation almost immediately I also privately purchased an S8 Escape as a travel machine.
Anyway when I called Apria to pay the bill I was surprised to discover that the Remstar was just a rental, apparently I have to rent for 12 months before the insurance company will buy one.
Now that's a problem because my wife just finished a job and she provided our insurance. Rental copay on the machine was about $40 a month so I'm suspecting that the full uninsured rate is probably higher. I decided to return the REMStar and use the S8 as my main machine for now but the Escape is very basic without any flex provision when you exhale. I'm considering getting a better machine for home use and keeping the S8 for travel/backup.
Looking online and pricing I've come up with 2 posibilities and would like opinions.
1) An S8 Vantage --- same as my Escape but also auto with reflex. Since it will fit my existing humidifier it's a possible choice. Has the advantage that it can be moved easily of the Escape happens to be the machine that dies first.
2) A Remstar with humidifier (essentially the machine I have now.) Huge, but costs about teh same with the humidifier as the Vantage does solo. I'm considering it because I know that the reflex function works really well on the Resprionics machines where as the flex funtion on Resmed's is still unknown.
Any opinions?
Anyway when I called Apria to pay the bill I was surprised to discover that the Remstar was just a rental, apparently I have to rent for 12 months before the insurance company will buy one.
Now that's a problem because my wife just finished a job and she provided our insurance. Rental copay on the machine was about $40 a month so I'm suspecting that the full uninsured rate is probably higher. I decided to return the REMStar and use the S8 as my main machine for now but the Escape is very basic without any flex provision when you exhale. I'm considering getting a better machine for home use and keeping the S8 for travel/backup.
Looking online and pricing I've come up with 2 posibilities and would like opinions.
1) An S8 Vantage --- same as my Escape but also auto with reflex. Since it will fit my existing humidifier it's a possible choice. Has the advantage that it can be moved easily of the Escape happens to be the machine that dies first.
2) A Remstar with humidifier (essentially the machine I have now.) Huge, but costs about teh same with the humidifier as the Vantage does solo. I'm considering it because I know that the reflex function works really well on the Resprionics machines where as the flex funtion on Resmed's is still unknown.
Any opinions?
It's nor "Reflex" it's C-Flex, Resmed's Auto does NOT have exhale relief in the auto mode.
I would get a Remstar that recorded data so I would know how I was doing, A Remstar APAP or Pro 2 CPAP, with HH and software and reader. Then you would have the C-Flex you have come to like. Jim
I would get a Remstar that recorded data so I would know how I was doing, A Remstar APAP or Pro 2 CPAP, with HH and software and reader. Then you would have the C-Flex you have come to like. Jim
Use data to optimize your xPAP treatment!
"The art of medicine consists in amusing the patient while nature cures the disease." Voltaire
"The art of medicine consists in amusing the patient while nature cures the disease." Voltaire
- oldgearhead
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Easy answer, for lots of reasons, is:
https://www.cpap.com/productpage/1607
https://www.cpap.com/productpage/1607
+ Aussie heated hose.
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People have more fun than anybody..
....................................................................
People have more fun than anybody..
around here these days, it is very politically incorrect to like Resmed products, particularly machines, because of the company's desire to change inequitably the pricing for machines purchased via the internet.so if you view this as a political purchase, you need to buy a Remstar.
However, the Resmed Vantage is a great machine. It's relatively light, attractive and gives you easy readouts on the key data so that you will not have to get into the software business unless you want more data. I don't know if Remstar machines do this. The attractiveness of the Vantage also was a big plus for me--although I would not choose an inferior machine because it was attractive, I also don't want my cpap equipment to be any uglier than it needs to be; the cpap process is de-humanizing enough. The Remstar looks like a battleship. Personally, I chose Resmed Vantage for these reasons.
Either machine is very good, but the efficacy of the machine has nothing to do with the economic politics of the company who makes it, in my opinion.
Caroline
However, the Resmed Vantage is a great machine. It's relatively light, attractive and gives you easy readouts on the key data so that you will not have to get into the software business unless you want more data. I don't know if Remstar machines do this. The attractiveness of the Vantage also was a big plus for me--although I would not choose an inferior machine because it was attractive, I also don't want my cpap equipment to be any uglier than it needs to be; the cpap process is de-humanizing enough. The Remstar looks like a battleship. Personally, I chose Resmed Vantage for these reasons.
Either machine is very good, but the efficacy of the machine has nothing to do with the economic politics of the company who makes it, in my opinion.
Caroline
caroline
I have the "battleship" Remstar Auto and am very happy with it.
I like being able to use C-flex in auto mode. On the other hand as you say the humidifier you have would fit both machines, and you can get some data off the ResMed machines without software.
I looked at both machines and had the same hard choice to make.
Really up to you as to what is important.
I like being able to use C-flex in auto mode. On the other hand as you say the humidifier you have would fit both machines, and you can get some data off the ResMed machines without software.
I looked at both machines and had the same hard choice to make.
Really up to you as to what is important.
- DreamStalker
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When I first joined this group, I too asked the same question. I had been provided a ResMed S8 machine as a rental but wanted to learn about the differences before I would need to purchase one.
For straight CPAP, the only differences between the two machines are in the pressure relief for exhaling … ResMed uses EPR while Remstar uses C-Flex. As I understand it, EPR lowers pressure throughout the entire exhalation period whereas C-Flex lowers the pressure only at the beginning of exhalation.
For “auto” PAP, the two machines use different algorithms for increasing pressure to prevent an apnea/hypopnea … ResMed uses a steeper attack (ie. quicker increase in pressure) but takes longer to decrease back to base pressure while Remstar uses a slower stair-step like increase but then decreases more quickly to base pressure. The algorithms are actually a little more complicated than that but that is a fair generalization IMO. In addition, as others have mentioned, the ResMed EPR is disabled when in the auto mode (I think because it interferes with ResMed’s auto algorithm) whereas the C-flex for the Remstar works in either straight or auto PAP modes.
The choice for which one is best (pricing and corporate ethics aside) as I understand it depends upon the individual’s unique characteristics of their sleep disorder such as the prevalent type of apnea (obstructive, central, or mixed). I must admit that all of this still remains a bit fuzzy to me but there are others such as GoofyUT and Snoredog who have a better understanding of it than I do and may chime in here to explain further.
Nevertheless, trying to determine which APAP is best for you will generally require that you have a sound understanding of your sleep disorder and a very good understanding of the “auto” algorithms and even then you may end up having to experiment with both to determine which one is best suited to you. For CPAP the choice is much simpler in that you only have determine whether you would do better with EPR or C-Flex.
- roberto
For straight CPAP, the only differences between the two machines are in the pressure relief for exhaling … ResMed uses EPR while Remstar uses C-Flex. As I understand it, EPR lowers pressure throughout the entire exhalation period whereas C-Flex lowers the pressure only at the beginning of exhalation.
For “auto” PAP, the two machines use different algorithms for increasing pressure to prevent an apnea/hypopnea … ResMed uses a steeper attack (ie. quicker increase in pressure) but takes longer to decrease back to base pressure while Remstar uses a slower stair-step like increase but then decreases more quickly to base pressure. The algorithms are actually a little more complicated than that but that is a fair generalization IMO. In addition, as others have mentioned, the ResMed EPR is disabled when in the auto mode (I think because it interferes with ResMed’s auto algorithm) whereas the C-flex for the Remstar works in either straight or auto PAP modes.
The choice for which one is best (pricing and corporate ethics aside) as I understand it depends upon the individual’s unique characteristics of their sleep disorder such as the prevalent type of apnea (obstructive, central, or mixed). I must admit that all of this still remains a bit fuzzy to me but there are others such as GoofyUT and Snoredog who have a better understanding of it than I do and may chime in here to explain further.
Nevertheless, trying to determine which APAP is best for you will generally require that you have a sound understanding of your sleep disorder and a very good understanding of the “auto” algorithms and even then you may end up having to experiment with both to determine which one is best suited to you. For CPAP the choice is much simpler in that you only have determine whether you would do better with EPR or C-Flex.
- roberto
Last edited by DreamStalker on Mon Sep 11, 2006 1:19 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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resmed va remstar
I recieved the resmed vantage about 2 weeks ago, I rent for 3 months and then own, while I like to be able to go into the clinical menu of the resmed I find it to be noisey and I seem to wake at the increase and decrease of pressure.......... I would like the try the remstar as I hear the majority here loves it.......my dme is a pain in the behind so I hope I can get to try it..........try to exhaust all your options........these folks can give you a lot of great info. good luck
- DreamStalker
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Still confused?Fletch wrote:Thanks for the comments.
I need a humidifier so the choice isn't between the Vantage and the Remstar auto but between the Vantage and whatever EPR REMStar can be had with a humidifier for around $600
Are you asking whether Remstar w/C-flex + humidifier is better than Vantage S8 auto w/o humidifier?
If so that doesn't make a whole lot of sense. Usually, it is better to have an APAP over a straight CPAP.
- roberto
President-pretender, J. Biden, said "the DNC has built the largest voter fraud organization in US history". Too bad they didn’t build the smartest voter fraud organization and got caught.
I have an S8 Escape and a humidifier. My Dr says I need the humidifier. I am thinking of upgrading to a machine with EPR. My choices are a Vantage (because I already have a humidifier that fits) or a REMStar EPR with a humidifier. Since I only have $600 to spend I can't follow the recomendation of folks that suggest a REMStar auto (because it would cost too much with humidifier.)
- christinequilts
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Fletch- Check with your insurance and the EOB (explanation of benefits) you received the first couple of months you were on CPAP to see if the heated humidifier is a rental or not. Most times heated humidifiers are purchased, like the hoses & masks are...and you wouldn't return those with the machine, would you? If you call your DME, your best bet would be to speak dirrectly to billing & have them check E0562- the HCPCS code assigned to heated humidifiers.
If the Remstar humidifier is yours, that might help in your decision...or at least save you some $$$
If the Remstar humidifier is yours, that might help in your decision...or at least save you some $$$
- DreamStalker
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In that case ... I think you would want to get the Vantage S8 auto.Fletch wrote:I have an S8 Escape and a humidifier. My Dr says I need the humidifier. I am thinking of upgrading to a machine with EPR. My choices are a Vantage (because I already have a humidifier that fits) or a REMStar EPR with a humidifier. Since I only have $600 to spend I can't follow the recomendation of folks that suggest a REMStar auto (because it would cost too much with humidifier.)
Although you will have to use it as a straight CPAP in order to use the EPR, you will have the option to use auto to check for changes in needed pressure (which you would not be able to do with Remstar's straight CPAP). In addition, you can get some limited data from the Vantage LED menu which you cannot get from the Remstar without having to buy $225 software and card reader set-up.
- roberto
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CPAPopedia Keywords Contained In This Post (Click For Definition): humidifier, CPAP, auto
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machine choices
Your health is worth a lot. Select a machine that will work for now and 6 months and 2 years from now if your pressure changes. See the article on CPAP Machine Choices at http://smart-sleep-apnea.blogspot.com .
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Problems cannot be solved at the same level of awareness that created them. - Albert Einstein
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Problems cannot be solved at the same level of awareness that created them. - Albert Einstein
Do not wait for leaders; do it alone, person to person. - Mother Teresa
- oldgearhead
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