I got OSA! What machine should i get ? !

[yankee_hoser]

So! I got sleep apnea. I wont know any of the details till i go to my follow up on tuesday. I talked to the cpap person at my sleep center and they only sell 1 type of cpap machine (Respironics system 1) and only respironics brand masks. Oh! and they only do one mask exchange.... buzzz !! wrong answer!

I asked about getting a coy of prescription and sleep study, so i can shop around for DME's that will do multiple mask exchanges, as long as within 30 days. . .

"oh, well.. i dont think you will find any dme's like that.."

Buzz ! ! wrong again!

So I called a few DME's and found one that after some pressing from me reluctantly said they do multiple mask exchanges, again as long as within 30 days

I used key words like:
im looking for a dme that will WORK with me
and how IMPORTANT it is to me to find a dme with great customer service

I also called my Insurance provider and found out I can get ANY machine with the insurance code for cpap machine ( i think it started with a 6 ? anyone know) so i got the green light.

So, I want my therapy to go as smoothly as possible. I got my tax return back, so i would like to get a great machine.

so what are the suggestions ? what machine have people found that work great?

thanks

Joel

[Pugsy]

Are you having to meet your deductible or expecting significant out of pocket expense for the machine?

The billing code for most common cpap machine would be E0601...this encompasses the no useful data bricks through the APAP models.

I would suggest that you target the ResMed S9 and/or PR System One Respironics models. Software is easy to get and use and the data the full data machines collects is a bit more comprehensive than other brands.
See this list
http://maskarrayed.wordpress.com/

ResMed machines...avoid anything with the word "Escape" in the model name. Only the S9 Escape Auto offers any data and it is severely limited to AHI and pressure only and doesn't even offer leak data.

Respironics PR System One...model names are a bit confusing...learn the model numbers
Model numbers 450 and above all are full data machines...anything below that is not a full data machine.

So in the ResMed S9 line...has optional ClimateLine heated hose.
S9 Elite which is a full data straight cpap machine
S9 AutoSet which is a full data machine that has both straight cpap mode and apap mode available...so 2 machines in one.

In the Respironics PR System One line full data machines.
PR System One Remstar Pro cpap machine...model 450 straight cpap machine without heated hose optional humidifier
or the newest model in that line...460 which is a straight cpap machine and has a heated hose optional humidifier but it also has some limited apap mode capabilities which we can overcome with a little trick.
PR System One APAP machines ....again 2 machines in one...offering straight cpap mode or apap mode.
model 550...no heated hose
model 560...heated hose option..this is the newest model.

Get the heated hose option if you can...you may not need it but it can be turned off if you don't. It does come in handy and better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it. Insurance will pay for it..there's a special billing code for heated hose.

PR S1 vs S9...minor pros and cons with either brand. Both do a great job but they have different algorithms and different ways of doing things. If purchasing out of pocket...the PR S1 is considerably less expensive. If insurance is paying and copay is the same...doesn't matter.

If you can get the model that has APAP mode and cpap mode available...that's a plus because it is like 2 machines in one.
APAP mode comes in handy sometimes but not everyone likes it or really needs it but again better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it if at all possible.

[Drowsy Dancer]

I don't feel qualified to recommend a specific machine, but I can suggest a strategy.

If you get a machine made by one of the bigger manufacturers, there will be more people here on the forum using similar equipment than if you get something more obscure. So a PR (Philips Respironics) System One might not be a bad choice.

Janknitz of this forum has a good blog about machine features: http://maskarrayed.wordpress.com/

[cosmo]

Resmed S9 Autoset
Respironics 560p (DS560S)

[SnoringinDXB]

I am a forum and xPAP newbie - I am 3 nights in.

There are a lot of wonderfully kind, helpful people on this site who give fantastic advice and point you towards resources and information. You have come to the right place.

You sound quite savvy already in terms of determination not to be short changed on the equipment and service.

I went with a ResMed S9 Auto. No complaints whatsoever so far. I did my first data download this morning into SleepyHead (free software allowing you to see and understand all the data the machine collects). I got mine here http://sourceforge.net/projects/sleepyhead/ . Install it as administrator or the auto update function won't work, and it will want to update as the link doesn't give the absolutely latest software version. There are other softwares but some work with some machines and not others. Others know more on this - I am just trying to be helpful with what I now as a newbie who was in your shoes recently.

The only other machine I have physically seen is the Breas i20, which is a very limited machine for data. The S9 comes with a carry case which looks exactly like a laptop bag, which is important as I travel internationally quite a lot for my job. It is better shape and size than the Breas i20.

Masks are a whole other subject - I am having my teething problems. Again you will get some great advice from everyone here.

Good luck!

[BlackSpinner]

Check with your insurance that the DME you chose is in network or you will be paying more.

[yankee_hoser]

You sound quite savvy already in terms of determination not to be short changed on the equipment and service.

All thanks to this website! very helpful people here

[NotLazyJustTired]

I am new, but I can endorse the ResMed S9 AutoSet as it is the only machine I've used. Fully data capable and lots of folks on here that can help with data and other questions. Good luck!

[Nooblakahn]

Are you having to meet your deductible or expecting significant out of pocket expense for the machine?

The billing code for most common cpap machine would be E0601...this encompasses the no useful data bricks through the APAP models.

I would suggest that you target the ResMed S9 and/or PR System One Respironics models. Software is easy to get and use and the data the full data machines collects is a bit more comprehensive than other brands.
See this list
http://maskarrayed.wordpress.com/

ResMed machines...avoid anything with the word "Escape" in the model name. Only the S9 Escape Auto offers any data and it is severely limited to AHI and pressure only and doesn't even offer leak data.

Respironics PR System One...model names are a bit confusing...learn the model numbers
Model numbers 450 and above all are full data machines...anything below that is not a full data machine.

So in the ResMed S9 line...has optional ClimateLine heated hose.
S9 Elite which is a full data straight cpap machine
S9 AutoSet which is a full data machine that has both straight cpap mode and apap mode available...so 2 machines in one.

In the Respironics PR System One line full data machines.
PR System One Remstar Pro cpap machine...model 450 straight cpap machine without heated hose optional humidifier
or the newest model in that line...460 which is a straight cpap machine and has a heated hose optional humidifier but it also has some limited apap mode capabilities which we can overcome with a little trick.
PR System One APAP machines ....again 2 machines in one...offering straight cpap mode or apap mode.
model 550...no heated hose
model 560...heated hose option..this is the newest model.

Get the heated hose option if you can...you may not need it but it can be turned off if you don't. It does come in handy and better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it. Insurance will pay for it..there's a special billing code for heated hose.

PR S1 vs S9...minor pros and cons with either brand. Both do a great job but they have different algorithms and different ways of doing things. If purchasing out of pocket...the PR S1 is considerably less expensive. If insurance is paying and copay is the same...doesn't matter.

If you can get the model that has APAP mode and cpap mode available...that's a plus because it is like 2 machines in one.
APAP mode comes in handy sometimes but not everyone likes it or really needs it but again better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it if at all possible.

I know pugsy will correct me if I'm wrong , but it seems any resperonics machine with the word plus is to be avoided with the same plague like resistance as anything with the word escape in the resmed lines. Since they are more difficult to spot that the resmed escape name, I would still call before going to your DME and find out what they plan to dispense and verify its a good machine even if plus is not in the name.

[Metter46]

I am new to this forum and this is my first post. I am certainly not qualified to answer your question, however, after 30-40 hours research reading this and other forums I know what I want. I should get my script next week and I am going to insist on a Resmed S9 autoset and am not going to let anyone change my mind at this point. Due to asthma and nasal congestion, I also will insist on humidifier with heated hose. I'll start with a nasal mask as I seemed to do better in my sleep study with this type. I have a good relationship with my primary care doctor and I will believe he will go along with my choice. I have already written the script as I think it should read.

Thanks to all for the excellent information and encouragement on this forum.

[hyperlexis]

So! I got sleep apnea. I wont know any of the details till i go to my follow up on tuesday. I talked to the cpap person at my sleep center and they only sell 1 type of cpap machine (Respironics system 1) and only respironics brand masks. Oh! and they only do one mask exchange.... buzzz !! wrong answer!

I asked about getting a coy of prescription and sleep study, so i can shop around for DME's that will do multiple mask exchanges, as long as within 30 days. . .

"oh, well.. i dont think you will find any dme's like that.."

Buzz ! ! wrong again!

So I called a few DME's and found one that after some pressing from me reluctantly said they do multiple mask exchanges, again as long as within 30 days

I used key words like:
im looking for a dme that will WORK with me
and how IMPORTANT it is to me to find a dme with great customer service

I also called my Insurance provider and found out I can get ANY machine with the insurance code for cpap machine ( i think it started with a 6 ? anyone know) so i got the green light.

So, I want my therapy to go as smoothly as possible. I got my tax return back, so i would like to get a great machine.

so what are the suggestions ? what machine have people found that work great?

thanks

Joel

Here's the problem. NO DME I had dealt with would let me test drive the machines, of any brand. I even called the local ResMed and PR reps in Chicago and none of them had a supplier who would give a test drive on the machines. It was basically, you pick it, you bought it.... The only way to return a CPAP is if they send the wrong unit or it breaks. So it's darned near impossible to make a clear recommendation without one to one comparison. There are some folks on Youtube who have done video comparisons so that's one way to check. Plus numerous, numerous discussions on cpaptalk.com too. Some people here have one of each brand.....

But the two Cadillac machines now out there are the S9 and the PR1 series. Both have plusses, and both also have several minuses as well.

I can tell you, however, that your DME's vending PR equipment is just fine. It's a solid brand with good equipment, and it's U.S.-made as well (unlike ResMed). So if you end up with a PR machine, don't think you have been short changed, because you certainly have not.

[Pugsy]

I know pugsy will correct me if I'm wrong , but it seems any resperonics machine with the word plus is to be avoided with the same plague like resistance as anything with the word escape in the resmed lines.

The only problem with going by the "Plus" being in the name is that there is a very basic machine that doesn't even have "Plus" in the name...doesn't have CFlex either.
The most commonly thought of "Plus" to avoid is the PR System One Remstar Plus CPAP with CFlex which is model 250 or 260 but there is also a 150 model and last I saw it only said PR System One Remstar CPAP.
That's why I have switched to emphasis on model numbers. There are DMEs supplying the 150 and there may be a 160 model now. So the "Plus" absence doesn't automatically mean full data.

[yankee_hoser]

Got an appointment on mon with a dme to get my machine. And i also have my follow up appointment to go over the results with sleep center.

So i should have plenty to share this week.