Getting treatment soon and I'm a bit scared (plus: anyone prefers Dreamstation over AirSense?)

[lucas7bm]

Well, this post is more like a vent with a simple - and probably stupid - question in the end. I just can't think of anyone to talk about this (specially because it's 1:41am).

I'm in the proccess of receiving a machine from the public health system from my country (Brazil) and hopefully it won't take too long and soon I will be using an APAP machine. If nothing goes wrong, it will be probably an AirSense AutoSet or a Dreamstation Auto (the requirements in the bidding - I hope - will restrict the possible choices to these beauties).

I don't know if it's just the anxiety of being "one step from the edge" changing what I see into a negative view of reality, but I'm seeing a lot of posts here about people unhappy with their treatment, feeling tired in the same way as before, feeling hopeless about a positive change in their lives. And some of them are doing their best to achieve an optimal treatment and they are using their machines consistently for months, sometimes a few years.

I must confess that I'm a bit scared. I'm doing and planning everything that I can to improve my sleep quality every day, because I just can't stand being this tired, stressed and sad. Specially sad. Maybe I just need to hear that some of you felt the same thing or maybe some of you are still feeling it.

About the machines, I have a silly question: is there anyone here that prefers Dreamstation over AirSense? Because as far as I can remember, a lot of you have changed from Dreamstation to AirSense and felt a great improve in things like comfort, for example. I just wonder if some of you might actually think the opposite (preferring the Dreamstation). I know that they are both great machines and that I shouldn't worry this much, but hey, every little positive change in a cronic treatment is welcome.

Sorry the long post, there might be typing errors because I wrote it in one sit - and my spell checker keeps changing some things with portuguese words - and my eyes were a little "humid" in some parts, but I hope it's readable. Thank you all!

[TASmart]

My advice is to embrace the treatment.I got my APAP a year ago, wish I could have it it 30 years ago. The improvement in my life is beyond calculation. I sleep better and actually wake up rested in the morning. I realized a few years before I got my machine I likely had sleep apnea, and I was always tired, depressed, anxious, and oh so sleepy. Now, I still have some depression, but it is an order of magnitude better, I am rested, optimistic and ready to git to gittin. My attitude going n was that this was going to make me better, and it did, starting with week one, and I still notice improvements at one year in. Sure, it can be a pain to wear a hose at night, but the pain of shitty sleep is far greater.

[MrsRinPDX]

Relax. There are those of us who are happy with our treatment, our sleep doctors, our suppliers. I am. You just don't hear from us that often because this is a forum to address problems, and well, we aren't having that many.

I think the biggest challenge is a positive mental attitude. Yes, finding the right mask can be hard at first for some, but not for all. So don't worry. Everything will turn out fine. And if it doesn't, you have many experienced folks here ready to help out.

To answer your question about the DreamStation, I am a bit disappointed in their quality. I had a machine stop recording some data after only four months of use. My supplier treated me well and Philips replaced it, of course, but I would have preferred it didn't have the sensor problem in the first place. The key here is, if you think something isn't right, speak up! Be persistent.

All the best,

MrsRinPDX

[ajack]

If you have a choice, I'd get the resmed airsense, autoset for her
https://www.resmed.com/au/en/consumer/p ... r-her.html

there is an adjustment period that can last a couple of weeks and up to 3 months to fully adjust. Everyone is different. Mask fit and the right mask is very important and the quicker this is sorted the easier it is.
I would look at mask fit videos on youtube, to educate myself while you are waiting.

[Julie]

Definitely prefer the Resmed machines to the Respironics. I originally got the other (though not a Dreamstation) but it has a feature I and others dislike, so I was able to get it exchanged. I now use a different one entirely (the Intellipap) but would use the Resmed if I made a change, though I'm happy with mine for now.

[Bertha deBlues]

The only machine I've used in my 2+ years of treatment is the Dreamstation Auto, and I'm quite happy with it. As MrsRinPDX says, those who are having trouble or are unhappy with their machines are the ones who post questions.

Don't get your expectations too high. Some see amazing results overnight, and some take longer to find the right mask, fit, settings, etc. It sounds like you have the right attitude - a willingness to learn all you can and to make it work for you.

Before I started treatment, I was tired all the time, tired and cranky. My energy level was low, and so was my enthusiasm for just about anything. It took me a few weeks to start feeling the benefits. My energy level has improved dramatically, as has my outlook on life. I still get cranky but I have a more positive attitude.

All the best to you as you start your journey.

[D.H.]

I never tried the AirSense, so I can't comment about that machine. However, her'es my review of the DreamStation (the good and the bad).


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 feel 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.
• Humidifier is fully integrated, but detachable. It can be replaced/repaired independently of the main unit. It can also be left behind to save space (if you can live without the humidification).
• Humidifier chamber is wide open on top, making it easy to fill, empty, and clean. The unit is sealed when the door over the chamber is closed.
• 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.
• The humidifier door was not closing properly after about eighteen months. The DME replaced the humidifier at no cost to me. There was a viable workaround in the meanwhile, so it was not an emergency.
• 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 “full” line on the water tank is hard to see.
• The machine is somewhat noisier when used without the humidifier attached.
• 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.

[Goofproof]

Be Afraid, Be Very Afraid! (Elmer Fudd), air and breathing it at night is so dangerous to do. Jim

[lucas7bm]

If you have a choice, I'd get the resmed airsense, autoset for her
https://www.resmed.com/au/en/consumer/p ... r-her.html

Actually, this would be my choice, but I don't have much power in the decision. Here's how the public bidding will be (I don't know if it's done in the same way in the US):

I choose one company to send a budget containing the AutoSet's specifications and price (without mentioning brand or model). Then, someone in charge of this in the city hall will look for two other companies to provide two more budgets which obey the specifications provided in the first one. From the three of them, probably similar machines or the same machine with different prices, the lowest price wins and they buy it. I'm really hoping for it to be an AirSense AutoSet (because I know how superior they are), but it might not be this way.

[lucas7bm]

Thank you all for your answers, you guys are awesome!

[ajack]

If you have a choice, I'd get the resmed airsense, autoset for her
https://www.resmed.com/au/en/consumer/p ... r-her.html

Actually, this would be my choice, but I don't have much power in the decision. Here's how the public bidding will be (I don't know if it's done in the same way in the US):

I choose one company to send a budget containing the AutoSet's specifications and price (without mentioning brand or model). Then, someone in charge of this in the city hall will look for two other companies to provide two more budgets which obey the specifications provided in the first one. From the three of them, probably similar machines or the same machine with different prices, the lowest price wins and they buy it. I'm really hoping for it to be an AirSense AutoSet (because I know how superior they are), but it might not be this way.

either machine will work, they both can be titrated to treat your apnea. The dreamstation is a bit slow and needs to be closer to the 95% number, than the resmed. (it will make sense when you get your machine, you could also learn about sleepyhead, the free program to read the sd card in the machine)
we have a split, free public and insurance paid private.
in Australia we get free doctors and tests, only those on a pension or unemployed get a free machine. There is private insurance that will pay 500-$1000 towards it.

[lucas7bm]

If you have a choice, I'd get the resmed airsense, autoset for her
https://www.resmed.com/au/en/consumer/p ... r-her.html

Actually, this would be my choice, but I don't have much power in the decision. Here's how the public bidding will be (I don't know if it's done in the same way in the US):

I choose one company to send a budget containing the AutoSet's specifications and price (without mentioning brand or model). Then, someone in charge of this in the city hall will look for two other companies to provide two more budgets which obey the specifications provided in the first one. From the three of them, probably similar machines or the same machine with different prices, the lowest price wins and they buy it. I'm really hoping for it to be an AirSense AutoSet (because I know how superior they are), but it might not be this way.

either machine will work, they both can be titrated to treat your apnea. The dreamstation is a bit slow and needs to be closer to the 95% number, than the resmed. (it will make sense when you get your machine, you could also learn about sleepyhead, the free program to read the sd card in the machine)
we have a split, free public and insurance paid private.
in Australia we get free doctors and tests, only those on a pension or unemployed get a free machine. There is private insurance that will pay 500-$1000 towards it.

Yeah, I know that they are both excellent machines, and that with any of them my treatment could be optimal, I was just wondering if there are some Dreamstation fans here, since there are a lot of AirSense fans.
I wasn't scared about ending with a Dreamstation, they are great, I was scared about the treatment itself and the benefits from it. I was anxious and reading a lot of people complaining about their treatments - and this made me even more anxious.

And I do know about sleepyhead. Can't wait to use it. However, I never heard before about Dreamstations being "slow". Actually, I'm still guessing what this could mean. Considering you said about the 95%, I suppose that it's maybe a slow transition between pressures on APAP mode - allowing more apneas to happen before changing the pressure up?
Similarly, the same way the regular AirSense 10 is "slower" than the For Her version?

[ajack]

here is a test of several machines, what I meat by slow is it's response to apnea issues, people who have one find that it really doesn't like a wide pressure setting and likes the min pressure closer to the 95% pressure.

Comparative assessment of several automatic CPAP devices ...
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5005142/
by V Isetta - ‎2015 - ‎Cited by 5 - ‎Related articles
Aug 21, 2015 - Devices tested were AirSense 10 (ResMed), Dreamstar (Sefam), Icon (Fisher & Paykel), Resmart (BMC), Somnobalance (Weinmann), System One (Respironics) and XT-Auto (Apex). Each device was tested twice. The response of each device was considerably different. Whereas some devices were able to ...

[palerider]

total

[lucas7bm]

Well, as far as I know, although the For Her algorithm is "gentle" with the pressure changes to avoid arousals, it also makes changes sooner than the regular version, something like 3 apneas is needed in the default algorithm against only 1 in the FH version. This would make the FH version "faster" in correcting the problem. Did I get it wrong?