Fisher & Paykel CPAP users

MissyC · Post by **MissyC** » Wed Nov 28, 2007 12:22 am

Hi

I'm glad to have found this forum. It has been VERY useful in the short time I've been looking through posts.

I have some questions because I am trying to purchase a CPAP machine to send to Australia:

Can anyone who have used Fisher & Paykel CPAP machines please tell me
1) whether the 2 year warranty they had was useful?

2) Did you ever have to use your warranty, and if so, what does it cover - did you get parts replaced?

3) Not sure how risky it would be to use the machine overseas and not have local warranty

Any thoughts?
Thank you

3) Is it too ri

jupmalis · Post by **jupmalis** » Wed Nov 28, 2007 12:34 pm

I have an FP cpap, which is relatively new, so I have no experience about warranty. It is made in New Zealand, as you might know.

I took a quick look at Australia, and saw there was one company called Advans which seemed to have prices slightly above cpap.com. There were other internet retailers with much higher prices in Australia.

As someone else on this forum said, why not buy local if you can do so for a small premium? That is, buy in Australia for use in Australia.

Panhandler · Post by **Panhandler** » Wed Nov 28, 2007 1:10 pm

Don't forget to check the conversion rate between Australian $ and US $. They're not the same!

MissyC · Post by **MissyC** » Wed Nov 28, 2007 1:36 pm

Thanks for your reply.

Did you buy your FP in New Zealand. I didn't know it was made in New Zealand. What brand of FP do you have?

Basically the machine that is on loan right (in Australia) now is Fisher & Paykel 604

The physcian recommended a Respironics brand but there was no further clarity - and the only machine we could trial at the time was Fisher & Paykel which is functioning well.

I am reading through the forum and it is great to see people's reviews on respironics too but need to do a lot more research.

tater pie · Post by **tater pie** » Wed Nov 28, 2007 2:20 pm

I have used a Fisher Paykel cpap machine for over 3 years. I've never had to use the warranty so I don't know how good it is. The machine is great. It's a plain cpap but it runs like a charm and I've never had any problem at all out of it.

sharon1965 · Post by **sharon1965** » Wed Nov 28, 2007 2:38 pm

i had an f&p 234 for the first 9 months of my therapy...it ran well, but didn't have data capability, which i really wanted, so i traded it in

SleepGuy · Post by **SleepGuy** » Wed Nov 28, 2007 2:49 pm

I've been using the same F&P for almost five years (time to get a new machine?) without a single problem, so the warranty is moot for me.

There are several fellow Austrailians on the forum who are very well-informed, helpful types that would likely be in a very good position to answer your specific questions. Try sending a PM to DSM or Pedroski. There are several others. I would also edit your thread title to mention Australia and you're likely to get some more direct advice.

SG

jupmalis · Post by **jupmalis** » Wed Nov 28, 2007 2:49 pm

I have the FP 234, which was bought in Canada. Although it is a low cost and simple machine, I have confidence in it, even though most people on this forum think that an APAP with software is the absolute minimum. If it is a question of one machine or none, with money as an issue, there is no question - get a machine that gets you breathing at night even if it is straight CPAP with no software.

And my point still remains - why hassle with a US purchase when you can buy in Australia for a small premium? And still get the warranty. I do not know much about warranties, but I know many stop at the US border when an item is sourced from the US. Funny enough, the Aussie retailer I mentioned advertises free shipping to the States.

MissyC · Post by **MissyC** » Wed Nov 28, 2007 2:53 pm

Thank you Tater Pie and Sharon 1965

It is really helpful to know this. I am now inclined to get the basic Fisher & Paykel 604 and then do more research on the different types of data compatibility machines and get another one.

I know that the latest FP 608 has Automatic Altitude Adjustment which the other FP doesn't have - has this made a difference in the machine?
How do you manually set for the altitude?

In Australia, there is a very long waiting period before you are seen at a Sleep Clinic so that would be the only way I could see whether my pressure and my sleeping has improved.

Could you please tell me how the system works in the US for the people who have data compatibility?
Do you go to the Sleep Clinic doctors and show them the results of leakage, snoring etc over the timeframe?
Or do you have private respiratory physicians and how often is it recommended to go?

Thanks again for your comments.

cflame1 · Post by **cflame1** » Wed Nov 28, 2007 4:52 pm

Missy, I can tell you how it works for me.

I have a regular checkup with my sleep doc (due to other sleep/breathing problems), but if I need to see him for another recommendation, I take him the reports, and they make recommendations that I go home and implement.

I know that other's here, watch their reports (making changes as needed)and don't even bother with the sleep doc.

MissyC · Post by **MissyC** » Wed Nov 28, 2007 5:21 pm

Panhandler: thanks for the tip!

Jupmalis: I didn't know FP was made in New Zealand. Thanks for pointing that out.
I checked out the Advans site which is pricier but that is a US site though, not an Aussie site. I agree with the software being an advantage - are people regularly monitoring the data themselves from these machines? I'm not sure how much skill or training is needed for this
The machine from cpap.com seems more economical but their shipping seems to be around $200 - so considering usps

cflame1: It's different in Australia where you go to a Sleep Clinic once a year so I'm not sure how useful it will be for a beginner who is just starting out on a reliable CPAP machine to have the extra data. Even if the extra data were accessible, interpreting it and implementing it might not be easy if you don't have a regular respiratory physician.
So there are some issues for me to consider getting the machines with the software - I have found some people have tried using a straight CPAP machine and then switched to one with data capability later on.
I'm not sure how effective having my own data is going to be for someone who is just starting off -

Is there anyone who have become experts at watching their own reports? What kind of machines did you begin with?

thanks

cflame1 · Post by **cflame1** » Wed Nov 28, 2007 6:13 pm

A lot of the folks on here are good about helping understand the reports... just post them and they'll provide feedback (that you can wade thru)

MissyC · Post by **MissyC** » Wed Nov 28, 2007 6:33 pm

cflame1: That is super! Although I am disappointed that I didn't come across this forum sooner, it is just great that there are so many knowledgeable people here.
I am also trying to research a machine that is good for data compatibility.
Thanks for your post

billbolton · Post by **billbolton** » Wed Nov 28, 2007 7:12 pm

MissyC wrote:I know that the latest FP 608 has Automatic Altitude Adjustment

More importantly, the HC608 has automatic leak compenstation and has a heated tube facility. I gather you are in Victoria, so on colder Winter nights you may find that very useful.

I started out with a simple CPAP, a Resmed S7 lightweight and used it until recently (its still in use with another CPAP user in Western Australia). About the middle of this year I acquired a Resmed S8 Autoset, which is a data capable APAP machine, but after some experimenting with APAP, I am now running it in CPAP mode as I found that was the most effective treatment for me.

I do look at the data from my machine on a daily basis, and am now able to interpret it in the light of nearly 4 years experience with using CPAP. For me, I think if I'd had it right from the start it would have been more of a distraction that a help.

"Your Mileage May Vary"

Cheers,

Bill

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Thu Nov 29, 2007 2:21 pm

jupmalis said:

I have the FP 234, which was bought in Canada. Although it is a low cost and simple machine, I have confidence in it, even though most people on this forum think that an APAP with software is the absolute minimum. If it is a question of one machine or none, with money as an issue, there is no question - get a machine that gets you breathing at night even if it is straight CPAP with no software.

for me the the lack of confidence lay not with the machine, which was sturdy, well-built and quiet, but with the lack of data capability...i spent 9 months "in the dark" so to speak, frustrated because i didn't feel that i was improving even though i was 100% compliant with my therapy but i had no way of knowing why, such as whether or not i was springing leaks or how many apneas or hypopneas i may have been having; when i got the software, i was able to ascertain that at a pressure of 6 i was having as many as 75-80 events/night, too many for someone who was being 'treated' IMHO

i don't necessarily agree that most of the folks here feel that data capable APAP is the minimum requirement, but i do know that most people are in favour of monitoring their own therapy with software; i suppose it's true that a basic machine is better than no machine,(especially, as you said, if money is an issue) but i have to wonder how much improvement i may have seen in those 9 months on the wrong pressure if i had known then what i know now...

Fisher & Paykel CPAP users

Fisher & Paykel CPAP users

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Thank you

Great

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Additional Comments: Airmini, Medistrom Pilot 24, CMS 60C Pulse Oximeter, ResScan 6