Best machine to choose if they all cost 50 cents

[deerslayer]

IDear Santa, While yer at it ....Please drop a couple under my Spruce This december ...Seriously danmc,i sure do like your enthusiasm ..you should do fine with what ever machine you end up with because you've got your head on right !

_________________

Haha thanks Deerslayer, I'm glad my head does something right. Pity it's such a funny shaped head that the masks pop off like champagne corks...On santa though, is he really going to bring the reindeer to your house given your nickname?

No Danmc, the deers is safe this year....i believe this ole mans huntin days is over

[danmc]

Funnily enough I was trying to figure out if any wild deer still roamed Western Australia only a week or so back. Oz has quite a few species that were introduced back in the day.

[Arizona-Willie]

I have been using a S8 Elite for 2 years and just saw mention of using bi-pap because the person had COPD.

I too have COPD and Asthma according to a lung doctor .. whom I haven't been to for 3 or 4 years now. Before being diagnosed with Sleeep Apnea anyway.

I don't remember telling my sleep doc I had COPD. He recently put me on Provigil for narcolepsy because I still go to sleep during the day. Not as bad as before CPAP but it still happens.

What is the rational behind using a bi-pap if you have COPD?

I'be been looking at buying an APAP out of pocket to replace my S8. Do I need to have the sleep doc get me a bi-pap?

[Slinky]

Yes, AZ-Willie, unfortunately, you DO need a doctor to write a new script in order to get a bi-level. The bi-levels offer a greater pressure range between inhaling and exhaling the the maxium 3 cms difference w/EPR or the maximum difference w/C- or A-Flex for one thing. I'm not sure of any other benefits that a bi-level would produce over a CPAP w/limited expiration pressure relief. Bi-level are a different HCPCS code that the CPAPs and APAPs.

[Slinky]

Except that I insisted if it were the Respironics it HAD to be the pre-M Series Respironics Bi-PAP Auto w/Bi-Flex. I wouldn't accept the M Series model. The decision for the Resmed VPAP was that it wouldn't require the purchase of yet another integrated humidifier.

If bi-levels weren't so darn EXPENSIVE I'd buy a pre-M Series w/Bi-Flex as a backup and travel device in a heartbeat!

Can I ask why the pre-m series ? They are only about a grand aren't they? Whats the diff with the pre m and m series that the m series costs nearly 2 grand I wonder?

'Cause on accountta, in "my" personal opinion: the M series humidifier (who knows if this 3rd or 4th "fix" is FINALLY a true and permanent fix), the blue lights that can't be turned off, the data dropping a couple of days a month, hose and data card slot position ...

My sleep doctor's first preference for the Resmed VPAP Auto was because of the humidifier issue. MY first preference for the VPAP Auto was the easier access to LCD data, no extra power brick necessary, no need to leave the data card in the device when using (w/the Resmeds you only need to insert the card when you do a download), 1/2 lb lighter when traveling (assumed I would never be able to purchase a back up/travel bi-level due to cost), easier to use and access the humidifier tank .... I LIKE my Resmeds!!!!

[deerslayer]

nother thing can cpap/bipap weaken respiration...say like using a crutch,or like wearing glasses too much?? might be a dumb ? but it has crossed my pea brain. i feel like i am more alert during the day but am still way short of air if i try to exert myself at all. motivation has plummeted drastically , like no fuel in the tank

[Slinky]

Nope. Not in any literature I've read. And having COPD that IS something I've kinda kept an eye on.

However, were you ever a smoker? Work around a lot of dust (I worked in handsanding in a furniture shop and then in paper dust in the post office), or toxic chemicals (say a paint shop), etc.?

It wouldn't hurt to see a pulmonologist or at least have your family doctor order a PFT (pulmonary function test) or even a spirometry (some family doctors even have a spirometer in their office) or an ABG (arterial blood gas) right after a six minute walk test. Even a six minute walk test w/a finger oximeter and checking your 02 level and HR (heart rate) before and after or even before, every 2 minutes during (plus measuring the distance you walked) and after the six minute walk.

[Guest]

Hrm well I had pretty much decided that I would buy both - you have to remember that my expectations were much higher as far as cost goes so looking at them online now they seem cheap to me. As an example, the clinic quoted me $220 I think for the opus pillows...

Anyhow, what I'm looking at now is software - It does bug me somewhat that the clinic will have better software than I am allowed to buy. I also wanted to buy the oxymeter addon etc. I'm hoping I can convince the clinic to supply me with the full software package.

Is the respironics similar in that user software is limited? I guess its probably not that big a deal, but it just seems silly to not have all data available for the clinic to peruse. If I go for months without seeing them they could have all the data they like on tap if I can use the clinic software (I am assuming that collecting user data is different to clinic data).

I am looking at the other brands, they "seem" on the face of it less draconian about the clinic software as it is at least for sale.

[danmc]

Hrm so thats where all the guests come from...people like me that forget to log in?
lol

[Slinky]

Oh come now! Getting the software and cable reader for the Respironics and Resmed devices are no problem for an innovative "apnean"!!!!

Respironics has come out w/a patient version of their professional software, the only difference being that you can't change your therapy settings via the patient version software. (Which is no big deal, heaven knows its easy enough to find instructions for changing your therapy). The patient version is EncoreViewer. What I'm NOT sure about is EncoreViewer's compatability w/Vista on PCs. And, for that matter, it doesn't take much sleuthing to find EncorePro (the professional version) online. If you have Vista on your PC, you want to be sure to get the Vista compatable version.

Resmed hasn't come out w/a patient version of their software, but again, it isn't all that difficult to find online.

Both Respironics and Resmed software do require proprietary cable readers. The cheapest place I know of for the Respironics cable reader is two factors in HongKong. Cost last I knew was $24 plus $8 shipping and it takes about 10-14 days for it to arrive from HongKong. It is the Mako Infineer DT 3500.

[Banned]

Slinky,

EncoreViewer v.1.0 is supported by Windows XP Home Edition - SP2, and Windows Vista Home Edition.

Thanks,
Banned

[rested gal]

Hi all,
Great forum here. I am new to this forum and have only recently been diagnosed with severe apnea.

You're not the registered member nicknamed danmc, I take it?

viewtopic.php?p=274089&highlight=#274089

[danmc]

Hi all,
Great forum here. I am new to this forum and have only recently been diagnosed with severe apnea.

You're not the registered member nicknamed danmc, I take it?

No actually I am the guest that started this thread and I just posted above as guest by mistake.- I didn't realise I wasn't logged in - I'm one of those people that has 20 browser windows open at once, and I usually have both IE and Firefox open in parallel.

I'll try be more careful, I can see some guest spamming in other threads so I wouldn't want to be confused with that

Thanks for the great info on the software.

[Moby]

I'm from Perth too. May I pm you to discuss clinics?

Nice not to be the solitary Sandgroper here

Regards

Di

[danmc]

I'm from Perth too. May I pm you to discuss clinics?

Nice not to be the solitary Sandgroper here

Regards

Di

Sure can - there is another Sandgroper I know of and some of Banana Benders, Crow Easter etc as well I think