Which apap to buy?

[I'mSewTired]

I plan to buy an apap, and am trying to decide which to buy. I like the idea of cflex, but am not sure if I would NEED it. I used bipap for a year and a half 18/13. Have been on cpap straight 13 for a month and a half. I know that my sleep apnea is worse than my weight would seem to imply. I had a HORRIBLE night last night because one nostril was stomped up.

The machines I am interested in are Goodknight 420E, because from what I read you can adjust the auto method. I wonder if the ability to adjust would be a good thing for me.

The other I am interested in is the REMstar Auto because I wonder if my pressure goes up past 13 if I will need the CFLEX.

Any advice, thoughts, or ideas would be great. I am buying this machine out of pocket, so trying out each is not an option.

[ozij]

What made you switch from Bipap to straight PAP?

O.

[th]

You are going to get all kinds of machines with this question. So I will put my vote in for the remStar auto with CFlex......The reason- Is your pressure of 13, i feel like the CFlex would help with your exhale. Some people think the CFlex does not work for them,but for me when my pressure goes up to 10 or 11 ...........it is so nice
th

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CPAPopedia Keywords Contained In This Post (Click For Definition): cflex, auto

[I'mSewTired]

[quote="ozij"]What made you switch from Bipap to straight PAP?

O.

New sleep doc, so new sleep study. I am doing better at 13, I think the 18 was to high. I still do not sleep ALL night long even with the new "better" titration. But it seems to me that I can have good days, and then bad days. Even with 18/13 I had good days then bad days, and even good weeks, then bad weeks. I plan to track to see how changes in my life cause changes in my sleep. I need the software to do this. Therefore plan to buy an auto pap.

[ozij]

In that case, you might benefit from an APAP - if you do a surch for posts be WillSucceed containing the words "remstar" "cflex" and "420e" you'll get some excellent info on some of the Autos.

I use a Puritan Bennett Goodknight 420E and am very happy with it.
My pressure needs are very low.

O.

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CPAPopedia Keywords Contained In This Post (Click For Definition): 420E, Puritan Bennett, APAP

[Guest]

I plan to buy an apap, and am trying to decide which to buy.

The machines I am interested in are Goodknight 420E, because from what I read you can adjust the auto method. I wonder if the ability to adjust would be a good thing for me.

The other I am interested in is the REMstar Auto because I wonder if my pressure goes up past 13 if I will need the CFLEX.

I have both machines, and I have a couple of thoughts:
In regards to the adjustments on the PB GK420E, the vast majority of users don't ever need to change them from the factory presets.

In regards to the Respironics REMstar Auto with C-Flex, if you purchase an auto (and software) and determine through self-titration experiments that you need a range that will go above 13 to achieve the best results, then the C-Flex feature could definitely be of great benefit.

(Respironics also makes BiPap machines with C-Flex.)

Since you're collecting opinions, I guess because of the potential need for higher pressures I would suggest the REMstar Auto with C-Flex over the PB GK420E.

New sleep doc, so new sleep study. I am doing better at 13, I think the 18 was to high.

No kidding! I'm happy for you that you've decided to get an auto. Imagine being at a pressure of 18 for a year and a half.... but only needing 13 since.... since no one knows when! Yikes!

[Guest]

I am buying this machine out of pocket, so trying out each is not an option.

I don't understand this... can't you look into renting the different machines even though you are paying out of pocket? Trying before you buy is really worth it even if it costs you a bit of coin out of pocket.

In regards to the Respironics REMstar Auto with C-Flex, if you purchase an auto (and software) and determine through self-titration experiments that you need a range that will go above 13 to achieve the best results, then the C-Flex feature could definitely be of great benefit.

I don't know if I would be so quick to say this. C-FLEX can be a great feature IF it works for you. There are those who find C-FLEX to be uncomfortable -I found that it triggered breath-stacking and I would wake up several times during the night panting with a racing heart. When I turned off the C-FLEX, I was fine.

If at all possible, trial the different machines before you commit to one or the other. The Respironics RemStar Auto is a good machine, so are the PB 420E and the ResMed Spirit. All of them have different features that are of value. It is worth remembering that all of the manufacturers use different algorithms that provide treatment in different ways. People on this forum love to talk about the wonders of C-FLEX but, if the RemStar algorithm does not give you good treatment, C-FLEX won't be worth a pinch of snipe crap. Or, if you buy the PB 420E because you like its features, and find that its algorithm does not work for you, it won't be worth the pinch of snipe crap that I mentioned earlier.

So, if all possible, try out the different machines for a week or more each. This is the only way you will know if the machine is right for you. Then, start looking at features. If you need exhalation relief AND if C-FLEX works for you, buy the RemStar. If you don't need exhalation relief OR if C-FLEX does not work for you, look at the other machines. Also, look at all the other features and make an informed choice.

I think that it is worth remembering that each of us wants to purchase the machine that will work best. Also, once we make the decision and purchase, we will want to believe that the machine we purchased is the best one. Our ego pushes us to do this, its called cognitive dissonance -->we NEED to believe that we have made a good decision and, the more we have spent / the more we have invested, the more likely that we are to truely believe that our decision was a good one. We want others to make the same decision that we did. This helps us to feel better about what we have done.

So, having said all of this, listen to the opinions of others but remember that their opinions are driven by emotionality. Certainly, all of us that share an opinion want you to get the best machine and the best treatment possible. The reality of this is that ONLY YOU will be able to decide what machine is best for you... try them out before you buy.

[WillSucceed]

The rant above is mine.

I got 'guested'.

[neversleeps]

Pinch of snipe crap?

By the way, the rant above WillSucceed's rant was my rant, which means I pretty much 'guested' myself all day long....

Note I wrote:

....then the C-Flex feature could definitely be of great benefit.

*could* being the operative word.

My thinking was the C-Flex could be of great benefit at pressures greater than 13, but if not, could always be turned off; reasoning this would give him every possible advantage. Because I have both the REMstar Auto w/C-Flex and the PB GK420E, I don't think my suggestion was influenced by cognitive dissonance, but I have had 2 gin and tonics so that may have had something to do with it....