How is everyone getting an S9 Autoset? - I can't

[robysue]

sampt,

My deepest sympathy on the inexcusable way you've been treated by the DME. Don't have anything else to add that others haven't already said.

But you also asked:

My scalp has been burning & I'm wondering if it's a reaction to the silicon strap that fits on the top of my head? Originally I was wearing a bandana to prevent hair breakage & didn't notice until I stopped using the bandana. (My hair was still breaking & getting dry so so much for that idea) Any suggestions regarding the silicon strap? Right now I'm wrapping it with a silk scarf but my scalp still burns in that vicinity. I haven't introduced any new products (soap, shampoo, etc).

Padacheek sells a fleece pad that covers the entire silicon frame for the Swift FX headgear. I've got two of them and one of them should do the trick for you. Don't know if these pads are on her web page yet, but if you contact her through her web page and tell her what you need, she'll respond quickly with both how to order it and how much it will cost you. She makes quality stuff and she's also a forum member here. Her website is at http://padacheek.com/

Best of luck

[Otter]

For getting detailed info safely, I prefer the "review' combination: that's a prolonged simultaneous holding down of the "Info" and "Setup" button. The screen hiccups, and then you get all the therapy details available in the second option from the top.

The "dial and setup" combination suggested by Otter puts you in the clinician's setup mode - I don't use that mode unless I want to change clinical setting - and then I do it very carefully. I prefer the review mode because it protects me from changing my settings unintentionally.

Actually, I said dial and info, but you are correct, it's setup and info. I do go into setup mode every night to erase the the previous night's data before I go to sleep, and I suppose that's why my brain said "dial" even though my fingers know better. Thanks for catching my goof.

[rested gal]

Very sorry to hear the DME gave you an Escape Auto instead of the Autoset model, sampt.

If you do finally get a ResMed S9 Autoset.... and can't see AHI results in the Sleep Quality section, it might be that the person who sets up the machine in the first place does not turn "On" an option ("Options" - "Sleep Quality") in the clinical setup menu. They might leave that Sleep Quality section set to "Usage" only (the default setting) for what will be displayed to the user who wants to look at their Sleep Quality the next day.

You'd then need to go into the clinician's setup mode as Otter correctly described, if you wanted to turn that option on. Working your way through the clinician's setup mode menu items very carefully, as ozij said.

[Otter]

I personally don't find the setup mode at all intimidating. It would be difficult to change anything without intending to change something. But then, having set the machine up myself, I would know how to put things back if I somehow changed the wrong thing. It probably would be a good idea for anyone whose machine was set up by their doctor or RT to go through the settings and write them all down, just in case. It could be really nerve wracking if you accidentally changed something, or thought you might have changed something, at 1am after having already taken a sleeping pill or herbs to knock yourself out. But with your cheat sheet handy, you could verify all the settings quickly and go to bed.

[grock321]

My doc prescribed the escape. I paid the difference out of my pocket because I wanted the data.

[avi123]

Janknitz, funny you mention profit. That subject came up with my current DME today, as well as a second one I called to see if they had the S9 Autoset (They did not). They both indicated they sell the Escape as it is more profitable. It's my own fault as I was just naive and not well informed about the "process" of obtaining a CPAP. Lesson learned. I just hope in 5 years if the insurance lets me upgrade, I have the opportunity to get the piece of equipment that allows me to monitor my own medical issues, & not have to rely on the DME as a middleman between me & my doctor. Thank you for taking the time to respond.

I would not pull the trigger as fast as you do b/c you don't really know what machine is best for you. If you your Doc gave you an Rx for S9 Auto then there is no such machine. There is S9 AutoSet and there is S9 Escape Auto.

Many on this board use S9 AutoSet. But it does not mean that such a machine is best for you. I for example also got an S8 Escape II from my DME under Medicare rental. After two month the DME agreed to swap it with a data capable S9 Elite at no charge. But I later made a mistake when I bought on my own a new S9 Autoset for $850. And soon, I realized that the S9 Autoset does not answer my need b/c it does not respond fast enough, pressure wise. After it raises the pressure to deal with Obstructive apnea it does NOT lower the pressure at all or fast enough to deal with oncoming central apneas. As a result,it causes me to get more emergent central apneas. It also does not distinguish between obstructive or central hypopneas. So here I am stuck with the S9AutoSet and looking for something better which might cost me more than $1,500.

The problem with Sleep Docs, these days, is that they are not familiar with the new XPAP on the market. And once you are stuck with a DME and and an insurer with a machine on rental , it's very difficult to deal with them on replacements even if the Sleep Doc gets involved. So in such situations you need to walk away and buy on your own.

[Janknitz]

Auto machines ARE slow to make pressure changes because of their algorithms. A narrow setting range based on a good titration helps it respond more efficiently. The OP is already on an auto and doing fairly well, but she wants the Autoset rather than the Escape Auto so she can monitor her progress with more useful data.

[early2rise]

Something that just came to mind is have you complained to your insurance company about the DME? I have heard from our HR department that if an insurer gets too many complaints about a certain provider they are given some time to fix the problems or they are given the boot. And that means bye bye profit especially for a large national insurer.