Resmed S8 II as new machine?

The dme has a resmed s8 II autoset for me as my "outright purchase" machine...reached the insurance deductible this year so they will buy it for me. From reading through posts on this site I get the idea that even though this is an apap, resmed has made it impossible for people other than the sleep study techs to retrieve info, observe titration changes, and adjust titrations yourself. Hoping I just read this all wrong....please offer info if you know the deal w/these machines. Is there a way to get around all this nonsense w/out spending money on it? I've got that deductible I'm still paying off!

Part of the reason I wanted an apap was so that I can avoid expensive titration studies in the future by doing the observing of changing needs and resetting myself as I can w/my old respironics. I understand that w/every 10%of weight fluctuation a new titration study is recommended...who can afford that? After chemo/prednisone I need to lose some serious weight and so I'm hoping to be able to access this puppy. Tell me how if you know....tell me too if its impossible.

Thanks, Terry

You need to tell them to give you an S9 Auto. The S8 is the older version that they are trying to get rid of.

What is better about the S9? I recall reading some posts that say someone actually preferred the S8 .... l have no basis of comparison and would appreciate your input. Thanks, Terry

Love, absolutely love, my S8 AutoSet II -- great machine! I read my sleep data, I change my pressure, EPR, mask setting, and all that jazz all on my own and so do lots of the rest of us who own one. It has 2 features that the S9 does not: several evaluations in the Mask Fit feature (S9 has a smiley or frowny face...I kid you not) and a Mask Off alert. Because I do not wake up when the power goes out or I pull the hose off the mask (rare, but I have done this), I need that alarm to alert me to wake up and investigate. These 2 things may not matter to you.

The S9 is able to detect clear airway events that the S8 cannot. It also responds differently (than the S8) to the breathing irregularities that precede apneas and hypopneas which cause the machine to increase pressure. If you showed central apneas in your sleep study, this might be an important feature.

The s9 uses a regular sd card so it is a lot simpler to be able to read your data. If you get the S8 you will have to have a cable and a card reader which can be hard to come by.

There are a couple of older threads that compare the S9 and S8, do a search.

I have the S8 II, in fact I own 2 and recently bought a 3rd for a friend in HK. Great unit, easy to use [including on long trans-pacific flights], take with me whenever I travel, excellent results. The downside is ResMed stopped supplying the proprietary card reader to stateside sellers so you need to find it in Australia. If you go this route, make sure your DME provides the proprietary ResScan data card with the purchase.

The software and clinician manual are easy to get - pm for details.

Good luck.

Hi,

Very importand, the S9 and H5i has ClimateControl!!

So you have warm air for breathing und no Condensation in mask or hose! And this feature ist really great.

S8 have all this not...


Regards,
Astrophxtum

GOOD NEWS!!! My insurance did an outright purchase instead of rent to own so it was covered 100% ! Neither the dme nor the customer service rep at the ins co thought this would be possible!!!!!!!!!!!!! I would have ended up having to pay 7 months worth of the price next year had they not agreed. Althought the therapist had recommended the S8 to me, after reading into the wee hours last night on this board about challenges of gathering data w/the S8 and the quietness of the S9, I aksed if the S9 is available. The dme said they carry them and so agreed to give me the S9 auto w/heated humidifier. My respiratory therapist gave me some reasons he preferred the S8 though he kindly spent a lot of time with me explaining how things work though it was pretty new for him too.... When I asked for a clinician's manual as insurance bought the machine outright for me, he told me they didn't even provide HIM with one because they didn't want the patients getting access to them!!! For now it is set on cpap mode of 9 as per my doctor's script. Looking forward to learning more about it. It feels very different than my Remstar auto did. Any practical info you 'd like to share on accessing its "titration setting changes" is welcome as at some point in time I may want to do that with losing some weight. Thanks! Terry