new patient choosing first CPAP (APAP)

I've had my sleep study with a diagnosis of mild OSA, and my titration study is tonight. I've been studying various sites about CPAP models to be able to interact with my doctor when she writes the prescription for equipment. From my reading, I'm looking primarily at the ResMed Auto S9 with a humidifier. What do you think? Also, online I saw the S9 AutoSet CPAP with H5i Heated Humidifier for Her, which I'm guessing appears to be relatively new because of only 7 customer reviews. Any opinions of this one, too? Which would you choose? Or do you recommend something else entirely?

I apologize for all the questions, but your replies will help me navigate this huge topic, for which I'm very grateful. This is all a bit overwhelming.

the Autoset S9 and the S9 for her are the same machine. The for her model is pink.

I like my S9 alot. No complaints.

Welcome to the forum. I think the S9 Autoset is a great machine. If you get the for her model it is only a cosmetic change. But it will limit your resale audience if you decide you want to sell it later. Make sure doctor specifies S9 Autoset and not S9 Auto because a less expensive not data capable machine can be used to fill the script called a S9 Escape Auto.

As far as I know, the For Her only comes in Autoset--if so, maybe a sneaky way to avoid a brick.

violetpro wrote:I've had my sleep study with a diagnosis of mild OSA, and my titration study is tonight. I've been studying various sites about CPAP models to be able to interact with my doctor when she writes the prescription for equipment. From my reading, I'm looking primarily at the ResMed Auto S9 with a humidifier. What do you think? Also, online I saw the S9 AutoSet CPAP with H5i Heated Humidifier for Her, which I'm guessing appears to be relatively new because of only 7 customer reviews. Any opinions of this one, too? Which would you choose? Or do you recommend something else entirely?

I apologize for all the questions, but your replies will help me navigate this huge topic, for which I'm very grateful. This is all a bit overwhelming.

The S9 is very good. The PR560 has the 'optistart' feature which tailors the machine's start pressure over time based on your needs, which is a feature the S9 does not have. And its US-made. The DeVilbiss APAPs are also very good, US-made, and have a very long, 5 year warranty, but show a few less data points than other machines and don't offer heated hoses. They are, also, much less costly than the others. The Fisher Paykel APAP line is also very good, plus offers a clock function with mp3 music/alarm, which sadly no other machine offers.....

Amazing how varied these machines are and some have features that may be more important to one person over another. Which is sad because one cant really point to one machine and say it checks all the boxes. Each one of them has some pretty marked deficiencies. All are compromises. Just depends on what you are ok with compromising.

Only by using some of them can you detect some of the issues. My machine, for instance, has no frame holding in the filters. So if I sneeze, the filters can get blown out the back of the machine..... Dumb design. Annoying, but not something you would learn from a sales brochure....

I would just tell the Doctor you only want and will Accept the Resmed S9 AutoSet.
With having a data capable machine this will enable the Doctor to dail your settings in.
Rarely will your settings fit you perfectly from a one night stay sleep study.

Check the links in my signature line. Lots of info on this subject.

Thank-you everyone who responded and gave me things to think about that I didn't know about on my own. The titration went well. Now to wait 2 weeks to see my doctor.

My closest DME doesn't carry the model of CPAP I'm interested in and will have to order it, delaying getting it for 4 weeks total (2 weeks for doc, 2 for DME). I'm thinking of calling other DME's that require a longer drive, to see if they have the model on hand so that I can reduce the delay to 2 weeks. The closest DME requires me to come in to pick it up when they receive it. But don't some DME's actually come to your home to deliver and help with set up? If that's the case, then using the closest one may be a moot issue.

Also, I realize I'm not quite sure how I get ongoing supplies after the CPAP purchase. Does it even matter which DME sells them to me?

I know I can only take this process one step at a time, but it's helpful to at least know what the next step might be.

VioletPro,

If you do decide to order the CPAP, make sure you know (in advance) exactly what the model number and name is. The way the manufactures name these things is apparently intentionally confusing.

For example: To a DME the phrase "S9 Auto" refers just as easily to the S9 Escape Auto (which is a glorified brick) as it does to the S9 AutoSet and the S9 AutoSet for Her (both of which are top-of-the-line full data APAPs). So if all you tell the DME is that you want to orde an S9 Auto, there's a very high probability that the machine they'll order for you is the S9 Escape Auto.

Mind you---they'll charge you and your insurance company the exact same $$$ for either the S9 Escape Auto or the S9 AutoSet. Hence they make more money off the S9 Escape Auto and that's why they'll do their best to convince you that they did indeed order an "S9 Auto" exactly like you told them to.

Thank-you, Robysue. It's my intention to ask my doctor for the Resmed S9 AutoSet (with humidifier). Hopefully she'll agree.

violetpro wrote:My closest DME doesn't carry the model of CPAP I'm interested in and will have to order it, delaying getting it for 4 weeks total (2 weeks for doc, 2 for DME). I'm thinking of calling other DME's that require a longer drive, to see if they have the model on hand so that I can reduce the delay to 2 weeks.

It's worth the extra 2 weeks wait for the right machine, especially if it's a case of a data capable machine vs. a brick that doesn't record full data.

You really can't treat apnea right without a fully data capable CPAP machine. It's like treating diabetes with insulin but not monitoring blood sugar on a regular basis.