Resmed AutoM vs Resmed Autoset Sprit with Humidaire

I currently have a loaner Resmed Auto Set Spirit with Humidaire, set at 4/12 BUT my doctor had ordered a Remstar Auto M Series.

The Resmed is not a bad unit just bulky for when traveling as I just found out coming back from London! NIGHTMARE!

I think my insurance Tp is jerking my chain on the DME availability for the Remstar.

Can any who has experienced 1 or both, please make any recommendations? I am using a Respironics Comfort Gel Mark Part 10094042, machine is ramped to 15 min, with heated humidifier, and with Pro Respironics Premium Chimstrap.

This is all rather new to me so I am unsure where to start.

I have seen tremendous improvement for the better since I started using the loaner, although I cant seem to wear it all night long, taking it off for about my last hour of sleep. Been with it first time for less than a month.

Male 145, apnea/hypopnea index of 10.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Just looking for actual users so I can quit looking like this

I own The RemStar Auto M and love it. I personally absolutely refuse to purchase any ResMed products due to the internet policy they are planning on implementing soon. It actually sounds like your doctor is on top of things, the RemStar Auto M just came out only about a month back. To be fair I must say that I am not familiar with the ResMed Autoset Spirit, just the fact that it is a ResMed product would eliminate it from my list though. I can tell you that during my sleep study they titrated me at 11.5, and were able to get me down to a 5.9 AHI. On auto, the RemStar has my 90% at 11.6 but my AHI has never gone above 2.5 . I am not sure if you are aware that there is also software available for the auto M that gives detailed info to help get your AHI down even further - that's my next step. I think you will find that Respironics has a pretty strong following here. Best of luck. --- BT

I would pick the Respironics REMstar M Auto for several reasons:

1. The REMstar can be set to use C-Flex for pressure reduction for exhaling, including in auto mode. The ResMed S7 Autoset Spirit has no such feature. Even the small S8 ResMed autopap the ("Vantage") cannot reduce pressure for exhaling if it's being used in auto mode.

2. If a person plans to purchase software, the Encore Pro software used by Respironics machines is much better (imho) than the Autoscan software used by ResMed machines.

3. I think the humidifiers used by Respironics machines are easier to fill and provide better adjustable humidification than ResMed's Humidaire.

There are several other reasons I'd choose the Respironics REMstar Auto (regular size or M size) over any ResMed autopap (regular size or S8 size), but the above three are my main reasons.

Rested Gal is amongst the MOST learned, experienced and well respected members of this community with good reason!!! I personally, would take any advice or recommendation that she offers as the GOSPEL, or as close as one can reasonably expect to come, and she has earned this distinction on so many occasions.

I nonetheless, would take exception with one small point in her previous post:

In the ResMed S8 range with the integrated Humidaire H3i humidifier, filling the reservoir involves only flipping open a lid and pouring the distillied water in. Nothing could be easier. However, having said that, and having tried both the S8/Humidaire combination AND the Remstar/Remstar Humidifier combo, I do find that the Remstar humidifier provides somewhat better and more consistent humidification at lower settings (I use a Remstar setting of 2, and I used a ResMed Humidaire seting of 3.5).

Just a thought.

Chuck

I would get the Remstar M Auto w/cflex.

The Spirit is the old model and has been since discontinued and/or no longer offered for sale by most dealers. That is probably WHY your DME is trying to unload it on you. If your insurance is the same as the US, they won't buy you another machine for 5 years, so why take a discontinued unit. The Spirit is no longer on the US Resmed website, don't know about the UK web. But having owned one, the Spirit is big, heavy and doesn't travel very well as compared to the smaller Remstar units. The Remstar can also connect directly to a automotive 12dc battery source when street power is not available.

Refilling the humidifier tank on the Spirit requires removal of the tank from the unit OR using a small 3" funnel w/clear curved hose attached, removing the delivery hose then filling directly on the machine. The funnel+hose method is my way of doing it and not shown in the manual which says to remove the tank from the unit.

The humidifier tank on the M also has to be removed but it is much easier to do than with the Spirit. The Spirit does give AHI information from the LCD display but it breaks it down a bit better giving you separate AI and HI information along with 95% pressure of last session. The new M series also gives AHI and pressure but doesn't break it down. In comparing optional software (I've owned both), the Remstar EncorePro offers hands down better reports than the AutoScan software. The AutoScan only gives detailed sleep information with the optional Reslink option. The Spirit is also more noisy than the Remstar Auto at the same given pressure. I also think the Remstar Algorithm is much more advanced than the A10 and a much better machine if you snore and also have some central based events seen as CA & MA on your PSG. The Remstar algorithm will stop responding to snore if doesn't see a reduction after 3 consecutive snore increases. As a result the Remstar Auto is a much more comfortable machine to use and offers the added benefit of cflex in Auto mode where the Spirit has no relief. The newer S8 Vantage has since replaced the Spirit but the AutoSet function remains the same, it has EPR but that feature is not available in the AutoSet mode only in cpap mode. US dealers can no longer ship Resmed product out of the country.

try cleaning the water tank on the S8---lol
At least the tank comes apart on the M Series
Can anyone say "design flaw?"

After using A Spirit for over a year and a half, I purchased the m series auto for travel/backup purposes. Honestly love it so much that I have not gone back to my Spirit at all! I agree with RG about the data readouts from the software. So much more to "digest" when using the Encore as opposed to the Autoscan!