Difference Between Resmed and Remstar APAP - OPINIONS needed

I wrote a week or so ago about a possible change to my husbands CPAP settings due to a new sleep study that recommended raising his pressure from 11 to 17. We met with the DR, and at this time we decided to have him try out an APAP with the setting of 9 - 16. I requested that it be a Remstar APAP with C Flex.

A new DME called us tonight and said that he could get a Remstar for us but it would be a few weeks until he could get one in. He said he recommended a Resmed vantage with EPR instead. He said it's the machine he most supplies to our DR's patients and that it's quieter than the Remstar M Series.

We have to get back to him in the morning to set up an appt for him to come out and set us up. I'm asking for opinions on the differences between the Remstar and Resmed. I'm confused and feel a bit pushed to go with the Resmed. BUT IF--if the machine will work as well as a Remstar and be quieter of course we would be happy with the Resmed.

Opinions and suggestions please =)

randezhnee wrote:I wrote a week or so ago about a possible change to my husbands CPAP settings due to a new sleep study that recommended raising his pressure from 11 to 17. We met with the DR, and at this time we decided to have him try out an APAP with the setting of 9 - 16. I requested that it be a Remstar APAP with C Flex.

I think that's a wise choice. C-Flex can make a comfortable difference when exhaling against pressure. And, of course, if your husband doesn't have any problem breathing out against those pressures, or doesn't like C-Flex, C-Flex can be turned off.

randezhnee wrote:A new DME called us tonight and said that he could get a Remstar for us but it would be a few weeks until he could get one in. He said he recommended a Resmed vantage with EPR instead. He said it's the machine he most supplies to our DR's patients and that it's quieter than the Remstar M Series.

I think the DME left out an important point. The ResMed S8 Autoset Vantage with EPR cannot use its EPR feature (reduces pressure when the user exhales) when operating in autopap mode. The Vantage can use EPR only when the Vantage is being operated in straight cpap mode.

I don't know how important exhalation pressure relief is, or will be, to your husband, but if he wants that when using an autopap in "auto" mode, the Respironics REMstar Auto with C-flex (the regular older size and the new "M" series small size) can do it. The ResMed Vantage cannot.

I can't imagine how it could be quieter. My RemStar Auto is so quiet I can't tell it is on.

ResMed doesn't have exhale relief in AUto mode which is the mode you are going to use.

His pressure is very high so I think you want some exhale relief.

Yes you are being pressured. DME obviously has a relationship with ResMed and probably makes more money on their stuff.

Don't be pressured. The ResMed machine is a good machine, but at 17 I would want some exhale relief. Get them to get what you want.

My own opinion.

I'm new here, and no medical professional, but I'll offer my experience.

After my titration, I was sort of shuttled off to a local DME, despite the fact that I had checked "Will select my own DME" box on the paperwork at the sleep lab.

Not knowing anything at all, I dutifully trudged down to the DME. They only stock Resmed machines and masks, but they lent me an auto S8 with data capabilities for about a week, with a view to reading the data at the end of the week and leasing me a Resmed machine that was straight CPAP with no data for a lot of money per month, finally converting it to me with a total charge to my insurance of about 8 times the cost of the machine if bought from cpap.com.

That week I read nearly every post on cpaptalk.com, and formed the opinion that I preferred the Respironics machines for a variety of reasons. The DME took back the Resmed S8 with a minimum of marketing grief, declined payment, and warned me about the various evils of Respironics.

I had already ordered a Respironics Auto from cpap.com, which arrived that day. I used it with excellent results for about three months, decided that a bi-level machine might work better for me, and bought a Respironics BiPAP, with which I am thrilled. That second Respironics purchase was based on my experience with their machine, and what I'd read at this site and several others.

One week is probably not enough time to compare machines, and any person's experience is going to differ from others. I am not saying the Resmed machines are bad: but I'll say that I don't see how any machine could function a whole bunch better than Respironics has for me (last AHI 0.9 down from 89 at titration, and this BiPAP is one more sweet ride). There are some plenty technical descriptions of the competing algorithms and test results around here and at other sites. You can wade through them, and form your own opinions. If you could try more than one manufacturer's machines for weeks per machine, that would be even better, but does not seem to happen except out of pocket. Your mileage will probably vary from mine, this seems to be a very individualized therapy.

Good luck. Everything will likely get better, regardless of which machine you get initially.

_________________

CPAPopedia Keywords Contained In This Post (Click For Definition): respironics, resmed, bipap, cpap.com, Titration, CPAP, DME, AHI, auto, Bi-Level Machine