CPAPtalk.com

3 Weeks ago I got delivery of my M series and smart card. RX included software. However major retailer claimed encore pro not for patient (as we now know from this thread). While I was lingering in the office, the retailer called Respironics exec (account exec??) wjp told her a new "patient version" of the software would be released next month (which would be Aug '07). Retailer suggested I check CPAP Man web site (presumably their competition) who will be 1st to have it. I checked on the site today, it doesn't seem to be there yet.

So hopefully we'll have some more software choices ! Otherwise the smartcard that came with the M series AND the smart card reader I bought for my new laptop will be useless..

Your Rx included software! I wish I had your doctor. Sounds like he or she is with it!

I hope this new patient software is a reality--if so I can't wait to hear more about it!

Jen

Until I see it, I have to class it as Vapor Wear, from the old Commodore days, lots of that software around. I hope it doesn't just show compliance. Jim

They wouldn"t want to step on any DME's Billfolds, or Doctor's ego's.

I went to my Doctor that wrote the prescription for my Bipap machine . I printed out a 12 page re[port for him.
He was very impressed with the detail of the report. He said he wished all of his patients that were on cpap had this information and access to the smart card it would make his job a lot easier.

Also he was very concerned that DME's like Apria rip off never followed thru with the original sleep doctors orders.

CPAP Fan wrote:3 Weeks ago I got delivery of my M series and smart card. RX included software. However major retailer claimed encore pro not for patient (as we now know from this thread). While I was lingering in the office, the retailer called Respironics exec (account exec??) wjp told her a new "patient version" of the software would be released next month (which would be Aug '07). Retailer suggested I check CPAP Man web site (presumably their competition) who will be 1st to have it. I checked on the site today, it doesn't seem to be there yet.

So hopefully we'll have some more software choices ! Otherwise the smartcard that came with the M series AND the smart card reader I bought for my new laptop will be useless..

Complete and utter misinformation.

Anonymous wrote:

CPAP Fan wrote:3 Weeks ago I got delivery of my M series and smart card. RX included software. However major retailer claimed encore pro not for patient (as we now know from this thread). While I was lingering in the office, the retailer called Respironics exec (account exec??) wjp told her a new "patient version" of the software would be released next month (which would be Aug '07). Retailer suggested I check CPAP Man web site (presumably their competition) who will be 1st to have it. I checked on the site today, it doesn't seem to be there yet.

So hopefully we'll have some more software choices ! Otherwise the smartcard that came with the M series AND the smart card reader I bought for my new laptop will be useless..

"Complete and utter misinformation."

Well that is certainly a supported and informative statement ... the logical guess is that the Guest is referring to the DME retailer?

Danger, violent rant ahead...

I'm a new poster here and I'm so mad I could spit. I've struggled with making cpap work and I have been through two mediocre sleep docs and a DME that isn't very knowledgeable. I'm half a century old and I have never in my life encountered such secrecy and pedantic behavior from medical professionals.

I'm quoting someone whose name I don't remember, but he or she referred to the cpap as a glorified leaf blower. I agree.

My first sleep doc did my titration, prescribed a machine and mask and dumped me. I got no help when I realized the therapy wasn't working. I was having mouth leaks and figured it out through these support sites. My sleep doctor offered no help.

I switched to a new sleep doc and he was more helpful, but like the previous doctor, resented my attempts to manage this problem. I'm not interested in playing with the pressure settings, so why does the data need to be secret?. Am I going to make my head or lungs explode by knowing my leak rate?

Neither he nor my previous doc would even answer questions about the data the machines provide. Basically, the process of making this therapy work is so slow and laborious that I don't see how any one complies.

I can't believe I've finally gotten a machine that records the data and now I can't get the software or card reader. I think this is absolute idiocy.
I've been at this less than 6 months now and it has been a process of absolute frustration.

Sorry for going off here, but I have a real problem with doctors who aren't open to sharing information. It's my body. It's my health! My medical information belongs to me.

That was no rant, that was the honest truth. Gotta be your own advocate in apnea-world. It seems to be far removed from the "real world," doesn't it!

I feel for you and wish I could do something to help, but I'm just and end user, just like you.

I welcome you and wish you the best, human bean.

jen

if it will help you can get card reader from 2 factors for a reasonable
sum. I purchased 2 of them and they were here from Hong Cong
in7 days reg mail. about $8.00 shipping and ins. You cannot tell
the difference from the one that came from respironics. Even the same
revision Number. The software is available but you will have to
search for it. Try calling on the phone Directhomemedical.com
there number is on their web page. Don't let them grind you down
Lots of luck

Allen

DreamStalker wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

CPAP Fan wrote:3 Weeks ago I got delivery of my M series and smart card. RX included software. However major retailer claimed encore pro not for patient (as we now know from this thread). While I was lingering in the office, the retailer called Respironics exec (account exec??) wjp told her a new "patient version" of the software would be released next month (which would be Aug '07). Retailer suggested I check CPAP Man web site (presumably their competition) who will be 1st to have it. I checked on the site today, it doesn't seem to be there yet.

So hopefully we'll have some more software choices ! Otherwise the smartcard that came with the M series AND the smart card reader I bought for my new laptop will be useless..

"Complete and utter misinformation."

Well that is certainly a supported and informative statement ... the logical guess is that the Guest is referring to the DME retailer?

My guess is that the Guest works for Respironics. (Go back and read all the posts under his various names over the past months/years; it seems evident.)

I would further guess that every time we share information here at cpaptalk about where we were able to buy software, Respironics takes note and sees to it these sellers are stopped immediately. (You'll notice the sources mentioned in this thread are suddenly no longer selling it.)

I hate the thought that we may be unwittingly helping Respironics ferret out any remaining recalcitrant DMEs who still dare to sell the software to the end user. I hate it even more that Respironics is now trying to prevent us from monitoring our own therapy. I used to think they were the good guys.

Thanks Allen and Jen. I would have been lost without this website. I'm committed to making this work and my doctors and dme are not. I would have given up long ago if I didn't have the help I've found at this and one other website.

I hate the paternalistic arguments about the people who are somehow going to off themselves by adjusting their pressures. That's just silly. I also don't think it is so complicated that you need a phd in apnea to use the data to make sure you're getting the most out of your therapy. I do have questions about the data, but it isn't going to injure me.

I and my children have had medical issues that were more serious and more complicated. I never encountered this suggested passivity in any other medical arena.

Has anyone ever thought of posting a torrent including an ISO image of the install disk? Certain sites outside of the US host the torrent (such as thepiratebay.org) and no one gets in trouble.

Hmmmm.... just thinking out loud...

I use torrents all the time, I don't think the avg person here could deal with it. I had to tunnel my router to connect well. My upload speed is 6.6kb or I loose the net. We don't have the new one anyway, but I was thinking along the same lines, too bad it's not a 10 meg file. Jim

HumanBean wrote:I'm quoting someone whose name I don't remember, but he or she referred to the cpap as a glorified leaf blower. I agree.

HB, check your Private Messages (button at upper right of this page.)

Hi,

For those who have had issues with their respironics cards crashing, losing data and various other issues...

I have written a small utility that downloads the smart card data to a file. This file can be saved to your hard drive on a daily basis, or uploaded to the companion website. In case of problems, the latest file can be uploaded back to the card.
The utility also allows clean formatting of your smart card returing it to a "virgin" state, this may be useful on cards that are being rejected by the reader or CPAP unit.

There is a companion website that allows you to upload and store all of your data files as well in case something should happen to them.

The next phase of the website will be the online charting of the saved data files into your own profile.

http://www.mycpap.org/

Phil

_________________

CPAPopedia Keywords Contained In This Post (Click For Definition): respironics, CPAP, clean, Smart Card