I'm getting the HC150

The Respironics M series I bought new 2 or 3 weeks ago and since then I've made it pretty clear to the supplier over the last few days that I was very unhappy with the humidifier. I've just had an email from them to say they will supply me with a new HC150 in exchange for the M series humidifier at no charge to me.
They did however say that having the seperate HC150 could interfere with the therapy, I don't see how but maybe someone could comment.
Ken

My clinic knows I use the 150 with my Resmed Auto and haven't expressed concern about it.

The machine is now set for "Humifier front cpap" instead of the integrated one which it senses automatically.

Di

Kenv wrote: They did however say that having the seperate HC150 could interfere with the therapy, I don't see how but maybe someone could comment.

You have got to be kidding. All it does is make the humidifier work. Ask him to explain how it will change anything. The ony difference is that it goes through a hose that seals rather than those squares things that wear and leak pressure and leak into the machine and destroy the electronics. Just goes to show how little they know.

Jerry

[quote="Kenv"]The Respironics M series I bought new 2 or 3 weeks ago and since then I've made it pretty clear to the supplier over the last few days that I was very unhappy with the humidifier. I've just had an email from them to say they will supply me with a new HC150 in exchange for the M series humidifier at no charge to me.
They did however say that having the seperate HC150 could interfere with the therapy, I don't see how but maybe someone could comment.
Ken

Great humidifier, add an aussie heated hose and you'll be sitting in high cotton!!

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CPAPopedia Keywords Contained In This Post (Click For Definition): humidifier, hose

Of course SnoreDog is always right. Respironics obviously designed their algorhythms using an F&P humidifier....

Respironics machines (as well as the efficacy and accuracy of A-Flex, etc.) were designed to work using the M humidifier and hose lengths that are used with the M Series.

Anonymous wrote:Of course SnoreDog is always right. Respironics obviously designed their algorhythms using an F&P humidifier....

Respironics machines (as well as the efficacy and accuracy of A-Flex, etc.) were designed to work using the M humidifier and hose lengths that are used with the M Series.

... and as usual, the unregistered guest is always wrong. Guests obviously have their own agenda on this forum to discourage patients from taking control of their own treatment and accept whatever the DME tells or gives them ...

I've used Respironics (M and classic) and ResMed machines with the HC150 and non-standard hose length (4 ft) and have maintained an AHI of less than 1 with zero AHI about twice a week for the last year and a half.

Moby wrote:The machine is now set for "Humidifier front cpap" instead of the integrated one which it senses automatically.

Di

"Humidifier front cpap" setting on a Resmed S8. What does the machine do differently when this setting is enabled?

Kenv wrote:They did however say that having the seperate HC150 could interfere with the therapy, I don't see how but maybe someone could comment.
Ken

"Could" -- not "will."

Similar kind of caveat, imho, that all the manufacturers mention about what brand mask (theirs) should be used with their machines. What they've tested with their machines.

Guest wrote:Respironics machines (as well as the efficacy and accuracy of A-Flex, etc.) were designed to work using the M humidifier and hose lengths that are used with the M Series.

"Designed" that way doesn't necessarily mean an autopap can't work equally well with a separate humidifier instead of the integrated humidifier. Might depend on a person's actual type of sleep disordered breathing. For me... the Encore Viewer software reports same data whether I use my M Auto with A-flex (A-flex set at "3" ) with the integrated M humidifier or the separate F&P humidifier. I choose to use the F&P humidifier.

Lots of external factors theoretically "could" affect the performance of an auto machine.

ResMed autos (and, I believe, straight CPAP's), for example, inquire as to whether you are using a 2 meter (6 foot) or a 3 meter (10 foot) hose. Why would that make a difference? Possibly a change in the length of time before a "signal" from your breathing reaches the machine, and in the length of time before a machine response "reaches" the breather. Also there is normally a pressure drop as the length of hose increases, and presumably the amplitude of data from the breather that reaches the machine is slightly smaller. But does it clinically make a difference? One answer is to suppose that ResMed wouldn't ask for that information if it didn't make some difference, and if they didn't make some use of the information. That still doesn't answer the question as to how clinically significant all of this is. And since Respironics doesn't seem to care about this information, they apparently are not at all concerned over such things.

Other factors which might theoretically affect an auto's performance are the "pliability" of all system components: are tubing and humidifier chambers "rigid", or will they "expand" when pressure is increased? Is the inside of tubing "smooth" bore, or do the interior "hills and valleys" of some tubing make the airflow more turbulent? Will the airflow from the machine be "compressed" due to obstructions in an oddly-shaped humidifier chamber (or in an oddly-shaped mask system)?

All of these are reasons why manufacturers discourage use of another maker's products: they throw unknown variables into the equation. But again, the question is, are these variables of any clinical significance? The answer of most who have posted here, and my own assessment, all without guarantees, is that while we're sleeping, none of this matters.

For my own part, using a ResMed machine with a humidifier very much like the HC-150, and recognizing that this adds an extra two feet of connector tubing as well as the additional volume of the F&P chamber, I set my ResMed to assume 3 meters of tubing rather than the standard 2 meters. I do this because I'm compulsive, not because I believe that it makes any relevant difference.

Finally, the ResMed also asks whether or not there is a humidifier. There are only three "Humidifier" choices on the S-8 (there were more on the S-7): the integrated Humidaire IIIi, None, or "Front Cap" (not "Front CPAP" as another poster indicated). I had asked ResMed Tech Support about this:

Velbor wrote:Reviewing my S8 Vantage settings, my setting for humidifier is currently set to "none" since I'm not using the integrated Humidaire, but rather a stand-alone Fisher & Paykel unit. I find that there is one option in addition to "none" -- that of "front cap". I haven't a clue what that entry may mean, or what difference it would make, or whether it makes any difference at all. .... Can you try to clarify for me what "front cap" means and how it would change machine performance if used instead of "none"?

my excellent DME RT wrote: I would direct you to Resmed's technical support to be certain. I am not sure what the "front cap" would be since you are using an S-8. The front cap was for the s-7 series. The front cap was placed on the s-7 in place of the integrated humidifier. There should be no difference in function whether you are using the humidifier or not.

ResMed Tech Support wrote:The front cap is an option that is available for the European market. The European markets require a front cap to be used on there cpaps. Here in the U.S. we are not required to use a front cap. Since our units are used all over the world, a lot of the features are the same. That is why you have the option for a front cap, even though we don't use one. The front cap does not make a difference in the treatment as long as you have the unit set up properly. If the unit has a front cap, you would then need to set the unit setting to front cap, if the unit does not have a front cap, you would set the setting to none.

Again, it would seem that ResMed (at least with the S8, and heaven only knows why there were additional options with the S7) doesn't much care (clinically; not so much economically) what humidifier you use.

Velbor wrote:Lots of external factors theoretically "could" affect the performance of an auto machine.

Right. "could"

Velbor wrote:ResMed autos (and, I believe, straight CPAP's), for example, inquire as to whether you are using a 2 meter (6 foot) or a 3 meter (10 foot) hose. Why would that make a difference?

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One answer is to suppose that ResMed wouldn't ask for that information if it didn't make some difference, and if they didn't make some use of the information. That still doesn't answer the question as to how clinically significant all of this is. And since Respironics doesn't seem to care about this information, they apparently are not at all concerned over such things.

(bold emphasis mine) -- Well, another possibility besides being "not at all concerned" could be that the Respironics designers might have already accounted for use of different hose lengths up to a certain length (10 feet?) in their machine's algorithms.

Velbor wrote:manufacturers discourage use of another maker's products: they throw unknown variables into the equation. But again, the question is, are these variables of any clinical significance?

That's always a good question.

Velbor wrote:For my own part
---
I do this because I'm compulsive, not because I believe that it makes any relevant difference.

LOL!! I like that!!

Great post with so many interesting points, Velbor. Thanks, especially, for sharing what you found out from resmed tech support about the "front cap" setting.