Question about original BiPAP Auto vs BiPAP Auto M series.

Been awhile since I have posted. Since last summer I am on the downhill side of detoxing off morphine/Oxycodone and since no good deed goes unpunished, they found I have Peripheral Neuropathy. Trigeminal Neuralgia and RLS are under control, so two battles won and several to go. My breathing is doing well. My question is about my wife's Respironics BiPAP Auto. It is still under warranty and Apria brought out a replacement just now. It was the Respironics BiPAP Auto M series.

For those of you who may have used both machines, or are familiar with them, does the M series do as many things as the old machines?
For example, we have it set up as ABFLE (Flex) right now and it is working great. Except that it squeals loudly a couple times a night, waking us up.

The unit Apria brought out did not have a HH. The size difference precludes using the old HH. My question is still.... does the M series do all the things the older unit does? Does it have the same flexibility? If I remember correctly, the old unit can be set up in 4 modes. CPAP, BiPAP Auto, BiFlex Auto and one other mode I think.

Thanks for the help. I appreciate it....Dave

dllfo,

Great to hear from you & to know you are still with us. We became a bit skittish here about losing long term members after Snoredog's tragic passing.
Was worried you might have gone to the great sleep lab in the sky, but what we can say about you is you are a dogged survivor (always have been ).


The new M series Bipap Auto did a lot of changes & they caused a few disappointments but Respironics are correcting them.

Firstly most users 'hate' the glowing blue lights in the buttons. The good side of them is they scare intruders away
Secondly the integrated H/H is no where near as good as the olde 'tank' style H/H.
Thirdly, there was a tendency for the machines to whine (a lot like the Resmed Vpap IIIs did).

The algorithms are the same & very good.

Take a good look at the new machine before giving up a 'tank' style unit.

Cheers & welcome back

DSM

Why would they change units? Is the old one high mileage or working poorly? I don't know the answers to your questions, but if someone wanted to trade any of my "Classics" for a "M", they would have twothings to worry about, 1. How much Boot will they pay you, and if they aren't fast enough leaving the may get my Boot too.

I would say tell them you will keep the Classic for backup and, take the new "M" to use. Jim

Certainly if your old unit had a humidifier then Apria should have provided one with this loaner. But likely won't unless you complain. I would, as it can be months and even one nite w/o is too much.

What was wrong with the old machine? Or is that the one with a whine?

If the loaner is squealing I would certainly be requesting another machine.

dllfo wrote:My question is still.... does the M series do all the things the older unit does? Does it have the same flexibility?

Yes, the M series BiPAP Auto with Bi-flex has the same number of treatment modes as the old pre-M Bipap Auto with Bi-flex. The modes have new names, but they do the same thing exactly as the older machine did. Here are what the modes are called in the older machine....and the new names for those modes in the M series model:

Old BiPAP Auto with Bi-Flex -------------------- M series BiPAP Auto with Bi-Flex

bPAP (bilevel, no Bi-Flex)----------------------- Bilevel (farther along in menu you can turn Bi-Flex OFF.)
bFLE (bilevel with Bi-Flex)----------------------Bilevel (farther along in menu you can set Bi-Flex 1, 2, 3.)
AbPAP (autotitrating bilevel, no Bi-Flex) -----AutoBilevel (farther along in menu you can turn Bi-Flex OFF.)
AbFle (autotitatrating bilevel with Bi-Flex)---AutoBilevel (farther along you can set Bi-Flex 1, 2, 3.)

To operate either machine as a straight CPAP, set the machine for "bPAP" (Bilevel in the M series) and set both the EPAP and IPAP to the same number, like EPAP 10, IPAP 10.

Another menu item that both machines have (shows up only when "auto" is turned on) has a different name:

Older BiPAP Auto ---------------------------------- M series BiPAP Auto
PS ----------------------------------------------------Max Press Sup

The Split Night Therapy "feature" that is in both machines also has a new name. The new name for it in the M series machine makes it clearer (thankfully!!!) what the setting is when you come to it in the menu. Split Night therapy (by any name) will show up in either machines' menu only when an "auto" mode is turned on:

In the older machine's menu, split night is called "Ramp" (if AbPAP or AbFLE has already been selected) and should always be kept set at 0:00, which keeps split night therapy turned off.

In the M series machine it's actually called "Split Night Time" (if autobilevel has already been selected) and should always be kept "off."

dllfo, if you'd like to have the Provider manual for the M series BiPAP Auto with Bi-Flex, let me know.

Good to see you posting again!

WOW, RG to the rescue again. THANK YOU!! and the Provider's Manual would be great.

The machine making noise is her old BiPAP Auto. It is a warranty deal or I would push hard to keep it. I may still push hard to keep it. Apria once told me they buy truck loads of those machines and make little effort to repair them. I got the distinct impression they sell them for parts or put them in a dumpster. I really don't know which. I would guess any repairs by their local techs would leave them liable for lots of things, so they keep pushing new machines at us.

Her machine has also started fighting her when she tries to breathe in any different rhythm. That is the normal algorithm, but this is different (she says). OK, since Apria is not handing out the old BiPAP Autos, maybe I could snatch this one. Hmmmmmm.

More later, the boss just told me dinner is ready and one thing I have learned is...... don't irritate the cook. Back in a little while...

If you want another tank you will have to check cpapauction.com, craiglist, ebay or other sites on this wonderful world web. I like my M but it does make more noise and get the HC150 if you don't have one. Or just get another cuz my heat plate it acting up in mine.

It good do to see you, dllfo, and good to hear your breathing is doing well!
O.

If the old one is under warrenty, it's their job to send it back to the factory and have it repaired, under warrenty. Their people don't repair them, Respironics repairs them, or replaces them under warrenty, I smell a lie. We have been told this is how Respironics, services their machines for years. Jim

Ozij, thanks for the kind words...I thought 2007 had some bad times medically, but 2008 was a lot worse. I was on 500-600mg of morphine a day for awhile. It did stop the pain, but it almost "embalmed" me. Once I could not remember how to wake up. Another time I could not remember how to swallow a mouthful of Chicken Noodle Soup. Really strange things happened. After the last of the medical procedures was finished I knew I had to get off the opiates. The pain med doctor did not want me off the opiates, so I just quit cold turkey. By the Grace of God I never liked, nor was addicted to opiates, so quitting was not as hard for me. It wasn't fun, but I did it. The hardest thing was quitting chocolate. Don't laugh, I quit chocolate to lose weight and I lost around 25 pounds. Then they put me on a different heart med and I gained the 25 pounds back in a month. Frustrating. But life is good, I am very lucky to have my family and friends for support.

Jim, I am sure you are correct about sending the unit back to Respironics, but do you think Respironics would repair a unit they don't make anymore? We have my BiPAP Auto here, the original one ... I think you called it "the tank". It was paid for when they put me on the SV. She is on that one right now. It is a little noisy, but does not squeal during the night. She likes the way it works better than her old one. She has lost enough weight that she may not need one if she keeps losing pounds. I am real proud of her.

IF we send it back to the factory, Apria might wonder how she is breathing at night...no? Maybe just say we don't need her old unit repaired since we have another unit. I am not sure what would happen and I like the idea of having a backup unit. I guess I am concerned that Medicare could say to throw her old one away and let her use my old machine until it breaks.

BY THE WAY, IF YOU LOOK UP THE PROBLEMS CAUSED BY AGENT ORANGE, RESPIRATORY PROBLEMS IS HIGH ON THE LIST. Maybe that is the "wild card" in this mess. I was exposed to it in 1966-67. Several times. The US Govt lied to everyone about Agent Orange and where they used it. The truth is finally coming out. My last assignment to SEA was in 1974 and they say it can easily take 20-30 years for these problems to show up. Sometimes it is just nice to know what caused it all. Several of you have been very kind in your comments and I thank you, but my doctors have said it best, "You're a mess".

Respironics, has to support their product, under warranty, and beyond. Car manufactures support products for 10 years. At worst Respironics, would offer a refurbished unit w/extended warranty. I'd call them and ask them. At the cost of a BiPAP, they aren't throwaways. Jim

Jim,
I am not sure what the policy of DME's is concerning repairs. Do they loan us a unit until the repairs are made? Can we ask for another unit like the original
"tank"?

I was not offered a rebuilt unit, but would prefer it. I will call Apria Monday to see if this is an option. And if it is not, I will ask why it isn't. My guess would be that they make more money on a new unit. No???

Is the only complaint about the M series that it is noisy? As I said, my SV is pretty noisy, hard to believe the M series is louder.

I would prefer to have my original one back, but in repaired condition. If not that a refurbished one, with a new two year warranty, anything less than that and I wouldn't be a happy camper. I think this would have been the policy if it had came from https://www.cpap.com/. You might be charged for the loaner, that's why I have spares, but with the cost of your machines, I might be scratching my head, on how to afford 3.

Good luck with working it out with Apria, and write down the model number of your machine and the serial number, it's good to have those on file. Make copies of all correspondence with them and send registered mail w/return. Have to dot the I's and cross the T's you know. I know I expect the worse all the time, and usually it happens. Jim

Dilfo,

There is a machine called the ReBuilder that was designed for folks with Peripheral Neuropathy. The company is located in West Virginia. My husband has used it for 2 months and has had an improvement in feeling of about 35%. You have to be willing to heat water and fill two plastic containers with warmed water to soak your feet twice a day for 30 minutes each time. You can do an internet search.

He has also used specific essential oils for several years to make his feet feel better. The specific ones are supposed to help in regenerating the nerves.

The ReBuilder has made the biggest difference.

There is a place in Southfield, MI that refurbishes the Respironics devices. I've lost the name and phone number but know the person I got the name and phone number from originally so could get it for you if you want it.