Newbie Questions..

SleepyEyes21 wrote:Hello - I am planning on taking a home sleep apnea test soon, and am wondering if anyone has taken this type of sleep test and how it went for you.

I have read a lot of posts here- such great information and support -thanks to all of you!

Also - are there any major differences between Phillips Respironics machines and Resmeds? They both seem to be good machines from the reviews - wondering if this is a personal preference or if there are significant advantages to each machine/ manufacturer?
There are subtle differences between the brands, but what is more important is that you get a fully data capable machine so you can monitor your therapy and be sure it is working many DMEs (suppliers) will try to give you the cheapest brick (that only records time used) since most insurance has one code and one price for XPAP machines and the cheaper the machine the higher there profit.

Third - why are masks so expensive?? Does anyone know of any good places to buy CPAP supplies online or in store (I live in Brevard County, FL.)
The sponsor of this forum is a good online supplier. If you have insurance you need to check with your insurance company as to which DME is in network and weather they will reimburse you for an on line or out of network purchase. Mine won't.

Last - do CPAP hoses fit all types of machines or are they different sizes per the manufacturer?
There are heated hoses which require a proprietary connection at the machine end of the hose. There are also different diameter hoses, but they generally have the same standard connector.

Thank you!

SleepyEyes21 wrote: Also - are there any major differences between Phillips Respironics machines and Resmeds? They both seem to be good machines from the reviews - wondering if this is a personal preference or if there are significant advantages to each machine/ manufacturer?

Third - why are masks so expensive?? Does anyone know of any good places to buy CPAP supplies online or in store (I live in Brevard County, FL.)

Last - do CPAP hoses fit all types of machines or are they different sizes per the manufacturer?

Thank you!

• yes, plenty have, there's been lots of discussion here.
• personal preference. look for other discussions. they're both fine manufacturers
• because they figure they can screw you for little bits of plastic because you *need* it and it's *medical*
• yes

SleepyEyes21 wrote:Hello - I am planning on taking a home sleep apnea test soon, and am wondering if anyone has taken this type of sleep test and how it went for you.

I have read a lot of posts here- such great information and support -thanks to all of you!

Also - are there any major differences between Phillips Respironics machines and Resmeds? They both seem to be good machines from the reviews - wondering if this is a personal preference or if there are significant advantages to each machine/ manufacturer?

No differences, both are good machines. Just be sure you get a data-capable model. The DME will try to sell you a brick. I'd suggest a Resmed S9 Autoset with humidifier.


Third - why are masks so expensive?? Does anyone know of any good places to buy CPAP supplies online or in store (I live in Brevard County, FL.)

They are expensive because they can get away with it. The best on-line place is cpap.com. They'll probably have your order in the mail in a few hours, they are friendly, knowledgeable and sell items at a fair price.

Last - do CPAP hoses fit all types of machines or are they different sizes per the manufacturer?

All hoses are adaptable. It doesn't matter what machine you have.

Thank you!

SleepyEyes21 wrote: Also - are there any major differences between Phillips Respironics machines and Resmeds? They both seem to be good machines from the reviews - wondering if this is a personal preference or if there are significant advantages to each machine/ manufacturer?

Last - do CPAP hoses fit all types of machines or are they different sizes per the manufacturer?

SleepyEyes21 wrote: Also - are there any major differences between Phillips Respironics machines and Resmeds? They both seem to be good machines from the reviews - wondering if this is a personal preference or if there are significant advantages to each machine/ manufacturer?

SleepyEyes21 wrote:Thank you, Library Lady. How do you reply to someone here in the public forum?

tortoisegirl wrote:I think the poster may mean how to indicate that their response is to a certain person...some forums have it so you can respond to a certain post in a thread and it will show as a response to that post. Here, I think you'd either need to quote that person (click the orange "QUOTE" button to the left of the response title), or just mention their username so they know you are responding to them.

Thank you, tortoisegirl - glad someone can relate to what I was thinking That is exactly what I meant - 'responding to a certain post in a thread and having it show as a response to that specific post.'

Good responses already, but I thought I'd add that if you have insurance, you need to check with them as to if they will pay for a claim for supplies bought online. With insurance, as you typically pay a percentage of the "negotiated" price of an item (after any deductible), the list price doesn't matter. If you are paying out of pocket, then yes, online is likely significantly cheaper than a physical DME. CPAP.com also offers return insurance on some masks (free for some, spendy for others), which is good as its quite common to go through many masks before finding one that fits well. Some folks here may also offer them for sale or trade, new or used. Many DMEs have free mask exchange policies, so although the list price could be high, if you are able to swap them out for free (often keeping the old one as they otherwise trash it), plus get help with selection & fit, it could end up being worth it, even if you don't have insurance.

Great advice about insurance and DME's- I will check on that.

I haven't had a home sleep study, but some others have, so you may be able to find some posts here already. If you have specific questions though, be sure and ask. So it is for more than one night? That is helpful. Best wishes.