buying a machine

Hi Fellow apnea sufferers,
I was here a shirt time ago ... and was unable to fall asleep using CPAP machine despite trying 4 masks ... pissed some people off who misthought I was not a trooper about it - I just could not FALL ASLEEP w it on my face unfortunately BUT, having failed the 90 day insurance trial period, I choose to keep at it, practice wearing it and using while awake in my living room - however long it takes Until I can fall asleep and get results.
I have looked at machines and prices online and have come up with this one: (best price so far and think w C-Flex meets my needs.) $369 free shipping
https://www.cpap.com/productpage/respir ... cflex.html

a PR System One REMstar Plus CPAP Machine with C-Flex

my insurance machines was a Phillips Respironics REMstar Pro C-Flex+

any wisdom about this I please welcome

Thank you,
Michael

If you want help with adjusting your pressure to maximize your therapy do NOT get a PR machine with Plus in the name. The most recent machines are System One (mine is nearly 5 years old), so a Remstar Pro may not be a new machine - so be careful. If you do not know/are not certain about your prescribed pressure, you might be better off getting an APAP machine that can be set around a range of pressures. Keep in mind that a low pressure may have been part of the reason you gave up before, rather than the mask. Having an auto allows relatively easy adjustment until you get used to the alien on your face.

Hi, unfortunately the Plus model does not give any meaningful data, only 'compliance' hours, which you already must know, and which only your insurance co. cares about. You want at least the Pro model, but even better the newer model 560, or one of the 60 series machines.... sorry!

insurance forget it, I will pay for it and replacement masks. I don't need compliance data; only need to get results in how I feel.

I would expect to ramp from 4 to 8 with C-flex to make expiration easier

You think this machine doesn't allow those settings?

My purchase would be a System One

It will provide those settings, but you would be very unusual if you could tolerate a pressure of 4 cm. It made me feel like I was suffocating within a few seconds of putting the mask on. I quickly discovered that I could turn the starting pressure up, and before long I had the ramp turned off completely. Can you remind us why you struggled with 4 masks before? That starting pressure alone could explain a lot.

as for why - I could not get used to masks on my face and that kept me awake. after 2 hrs of not falling asleep, I took mask off, turned off machine and then shortly fell asleep but w apneas.

I have the Model 560 that they referenced. It allows for the use of APAP, where the system is set to use a range of pressure rather than a fixed pressure. It also allows for two different patient comfort modes, A-flex or C-flex. My machine is billed as being an "A-flex" machine, but the clinicians menu allows the selection of C-flex as well.

As far as I can tell this is the most capable machine the have short of a BIPAP. If you click on the machine image at the end of my reply it will take you to the cpap.com page for this model.

Unk wrote:insurance forget it, I will pay for it and replacement masks. I don't need compliance data; only need to get results in how I feel.

I would expect to ramp from 4 to 8 with C-flex to make expiration easier

You think this machine doesn't allow those settings?

My purchase would be a System One

they're *all* system one. only the *really old* used market is selling anything that's not a sys1 respironics.

what you're buying is pretty much the bargain basement cheapo model, all it has is compliance data.

it'll give you pressurized air, but if you don't feel good, you'll have NO idea why.

it's like buying a car with a solid metal windshield.... you COULD back it out of the driveway and go driving down the road, and make all the right turns and not run into anything, it's possible, but not likely.

and when you ran into something, you'd not be able to get out and see what you hit, you'd just know "well, that didn't work".

perhaps I could interest you in a telephone with no earpiece, or a computer with no screen...

get *at least* a pro model,if you want to do the work manually, or an auto model if you'd like the hard work to be done for you.

DO
NOT
BUY
THE
PLUS
MACHINE

The PRS1 Pro or PRS1 Auto are both good. The Auto is a better choice.

You need the Pro or Auto because they record data on leaks, pressure, apneas, etc. The Plus is what we call a "brick" or "dataless" machine because it only records the information about when you turn it on and off, and the pressure settings. The fully data capable machines record every breath you take, detect apneas, and give you several other pieces of information. You can get free software that will show you graphs.

Treating apnea with a dataless brick is like treating diabetes without checking your own blood sugar.

BTW, the Plus will deliver the right pressure and would treat your apnea well, as long as your doctor guessed right on the right pressure to use, but you will have no idea if it's treating your apnea correctly. The fully data capable CPAP machines like the Pro are link a mini sleep test every night.

The ResMed S9 Elite or AutoSet are good, too. Don't get the ResMed Escape or Escape Auto.

ok, I hear you ... what about this machine then?????

https://www.cpap.com/productpage/respir ... -flex.html


PR System One REMstar Auto CPAP Machine with A-Flex w heated humidifier

That would be a good buy for you, giving almost all the features you might need.

Unk wrote:ok, I hear you ... what about this machine then?????

https://www.cpap.com/productpage/respir ... -flex.html


PR System One REMstar Auto CPAP Machine with A-Flex w heated humidifier

Excellent - I suggest the heated hose option as well.

If you want to pay even less than that, check out my machine on Cpap.com - you don't have to buy the module+software with it, but in the a.m., you can copy a code # off the screen, enter it on the machine's page on Cpap.com in a little box, and voila, you get info on your AHI, pressures, air flow, leak rate, etc. etc. and I've been doing that x 3-4 yrs... as things are not complicated for me otherwise... pretty much the same day to day.

I just purchased it and it was on backorder so when I called they said they upgraded me (no charge) to the newer model - and My Dr is faxing them the prescription

PR System One REMStar 60 Series Auto CPAP Machine w heated humidifier and heated tube for the same price of $595

Thanks All,
Michael

Congrats, Michael! I think you will be happy with that machine.