APAP Purchase Advice

[Stewart]

I'm thinking of purchasing an APAP machine and could do with some advice please:

1. Does the NHS prescribe APAP or is this a luxury?

2. There's a huge price range. The RESMart Auto CPAP machine at around £500 seems to have the features I'm looking for; what benefits does one get for paying anything up to twice that price?

3. What's a reasonable expectation for the lifespan of these machines?

[Tigers Fan]

1. Some PCTs they are like rocking horse droppings, others dispense them to everyone.

2. Better algorithms and knobs on.

3. Long enough if you look after them.

4. We are a forum, not a service. Courtesy goes a long way.

TF

[Grumpy]

huge machine choice

My clinic won't issue me with an APAP and I think I probably want one; the cost is off-putting though.

Before I part with my hard-earned cash does anyone have any recommendations as to make/model. The ResMed S9 looked favourite for a while but is the new F&P Icon a better option? Any others in the frame?

All advice gratefully received as usual.

[Stewart]

Thanks for the info.

4. We are a forum, not a service. Courtesy goes a long way.

I don't recall ever posting something without saying please, or thanking people who've responded.

Perhaps I'll look for a new forum.

[Tigers Fan]

Hi Grumpy

Why don't you call Intus and talk to the experts - they know all about all the machines.

TF

[Grumpy]

courtesy

I was a bit put out by that comment too Stewart; perhaps T-F hadn't had a good night's sleep? He is normally very helpful; so don't rush off; you can learn a lot here.

[James @ Intus]

4. Was a bit uncalled for TF. They were perfectly valid questions for a forum!

Hope you do hang around Stewart. As TF advices, you can put him on ignore Though he is a very knowledgeable chap, so you'd miss a lot of good stuff.

I'm thinking of purchasing an APAP machine and could do with some advice please:

1. Does the NHS prescribe APAP or is this a luxury?

Not routinely, they'd give a cheaper (but usually fine) fixed pressure CPAP first in 19 out of 20 cases or so. First, as in, after the APAP trial.

2. There's a huge price range. The RESMart Auto CPAP machine at around £500 seems to have the features I'm looking for; what benefits does one get for paying anything up to twice that price?

The RESmart is a perfectly fine machine but there are reasons why you may want to consider paying £50 or so more. These include the fact that you'll get a smaller, lighter machine, one that is more established, a longer warranty, more travel friendly, one with local (UK) servicing etc. In for example the DeVilbiss SleepCube AutoAdjust or the Philips Respironics REMstar System One Auto you get all of that over the RESmart Auto.

If something goes wrong, you have to consider the fact that the SleepCube can be serviced near Birmingham, the System One near Cirencester yet the BMC in China. The SleepCube and System One also give you better data reporting options.

Any of those three will be fine for treating your OSA, or one like the F&P ICON for example, or the Apex Auto, but in those established brands and models, you do buy that bit of extra which can make all the difference long term.

3. What's a reasonable expectation for the lifespan of these machines?

5-7 years if you take good care. Again, system design helps here. With the System One, if you use a humidifier, you can't spill any water as the DryBox technology won't allow water ingress. The SleepCube has a humidifier below the machine, so gravity will help you out. Some models are less well thought out and can cause water ingress if you move it.

The SleepCube with its 3 year warranty and great SmartCode feature is one of my personal favourites. The Philips System One is the most modern bit of kit at that £500 price point. Either of those and you can't go wrong really. Other machines are fine, but have their drawbacks either in price, lack of features or longer term in terms of support.

[Alleycat]

Some hospitals give out APAP but that tends to be more the exception than the rule. The F & P Icon has some nice features that I've not seen on other machines such as the smart awake (or something like that) which detects when you have woken and drops the pressure down to the set minimum within 30 seconds so you don't wake with it blasting at you. It also has thermosmart which is supposed to give better humidification and reduces rainout since it has a heated tube. It is also smaller than other machines with added humidifiers. Don't quote me on it but think they come with a 5 year warranty.
The Respironics system one is also pretty good. I've no experience with the Resmed S9, only the S8, but I think its similar to the system one. Can't speak for the sleepcube as I've no experience of them.
Would be worth asking your hospital first though as you may get one from there, depends on the hospital.

[Sparticus]

Apap!

Seems like I was one of the lucky ones, My clinic gave me an APAP without any arguments other than comfort. After my initial trial on apap I was then given a cpap machine which I just didnt like as I had gotten use to my initial apap machine. After a wee discussion they swapped my machine back.

My opinion on the machine is it does the trick

S8 Autoset (Resmed)

[KimHai]

Seeking Advice on DevilBiss DV54

Dear All,

I was searching the web for advice and came across this forum and started reading some of the threads and I think you folks are the ones that can really help me.

I am currently using the Respironics REMstar Auto A Flex for also 6 months and while generally satisfied with it but have encounter several problems. Firstly, within couple of days after I purchase the machine in Dec 2010, I get this prompt that the SDRam card is trying to start up but never did until I had to replace the SDRam card that my supplier give me as spare. 2 months into the usage, I heard beeping in the middle of my sleep and the machine stopped working. Despite many attempt to restart it did not start. I sent it back to the supplier and after 6 weeks they return my machine and reported that they did not find any fault. And just two weekend ago, the machine again ceased to start despite me trying every ways to reset reboot for 2 hours.

Please advice if the problem I am facing is normal or I am just unlucky to get a faulty set. The fact is the supplier had let me have my trail run on a older model for nearly 2 months with no problem.

After complaining about the lack of reliability the supplier had relented and agree to give me a refund and suggest that I get a Resmed instead. However, gathering from the internet the Devilbiss appears to be a good buy with pretty good review at cpap.com.

I look forward and will truly appreciate any advice on my problems encountered and advice on options between Resmed S9 and Devilbiss Dv54.

Thanking all in advance.

Regards

[dravidio]

My Sleep Cube is now 2 years old - and is a great machine. Portable, silent in operation, programmable if you want to tweak it yourself, and you can get reports via the internet on a daily basis if you want by accessing the codes - easily done. Can run off all power supplies. Latest models have further improvements.

[KimHai]

Dravidio,

Thank you for your sharing. I have started using the Resmed S9 for 3 days now together with the Artiva nasal mask. The AHI for the last 3 days were below 5. I just realized they don't give you the usual 7 and 30 days average like the Philips REMStar.

I have another question. I do not use a dehumidifier, I used to wake up with a lump of phlegm which does cause some discomfort in the morning. Any advise on dealing with this?

Thanking in advance.

[Grumpy]

F&P Icon Auto

I was all geared up to buy one of these until I read somewhere (other forums are available) that the clinicians software gives different stats to those the patient can access via the device itself. One or both must be wrong!
Worrying

[Tigers Fan]

Different can mean "other than". All machines I know have a much more extensive Clinicians' Menu compared to the Patients' Menu - and so could be said to give different stats.

TF

[Grumpy]

nope; actually different

(otherwise I wouldn't have posted)

Including AHI and average pressure.