CPAP Machine Choices - read this before you accept a new machine

[Sleeprider]

What is "Central or Mixed Apnea"? Is there a way to tell if I have that or not? I didn't know there were different types (if there is information about this on the forum ... just link it, I just couldn't find it)

Astraith, post a #Sleepyhead chart, and we can go over it. The terms we use like obstructive, central or mixed apnea are defined in the Wiki Definitions. http://www.apneaboard.com/wiki/index.php...efinitions  And lots more information in the Beginner's Guide to Sleepyhead. http://www.apneaboard.com/wiki/index.php...SleepyHead .  Mixed apnea is often called complex apnrea and is someone that has both central and obstructive apnea.  Central and complex apnea often require an adaptive servo ventilator (ASV) for treatment rather than CPAP.

[HD Fry]

Hello Cook, I'll have my VA "consult" appointment in two days. I believe that will result in a machine and peripherals. Sounds like they took good care of you with regard to the machine. I'm worried about your difficulty in getting the necessary supplies. Is that an inherent problem when using the VA? I ask only because I also have good private insurance and could go that route if I need to.

[Jarhead1947]

I can only speak to the VA at Viera/Lake Nona and theyhave been wonderful in getting a machine and supplies.

Good Luck.

Jarhead.

[fredfish]

I use tape, works well!

[HD Fry]

Not sure exactly what you're referring to there??

[bfmccarthy]

I guess I am lucky.  For at least 4 years I have seen the sleep clinic brochures in the mail.. I have seen their sign on the Medical Clinic.. I have walked past the receptionist inside the building.  And I have ignored my wife's complaints and concern about by noisy and violent sleep.  But in July I had a referral from my GP and with discount coupon in hand walked inside for my first meeting.  They were welcoming and calming telling me the sequence of steps we were going to take together.  At each step it was clear that I was in charge and they were there to help.  After my sleep study and meeting with their doctor the next step was trying a machine.  They told me to plan on spending around 1.5 hours in one of their rooms.  Each machine was presented with a brief description of the features.  Different masks and nasal pillows were introduced and then I was given a private room with a bed and allowed to take each for a test run.  This was at the end of the day and I was told I could stay late or come back another day.  NO PRESSURE!  I could rent any equipment for 30 days and the rental fee was 100% discounted upon purchase.  I could show up if I had questions or problems and they actually called 2 days in to see how it was going.   The machine was set up so I had some adjustment room to the min and max settings.  2 weeks in I purchased my machine.  I confessed to having the software so the tech recommended not paying the cell monitoring fee and to just send in my data on a regular basis for them to review!  This clinic is the easiest most professional office I have ever delt with.  If their prices were higher to cover overhead I would still stick with them but their prices are better than anything I have found on the internet.  Find a reliable concerned educted supplier and give them your trust.  Don't deal with people you don't trust or respect.

[Big Guy]

Very interesting thread. I'm only about 70 days (nights) into all this CPAP stuff so far. 

It looks as if I was lucky. When I went to my DME provider, I was given the ResMed AirSense AutoSet 10. The respiratory therapist told me it was the same machine he uses. 

He walked me thru all the functions and how to operate it. He told me to call him if I had any further questions and/or concerns / issues. 

Never had to call, and it's been smooth sailing from the very start. 

[Sleepster]

I was given the ResMed AirSense AutoSet 10.

By comparison to the poor way many of us have been treated by some of our providers, you are lucky. That's a great machine. Built to last.

[beet]

The ResMed DC adapter will allow you to run the 24-volt ResMed machines on a 12-volt battery. It costs about $70 US.

A cheaper alternative would be to connect two 12-volt batteries in series.

It also would be more efficient because the 12-to-24 volt converter consumes power.

[Fats Drywaller]

At first glance it looks like a cheaper alternative, but actually it doesn't work because the Resmed Air10 and S9 require a secret Masonic handshake on a third pin of the power connector, which you can find out about here on AB by doing a search for "secret masonic handshake" among other things. It has been discussed in the (many) threads about running the machines from batteries, either at home with a UPS setup or while camping.

There is a third-party equivalent of the Resmed DC-to-DC converter, but unfortunately it's about the same price, around US$70. It's made by Battery Power Solutions (BPS) and is somewhat more versatile than the Resmed part. Amazon search string: "battery power solutions 24v power converter for air 10/s9 series". Both that and the Resmed item can take either 12V or 24V as input and put out 24V with the secret signal. The BPS can also be used with non-Resmed devices that want 24VDC, ignoring the secret signal by using a different cable from the converter box.

It's only a minor one-time expense. It's worth putting up with that connector conspiracy to get the benefits of the Resmed machine, compared to any other.

The conversion inefficiency is a consideration. Whatever batteries are used should be over-spec'd to take that into account. There's a Resmed battery guide at: https://www.resmed.com/us/dam/documents/...lo_eng.pdf