Prescription - how to get

[Sleeprider]

I have a lot of confidence in anything sold by Supplier #2. They only sell machines with low-hours or just open box and back it up with a warranty. If you talk to them on the phone, you won't go anywhere else. I see some Airsense 10 Autoset units being sold in Boston by chdmedical for $295. You would need to call them for details and run-hours. Check listings on the Boston Craigslist or just search online.

The CPAP unit cannot hurt you, and we would help you to get setup with conservative pressures and full data so you can learn exactly what is going on. The data capabilities of the Resmed Airsense 10 Autoset with OSCAR is better than a sleep test. A sleep test is a diagnostic that can confirm you have sleep disordered breathing that qualifies for insurance coverage to treat. The irony is the test costs far more than the equipment needed to treat the problem. Why not just buy a CPAP? We can help you get dialed in very quickly and get you to some better sleep. It may not solve every problem in the world, but if you have sleep apnea, we're pretty good.

[Cubus]

Thank you all!

I just purchased a new, open box, ResMed S10 AirSense Autoset with normal and heated tubing + Resmed AirFit F20 full face mask from Suppler 2.

So it looks like later next week I'll be on the CPAP journey. If there are any tips for a new/future user, please share. Your advices were the biggest help I received so far in 3 years!

[staceyburke]

You also have to get a mask. There are 3 main types. Nasal (mask around the nose, pillows (small 1/8 inch in the nostrils and the pillow under the nose and cradle under the nose) and full face (used by people that breath through the mouth). Main problem you will have are leaks. The less amount of the mask touching the face the less leaks, Nasal pillows have the lest amount of leaks. You can go to any of the suppliers list to look at different masks. Also there are mask reviews on this site.

[OpalRose]

Cubus,
Great purchase!

Be sure to get a SD card as some of the machines are shipped without one.

[staceyburke]

You are buying from Supplier #2, it does not come with a card. You need one 32 gb or smaller.

[SleepMonger]

Hi Cubus, 

Looks like you got some great advice and I wish I had this board as a resource when starting out.   I was working through the Sleep doctor route and it was a super slow process that took several months to get a sleep study, prescription and everything.   By the time I finally had a 'legal' machine, I was already using a CPAP at home that I bought on craigslist and had already tried and discarded multiple masks.   The upside was that I knew which machine I wanted when we got to that point.   Even with insurance, I didn't save any money and the whole experience was ridiculous. 

The only thing I can add is that you may need to be patient with your mask fitting.   I don't want to jinx your first one, but it took me several to find one that I liked and was comfortable with.    Some people abandon the whole CPAP concept at this point, but I'd recommend sticking with it as it may be trial and error for a while.

[SarcasticDave94]

FWIW SD Card info, standard SD or SDHC can be used, up to 32GB, digital camera stores, WalMart, Staples, Best Buy carry these pretty much always, shop for price in any size up to the mentioned 32GB, brands like SanDisk, Samsung etc are what I look for myself as these have proven good and reliable, others similar should be good too.

[Gideon]

With the AutoSet (Great machine) or any other CPAP the one thing we cannot tell is that you do not have Sleep Apnea. All we can say is that you are well treated at the settings being used.
As Sleeprider said we are pretty good at getting users dialed in and optimized.

(Make sure your computer has an SD card reader, if not a USB version is available for less than $10

[Cubus]

With the AutoSet (Great machine) or any other CPAP the one thing we cannot tell is that you do not have Sleep Apnea.  

That is actually a bit surprising. So if I don't have sleep apnea, wouldn't it kind of run at "idle" speed indicating it doesn't need to assist?

Noob here

[Gideon]

The AutoSet will, by design, always supply no less than 4cmw of pressure splinting your airway. That is the minimum any CPAP can supply. The flipside is that if this minimum does not resolve your apnea we can definitively state that you have apnea.

In other words the min "assist" that can be provided is 4 cmw. There is no way to achieve zero cmw.