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Long story short, my father has been on CPAP therapy for 20+ years now. Back in the day we couldn't afford the machine and the cost but thankfully where we live we have great social benefits and health benefits if you're under a certain income bracket. He was tested and fit with a machine.
His machine was a Phillips BiPap Harmony. I have attached pictures of the machine.
Also a video of the machine behavior when I turn it on... not sure what is causing it: https://streamable.com/k1xrrz
He has a spare machine that was given to him (REMstarPro M Series), but I'm unsure it's a BiPap. I'm not even sure he needs bipap as his doctors latest prescription is simply: "CPAP 11 --> 14 cmH20"
I'm wondering from the Harmony settings you guys can tell me what machine would be the equivalent to swap it with as I would be buying him a new machine or would the spare REMstarPro M Series work?
Go ahead and try out the remstar. Check the tab for CPAP setup manual to get a manual for remstar. Change the settings to match the Rx.
If you do buy a new machine, you will probably get better prices in Ontario. The supplier list has 3 Canadian online suppliers. I believe they are 32, 34 and 35
That prescription looks like a script for bi-level CPAP (BiPAP), and the "CPAP 11 --> 14 cmH20" likely means bi-level set at 14 cmH2O of inhalation pressure and 11 cmH2O of exhale pressure (3 cmH20 pressure difference).
You could almost get by temporarily with a standard CPAP set at 14, as long as it had the C-Flex option, in which case you'd set that at the maximum level of 3, so that the exhalation pressure would be somewhat less than the 14 level (likely around 11-12), which would approximate the BiPAP. But I'm not sure that the REMstarPro M has C-Flex... but I'm thinking it doesn't.
In any case, both machines are extremely old and today's CPAP and Bi-level machines are much, much more effective at treating sleep apnea, and offer a lot more in the way of comfort for your dad. If you can afford it, and unless there's an absolute need for him to go with a bi-level, I would think for that script, using an auto-CPAP with C-flex or A-Flex would be much better, or an actual BiPAP, which would be more expensive. The auto machines adjust for the appropriate pressures automatically during the night.
I'm sure that if the doctor wrote that script 2 decades ago, it's very possible that your father's pressure needs have changed. In that case, an auto-CPAP like the DreamStation 2 or the ResMed Airsense 10 or 11 would work a lot better for him. Those machine also have SD memory cards you can use along with the OSCAR software to help adjust his pressure settings to the most optimum levels. The forum folks here are good with helping on that sort of thing.
Perhaps others will reply with things I haven't thought of as well. Glad your father has you there to look after him. I'm the same way with my dad who is now 90 years old and still using CPAP.
INFORMATION ON APNEA BOARD FORUMS OR ON APNEABOARD.COM SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED AS MEDICAL ADVICE. ALWAYS SEEK THE ADVICE OF A PHYSICIAN BEFORE SEEKING TREATMENT FOR MEDICAL CONDITIONS, INCLUDING SLEEP APNEA. INFORMATION POSTED ON THE APNEA BOARD WEB SITE AND FORUMS ARE PERSONAL OPINION ONLY AND NOT NECESSARILY A STATEMENT OF FACT.
Also, keep in mind that the average assumed lifespan of most CPAP machines is 5 years. If he got 20 out of that BiPAP, that's unbelievably lucky.
That video of the malfunction looks almost like a loose connection from the power supply or a failed power supply. It keeps turning off/on it looks like. But in any case, it's well past the time to get a more modern machine, in my mind, if you can.
INFORMATION ON APNEA BOARD FORUMS OR ON APNEABOARD.COM SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED AS MEDICAL ADVICE. ALWAYS SEEK THE ADVICE OF A PHYSICIAN BEFORE SEEKING TREATMENT FOR MEDICAL CONDITIONS, INCLUDING SLEEP APNEA. INFORMATION POSTED ON THE APNEA BOARD WEB SITE AND FORUMS ARE PERSONAL OPINION ONLY AND NOT NECESSARILY A STATEMENT OF FACT.
08-08-2023, 11:56 PM (This post was last modified: 08-08-2023, 11:57 PM by SufiMindtricks.)
RE: Dad's Cpap Machine Died
Thanks for the replies. So I have him setup on the Remstar Pro for the time being. It seems to be a set pressure with ramp and has some CFlex setting of 1 2 or 3.
I tried a few pressure settings, eventually he found it comfortable at 19 cmH2O... we'll see how he feels in the morning.
I also found a picture of his old machine when it was running and it shows the pressure when it was running.
He will also call his doctor and get a new sleep study done. So we can get a more accurate idea of what his needs are and I can get him a brand new machine.
Ah, okay. That picture of the script probably meant 19, not 14 then (doctor's bad handwriting). For now, definitely run the REMstar Pro at 19 with C-Flex set at 3 for the maximum pressure relief on exhale. The pressure of 19 would better explain why he was given a BiPAP machine (which is usually used for higher pressure levels). The max a standard CPAP can go is usually around 20cmH2O.
But yeah, keep in mind that the REMstar is also a very old machine as well. Try to get a more current one if you can, and it looks like he may need a Bi-level, if that script is correct.
INFORMATION ON APNEA BOARD FORUMS OR ON APNEABOARD.COM SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED AS MEDICAL ADVICE. ALWAYS SEEK THE ADVICE OF A PHYSICIAN BEFORE SEEKING TREATMENT FOR MEDICAL CONDITIONS, INCLUDING SLEEP APNEA. INFORMATION POSTED ON THE APNEA BOARD WEB SITE AND FORUMS ARE PERSONAL OPINION ONLY AND NOT NECESSARILY A STATEMENT OF FACT.
08-09-2023, 12:10 AM (This post was last modified: 08-09-2023, 12:12 AM by SufiMindtricks.)
RE: Dad's Cpap Machine Died
(08-09-2023, 12:01 AM)SuperSleeper Wrote: Ah, okay. That picture of the script probably meant 19, not 14 then (doctor's bad handwriting). For now, definitely run the REMstar Pro at 19 with C-Flex set at 3 for the maximum pressure relief on exhale.
But yeah, keep in mind that the REMstar is also a very old machine as well. Try to get a more current one if you can.
Oh absolutely, it's also ancient. The run time shows 5,372 hours
Just noticed your pictures in your original post... looks like his old BiPAP is a Respironics BiPAP Harmony with S/T (Spontaneous/Timed) – these devices trigger the IPAP on patient inspiratory effort but also include a timed mode where a "backup" rate is also set to ensure that patients still receive a minimum number of breaths per minute if they fail to breathe spontaneously.
Although the REMstar Pro M is better than nothing, and based upon those settings and that machine, and at least until you can get a new sleep study for him, you should probably get a Bi-level that has that S/T functionality and match the settings to those currently shown in your picture below:
INFORMATION ON APNEA BOARD FORUMS OR ON APNEABOARD.COM SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED AS MEDICAL ADVICE. ALWAYS SEEK THE ADVICE OF A PHYSICIAN BEFORE SEEKING TREATMENT FOR MEDICAL CONDITIONS, INCLUDING SLEEP APNEA. INFORMATION POSTED ON THE APNEA BOARD WEB SITE AND FORUMS ARE PERSONAL OPINION ONLY AND NOT NECESSARILY A STATEMENT OF FACT.
08-09-2023, 12:24 AM (This post was last modified: 08-09-2023, 12:25 AM by SufiMindtricks.)
RE: Dad's Cpap Machine Died
Yeah, exactly why I question the prescription the doc sent. It's not an old script either, it's from this year. So at this point I'm hoping he can get some rest with the RemStar Pro and I can get him a new study asap and a new machine.
A good replacement machine would be a "AirCurve 10 ST"?
