Resmed S10 Airsense vs. Respironics Dream Station

[tedgreen]

My Airsense 10 machine is significantly quieter without the humidifier chamber attached. I am currently just using the heat hose, without the humidifier, and it's fine for me (I guess enough humidity in the air).

[cam]

zonk:  knowing I will not qualify for an auto machine, do you still recommend CPAP newbies get the DreamStation CPAP Pro?  I have requested the clinical manual for that one and also the one I am currently being loaned as that is the one I have been planning all along to buy late November after my follow up visit with my sleep lab doc.  

I will likely know this after getting the manuals, but the features you mentioned, Smart-Ramp, Opti-Start, EZ-Start, are they available on the CPAP Pro?  I am pretty sure I can assume Auto Trial will not work on a CPAP Pro as it is not auto capable.

I guess it is strictly a matter of personal preference and comfort. I started out with a Fisher Paykel  CPAP machine approximately 10 years ago. It fell off the bed stand once or twice but never skipped a beat. Then several years later,  my SA technician recommended one of the ResMed machines. They gave me the basic S9 ResMed CPAP model on a trial basis but after trying out the Philips Respironics System One CPAP machine, I ended up buying it instead.  I simply found this machine more comfortable. It also ended up on the floor once but aside from a slightly bent ON/OFF switch it works perfectly well  even after 5 years. I've had all my machines tested by the supplier and they all function perfectly well.  I have never qualified for an AUTO CPAP machine from the Sleep Clinic so the prescriptions are only for CPAP machines. However I did purchase a slightly used  ResMed S9 Elite CPAP machine from Kijiji a few years ago and use it strictly as my travelling machine. I wanted the AUTO CPAP but my SA doctor said I didn't need one. And the provincial and private medical plans wouldn't cover it if it was unnecessary. However, there is a loop hole which allows the doctor to prescribe the AirSense 10 Autoset for HER which the supplier provided me with on a trial basis. I took it home and after a  few minutes took the nasal mask off and reverted to using my old Philips Respironics System One machine. The next day I took home the DreamStation PRO CPAP and have used it for approximately one month and am very happy with it. It is very similar to the Philips Respironics System One machine in terms of comfort and performance so it was a no brainer. I think the most distinguishing feature on the Philips machines is the FLEX comfort feature for exhalation. I prefer absolutely no resistance and they do that well in comparison with other machines. Overall they also appear to operate much quieter in terms of inhalation/exhalation and motor noise. Just my opinion.

[cam]

I guess it is strictly a matter of personal preference and comfort. I started out with a Fisher Paykel  CPAP machine approximately 10 years ago. It fell off the bed stand once or twice but never skipped a beat. Then several years later,  my SA technician recommended one of the ResMed machines. They gave me the basic S9 ResMed CPAP model on a trial basis but after trying out the Philips Respironics System One CPAP machine, I ended up buying it instead.  I simply found this machine more comfortable. It also ended up on the floor once but aside from a slightly bent ON/OFF switch it works perfectly well  even after 5 years. I've had all my machines tested by the supplier and they all function perfectly well.  I have never qualified for an AUTO CPAP machine from the Sleep Clinic so the prescriptions are only for CPAP machines. However I did purchase a slightly used  ResMed S9 Elite CPAP machine from Kijiji a few years ago and use it strictly as my travelling machine. I wanted the AUTO CPAP but my SA doctor said I didn't need one. And the provincial and private medical plans wouldn't cover it if it was unnecessary. However, there is a loop hole which allows the doctor to prescribe the AirSense 10 Autoset for HER which the supplier provided me with on a trial basis. I took it home and after a  few minutes took the nasal mask off and reverted to using my old Philips Respironics System One machine. The next day I took home the DreamStation PRO CPAP and have used it for approximately one month and am very happy with it. It is very similar to the Philips Respironics System One machine in terms of comfort and performance so it was a no brainer. I think the most distinguishing feature on the Philips machines is the FLEX comfort feature for exhalation. I prefer absolutely no resistance and they do that well in comparison with other machines. Overall they also appear to operate much quieter in terms of inhalation/exhalation and motor noise. Just my opinion.

[JeffT]

I've had an S10 for 9 months now, first machine. Can't say I have ever recalled hearing it operate at all. The only way I know for sure it has started when I put the mask on at night is by the screen that lights up for a few seconds as it starts. I did start with it on the bedside table, but after reading the following in the manual "If you use the humidifier, always place the device on a level surface lower than your head", and since my bed is only 450 mm off the floor, it now sits on the floor beside me - also means that I can't pull it off the table. That may help to provide a little bit of noise shielding perhaps?

[FirstNoele]

The exact debate was part of my decision making this past week.  My 9 yr old CPAP wore out the week before, and I needed a quick replacement. 

One of the main reasons that I chose Respironics Dream Station is that the cellular modem can be removed as easily as the Smart Card.  The ResMed AirSense 10 has a modem that is embedded into the machine, and would take partial disassembling to remove.

I've had the Dream Station for 4 nights and have caught up on the "sleep debt" that 6 nights without help had caused.

[Clarke]

Hello there I have had the dreamstation auto for almost two months and it’s very quiet. 
 What I’ve found to be negative in my humble opinion is that it seems to send breaths of air or airbursts at times when I don’t need it. Out of sync. Like it’s timing can be off.it can catch you by surprise.
I also don’t like how even in automatic mode it takes a while to turn on and even longer to turn off. Aparantly this is so you notice that your mask is leaking or off.
But an old resmed s8 would turn on as soon as my mask was on and as soon or almost as soon as I would remove it it would shut off. This is practical when you don’t want to wake your significant other up with noise.
Good points are like I said it’s quiet, it’s easy to breathe with too.
Easy to clean even if it’s white.
I am trying the resmed airsense 10 starting Friday and I will keep you posted on which I chose to buy.

[saldridge]

Long thread, too much for me to read through for this question.  I work in a sleep lab and changing from Respironics Dreanstation DSX 500 to ResMed AirSense Auto-Set (For obvious reasons).  Doctors here often write "Auto-Trial 30 day 6-18 cm" for HST patients.  3 month review by medical staff to evaluate use and pressure.  I have RTFunM and cannot find this feature for the AirSense.  Does it exist?  TIA for a definitive answer.

[Gideon]

No "trial" settings in ResMed
Instead of 6-18. Make it 7-18 to allow full use of EPR.
EPR is a fixed 1,2,3 cmw reduction in pressure. 7-3=4 the machines min. Be aware that EPR has the same effects on therapy that PS has with a BiLevel, just calc the actual EPAP and IPAP pressures