What machine for newbie ?

[Pageplace]

New, no machine yet. Bipap: obstructive and complex. 16/11 cmh20 rate 10
Suggestions for machine please. I know nothing other than
What I just typed. Script faxed to my physician tonight.
Thanks much !

[PoolQ]

We get people from all around the world here, so a location would help a lot. Country if nothing else.
it's a process and you will get tons of help here.

[kwhenrykerr]

I started with a "brick" machine that was what I could get at the time. It helped and I though it was fine. I have replaced it with a Auto adjusting one that will let me read the information it collects. Using the Sleepyhead software to understand what is going on has helped more. I never knew that I was so not understanding sleep. With the new machine and the help of the members here I have improved a lot.

I will bet more answers will be coming your way. Look for other post and keep going. It will be worth every minute spent doing your homework.

[OpalRose]

Welcome to Apnea Board,
Here is a link that may help you in deciding on a machine, and what to avoid.

http://www.apneaboard.com/wiki/index.php...ne_Choices

Good luck.

[Sleeprider]

The two leading machines for your complex apnea with a backup rate are the Resmed Aircurve 10 ASV and Philips Respironics System One SVauto. Both use an auto algorithm to adjust pressures and can monitor your respiration breath by breath and implement additional pressure support to induce a breath when you don't take one. In Auto mode, the backup rate is rarely implemented because the machines actually adapt to your normal spontaneous breathing rate. Both machines provide full data and are compatible with Sleepyhead.

[justMongo]

From the Rx, they may give you a Resmed Aircurve VPAP ST.
Since the Rx seems to specify a fixed bilevel with a timed backup rate.

The better machine would be the Resmed Aircurve 10 ASV.

Nothing wrong with the Phillips Respironics equivalent machines.

[trish6hundred]

Hi Pageplace,
WELCOME! to the forum.!
Much success to you as you start your CPAP journey, hang in there for more responses to your post.

[robertbuckley]

Both the Resmed and Respironics auto SV Bi-Pap machines are great devices. I have a preference to the Respironics machine (the devil you know vs. the one you don't?) as objectively it is more "tweakable" in its settings. I also like its algorithm a bit better, but that is really subjective, and my comparison was to a ResMed Vpap ST loaner, which I really didn't get to fine tune. I don't want to confuse you at this point, but I find it interesting that starting out they are putting you on a fixed back-up rate (which all of the machines can do) vs. an "auto" backup rate. You may have more trouble becoming acclimated to the machine in a fixed rate setting. And yes, which medical system are you working in?

[vsheline]

Both the Resmed and Respironics auto SV Bi-Pap machines are great devices. I have a preference to the Respironics machine (the devil you know vs. the one you don't?) as objectively it is more "tweakable" in its settings. I also like its algorithm a bit better, but that is really subjective, and my comparison was to a ResMed Vpap ST loaner, which I really didn't get to fine tune.

The Philips Respironics ASV machine robertbuckley mentioned would be ideal and can be set to your exact prescription, by appropriately setting the Min PS (Min Pressure Support) and Max PS to the same number, 5. This cannot be done on the ResMed ASV machines.

Also, unlike the Philips Respironics autoSV BiPAP Advanced, the ResMed ASV Machines do not allow a choice between a fixed backup respiration rate versus automatic backup rate. ResMed ASV machines only allow automatic backup rate, with a gradual drive toward 15 breaths per minute.

Honestly, I suggest you refuse to accept any ST mode machine (unless it is an ST-A or AVAPS machine, which are special purpose machines).

I suggest asking for either the ResMed ASV or the Philips ASV, as mentioned by other posters. The ASV machines use a more capable algorithm than an ST machine, and are usually better for treating central (or mixed central plus obstructive) sleep apnea.

Hopefully you are able to simply call up or visit the company which will be ordering the equipment for you and tell them you will not accept less than an ASV machine. If they try to force you to accept an ST machine, simply decide to refuse and go to another provider.

You will never have more power than before you accept a machine. And I think most providers would rather have you as a customer than lose you.

Take care and good luck,
--- Vaughn