ResMed S8 Elite II CPAP

[Velroc]

Whats the general opinion of a ResMed S8 Elite II CPAP w/ EPR and H4i Heated Humidifier ??

Does it give you enough data ? Is it User Friendly ( can I set the presure ? )

Is their a better CPAP ??

Bob

[amos]

Yes/Yes/No
amos

[Pugsy]

I believe the general consensus is that the Resmed S8 Elite II CPAP machine is an excellent machine.
It offers a good bit of data via the LCD screen. Yes, you can adjust the pressure by getting into the clinician menu.
The software is only available if you order it from Australia. You also would need a special card reader.

I don't have the ResMed but I believe that on the LCD screen you get AI, HI, Leak, AHI on a daily basis if you want it.
Seems like maybe something else also that shows but I can't remember for sure.

They are reportedly very quiet and you will find lots of ResMed users here that are very happy with them.

[GaryG]

I believe the general consensus is that the Resmed S8 Elite II CPAP machine is an excellent machine.
It offers a good bit of data via the LCD screen. Yes, you can adjust the pressure by getting into the clinician menu.
The software is only available if you order it from Australia. You also would need a special card reader.

I don't have the ResMed but I believe that on the LCD screen you get AI, HI, Leak, AHI on a daily basis if you want it.
Seems like maybe something else also that shows but I can't remember for sure.

They are reportedly very quiet and you will find lots of ResMed users here that are very happy with them.

Yes you are correct about the data available on the LCD screen. Also of course, you get the average pressure as well. And not only daily numbers, but weekly, monthly, 6 month? and yearly numbers. However, as a warning, daily numbers can be misleading, as some spiking can skew an overall daily number. So for short term, yeah, looking at daily #'s is fine, but longer term, the software is definitely a big help.

On Edit - actually I'm describing my Autoset II machine, maybe someone can verify if Elite II is similar.

[Slinky]

Yep, the Resmed S8 Elite II provides EASY access to and the most data available via the LCD screen of the various manufacturers.

Via the LCD screen: 95th percentile Pressure and Leak, AHI, AI, and, of course, Usage (compliance) data. The Efficacy Data is available for that night, the previous week, previous month, previous six months and one year (once you've used it that long).

[PST]

It's a very nice machine, but I couldn't honestly claim that it is better than others I've never tried. It is compact and easy to carry. One characteristic it is well known for is its low noise. The integration of the humidifier is well done. For whatever reason, I like the absence of sharp corners. I agree with everyone else about its good data capability.

One thing I really like, in comparison with the blower I've used twice now for sleep studies (don't know what it was, unfortunately), is a feeling of evenness to the pressure. This may be subjective, but it sure stood out for me. If I were designing a CPAP machine, I'd probably design it around a pump that pushed air at a constant flow. But when you think about it, that wouldn't register as constant pressure at the user's nose and mouth. As he inhaled, the pressure in the mask would drop, and as he exhaled, it would increase. That's how I experienced this other machine, as alternately clamping to my face on the inhale and then leaking a lot on the exhale. The S8 doesn't seem to do that, so it feels more like breathing room air. My interpretation, at least, is that the pressure is sampled often enough and the pump can change speed quickly enough to vary the flow and keep the pressure constant. That's something I would have to know another machine could duplicate before I'd switch.

[RedBackFur]

Yes you are correct about the data available on the LCD screen. Also of course, you get the average pressure as well. And not only daily numbers, but weekly, monthly, 6 month? and yearly numbers. However, as a warning, daily numbers can be misleading, as some spiking can skew an overall daily number. So for short term, yeah, looking at daily #'s is fine, but longer term, the software is definitely a big help.

On Edit - actually I'm describing my Autoset II machine, maybe someone can verify if Elite II is similar.

100% newbie here (first night on my CPAP coming up!) but I cannot find where on the LCD screen I can see my numbers....or is that something the clinician would have to enable for me?

[Slinky]

If access to the advanced/detailed patient menu has been turned on (I think called SmartData in the Clinicians Menu) then pressing the Left and Right buttons and holding for 4-5 seconds should bring up a new screen. On the S8s it would be the Efficacy Data menu. From then on in it is a matter of Left button to Enter, Right button to Exit, Up botton to Return to the previous screen and Down button to Proceed to the next screen. You can NOT accidentally or intentionally change your therapy settings in this menu.

If the Left/Right button press and hold doesn't bring up the Efficacy data menu then access has not been turned on and you would need your DME provider to turn it on or your doctor to write an order for them to turn the access on.

IF someone tells you how to access the Clinicians Menu so that you can turn it on yourself you should use CAUTION and have a pen and paper handy and write down exactly what appears in each screen before proceeding to the next so that if you accidentally or intentionally change one of your therapy settings you will KNOW what setting to return it to.

[RedBackFur]

Thank you so much, Slinky. Yes, that menu comes up and I can see my results. So my average pressure is 11....not to as high as my sleep study thought I would need. Another good reason for the auto-adjust! I'll have to learn what all the other results mean as I read this BBS.

And survived my first night. Only woke up 4 times: 3 for restroom breaks, once because I felt panicky, but got over that fast. Funny how the mask is least comfortable on my back, rather than on my sides.

[Slinky]

That 11 cms is NOT your average pressure for the night, it is the pressure AT OR BELOW which you spent 95% of the night.

As you get acclimated to therapy the number of those bathroom breaks should be reduced substantially if not totally eliminated.