AirCurve 10 VAuto vs. AirCurve 11 VAuto - same effectiveness/comfort?

[cby1]

Hello again - it's been a long time since I was last here. Good to see some of the same familiar, "grizzled" user names I remember. Many community people helped, but Pugsy and PaleRider both were invaluable for help interpreting my CPAP data and charts. I then used those data to convince my sleep doc *and* Insurance company that I needed a bilevel machine (ResMed AirCurve 10 VAuto).

In the meantime - I have a question for those who know (and like to discuss) the minutia. My AirCurve 10 just gave me the "motor life exceeded" message) - I'll be making an appt with my sleep doc ASAP. Is there any meaningful difference between my AirCurve 10 VAuto and the AirCurve 11 VAuto?

By "meaningful", I mean:
- Any differences you're aware of WRT the Algorithm/Timing/Therapy delivered by each machine?
- Any differences that would result in better (or worse) comfort? (I doubt that, but one cannot assume)?
- Anything more significant than the facelift (new appearance, footprint, user interface)?

Obviously, this is not an emergency or "critical" question - but if anyone has knowledge to slap on me, I'll take it! Thanks *much*.

[Pugsy]

The working algorithm or how the machine goes about doing its job didn't change with the AirCurve 11 models.

There have been a few complaints about some cosmetic changes with the AirSense/AirCurve models but I, myself, haven't seen any AirSense/AirCurve 11 models to see if I agreed or disagreed with some other comments.

The heated hose changed though....so the AirCurve 10 powered stuff won't work on the AirCurve 11....like that heated hose of even power cord.

AirSense/AirCurve 11 doesn't have a clock to set anymore. It has a time zone adjustment feature though but once data is present in the machine you can't change the time zone thing. You have to erase all past data to be able to change the time zone feature. That's really annoying to me but I suppose not a deal breaker.....I have all my data on my computer anyway.

BTW that "machine hours exceeded" message doesn't really mean that your machine is on death's door at all.
Just means your machine could up and die next week, next month, next year or 5 years from now. Same chances as you had a month ago before the message popped up......but if you don't have a spare machine you need to be getting one....just in case...but you needed to do that long before now.

[ChicagoGranny]

Hello again

If you get a new machine, use it at least until the warranty expires. Find out what the responsibility of the local DME is after the warranty expires. You need to take full advantage of these "warranties". Meanwhile, keep your old machine as a backup. I use my backup machine once per quarter just to make sure it still works.

As Pugsy mentions, it's important to have a backup machine.

[cby1]

Thank you both - point taken re: a backup machine. My current backup is my previous *CPAP* - an AirSense 10 - and yes, it really isn't a good backup, since I need IPAP pressure above 20 cm. When I get the new machine, my current AirCurve 10 will be my backup.

Pugsy, it does sound like there are a few things that ain't totally grand with the 11 - I'll keep those in mind when I see my sleep doc. The (familiar) Path is: Sleep Doc writes prescription ---> Office sends script to DME ---> DME gets Insurance on board.

Chris