Posted by tracker on December 24, 2001 at 12:47:46:

In Reply to: Selecting the Gear Today posted by Spleep, what is spleep? (Fawlty Towers) on December 20, 2001 at 01:47:58:

Yep, I have had some experience that you might be interested in here in the Great White North:)
Have you got all the info from OHIP regarding the assistive devices program(it is available on line) the bottom line I believe is that you can choose any supplier and equipment that meets the Docs prescription for you. They do not accept auto or bipap unless you have tried a regular CPAP or the doctor insists with supporting documentation why it would be reqd(this is my understanding of the process)I also believe the maximum payable by them is $1,200 and anything above is your (or your personal medical insurance coverage )responsibility.
Sleep Clinics are required to advise patients that they(YOU) have the right to choose whichever DME and equipment you prefer(in line with above).
You should ask your sleep clinic who are the approved suppliers in your area. I would be very surprised if Medigas is the only DME, even in our remote area, there are several suppliers although none located right in my city, I have not found this to be a problem as once you get set up with "the right" equipment for you, there is usually not much direct contact needed on an ongoing basis with the DME except for minor replacement parts etc and having the machine checked out maybe once a year or so (again from my experience)
I insisted on trying several types of masks and different units and the suppliers were quite accomodating in that regard.
I dealt with Vitalaire and found them excellent. I did a lot of research on all the manufacturers websites before deciding on the best package for me.
The problem is that different DME usually are restricted to carrying only certain makes which is of course what they recommend.
I tried several makes including F&P which seems to be the first recommended by Medigas according to several people I talked with( I found the unit noisy, not user friendly as other models and reminded me of a Mr Coffee machine) on the positive side humidifier is all part of the same unit.
Without going into an even longer product review on other units I tried, I will tell you what I ended up with after my trials.
I selected a Resmed Elite 6, very quiet(my wife found the other units I tried VERY annoying), very user friendly with lighted easy to read pressure indicator, ramp and on & off buttons, and a lot of other features I liked personally. I especially like the Smart Start feature which(when activated) stops the unit when you remove the mask and starts it automatically when you put the mask on and breath into it. The unit is well made and unit sits right on top of the Humidaire.
I selected the Ultra Mirage mask, found it the most comfortable and flexible to use and quietest also. I went with a heated Humidaire humidifier, the passover humidifiers are a non starter in most areas of the country in my opinion as they don't supply enough moisture to keep you comfortable. Although this means you have two units to deal the whole package will fit into a neat carrying case(hoses too) that is provided and I have found it no problem as I have been travelling quite a bit with my unit.
Don't get "pushed" into a unit your not happy with as you have to live with it every day and it is difficult enough as it is without adding to the problems.
I presume you have a unit at home by now but call the DME and insist that you want to try others if the one sent home with you isn't acceptable to YOU.
The only downside I could see with the Elite 6 is that it doesn't have a built in inverter(for use with a battery, for camping etc) but I bought one as part of my package as I am often in remote areas where I won't have regular power from the grid.
Let me know if you have any other questions and I hope this helps in your "quest for rest"
JJ

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