My elderly sister needs to have a cpap device.  We tried one last week and I found it a Safety Hazard and unworkable for her.  She needs the combined humdifier and CPAP with the ability to ramp up from the lowest number possible.  There needs to be 1(one) switch to turn off and on both the CPAP and humidifier.  That needs to be distinctive and labled and where she can reach it with her hand while laying in bed with the machine located in her headboard at the height of her head.  The ramp button needs the same specifications.  
She needs a mask which allows her to wear her glasses.  Overall she needs to feel she is not drowning.
Your experiences both good and bad would be helpful.  I am just learning to ask the right questions.  The lack of profession health care assessment is profoundly disappointing.  thank chris

Carol,

Welcome!

Lets see if I can try to answer a few of your questions.

 

Quote:

There needs to be 1(one) switch to turn off and on both the CPAP and humidifier.

I am not aware of a machine that turns on both, all the ones I have seen have seperate controls for both, maybe someone else can chime in here.

Quote:

CPAP with the ability to ramp up from the lowest number possible.

I don't think you will have trouble with this as all that I have seen start at 4.  However, many folks find this is too low, and feel like they are not getting enough air.

Quote:

She needs a mask which allows her to wear her glasses.

this would be answered by a nasal pillow type mask.  I use one myself and it would allow someone to wear glasses.

Sorry to hear about the frustration you have experienced.  Hopefully this answer was helpful!

Regards,



Last edited by Mike on Tue Jul 12, 2005 7:38 pm; edited 1 time in total

Hi,

As to the one button thing for cpap and humidifier, you might check the Respironics machines.
My Respironics bipap has a humidifier with its separate buttons, so I have to turn off the bipap with one button and the humidifier with another.

But I was somewhere where I saw a Respironics cpap, don't know which model.  It had the attached humidifier like mine, but the controls for both the cpap and the humidifier were on the cpap.  And I know that when you pushed the button to turn off the cpap machine, the humidifier turned off too, so one button to turn it off (I remember wishing mine was that way).  I think it was a two step thing to turn on both the cpap and the humidifier.

But you might contact a DME (durable medical equipment) provider, either a local one or an online service, to check on the different models and features.  A good supplier should be able to help you find something.  From what I saw, some are easier to use than others, in terms of the buttons.

Just a thought.  Sorry I don't remember the model.


Good luck.  Hope things go well.  


Linda

I have the Fisher Paykel HC 221 LE and it has one button which turns on the machine and the humidifer.  It is only a straight c-pap though.  The ramp can be adjusted I think from 4 to the needed pressure.  There is a dial on the front of the machine that adjusts the humidifer but one button turns on both the machine and humidifer.

Hope this helps.

My machine has one button for both humidier and the CPAP.  I don;t always use the humidifier, so I can leave it in the off position, or you can set it at the number you want and it come on automatically everynight.  You just have to remember to keep it filled with water if you set it for auto, on.  I think I might have said earlier that I have a Resmed 87, but its S7.  ( darn glasses.)