I have a Respironics Remstar Pro 2 from Direct Home Medical. They had the best price I could find; it was just under $600 shipped, and that includes the heated humidifier. Locally it was over $1500. From the website, I see that there are some travel CPAP machines that are noticeably less expensive.
My machine is about as big as a man’s shoebox, longer with the humidifier installed. When traveling, sometimes I have problems fitting it on the bedside table. It’s well received, from what I’ve seen on review websites. Except for the size, I like the machine. I’m not impressed with the humidifier, though. It’s not adjustable. Either it’s on or it’s off. I apparently don’t need it, as it’s been over a month since I’ve even seen the humidifier. How do I know? My nose/sinuses aren’t any more dry now than when I was using the humidifier.
When shopping, keep in mind that smaller units tend to be louder than larger ones. A nice feature for beginners is “ramping.” All that means is that the machine starts at a low pressure then builds up to the prescribed pressure. If he’s an outdoorsman, he’d probably want to get a unit that can take a battery pack. If he travels internationally, make sure the machine can be used on worldwide voltages, 2 wire plug ideally. I’ve used my machine from 100V through 240V with no problem.
Also remember to add another hundred bucks or so for the mask. As you can see from the linked site, there are a bunch of types of masks. I’d recommending buying this from a local place so that he can try them on before he buys. I made the mistake of buying my first one from the hospital; I tried on only 2, so the one I got wasn’t really right. I could never really get it comfortable. It was a triangular-shaped over-the-nose and always leaked at the bridge of my nose. Apparently I have high cheekbones. To keep it from leaking, I had to adjust the straps so tightly that the mask left red marks on my face. My next mask, the one I’m currently using, is nasal pillows and I love it. It just rests in my nostrils. Who knew? I didn’t until I did research.
This is going to sound really stupid, but I did this when I bought my last mask. Have your boyfriend lay down when he tries on the mask, preferably with the CPAP machine running. Make him get down on the floor if there’s no bed or cot. The mask fits my face differently when I’m sitting up from when laying down in bed. Likewise, you can’t really see if it’s going to seal properly if there’s no pressure on the mask. It could make a difference if he has a high pressure requirement.
Your boyfriend may want to ask some of the local places if they have rental options. He may be able to try a few out before he buys. It was available through the hospital I did the sleep study with, but I lived too far away for it to be worthwhile. If he pursues this option, make sure he reads the contract carefully for any “rent to own” clauses. The prices they charge for long-term rentals is outrageous; you’d pay for the device two or three times over buying it outright.
One caveat: if you decide on one of Respironics’ M-series machines, ask if they’ve fixed the problem with water from the humidifier reservoir leaking into the machine’s works when the machine is packed for travel. Apparently it wasn’t easy getting all the water out of the reservoir, so people packed it with a little water inside. Early models had this problem and it wasn’t covered under warranty. It was almost 2 years ago when I learned of this; hopefully they fixed it.
I’d like to thank you for this question. I need to order a new hose and probably mask, but keep forgetting. Once I finish this reply, I’ll pop back to the website and order them.
