Best battery-operated CPAP machine?
December 9, 2014 6:09 PM Subscribe
My father-in-law needs a CPAP machine to sleep well. What do you recommend for a portable, battery-powered version?
He's very generous with other people but stingy for himself. My wife and I are thinking of giving him a portable, battery-powered machine for Christmas so that he has something to take on trips that's lighter than his current machine and that he could use at home if the power goes out (snow belt Michigan, so that does happen). If you use a CPAP, or know someone who does, what are the pros and cons of the various options?
He's very generous with other people but stingy for himself. My wife and I are thinking of giving him a portable, battery-powered machine for Christmas so that he has something to take on trips that's lighter than his current machine and that he could use at home if the power goes out (snow belt Michigan, so that does happen). If you use a CPAP, or know someone who does, what are the pros and cons of the various options?
Best answer: I'm quite pleased with my ResMed S9, which was introduced in 2010 IIRC. It's much smaller, lighter, and quieter than my previous machine. Their web site indicates that a 13-hour battery pack is available, though I haven't used it myself.
They earned a bit of customer loyalty from me because I was on a trip to Europe recently and the electrical wall outlet adapter I'd originally been given in the U.S., although it was supposed to be a "switching" adapter, decided it didn't like the local electrical flavor and stopped working after a few days. I contacted the nearest ResMed support center and they overnighted me a new adapter, free of charge. (And the new adapter did continue working properly once I returned to the U.S.)
However, the prescription issue nightwood points out does seem to be a potential problem. Also, at the points when I've needed new CPAP machines my insurance company's had a "durable medical equipment allowance" which paid for it in entirety, separate from the deductible for doctor visits and medications, so you might want to make sure about that before spending your own money. (Of course in the case of one like the S9 insurance might pay for the machine itself but not the battery pack, or something like that.)
posted by XMLicious at 6:38 PM on December 9, 2014
They earned a bit of customer loyalty from me because I was on a trip to Europe recently and the electrical wall outlet adapter I'd originally been given in the U.S., although it was supposed to be a "switching" adapter, decided it didn't like the local electrical flavor and stopped working after a few days. I contacted the nearest ResMed support center and they overnighted me a new adapter, free of charge. (And the new adapter did continue working properly once I returned to the U.S.)
However, the prescription issue nightwood points out does seem to be a potential problem. Also, at the points when I've needed new CPAP machines my insurance company's had a "durable medical equipment allowance" which paid for it in entirety, separate from the deductible for doctor visits and medications, so you might want to make sure about that before spending your own money. (Of course in the case of one like the S9 insurance might pay for the machine itself but not the battery pack, or something like that.)
posted by XMLicious at 6:38 PM on December 9, 2014
Best answer: I love my ResMed S9 as well - fought with my insurance tooth and nail to get it, but it was totally worth it. But, yeah, probably not something you can gift someone else. If you can find a way, though, that's a good machine and moderately portable
posted by Stacey at 6:50 PM on December 9, 2014
posted by Stacey at 6:50 PM on December 9, 2014
Best answer: Also chiming in for ResMed and the S9. They have been very refreshing to deal with customer-service wise.
It does still boggle my mind that a device that
1: takes in room air;
2: optionally heats and humidifies it, and;
3. Blows said air, otherwise unaltered, through a tube
...requires a prescription. But it is what it is.
posted by it must be bunnies at 7:30 PM on December 9, 2014
It does still boggle my mind that a device that
1: takes in room air;
2: optionally heats and humidifies it, and;
3. Blows said air, otherwise unaltered, through a tube
...requires a prescription. But it is what it is.
posted by it must be bunnies at 7:30 PM on December 9, 2014
Best answer: I'm a CPAP user since 1999. I've previously recommended the company Second Wind CPAP. You can buy a unit from them without a prescription. The person who runs the site is a respiratory therapist and a CPAP user. I was able to call and talk with them at length before I bought 2 CPAPs from them.
Years ago I looked into a battery powered CPAP unit because my only alternative when the power went out was to not sleep. At the time battery-powered CPAP units weren't a viable option for me because my setting is 19 which is crazy high. I've had luck using a power source similar to this one which is basically a 12 volt battery with an inverter. I've used it operationally during an extended electrical power outage at my home and got 8 to 10 hours of run time for my CPAP unit, an older Respironics unit. I took the power source into work and recharged it there and used it at night to run my CPAP.
posted by Rob Rockets at 7:50 PM on December 9, 2014 [2 favorites]
Years ago I looked into a battery powered CPAP unit because my only alternative when the power went out was to not sleep. At the time battery-powered CPAP units weren't a viable option for me because my setting is 19 which is crazy high. I've had luck using a power source similar to this one which is basically a 12 volt battery with an inverter. I've used it operationally during an extended electrical power outage at my home and got 8 to 10 hours of run time for my CPAP unit, an older Respironics unit. I took the power source into work and recharged it there and used it at night to run my CPAP.
posted by Rob Rockets at 7:50 PM on December 9, 2014 [2 favorites]
Best answer: My husband uses a deep cycle marine battery to power his machine when we go camping (for three nights). He had been using a series of portable car battery chargers but they wouldn't always last a single night and one failed in weird way. It is less portable since the battery is pretty heavy, so it would only make sense on car trips or as a back-up for home use during a power outage.
Getting him a battery and the adapter for his current machine would be a good gift.
posted by soelo at 8:18 AM on December 10, 2014 [1 favorite]
Getting him a battery and the adapter for his current machine would be a good gift.
posted by soelo at 8:18 AM on December 10, 2014 [1 favorite]
Best answer: For portability, the most popular line of machines seems to be the Transcend. The nice version with autoset and exhalation, plus humidifier and battery pack, will probably come to around a thousand dollars when bought online. The insurance billing from a durable medical device supplier would probably be more, if they covered it and the DMD supplier carried them.
But, as others said, you do need a prescription to buy one. And the supplies. You're not even supposed to change the settings yourself.
Some battery packs are "universal" but won't work with some machines. Best to find out what kind of machine and look for a battery pack that goes with it, if there is one. They all seem to run $300-400. And it will probably need an adaptor too.
CPAP is a whole world of specialized stuff. A personal gift certificate for new machine/battery pack is really the best way to go here.
posted by monopas at 9:34 AM on December 10, 2014
But, as others said, you do need a prescription to buy one. And the supplies. You're not even supposed to change the settings yourself.
Some battery packs are "universal" but won't work with some machines. Best to find out what kind of machine and look for a battery pack that goes with it, if there is one. They all seem to run $300-400. And it will probably need an adaptor too.
CPAP is a whole world of specialized stuff. A personal gift certificate for new machine/battery pack is really the best way to go here.
posted by monopas at 9:34 AM on December 10, 2014
Response by poster: Thanks everyone! We decided to wait until after the holidays to ask him what would work best, and then give a gift certificate or battery backup. His birthday is in May, and we're considering a family trip to Hawai'i in June, so a b-day gift certificate for a portable machine with battery backup looks like the way to go.
posted by brianogilvie at 9:48 AM on December 29, 2014
posted by brianogilvie at 9:48 AM on December 29, 2014
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by nightwood at 6:28 PM on December 9, 2014 [2 favorites]