My new toy

I realise that I have been posting a lot about my CPAP lately – obviously, it has been on my mind at lot. If all goes well, this will be my last such post for a while.

My new CPAP has arrived from Intus/EU-PAP – the DeVilbiss SleepCube. The SleepCube comes in a few different models, including an all-singing-and-dancing automatic model. I bought the standard model, principly because my best sleep has been with a basic, non-automatic CPAP; I know my ideal pressure, and also how to change it if necessary; and (most importantly) it doesn’t have the changing pressure mode (CFlex, or SmartFlex) that I found so disturbing in the latest CPAP from Papworth. At 250 quid, it is also almost half the price of the automatic model, although that thankfully isn’t a major consideration for me. I immediately spent the money I saved (or some of it) on the SmartLink data pack, which allows me not only to provide Papworth with clinical data once a year, as required, but monitor it myself, if I choose to. Yes, I’m a geek.

So I plugged it in, and turned it on. If I hadn’t felt the mask inflate, I would have checked the wall switch. It is the quietest CPAP I have ever had (as promised by Tim at Intus), and after a half-hour session with it, I am filled with optimism. It also has some nice features – although it has an On button, you don’t need it – by putting on the mask, and breathing normally, it detects, and turns on automatically. This is more useful than you might think. Many’s the time I’ve got up in the night; and coming back, half-asleep, put the mask back on without switching on the CPAP; or knocked over something sleepily reaching for the on button!

The machine is small (as you can see from the picture), and although it is only marginally smaller than the latest Papworth model, it is self-contained – i.e. there is no additional mains adaptor. The mains cable is a standard figure-of-8 (i.e. radio) lead, and the CPAP will also run off a 12V supply. Intus do a battery that will power the CPAP for up to 3 nights on a single charge. It is expensive, but I am thinking of getting one, as it will be more convenient when I travel – as hotel rooms so often lack any kind of power socket by the bed, I generally end up with a 5 meter extension lead stretched across the floor to the nearest 13A socket; which is invariably across the path to the bathroom.

It comes with a neat little carry case, with an expanding section for lead, hose and mask.

Be First to Comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *