My experience with the OPUS

muld00n · Post by **muld00n** » Thu Apr 26, 2007 10:45 am

I was a Swift user and liked it very much. It is simple to use and easy to clean the pillows. But that danged hose sticking out of one side of the mask was really irritating. I kept thinking that they should redesign the Swift and design it with the hose coming out of the center. That would allow us to route the hose over the head. Oh well, maybe someday.

Then I heard about the OPUS, and I said, "Finally!". When I first tried on the OPUS, I chose the Large pillows and got the same results as everyone else, leaks, leaks, leaks.

But I was determined to make this work. The first night after trying to get a good seal with the Large pillows, I remember reading on this board that some had success with using the Medium pillows, so I tried that. It worked and I got through the night but something was just not quite right.

The second night, I took a second look at the Large pillows and decided I needed to make this work. The holes in the Large pillows are bigger and just makes breathing and exhaling a lot easier. I noticed that if I just barely pinched the pillows at the top where it seals against the nares, it would seal. So took a piece of dental floss and tied it around the pillows right under the flange. Voila! The only other change I made to the OPUS was to add the short tube from the Activa mask to extend the tubing.

I have used it every night now for 2 weeks and it works great. The mask is lightweight, very quiet, and permits sleeping on either side. It does leave the tell-tale "swoosh" marks on the sides of the face, but they seem to disappear quickly enough. The only suggestions I have for Fischer & Paykel is to make the supply tube about 6 inches longer, and to provide a travel case with the mask (it doesn't come with one).

Pros:
• Quiet
• Lightweight
• Permits sleeping on back or either side
• Easy cleaning

Cons:
• No travel case
• Leaves marks on face
• Needs longer supply hose

Steve

DreamStalker · Post by **DreamStalker** » Thu Apr 26, 2007 11:37 am

Steve -

Had exact same Eureka moment this past weekend. I was planning on documenting my fix and posting this coming weekend ... even used my Activa extender hose just as you did. My modified Breeze is in danger of losing top place for my favorite interface.

muld00n · Post by **muld00n** » Thu Apr 26, 2007 11:50 am

DreamStalker wrote:Had exact same Eureka moment this past weekend. I was planning on documenting my fix and posting this coming weekend ... even used my Activa extender hose just as you did. My modified Breeze is in danger of losing top place for my favorite interface.

Great minds think alike huh?

DreamStalker · Post by **DreamStalker** » Thu Apr 26, 2007 5:46 pm

Well here is my fix along the same lines as Steve's -

I got myself an Opus nasal pillow interface about a month ago. I was unable to get through more than about 3 or 4 hours without any leaks … after which the leaks would start and no matter how I reseated them they would not stay sealed. I tried large and medium without success.

The Opus pillows are integrated with a soft-lip cushion composed of a very soft silicone material. The soft-lip cushion rests upon the upper lip and is suppose to support the integrated pillows into the nares. The problem is that because the silicone material was so thin and soft, it would loose its structural integrity under the stress of my tossing and turning while asleep. In other words, the soft-lip cushion would eventually deform causing the pillows to loose their seal.

At first I thought it was the plastic reinforcing support strip on the side straps of the headgear that was shifting the pillows out away from my nares whenever I rolled over onto my side. So I took a razor blade (X-acto knife) and removed most of that grey plastic support strip … leaving only enough to attach to the headgear straps securely. I still got leaks in the middle of the night although to a lesser extent.

Then last Friday night … Eureka! I noticed that by gently squeezing the pillows between my thumb and index finger (as if pinching you nose shut but only lower on the soft-lip cushion just under the pillows), the leaks would stop. So I got up in the middle of the night and McGyvered a paper clip into a “U” shaped around the soft-lip cushion and adjusted it to do the squeezing for me … and it worked great -- slept a total of 9 hours without any leaks.

Saturday morning I studied the pillows in more detail and realized that all that was needed was a way to support the soft-lip cushion -- a girdle of course. I got some handy-dandy Velcro material and made a quick strap to fit around the soft-lip cushion. Later in the afternoon I tested my fix by taking a nap for a couple of hours and the Opus worked without any leaks at all.

The true test was Saturday night. I tried my new girdle fix for a full night of sleep without any leaks and I think my modified Breeze now has a serious contender that may well be unseated from my number-one favorite mask place.

If you are having similar leak issues with your Opus, you may want to try adding a simple support girdle to the soft-lip cushion. You can use anything that will act as a girdle support around that soft-lip cushion part of the pillows. Removal of the grey plastic support strip may not be necessary, so try the girdle first … then if you still have issues with pillows being shifted laterally away from your nares remove part of the plastic strip from the side headgear straps.

I have since trimmed the Velcro strip from 3/4" to about 1/2" wide and it seems to be about right for me.

TerryB · Post by **TerryB** » Thu Apr 26, 2007 6:13 pm

You can pad the cheek strap area with the foam strips sold at Wally World as toe pads. They are a little over three inches long ( For Looooong toes or to be cut down ). If you take the back and top adjusting straps off of the buckles and put them one on top of the other you can slide a pad on them and onward to the cheek area then re-attach the adjustable straps to their respective buckle. I'm going to give the little O another try, it's so light and quiet but so leaky. I've been doing very well with the CL2 but would love to get the Opus running.

TerryB

bunker · Post by **bunker** » Thu Apr 26, 2007 11:25 pm

I am glad that there are others finding the value of the Opus. I have been using mine now for over 3 months and I am wrapped with it and the results. I mentioned back in a reply post in February my velcro fix and found it a little difficult to explain in words. Well done Dreamstalker for the great pix, as they say a pictures worth a thousand words. The only down side I found was that the dye from the black velcro has discoloured the pillows a little but I figure if anyone seems to notice that when I wear it to dinner I will ignore them anyway. As far as the hose goes, yes something alittle longer and more flexible/ swivelled would be better, but even so I don't even use the hook I put up for my hose anymore and it is fine. At Easter I flew to Eastern Australia on a family visit and the Opus, hose and all fitted in my S8 Auto case and worked like a charm (easy to clean as well).
Archie

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Tue May 15, 2007 7:02 pm

bump

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Tue May 15, 2007 7:04 pm

Is this velcro tape? did you just adhesive it to itslef or is oneside hook and otherside loop? Thanks Also is some slight leaking normal on exhale (through the nares not the exhaust holes)?

DreamStalker · Post by **DreamStalker** » Tue May 15, 2007 7:16 pm

Anonymous wrote:Is this velcro tape? did you just adhesive it to itslef or is oneside hook and otherside loop? Thanks

No adhesive ... that would make a mess of things. One side is "fine" hook other side soft fuzzy loop ... you can find it at Lowes.

Anonymous wrote:Also is some slight leaking normal on exhale (through the nares not the exhaust holes)?

Not normal.

Carrie · Post by **Carrie** » Wed May 16, 2007 6:56 am

Well the velcro helped me alot but they still leak a little and after shifting in the night the leaks go tbig again, Its so odd that it seemed to fit the day I got it from her but doesnt now - of course I always feel like shes in a hurry so that doesnt help. Sorry she being the therapist. This time she just gave it to me and said hows that feel - I said I dont know, I dont know how its suppose to feel? She didnt show be assembly or cleaning or anything this time. ANywho so Im wondering do you think a large might help? with the velcro it seems to leak in the middle and with no velcro kind of all over I think. Thanks again for all the info and help being a newbie to all this its just so tough because you dont have anything to compare it too and plus everytime I want to experiment with masks or sizes I have to go ask this lady - that said if I try a large I have to go pay her a visit again, wish shed give me all the sizes from the start to experiment with. I feel like I just keep getting handed things and left. I just want good sleep, we are moving soon (stress for me in the weeones like Im not under enough) plus my daughters birthdays coming up I want to feel better before all that. My kids need me and so do I, my husband probably wouldnt mind me a little nicer too

tangents · Post by **tangents** » Wed May 16, 2007 7:09 am

Since my next mask selection is undecided, and could very well be the Opus, I have a question about the velcro "girdle". If I interpret the pictures correctly, (thanks for them, by the way, they're great!) the "Velcro" doesn't serve any purpose except to provide a stiff-but-flexible support for under the lip cushion? Or do you connect the Velcro in a ring at the top?

Thanks again, I can't imagine how hose-heads get masks to work without this forum!

Cathy

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Wed May 16, 2007 7:30 am

The velcro closes at the top it pushes the pillows inward a bit and in turn makes them go at a better angle for a better seal - or so thats how it worked for me.

DreamStalker · Post by **DreamStalker** » Wed May 16, 2007 9:09 am

The silicone material is too thin and as headgear strap tension changes due to head movements while asleep, the soft-lip cushion loses rigidity and affects the nasal pillows which causes leaks. The girdle helps to keep the soft-lip cushion from collapsing under the tension of the headgear and helps to maintain the nasal pillows in place.

Washing skin oils off the nasal pillows on a daily basis may help them to seal better.

muld00n · Post by **muld00n** » Wed May 16, 2007 9:09 am

tangents wrote:Since my next mask selection is undecided, and could very well be the Opus, I have a question about the velcro "girdle". If I interpret the pictures correctly, (thanks for them, by the way, they're great!) the "Velcro" doesn't serve any purpose except to provide a stiff-but-flexible support for under the lip cushion? Or do you connect the Velcro in a ring at the top?

Cathy, I dont use velcro on mine. I simply tied a piece of dental floss around the 2 pillows just under the flange. It very unobtrusive and I can pull the pillows out to wash them each day without any complications. Sorry I dont have a picture to show what I did, but it is very easy to do.

Good luck.
Steve

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Wed May 16, 2007 9:31 am

I didn't have any velcro to try, but I did use the dental floss. I think I pulled the pillows too tight though, because it leaked worse than the first night and also hurt my nares.

Half way through the night I took the dental floss off and slept much better after that. I might try the velcro as suggested, for maintaining the shape of the cushion rather than changing the shape of the pillows.

I did find that wiping off the nares and reapplying gel in the middle of the night helped to keep the seal pretty well until morning.

I'm not giving up on the Opus yet !

My experience with the OPUS

My experience with the OPUS

opus pillows