Cold air blowing on ME

RonS · Post by **RonS** » Sun Apr 27, 2008 1:31 pm

I search the forum and found a few references to cold air blowing on partners, but none really about the cold air blowing on the patient... me!

Maybe I didn't use the right search terms.

I'm using the Respironics Comfort Gel and it directs the exhaust ports along the hose, but the breeze is hitting me most of the night. When I wak up my forehead can be frozen and it can take forever for me to find a comfortable way to both position my head and the hose and/or my covers to prevent the slight iondirect breeze that I'm getting.

I've found that if I use a piece of blanket over the port it not only helps stop the blast, but it also muffles the sounds. If I use a sheet or another not-so-soft piece of material, the noise is amplified.

Anyone else had this problem and overcome it? How?

Thanks!

alnhwrd · Post by **alnhwrd** » Sun Apr 27, 2008 2:55 pm

I really don't think that you want to be covering your exhaust ports. They are designed to get rid of the carbon dioxide you exhale, so they need to be open or you could have some serious asphixiation problems.

Fredman · Post by **Fredman** » Sun Apr 27, 2008 3:31 pm

I have a Mirage Activa and it too blows the air down from the exhaust ports along the hose. Alnhwrd's comment is good, but as long as you let the air vent out of the mask you can cover over top as longs as the air is aloud to escape somewhere even under a blanket. Your fresh air is coming from the unit and outside of the blanket.

I try to keep my hands and arms away from the hose to avoid getting cold. Sometimes I swivel the hose upward and that way, arms and hands aren't a factor.

rested gal · Post by **rested gal** » Sun Apr 27, 2008 4:27 pm

Ron, if you can wear the Headrest nasal pillows mask, you'll not have that problem.

The Headrest's unique vent which exhausts straight up and is located up at eyebrow level never hits anything. Not your arm, not your pillow, not your bed covers, nor a bed partner.

Evan · Post by **Evan** » Sun Apr 27, 2008 5:46 pm

I've been having the same issue with the Breeze...they named that one aptly. Any tips for modding it?

rested gal · Post by **rested gal** » Sun Apr 27, 2008 6:27 pm

Evan, I used the Breeze for more than a year, before the Headrest mask came out. You might be interested to know that the designer of the Breeze is the one who later designed the Headrest mask. Thus, the similiarities and the improvements...especially in the vent placement and direction.

I had to keep an extra pillow over my arm to prevent the Breeze (and most masks) from blowing on my arm. A little thing that doesn't bother some people, but very annoying to me.

Seems like I read about someone rigging a shunt of some kind to direct the Breeze's exhaust air more upward, but I can't find the post.

I tried sticking a very small diameter tube in the Breeze's vent, and that worked for air direction...got it going more straight up instead of outward, but.... sticking anything in that tiny hole cuts off a lot of the normal exhaust flow, so that wasn't good.

Perhaps a person could bore the little vent hole to a bigger diameter -- then sticking a re-directing tube in it would get it back to the normal vent rate. Dunno how a person would be sure the vent rate was "right" again, though.

Evan · Post by **Evan** » Mon Apr 28, 2008 7:25 am

Looks like I'm getting a Headrest.
Thanks Rested Gal!

Fredman · Post by **Fredman** » Mon Apr 28, 2008 6:44 pm

I think Rested Gal should get a volume discount for her recommendations!

I am going to purchase one too...a guy or gal can't have enough masks...well maybe not. A person could bust the bank! Especially if Insurance don't cover.

After that a full face mask for those stuffed up nights when all I can do is mouth breathe!

Thanks RG!

rested gal · Post by **rested gal** » Mon Apr 28, 2008 9:31 pm

Fredman's already seen this, so this is for you, Evan:

The two things I'd strongly suggest for anyone who is going to try the Headrest mask are:

1. Have a way to hang the main air hose (the 6 ft. hose) up overhead, so that it doesn't tug on the mask when you turn over or move around. That's important not just with the Headrest mask, but with any other mask that lets you connect above top of head.
LINKS to Hose hangers and methods of managing the air hose
viewtopic.php?t=10640

2. Have a homemade strap ready when you put the mask on, because if adjusting everything doesn't make it leakproof, a homemade strap will help TREMENDOUSLY in keeping the nasal pillows steadily in place, especially when a person turns over. Again..this applies not just to the Headrest mask, but to many masks.

The very best "homemade" strap is a leg cut off a pair of tights ...not a leg from a pair of regular pantyhose. A leg cut off a pair of TIGHTS, since "tights" material will stay wider.

Yeah, men have to swallow male pride and go buy a pair of women's tights. LOL!!

Here's a picture of how to place the extra strap, to cradle the nasal pillows part as if it were in a sling. Works wonders. Can turn a leaky unusable mask instantly into the perfect leakproof mask:
http://www.tnlc.com/Lara/laura/osa/aura-RnR3-b.jpg

I went a step farther and cut ALL the headgear off my Headrest mask. I use two homemade straps instead. This is the way I've been using it for the past two years:
http://www.tnlc.com/Lara/laura/osa/aura-myaura2.jpg

Best way to "fasten" the homemade straps is with a doublestart knot. That lays flat (not like a knotty knot), stays secure, is easy to adjust during the night without having to untie it or tie it again, and is easy to loosen in the morning to take it off:
http://www.fieggen.com/shoelace/doublestartknot.htm

Descriptions of "decapitating" (removing the headgear) of the Headrest mask are in topics about that mask:
LINKS to Headrest nasal pillows mask topics (it used to be called the Aura and the Twilight NP...all are the same mask)
viewtopic.php?t=3098

And in the Lab Rat Awards links, which also has mods that don't require headgear removal - things as simple as jcarn's "rubberband fix":
LINKS to Lab Rat Trophy awards
viewtopic.php?t=15104