Nasal Aire II questions

[jasminechichi]

Hello,
I have now in my arsenal a Nasal Aire II. I have tested the sizes and I find that I need to use a small nasal prong. When I tried the XS my right nare leaked slightly, but my left was air tight so I moved up a size.

My question to other nasal aire II users is will the prongs ever feel comfortable? Right now mine feel as if I have two giant fence posts in my nares. When the cpap is on the feeling is even more intense. Another question will over time the prongs stretch my nares out of shape?

Any suggestions or tips on this device would be appreciated.

[Pugsy]

Those prongs do feel weird up the nose but it does get easier or less of a weird feeling. I don't have a problem with the prongs but the head gear sucks. I tried Babette's chin strap way of anchoring but the chin strap is too hot right now. I sweat too much. I would love the prongs if I could find some secure way to anchor the 2 tubes. So the Nasal Prong trial is on the back burner and I am trying the Opus 360. I love it except I can't seem to keep it sealed at the higher pressures I sometimes need.

I have no idea if all this stuff inside our nostrils will make the opening larger over time. I don't think that anyone has measured the nostril opening at the onset of all this and then again a year or so down the road. Measurements would be the only accurate way to tell for sure. I don't think ease in picking our nose would be a very accurate standard to go by..

Any newbie want to be a guinea pig and keep a record of nostril size while using these various nasal pillow and prong interfaces??

[6PtStar]

My left nare has always been a little tighter than my right. I have used the NAII for over 2 1/2 years now and cant imagine having to change to something else. The first year and a half plus I used the small cannula and did not think I would ever change size. I know some I have talked to have gone up in size. What seems to happen as the nares get tougher and don't get sore any longer some find that they simply get a better seal with the next size and can tolerate the larger size without getting sore.

To answer your question, yes they will get comfortable.

Jerry

[Babette]

Jasmine, I am one of those that felt immediately comfortable. I didn't have any problems until about 2 years in, when I put in a new cannula and for some reason, that one hurt. Go figure.

Other users report there is a "toughening up" phase at the beginning. They report after a few weeks they felt perfectly comfortable. My personal feeling is that there is a combined effect where they get used to the prongs, and the silicone breaks down a bit and gets softer.

One thing I would suggest - Try pulling the prongs gently out, until you hit the "sweet spot" where they are not leaking, but are just barely in your nose. This is how they are designed to be worn, and it might help some. Me, I tend to shove them in as far as they will go, then wiggle them out and twist them on the side hoses until I can find just the right adjust ment.

Pugsy, sorry the chinstrap is too hot! I've heard others say the Pap-Cap chinstrap works really well for them with the NAII. I don't like it, but it might work for you. Might be cooler. I had a helluva time with the Tiara Topaz being too hot, but since switching to the Deluxe, I don't find it too hot, even on the sweatiest nights. But we're all different.

More info in my signature block links, if anyone's interested.

Cheers,
Barbara

[Pugsy]

Pugsy, sorry the chinstrap is too hot! I've heard others say the Pap-Cap chinstrap works really well for them with the NAII. I don't like it, but it might work for you. Might be cooler. I had a helluva time with the Tiara Topaz being too hot, but since switching to the Deluxe, I don't find it too hot, even on the sweatiest nights. But we're all different.

I have the Deluxe chin strap. I think my menopausal hot flashes are playing into the "too hot" thing and affecting things. Not much I can do about that. I thought about the Papcap but the whole beauty of the Nasal Air II prongs is the minimal head gear and I just can't get too excited about adding more headgear.... So I will play with it some more later. Just finished a 2 week trial of the Opus 360. It works great till I hit some really high pressure then it wants to leak pretty badly. Usually happens very late into my night. I know it is my REM sleep events messing with me. I am going to take a break from my lab ratting and go back to my Swift LT for Her for a few nights and regroup and maybe come up with some other ideas. I will say that the Nasal Aire II handles the higher pressures that I sometimes hit with very minimal leakage. If I could just find the perfect method to securing the 2 hoses to the top of my head, it would be a perfect mask for me. Always something....

[BleepingBeauty]

If I could just find the perfect method to securing the 2 hoses to the top of my head, it would be a perfect mask for me. Always something....

What about enclosing the two hoses in those butterfly clips for hair? Something like these, maybe:

[Pugsy]

Pugsy wrote:If I could just find the perfect method to securing the 2 hoses to the top of my head, it would be a perfect mask for me. Always something....



What about enclosing the two hoses in those butterfly clips for hair? Something like these, maybe:

Helluva idea.. Tomorrow I will go to WalMart and see what I can find. I will let you know how it turns out.

[BleepingBeauty]

What about enclosing the two hoses in those butterfly clips for hair? Something like these, maybe:

Helluva idea.. Tomorrow I will go to WalMart and see what I can find. I will let you know how it turns out.

Cool. I hope you find something that works for you.

***Woohoo! My brain is back!

[Babette]

Hey Bleeping, great idea!!!! I'm a side sleeper, so I can't imagine that fix would work for me, but if it will work for someone else, you're a Bleeping Genius!

Pugsy, 6ptStar swears by the NAII headgear that came with it. Have you tried just that? Just because I hate that headgear doesn't mean YOU will.

Seems to me that one of us could come up with a chinstrap that could attach to the NAII headgear that wouldn't be so confining as the Deluxe, or the Topaz, or the PAP CAP.

Not me. I'm done lab-ratting chinstraps. Someone else's turn.

LOL,
B.

[Pugsy]

Pugsy, 6ptStar swears by the NAII headgear that came with it. Have you tried just that? Just because I hate that headgear doesn't mean YOU will.

Yeah, I tried it for 3 nights. YUCK. It was all over my head and off my head during the night. I do a lot of tossing and turning so I sort of need something cemented in place....

I took a nap one day with just the prongs in place. I was on my side. I didn't move for 2 hours. The prongs never moved. I just can't stay in one position anymore than a couple of hours.

I will get one of those large clips and see if I can get the 2 hoses and my hair all into it on top of my head. Sure won't hurt to try.

[jasminechichi]

Thanks for all the great replies. I tried it last night and I believe I am going to like it. I am going to have to get a chin strap because I woke up with a dry mouth.

I am not pleased with the head gear. It is tedious to put on. When I removed it and tried to put it back on it was a mess. I had to tear it down and redo. I am going to have to get my Carol Duval mojo going and work something out.

Thanks for the tip about not pushing the prongs all the way in...I was up to the hilt. So I will back them out a little and see if they are move comfortable. It really wasn't so bad though.

The one thing that I did not like is that the prong getup is LOUD. At least the exhaust (is that what you call it?) was loud. I wound up putting earplugs in and was able to sleep. I don't tend to do that all the time, if I am going to wear this I have got to get used to it.

Thanks for the help!

[BleepingBeauty]

Hey Bleeping, great idea!!!! I'm a side sleeper, so I can't imagine that fix would work for me, but if it will work for someone else, you're a Bleeping Genius!
B.

Thanks, Babs! I'm just glad that the creative side of my brain seems to be returning.

[Muse-Inc]

...think my menopausal hot flashes are playing into the "too hot" thing and affecting things. Not much I can do about that...

Investigate using topical progesterone cream; it's bio-identical to what your body is producing or should be right now. In that MT Everest study (I keep posting the link to) waay down on one of the pages, it mentions that the hypertension created by altitude (like our desats) is helped by bio-identical progesterone. Read Dr John Lee's books, like What Your Doctor Won't Tell You About Menopause...or the one on peri-menopause; they explain a lot of the balancing act between the 3 major estrogens and progesterone. Pioneering the use of topical progesterone, he began investigating its use when his breast & uterine cancer survivors aged enough to go thru peri- and menopause without being able to use Premarin for their symptoms or osteoporosis. Worth investigating Brenda. I've been using it since 2000.

[Pugsy]

Investigate using topical progesterone cream; it's bio-identical to what your body is producing or should be right now. In that MT Everest study (I keep posting the link to) waay down on one of the pages, it mentions that the hypertension created by altitude (like our desats) is helped by bio-identical progesterone. Read Dr John Lee's books, like What Your Doctor Won't Tell You About Menopause...or the one on peri-menopause; they explain a lot of the balancing act between the 3 major estrogens and progesterone. Pioneering the use of topical progesterone, he began investigating its use when his breast & uterine cancer survivors aged enough to go thru peri- and menopause without being able to use Premarin for their symptoms or osteoporosis. Worth investigating Brenda. I've been using it since 2000

A few years back I used some topical progesterone for about 3 months and I had a lump in my breast come up. I know that stuff isn't supposed to do stuff like that and it probably was a coincidence but it scared the devil out of me. I have strong maternal history of breast cancer in my family. I quit using the cream and the lump faded away.
I am pretty much past the hot flashes from menopause now. They only rarely strike. I never took any HRT. I have been too scared to. I prefer to whine occasionally about the hot flashes and night sweats than to worry about cancer. The worst seems to have past. Awaiting the results of the Bone Mass Density studies to see if I have to put osteoporosis on my plate right now.

[6PtStar]

I do use the headgear with a couple of modifications.


I dump the top strap, all it does is pull it off the top of my head. Also don't use the bolo. Use a piece of "One Wrap" Velcro about an inch behind the loops which are angled down at about 45 degrees. The "One Wrap" is applied tight so that when I pull it snug it stays in place. Whith it snug the hoses and cannula can't slide down and this hold the headband from comming off the top of my head. Easy to put on, just slide the loop over your head, pull the hoses snug. No fighting, adjusting, etc. I do loop the hoses in front. I have used it with the hoses off the top of my head but it not quite as stable, using the bolo this way did help and I do thrash around at night. It is cool and is so simple and easy to use. I may be weard but it works for me. I don't have much hair any more so don't know if ladies hair would cause any problems with it moving around.

Jerry