AEIOMed Twilight NP - the rubber band trick

[ProfessorSleep]

Tlawler, I had the same problem as you with the Aura, even on the F&P machine. I wrapped everything with fleece and still condensation only in the nasal loop. I've given up on it for the winter except for an occasional break from the Swift. I am hypothesizing that it has to do with the location of the exhaust vents, but I don't know. I'd sure like a fix for this one, too. Heated hose doesn't seem to help.

[ozij]

In addition to the above, I use a "tube bandage", of the kind used on fingers, what you would put on top of other bandages, to keep them in place. It's made of very soft, very very fine material, and I wrap a piece of it gently around the upper part of the loops, and tuck the ends beneath the bridge. It seems to help.

I also made sure to insulate me heated hose wherever it touches the cold wall, and wherever the vented air blows on it.

It's not too cold here yet, but I think using the tube bandage material (I hope you know what I mean) is worth a try.

O.

[tlawler]

So far running the humidifier with water but no heat seems to be OK. No rainout and my throat is not too dry in the morning. Seems silly to have the humidifier and not be able to use it. The delicate clear silicone tubes leading to my nose are too close to my face to add any additonal material. I also like to see if they are getting dirty since I don't disassemble and clean them every day (only wipe off the tips that touch the nose).

But thanks for the suggestion. The Aura is definately better for me than the Swift with regard to leaks. It may be a little noisier than the Swift but I love the fact that the exhaust on the Aura goes straight up.
Tom

[Teej813]

Thanks for the rubber band tip. Nicely done. I'll try it tonight.

My Aura arrived yesterday, so last night was my first chance to try it. I know it's only been 1 night, but i have some reservations about it.

Quality seems to be good, and i like the design... very ingenious, in fact. But it took a bit of rather agressive bending of the wire in the tube to get a good fit. I'm hoping that this rubber band trick will help, and i can reduce the rather drastic bends in the wire. We'll see.

Also, the headset is, quite frankly, uncomfortable. I'm hoping it's an adjustment issue, but last night the rigid headpiece was less than comfortable. It tended to cut into my scalp (i'm a side sleeper, and tend to bury my face into the pillow).

The thing is noisy too. My wife is so patient and too kind to complain. But after laying there for a half hour listening to the woosh this thing produces (and trying in vain to get comfortable), i took the Aura off and went back to my Activa.

After reading this thread and thinking about the way i had to bend the wires, it got me thinking. Could some of the wind noise be caused by crimping of the nasal tubes due to the drastic bends of the wire? If so, maybe this rubber band trick will help.

Fingers crossed. I'd cross my eyes too, but i have enuf trouble typing as it is.



tj

[jcarn]

Definitely bend the wires back to factory and make minor adjustments after applying the rubber bands. I noticed when first bending the wires too much, the airflow was decreased and noise levels increased because of the forced pressure through the kinks in the rubber nosepiece tubing.
It'll quiet down with less wire bending and you'll quickly get used to it. I'd compare it soundwise to the Breeze, but find the sound a bit more soothing. It's more of a gently blowing sound rather than the Breeze type gurgle/wind sound.

As far as the headset, I find that applying it first to the back of the scalp and pulling it toward the front gives a better feel .. less hair pulling.

I always set my CPAP to ramp when first going to bed .. my level is 13cm. It's much easier to fall asleep this way.

Good luck!

[dkeat]

Well the fix is simply great. I had been using the Aura for quite some time without too much difficulty, but had slight problems with leakage that are now completly resolved. I knew that I would have a good use for those rubber bands someday.

As for condensation, we are in the depths of Winter out here. I sleep with a partially open window and have the REMstar humidifier cranked up to 2. I get very little condensation and it only rarely disturbs me. I have the heated hose too. I have heard from others that if condensation is really a problem just use the humidifier as a passover and let the heated hose warm the air. They don't seem to have condensation problems when they do that.

[sleepylady]

I just bought the Aura after having a very frustrating time trying to make the Activa work. Last night was the third night of use, and second with the rubber bands, and all I can say is jcarn you are AWESOME for finding this solution. This is absolutely my favorite mask to date...and I've tried a lot of them. I'm even able to sleep on my tummy again with my face in my pillow...YIPPEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I haven't been able to do that since before CPAP therapy. I tried with the Activa, but had to hang my head off the pillow.

Can't tell you enough how happy I am to have stumbled on this site. The knowledge and fixes for problems is wonderful. Just last night my sister was staring at me as if I was an alien because I was nailing a scrunchy to the wall above my bed. I don't have a headboard, so this worked great. Now I don't have the problem of the hose pulling and it's out of the way.

[snork1-guested]

regarding rainout: Try double insulating the heated hose. That really works for me. I put a fleece cover OVER the stock cover that comes with the heated hose. At least on the masks I use, this works.


Not only is this rubber band thing apparently a good fix for the aura, but these are the best photos I have seen of this interface.

I may yet have to try the aura one of these days, now that I can see what it ACTUALLY looks like, although the Swift-Activa rotation is working pretty darn well for me, with only a few whines on my part.

I notice everyone is pretty well ignoring the manufacturer's renaming of this interface.

[steven]

Thank you for the rubber band fix.

The mask now seals perfectly with no other modifications. I don't even have to bend the wires!

Unfortunately, my significant other complains that the exhaust noise is too loud for her to sleep. She prefers that I use the ComfortLite which is much quieter.

Any suggestions?

My pressure is 10 -14.

[ozij]

Have been using the rubber band solution for three nights, and it's great.

It seals better and relieves me of having anything touch my face.

Thanks, jcarn!

O.

[Linda3032]

Once you Aura users get all hooked up for the night, how much mobility do you have? For instance, can you sit up in bed and reach for a blanket which is at the bottom of the bed?

It just seems that once you have anchored your main hose, you become quite restricted in up and down movements. Hoping to get my Aura in January.

[rested gal]

Linda, the "anchor" for my main hose is the ubiquitous ponytail scrunchy hanging on a hook fastened to the wall about a foot above my head. I allow the hose enough slack above me so that I can sit up easily.

If I wanted to do something like reach down to the foot of the bed to pull a blanket up, I can simply feed more air hose through the scrunchy toward me. After getting the covers settled, I can push the main air hose back through the scrunchy, giving myself only as much slack as needed to keep the air hose up out of the way.

If that didn't give me enough mobility to reach the foot of the bed, I can always lift the scrunchy off the hook, move around as far as the 6 foot hose lets me, then hang the scrunchy back on the hook again.

Scrunchies rule!!

[Linda3032]

Scrunchies rule!!

LOL - indeed they do. I have one pinned to the side of my mattress, chest level, to hold the weight of my hose. It keeps it from falling off the bed and pulling my nose off.!! Plus, I have several in my traveling bags.

Thanks for the answer - I've always wondered how you "over the pillow" mask users sit up.

[Jerry69]

The new Aura is different on top. The anchor points are gone. Here is a suggestion:



Just use one rubber band about 2-1/2" to 3"long when flattened and sort of stretchy.

I'll try it tonight.

Oh, so you get more rainout with the Aura than the Swift. I experienced rainout last night with my new Aura and the HH on 1. First time ever. I don't usually heat the humidifier, just use it as a passover, but the times I have heated it, I used the Swift and didn't get any rainout.

I think the reason it occurs with the Aura and not the Swift is that the supply tube for the Swift is bigger in cross section than the small tubes of the Aura. If I remember correctly, smaller tubes mean higher velocity flow and correspondingly, lower pressure. The lower pressure causes the water vapor to condense. I wondered without really considering this when I got water in the nasal seal piece of the Aura during the night. And, I had some accumulation in the nasal seal this morning.

I don't know if this is going to be a problem, however. If it is, I'll just not heat the humidifier. I don't really need additional humidification here in Florida.

Jerry

[bosqueman]

Thank you for the rubber band fix.

The mask now seals perfectly with no other modifications. I don't even have to bend the wires!

Unfortunately, my significant other complains that the exhaust noise is too loud for her to sleep. She prefers that I use the ComfortLite which is much quieter.

Any suggestions?

My pressure is 10 -14.

Actually I have a question, I am having a lot of trouble getting used to the CPAP. I currently use a ResMed pillow. The noise is what I think prevents me from going to sleep. It sounds like the Aura is comfortable but noisy. Is the ComfortLite comfortable? What is the sound level? Do both exhaust by the nose or is it at the top of the head?

Thanks!