Altering a Dreamwear vent to make it quiet?

If I could combine the comfort of my Dreamwear with the quiet of my P10, I think I'd have a perfect mask (for me).

My problem at the moment is that I toss and turn a lot, and the P10 tubing gets in my way. The Dreamwear stays out of my way, but the exhaust port is super loud when I turn the pressure up high (where I need it). If I cover the Dreamwear port, it's quiet, so I know it isn't the sound coming through the tubing; it's definitely the exhaust.

Would it be safe for me to put a mesh cover over the Dreamwear port to try and diffuse the exhaust like the P10 does? Is there a way to test whether it's still venting adequately with such a measure in place?

FrederickRose wrote:If I could combine the comfort of my Dreamwear with the quiet of my P10, I think I'd have a perfect mask (for me).

My problem at the moment is that I toss and turn a lot, and the P10 tubing gets in my way. The Dreamwear stays out of my way, but the exhaust port is super loud when I turn the pressure up high (where I need it). If I cover the Dreamwear port, it's quiet, so I know it isn't the sound coming through the tubing; it's definitely the exhaust.

Would it be safe for me to put a mesh cover over the Dreamwear port to try and diffuse the exhaust like the P10 does? Is there a way to test whether it's still venting adequately with such a measure in place?

If you cover the port and aren't breathing, there's no airflow through the frame since it would then be venting out of the top vent. Maybe I'm too deaf to hear the vent - I only hear the flow through the frame when I'm laying on it.

What I meant was that if I continue to breath but cover the vent, the sound goes away.

FrederickRose wrote:What I meant was that if I continue to breath but cover the vent, the sound goes away.

Ahhh... I'm deafer than I thought!

The mesh better have largish holes itself because you don't want to rebreath CO2 - which is what the vent is venting.

I have played with doing what you are suggesting but only to the vent holes at the nose area and not mess with the vent holes on the top near where the hose attaches to the mask.

I couldn't find anything that diffuse the air well enough to quiet the venting enough AND would stay in place easily. I tried it with a piece of ResMed standard filter material. It helps a little with the noise but no where near the level of quiet that the P10 venting offers.

Securing whatever porous material to the vent hole area without blocking the hole with the securing substance was a tough challenge and I was never really happy with my results. Haven't had the time lately to do more experimenting. I am always really leery of blocking the vents because I don't know how much carbon dioxide I might be making myself rebreathe.

The 2 vents are there for a reason and I assume that if there wasn't a need for 2 then there wouldn't be 2 vents so I am afraid to do too much blocking of the vents since I have no way to measure the carbon dioxide at the mask level and that vent at the nose area is the one that annoys me the most.
So to answer your question...is there any way to test things to make sure we aren't causing bad carbon dioxide buildup....not that I am aware of.

Have you considered using some sort of hose management system to get the P10 hose up and away from you so that it is less annoying when you toss and turn?

Does anyone know if the Cpap manufactures read these forums to see common user feedback, such as placement of vents on Dreamwear, for possible future modifications of the product? I’d put a piece of tape over the Dreamwear nose vent if it wasn’t potentially dangerous

manufacturers don't care what users say in forums. their main concern is to provide their share holders with a maximum return on their investment. they are not going to go to the expense of engineering and retooling because some guy wants an extra hole.

Pugsy wrote:Have you considered using some sort of hose management system to get the P10 hose up and away from you so that it is less annoying when you toss and turn?

I've rigged something up, but it isn't working all that well. I'll see if I can improve it.

Okay, this is really weird:

I have Dreamwear Nasal Pillows and Dreamwear Nasal Cushion (without the pillows) in sizes S, M, L.

All of them have identical looking exhaust ports. One of them - the nasal cushion in size S without pillows - isn't noisy. The rest make a loud rattling sound at the front exhaust.

I don't know if it's my nose shape or what. But the one that is quiet is working great for me right now - excellent seal, comfort, and quiet - so I am all set .

You could all go work on jet fighters for 6 years and then lose enough hearing that the Dreamwear isn't actually loud..

FrederickRose wrote:Okay, this is really weird:

I have Dreamwear Nasal Pillows and Dreamwear Nasal Cushion (without the pillows) in sizes S, M, L.

All of them have identical looking exhaust ports. One of them - the nasal cushion in size S without pillows - isn't noisy. The rest make a loud rattling sound at the front exhaust.

I don't know if it's my nose shape or what. But the one that is quiet is working great for me right now - excellent seal, comfort, and quiet - so I am all set .

Interesting! Let us know if it continues to be quieter.

Interesting! I don't hear the vents at all unless the airstream is hitting the bedclothes.

The F&P Brevida has a little snap on 'muffler' that goes over the vent holes. It looks a little like a grey filter material, and really makes the mask quiet.

Each mask comes with two, and they are washable as well. I have always been a little concerned about using them in terms of the CO2 issue, but they were designed that way I hope!

FrederickRose wrote:Okay, this is really weird:

I have Dreamwear Nasal Pillows and Dreamwear Nasal Cushion (without the pillows) in sizes S, M, L.

All of them have identical looking exhaust ports. One of them - the nasal cushion in size S without pillows - isn't noisy. The rest make a loud rattling sound at the front exhaust.

I don't know if it's my nose shape or what. But the one that is quiet is working great for me right now - excellent seal, comfort, and quiet - so I am all set .

I am always wondering about the dreamwear posts /threads that talk about how noisy the mask is? Maybe that's because I've worn only the small cushion since the beginning? I had pretty much concluded it was just that I wasn't bothered by noise, but maybe I don't HAVE the noise others experience. So maybe I thought I was just easy to please or that others were more sensitive? But OP, Frederickrose may have made a discovery!

Perhaps there is something just a little different with the small cushion? I wonder what it is????

Actually, I do get *some* noise and definitely a bad seal when the cushion gets too old. I forget what the recommended length of use time is for the cushion? I would be ashamed to tell you how long I use one. You would think I was a heathen. I wash it of course every day but I do use it (and use it) until it no longer seals.

I find I like the vent blowing at front. I often put my finger in the stream. (or two fingers fluttering/playing) I am so happy not to have anything pulling or blocking in front of my face like a long tube ...so that a little stream of air is no distraction (for me) at all.

I also like using the large frame with the small nose piece as it frees up more skin on my face. The large worn at an angle sits behind my cheekbones and in front of my ears. It's good, but WOW would I like a customized dreamwear mask that brought the air to my nasal cushion and curved and sat EXACTLY how I wanted on my face/head. I guess all of us want to be as naked and comfortable as possible in our masks. As long as the therapy is optimized.

Keep tinkering Frederick Rose and please share your results.

Are you friends with any plastic surgeons? I am convinced the dreamware could be designed to give us a gentle lift, kinda like pulling your hair up and back in a high ponytail or updo? Nothing dramatic but I like to put as many 'checks' in to the plus column as I can. ...and if I am wearing this anyway ...what ELSE can it do for me?

right?