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I had the same experience with the Aura. The question that I have is, and this is without any anger: Who did they test when they designed the Aura? Did the test patients have the same issues that we have all experienced: intense leaking? If so, why design a mask with such a terrible seal and sell it too the public with the same problems? Hum.....I just do not get it.

I will also stay with the swift. The Aura could be a great mask, but it must be redesigned so that the pillows fit firmly into the nares, and create a good seal. I think the Breeze feels great ,has a good seal, but it is just too loud for me due to the single port for air flow. I hope that we are not dealing with patent issues which prohibit certain designs if they are similar to another mask.

Stay tuned batman!!!

Sorry to hear it isn't working for you. Have you tried to add the upper strap like
Rested Gal did?



I actually went up a bit higher (near the exhalation port), but it adds a lot of stability for me, and no I didn't use pantyhose.

As for the pillows, make sure you try both sizes, Wader started out with the large and ended up using the medium. Personally, I can only get a seal with the large tho.

Thanks for being so willing to help, Mike. I do feel exactly like Joel though. I would really like to talk with the Aura people about their testing. Their design engineers got paid to create a product, and they went to market with it -- but RG had to continue their work (I assume uncompensated!) to try to come up with a fix. An then, IMHO, her supplementation to the design totally changes the Aura from something that I thought would be great to something totally different with lots of straps. Yes, I did try both sizes of nasal pillows, and I did try a pantyhose strap. By morning it gave me a headache from the knot tied in the back of my head. Yup, I probably didn't do it right (too tight), but a knotted pantyhose leg isn't the same as smooth straps with velcro adjustments either. Also, it's ugly. Argh, I should be packing for my trip. Sorry if i sound tired and cranky. I won't be that way by the time i leave the gentle Seattle rain and get to Sarasota FL and Houston TX for a few days!

lynn

Maybe that is the difference, I used a velcro strap from another mask...

Well, personally I prefer a mask that doesn't fit firmly anywhere That is the beauty of the Aura for myself and the others that it works for. I think the bigger problem is the sizes of the seals. The folks that have it working well don't have to have anything overly tight, it just works. Hang onto it and see when they come out with the x-large or small. I do think that they should offer the seals gratis as there is no fitting guide available so one is left to guess if it will work.


If that doesn't work, I am always open for donations of Large seals or masks

lynn wrote:Good idea, Guest. I am planning to do that as soon as I get back from my trip. I bought mine from cpap.com and don't really know why they don't step up and have AEIOmed back their products like the other guy did.
lynn

Well Lynn, I think that in an earlier post the owner of Aeiomed told "th" that he (the owner of Aeiomed) personally knew the owner of cpap.com and would make the same offer (to acecpt returns) to cpap.com as they did to cpapsuperstore.com.

Looks like cpapsuperstore.com was willing to help their customers and cpap.com was ????

lynn wrote:Good idea, Guest. I am planning to do that as soon as I get back from my trip. I bought mine from cpap.com and don't really know why they don't step up and have AEIOmed back their products like the other guy did.
lynn

Well Lynn, I think that in an earlier post the owner of Aeiomed told "th" that he (the owner of Aeiomed) personally knew the owner of cpap.com and would make the same offer (to acecpt returns) to cpap.com as they did to cpapsuperstore.com.

Looks like cpapsuperstore.com was willing to help their customers and cpap.com was ????

I talked to "Becky" at CPAP.COM about the 'returning the Aura' debate and she told me that CPAP.COM has no deal set up with AeioMed to accept returns; once you open the Aura package, it's yours.

I sent a LONG e-mail to AeioMed about the Aura; outlined my concerns about the washout port being too far from where the patient actually exhales, excessive length of tubing and accompanying temperature variation/condensation issues, lack of a larger-than-large pillow size, collapse of the silicone tubing if the thin metal wires are bent too much in an effort to adjust the plane of the pillows so that it matches the face, etc.

They sent me back an e-mail thanking me for being such a concerned and knowledgeable CPAP user but... tough luck:

Dear Mr. ******,
We appreciate the time and thought that went into your email to us and are sorry that the aura™ interface did not meet your needs. You are obviously a well-informed, concerned CPAP user and are interested in receiving the most comfortable and least intrusive therapy possible – it is our goal to provide that for every patient. We are committed to refining our designs wherever possible and will take your observations into our review process.
Sincerely,
Holly Larkin, RPSGT
Sr. Director Marketing & Clinical Affairs

No info offered regarding a larger pillow size, no response to my question regarding whether or not they had trialed the Aura with REAL patients over the course of several nights, no nothing. Basically, Holly Larkin, RPSGT, blew me off.

So, AeioMed is not too likely to ever get another cent out of me. I also am unlikely to spend any coin on an interface that I have not had a chance to try out first. I'm aware that the nature of on-line shopping is such that 'trying before you buy' is difficult, and on-line retailers have to have policies that don't leave them stuck with returns that they can't do anything with. Not-withstanding, I don't think I'll ever buy a mask again without trialing it first.

I believe I've read in other threads that AeioMed is following discussions about Aura on forums like CPAPTALK. I wonder if they are really listening.

I don't think the rainout issue is due to the port being so far away, it is more of an issue of a lot of narrow tubing with no insulation. I have the Aussie Heated hose and if I turn up the heated humidifer to 4-5 I can get rainout. The droplets actually start in the narrow tubing. I added a fleece cover to the hose and I now can go to 4 sometimes. Most nights all I need is 3 anyway.

As to the tubing colapsing. I think you might have the lockbox too far back and you are bending the pillow/seal too far back. I only bend the wire slightly to get a seal. You will have a easier time getting it to seal if you only use the wires to spread apart or move closer together. The angle towards your face should be only adjusted with the top adjustment and where you wear the lockbox.

When I first got mine it took me about 40 minutes of fiddling to figure out how I needed to adjust it to get a seal. Once I did, I haven't had a problem.

I think this is going to be a love it or hate it type of interface. So far there doesn't seem to be any in between.

I am already picking up a spare from someone that didn't have any luck, maybe some of the others that are using the Aura might want to pick up a spare too. At least you will get something back if CPAP.COM won't take it back. It is a shame that there is a disconnect on it. Maybe TH can get with his contact and see if it can get worked out.

WillSucceed wrote:I talked to "Becky" at CPAP.COM about the 'returning the Aura' debate and she told me that CPAP.COM has no deal set up with AeioMed to accept returns; once you open the Aura package, it's yours.
.

A whole lot of people seem to have taken the initial published review by Titrator as gospel and ordered the Aura based upon his rave review. A few other reviews came out later and mentioned the lack of large enough pillows; and rested gal needed to add straps on hers.

Maybe we should be more careful not to accept the first published review as gospel and then charge our credit cards so quickly.

That said, I think I for one will try shopping at cpapsuperstore.com because they were willing to do a little extra work to help their customers. I think someone at cpap.com should explain why one on line store can do it but not them.

I'm aware that the nature of on-line shopping is such that 'trying before you buy' is difficult, and on-line retailers have to have policies that don't leave them stuck with returns that they can't do anything with.

I know this is "how it is" except for the notable exception of cpapsuperstore's willingness to take back the Aura for full refund, per their agreement with Aeiomed (thanks to "th" for getting that accomplished!)

But I will never understand "why" that's how it has to be...why, in a treatment this important, people cannot return a mask to a store for a credit or a refund, in the same way that other types of purchases are returned to other kinds of stores.

With a little bit of creative thinking, I don't see why online stores (or any DME stores) would necessarily have to be stuck with returned masks. Some sleep clinics disinfect masks and use them with other patients. Some DMEs disinfect masks and use them for people to try on while looking for a mask to suit them. Some people wouldn't touch a mask that's been on someone else's face for one second...they could buy new. I am not that squeamish. We all eat in restaurants ... who knows where that fork has been before we put it in our mouths? I'd have no qualms at all about buying a disinfected mask at a reduced price. I'd do a bit more cleaning of my own, just to be sure (heheh) but I'd welcome being able to buy cheaper "pre-owned" masks from online stores.

Online shopping, especially for cpap supplies, has already revolutionized the way many are able to get more affordable equipment. They should be returnable, imho. Perhaps we'll see the day when all mask sales are handled the way cpapsuperstore and Aeiomed are handling returns if the Aura doesn't suit the buyer.

If the day ever comes that an online store started doing that with all mask purchases, charging only the shipping cost for returns...hmmm. The word would certainly spread. And word of mouth advertising can be very effective.

Did find something interesting. When the seal is wet (I forgot to wash mine yesterday morning so I washed it last night) it does make it VERY difficult to seal.

So my suggestion is, if you have a heated humidifier, you SHOULD have a heated hose. If not, you ARE going to get rainout (resultant from the narrow tubing) and with the seal getting wet, it will be more difficult to keep it from leaking...

RG wanna confirm it?

This website sells used cpap equipment and supplies and also rents and sells on consignment. Wonder if they might want some aura's?

http://www.expresscpap.com/text%20files/used.txt

snortz wrote:This website sells used cpap equipment and supplies and also rents and sells on consignment. Wonder if they might want some aura's?

http://www.expresscpap.com/text%20files/used.txt

The aura is too new for this site.

Looks like they specialize in selling bone yard cpap equipment at high prices. They are selling a USED PB418A (the older, bigger version of the 420E) for $400. A brand new 420E with software sells for $525. Why buy old junk with no warranty for just a little less than a nice (small) new model?