My vote on the Aura

Hi, All!
Wanted to check in quickly with my vote for (definitely FOR!) the Aura! I have had trouble finding a nasal mask to work, as apparently my nose is the only part of me that is particularly small! Even the latest size Small mask is too large, and is smushing my top lip and hitting the inside corners of my eyes. For this reason, I started out with the Medium Aura pillows. The entire interface felt FABULOUS on my face and I was extremely happy...until I went to turn on my side, and began getting leakage at the bottom edge. I worked with the front slide, and slightly bent the wires, and the second night was better, but not completely leak free. Last night, I used the large pillows. GREAT nights sleep! I dub thee, Aura, "Winner"!!!
Quick question...I have a Respironics RemStar Plus with C-Flex. It looks like I have ports in the back where I could plug things in. Will the Encore Pro system work with this model?? I've only heard of it being used with the Pro2 and the Auto. Would love to see what is going on during the night. I seem to be sleeping well, but am still tired and sleepy during the day! Probably working on that sleep debt, but would love to see what is actually happening!
Treva

Hi Treva,

Glad to hear that you've got the Aura working perfectly for you. It's been my favorite now for almost two months of steady use after I added my strap tweaks.

I think the way the exhaust is designed on the Aura - above the nasal part and pointing straight up - is one of the many things that make me like the Aura so much. It's almost impossible to make the exhaust hit anything! I can pull the cover completely up over my head if I want to, leaving the tiniest open area at my forehead, and the exhaust doesn't hit the cover.

The soft nasal assembly just sinks into my pillow. I don't have to keep moving my head here and there to get on the pillow's edge. Such a comfortable interface if we have to use "masks" at all.

I'd strongly recommend that anyone take advantage of the "full refund" offer one particular online store offers when selling the Aura. cpapsuperstore.com will give buyers of the Aura their money back if a person buys it, tries it at home, and doesn't like it.

Getting to actually try out the Aura at home and get full refund if it doesn't suit you? I wish all masks were sold in such a sensible way. Great way to get to try the Aura, that's for sure!

Treva, the Remstar Plus will not provide the kind of data you're interested in, so the Encore Pro software would not do you any good for that machine. From the picture I looked at of the Remstar Plus, it didn't look like it even has a "smart card" slot on the side. The things you see on the back are not where those of us using Encore Pro do the downloads anyway. We get the download off a "smart card" which is placed in a slot on the side of a machine.

Before everyone whose machine has a side slot with a "smart card" inserted in it thinks, "Oh good! I can get my overnight info off that if I just buy the software and card reader"... not all Respironics machines (even those with a smart card in them) can give full data...or "enhanced data" as they call it. Some machines put only "compliance" data on the card. They record only the "hours of use" and can't put anything about the apneas, hypopneas, snores, flow limitations, etc. onto the card.

If a person is interested in looking at overnight reports with software, the best way to be sure a particular machine could really give full data is to call the good support folks at cpap.com and ask.

Rested Gal is right about the port on the RemStar Plus. I asked the Respironics Tech. people about this port when I first got my RemStar Plus. They said that is does nothing in the current version of the machine and is only there for "possible future updates."

Treva:
Great that the Aura is working for you!

rested gal wrote: Before everyone whose machine has a side slot with a "smart card" inserted in it thinks, "Oh good! I can get my overnight info off that if I just buy the software and card reader"... not all Respironics machines (even those with a smart card in them) can give full data...or "enhanced data" as they call it.

Just an FYI- the Respironics Synchrony doesn't use a smart card. I'm not sure if any of the other Respironics BiPAPs have this feature or not. It hooks up dirrectly to the computer via a cable and it retains up to 6 months worth of full nightly data. I only had to buy the software- no cardreader for me so it was only $99 & cpap.com included the cable. Synchronies even have an additional option of a built in modem to 'phone home' and download the information dirrecty to the DME (presumable) & let the DME make changes remotely. I figured I should mention it because some people with Synchronies may think they can't get any information since there isn't a SmartCard, (BTW- do you know anyone who needs an extra SmartCard?- Respironics was nice enough to include one with the software which doesn't do me much good-lol).

Christine

Christine! Good to see you. Thanks for the clarification about how you get data from your Respironics Synchrony BiPap ST.

<scribbling another note to self ... >

Hope things are going well for you. Have you ordered a new pair of shoes yet? Namely, the Comfort Curve?

The data from the Synchrony is hardly worth retrieving. There is no AHI, apnea, or hyponea information!!

Yes that data from the Synchrony is not as comprehensive as you would like, but as Teva writes about the aura:

GREAT nights sleep! I dub thee, Aura, "Winner"!!! ... The entire interface felt FABULOUS on my face and I was extremely happy.

(Hey Rock & Roll, how's that for being steathy with my steering this thread back to where it started )