Aura and the Perfect Night.

General Discussion on any topic relating to CPAP and/or Sleep Apnea.
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rock and roll
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Post by rock and roll » Wed Sep 14, 2005 5:52 pm

Oh Thanks Lori, LOL

my goose is cooking alright!

Sleepless on LI
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Post by Sleepless on LI » Wed Sep 14, 2005 5:59 pm

my goose is cooking alright!
The aroma is permeating the air all the way from Texas...sorry. If it's cooking, it's cooking .
L o R i
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FMichael4
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Post by FMichael4 » Wed Sep 14, 2005 6:09 pm

Lori,

Glad to hear that the Aura worked so well for you the first night.

I am still getting great results with mine.

Michael

Go Nationals!!!!

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Post by Sleepless on LI » Wed Sep 14, 2005 6:26 pm

Oh, Michael, what else can I say? I guess you read it all already. Just like you, I'm loving the Aura. I know it's my first night and I'll have to make sure it's not a dream, but if it lasts...you were right, my friend. I am having the same luck as you did.

But LOL about not knowing about the wire. When I first put it on, I was like, "THEY'VE GOT TO BE KIDDING!!! THIS THING LEAKS LIKE A SIEVE!!!" Then I figured out it was there and you could use it to make the pillows fit, one at a time no less! Oh, I really have to contain the enthusiasm right now until at least another night goes by.

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FMichael4
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Post by FMichael4 » Wed Sep 14, 2005 6:44 pm

Lori,

I know what you mean. I kept wondering whether the first night was a fluke.

Well, it wasn't a fluke for me. That is just great news to hear how well you like yours so far.

I know you will keep us posted!

Michael

Go Nationals!!!!

Sleepless on LI
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Post by Sleepless on LI » Wed Sep 14, 2005 6:46 pm

I know you will keep us posted!
Are you insinuating you can't keep me quiet??? You're right...you do the same, please? The longer your streak continues, the better I'll feel the possibilities for me are.
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FMichael4
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Post by FMichael4 » Wed Sep 14, 2005 6:53 pm

Sleepless on LI wrote:
Are you insinuating you can't keep me quiet??? You're right...you do the same, please? The longer your streak continues, the better I'll feel the possibilities for me are.
I was thinking of it more in the light of the great wealth of information you share with all of us.

But if the shoe fits......

And, yes, I will, too!
Michael

Go Nationals!!!!

Sleepless on LI
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Post by Sleepless on LI » Wed Sep 14, 2005 6:56 pm

I was thinking of it more in the light of the great wealth of information you share with all of us.
Aw, your explanation is so much better. Thank you!!! I'll take it.

I hope you continue to have great nights with the Aura. And I'm not saying that from a selfish point of view, but rather because you seem so nice and I hope you continue to have good nights with it.

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Sleepless on LI
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Post by Sleepless on LI » Thu Sep 15, 2005 4:53 am

Night 2 Update:

Slept well, although awake for a second at 3:45 and then 5:45 (don't know why!!!). But the Aura did great by me. No leaks at all, felt comfortable, no complaints. As far as statistics go, I have been concerned lately with my snore rate being much higher as it used to be zero. Two nights ago, on night 1 with the Aura, I went from an 8.0 snore index to a 2.5. Last night, I snored 3 times the entire night and had, according to EncorePro, a 0.4 snore index. My leak rate actually dropped a tiny bit to 24, and I had one apnea and one hypop the whole night.

So I have to say, two great nights in a row. Even forgetting the figures, the Aura fits well, stays put, doesn't cause any marks or sores anywhere on your face and doesn't leak. If I had to rate the interface on the basis of two nights, I'd give it a 10. No complaints at all. My only complaint has nothing to do with it, that I just don't sleep through a night. Maybe there still are some limb movements waking me up. Or I'm going to check to see if the one apnea and one hypop coincide with about the two times I woke up. Maybe I awaken after them. But so far, I would recommend the Aura to anyone and feel comfortable saying that.

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FMichael4
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Post by FMichael4 » Thu Sep 15, 2005 5:36 pm

Lori:

That's great about your second night.

Very good!!!
Michael

Go Nationals!!!!

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Post by Sleepless on LI » Thu Sep 15, 2005 6:58 pm

Michael,
I hope all goes back to being wonderful for you, too, when you get your replacement pillows. It took from Sunday, the 4th, when I ordered my Aura, until the following Tuesday, the 13th, to get it delivered. It was coming to New York, so I don't know if that was why, or if it had anything to do with Katrina delays. I hope yours doesn't take that long to get to you. In the meanwhile, can you try to make do with the medium pillows maybe? Having a pin hole leak can't be good to sleep with. Just a thought...

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gracie97
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Post by gracie97 » Thu Sep 15, 2005 8:42 pm

Lori, thanks for keeping us updated on your Aura experience. Would be interested to read how you feel about it after a few weeks.

In the meantime, could you provide a bit more information on it please?

1. Where is the CO2 vent? In what direction does it point? And how does it compare in noise to the Breeze and Swift?
2. My biggest concern about the Aura is that, like the Breeze, it just seems to perch on top of the head: it is hard to believe it is stable. What features do you think makes it more stable than the Breeze (which I recall you had stability problems with)?
3. What purpose does that big ‘lock box’ serve? (Seems it would absolutely preclude sleeping standing on one’s head, so the Aura may be out for me.)
4. Does the Aura stick out from the face more than the Breeze (which seemed to me to be about the limit for how far I can tolerate something sticking out as I’m a serious nose-to-the-pillow sleeper).
5. Have you had any leaks at all with the Aura?

Grace
Started CPAP on 7/1/2005
Mild apnea
Plus upper airway resistance syndrome with severe alpha intrusion

Sleepless on LI
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Post by Sleepless on LI » Thu Sep 15, 2005 9:06 pm

Gracie, will do my best to answer your questions:

1. Where is the CO2 vent? In what direction does it point? And how does it compare in noise to the Breeze and Swift?

The vent is above the nose, right about between the eyebrows, and it points upwards. No chance of bothering your bed partner or you. I think the noise is like my Swift, which I never thought was loud to begin with. When you inhale, you hear your inhalation. But it's not noisy, in my opinion, to the point of being horrible and you don't want to use it for that reason.

2. My biggest concern about the Aura is that, like the Breeze, it just seems to perch on top of the head: it is hard to believe it is stable. What features do you think makes it more stable than the Breeze (which I recall you had stability problems with)?

There is no comparison, in my eyes, between the headgear on the Aura compared to the Breeze. I found the Breeze unstable and heavy. No matter what I tried, for me, it wouldn't stay in place. One of the things that I couldn't figure out how to fix, and it was a real problem for me. The headgear on the Aura is like a feather, as opposed to the metal on the Breeze, which I think made it heavy. Also, the pad under the lockbox is rubber and helps it stay put, not to mention the straps. Plus, you can't really lay on your back with the Breeze. Aura, anything goes. I move side to side and the headgear doesn't budge one bit. I showed my daughter tonight, even if you take your hands and wiggle the lockbox, the piece that holds the pillows in your nose doesn't get affected. I don't know how they did it, but it's true.


3. What purpose does that big ‘lock box’ serve? (Seems it would absolutely preclude sleeping standing on one’s head, so the Aura may be out for me.)

So you sleep standing on your head??? I THINK the lockbox not only provides the guidance for the tube, but it has a rubber pad underneath it that together with the lockbox itself is what makes the headgear as stable as it is. I know it can't just be the straps alone. I think in conjunction with the lockbox and rubber padding under it, together with the straps, it is just a very secure fit.

4. Does the Aura stick out from the face more than the Breeze (which seemed to me to be about the limit for how far I can tolerate something sticking out as I’m a serious nose-to-the-pillow sleeper).

This one, I couldn't really tell you. I sleep more with my face turned into the pillow than away from it and I'm fine. But I can't give you any guarantee as far as dimensions go.


5. Have you had any leaks at all with the Aura?

That's the beauty of it all, no. My leak rate has actually dropped a tiny bit, which I didn't think was possible.

Gracie, I am going to put in my disclaimer now. What works for one person doesn't work for another. These are only my opinions AND I have only used it for two nights, as you know. Plus, I couldn't make the Breeze work whereas others say it's their favorite mask of all. If you were to take my opinion on the Breeze, no one would buy that interface at all, and it does work fantastically for others. These are just MY OPINIONS and what has worked or not worked for me. Perhaps someone like Rested Gal or one of the other long time users of the Aura could answer your questions, too. Wading? Seamaiden? Sir Cumference (wherever you are)? Anyone?

I hope this helped you in some small way.

L o R i
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gracie97
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Post by gracie97 » Fri Sep 16, 2005 2:30 am

Lori,

Anybody who reads this message board much can't easily miss the fact that interface choices and preferences are really idiosyncratic -- that's why I requested such specific information.

Thanks for the detailed response!

(Not sure where I'm headed next with headgear. Maybe just trying to stabilize the Swift I'm currently using by adding a chin strap.)

Grace
Started CPAP on 7/1/2005
Mild apnea
Plus upper airway resistance syndrome with severe alpha intrusion

gracie97
Posts: 149
Joined: Fri Jul 01, 2005 10:02 pm

Post by gracie97 » Fri Sep 16, 2005 2:33 am

Lori,

Anybody who reads this message board much can't easily miss the fact that interface choices and preferences are really idiosyncratic -- that's why I requested such specific information.

Thanks for the detailed response!

(Not sure where I'm headed next with headgear. Maybe just trying to stabilize the Swift I'm currently using by adding a chin strap.)

Grace
Started CPAP on 7/1/2005
Mild apnea
Plus upper airway resistance syndrome with severe alpha intrusion