Swift vs. Breeze Poll

rested gal wrote:

Jerry69 wrote:I had thought that I would get the Aura, but after dealing with the Breeze 'contraption', well, the Aura seems to be quiet a 'contraption' , too.

Hmm. Maybe the Nasal Aire II or Comfortlite Nasa Interface. I'll do a search on this site to see what you have posted.

Maybe I need to try a nasal mask: a nice compact, light, but most of all, a quiet one. Is that the Aciiva? Help, please.

You'll be missing out on a top notch interface, imho, if you skip trying the Aura (Headrest by Aeiomed). All of these interfaces are so different from each other, your experience with one is not at all the way another can be.

I'd definitely give the Aura a try before those others you mentioned. Hey Jerry, if you buy an Aura out of pocket from an online store and it doesn't suit you...I'll buy it from you if you reduce the price just a leeetle and IF it has the clear plastic "lockbox" on top, not a beige colored one. Be sure to tell them you want the one with clear plastic instead of beige plastic on top when you order. I don't mind using a "pre-owned" mask.

RG,

Thanks for the offer. What is the time limit?

I'm looking for very, very quiet. The Swift has me thinking I'm in an iron lung. (Remember those from Polio days?) The Swift and CPAP, together, make so much noise when I inhale that I feel like it is coaxing me to inhale more. My wife asked me this morning if the equipment was causing me to breathe so deeply. I asked her if I did that while asleep or when I was awake. She said she didn't know about when I was asleep because she was, too.

My DME is going to let me try a NA II on Monday. Pretty decent, huh? He's taking back the Breeze. I feel he would get an Aura, eventually, and let me try that, too.

Jerry

I've slept with the Breeze three nights, now. I'm liking it better. It is top heavy, but it stays sealed and is quieter for me than the Swift. Not a bad interface, but I'm on a quest to find the 'best'. Poor DME. He's bringing by the Nasal Aire II this afternoon. He doesn't have an Aura in stock. Maybe later.

Thanks for all the input, you all.

Jerry

DME brought the NA II. I tried it on and plugged it in to the CPAP machine. Seemed to be as noisy as the Swift and not nearly as kind to my nose. All those straps were confusing. I'd have a hard time putting it back on in the dark after a bathroom trip.

So, based on this first impression, I asked him to take it back...and leave the Breeze for further evaluation. I'm liking the Breeze more and more. It seems much quieter than the Swift, to me, but not as light and stable.

He asked if I still wanted to try the Aura. I said, yes. I apologized for putting him through so much but he said he liked to keep up with the new masks and if I wanted one, he'd order it. Pretty nice, huh? The Aura seems to be configured similar to the Breeze, but maybe it will be lighter, more stable, and at least as quiet. I'll try it and then settle on the Swift and the Aura or the Breeze...for the time being.

Jerry

He asked if I still wanted to try the Aura. I said, yes. I apologized for putting him through so much but he said he liked to keep up with the new masks and if I wanted one, he'd order it. Pretty nice, huh?

Wow, that's more than just "pretty nice". That's fantastic!! A gem of a DME! A real treasure, no kidding!

Jerry, I think the sound from the Aura (shuuush sound on each inhale) is about the same as the Breeze. And here's something nice about the Aura if the noise ever bothers you and IF you don't mind pulling a pillow over your head to muffle sound...heheh. The Aura's exhaust is placed so high out of the way (above eyebrows) you literally can sleep with your head UNDER a pillow if you want to, and not block the exhaust at all.

Sometimes I like to really snuggle down into the covers, pulling the cover up almost completely over my head, including up above my eyes in front. Can easily do that with the Aura.

Sometimes I like to drag a light pillow over my head while sleeping on my side - muffling the sound of the central heat/air turning on/off periodically. Can easily do that with the Aura.

rested gal wrote:

He asked if I still wanted to try the Aura. I said, yes. I apologized for putting him through so much but he said he liked to keep up with the new masks and if I wanted one, he'd order it. Pretty nice, huh?

Wow, that's more than just "pretty nice". That's fantastic!! A gem of a DME! A real treasure, no kidding!

Jerry, I think the sound from the Aura (shuuush sound on each inhale) is about the same as the Breeze. And here's something nice about the Aura if the noise ever bothers you and IF you don't mind pulling a pillow over your head to muffle sound...heheh. The Aura's exhaust is placed so high out of the way (above eyebrows) you literally can sleep with your head UNDER a pillow if you want to, and not block the exhaust at all.

Sometimes I like to really snuggle down into the covers, pulling the cover up almost completely over my head, including up above my eyes in front. Can easily do that with the Aura.

Sometimes I like to drag a light pillow over my head while sleeping on my side - muffling the sound of the central heat/air turning on/off periodically. Can easily do that with the Aura.

Okay, RG. I'm sold. I've got to have one of those Auras, at least to try. It does look like the nasal pillows are supported more flexibly than those of the Breeze. And, it doesn't have that 'backbone' of metal and plastic passing over one's head as does the Breeze. So, I would expect it to be more comfortable. And, if it is about as noisy as the Breeze, that would be acceptable, too. Am I guessing right?

Now, I want one so bad! I can't wait for the DME to call. I'd almost buy one from CPAP.com to speed up the acquisition. But, if I'm patient, I can save $100+, so I will be.

Thanks,

Jerry

rested gal wrote:

Jerry69 wrote: I'd definitely give the Aura a try before those others you mentioned. Hey Jerry, if you buy an Aura out of pocket from an online store and it doesn't suit you...I'll buy it from you if you reduce the price just a leeetle and IF it has the clear plastic "lockbox" on top, not a beige colored one. Be sure to tell them you want the one with clear plastic instead of beige plastic on top when you order. I don't mind using a "pre-owned" mask.

What is the difference in the clear plastic and the beige plastic? Which one does cpap.com sell? Thanks

What is the difference in the clear plastic and the beige plastic? Which one does cpap.com sell? Thanks

Guest, I suspect it is a 'girl thing.' I don't know which one CPAP.com sells.

Jerry69 wrote: I'd definitely give the Aura a try before those others you mentioned. Hey Jerry, if you buy an Aura out of pocket from an online store and it doesn't suit you...I'll buy it from you if you reduce the price just a leeetle and IF it has the clear plastic "lockbox" on top, not a beige colored one. Be sure to tell them you want the one with clear plastic instead of beige plastic on top when you order. I don't mind using a "pre-owned" mask.

What is the difference in the clear plastic and the beige plastic? Which one does cpap.com sell? Thanks

I'm waiting on my DME to bring me an Aura. But, I've grown to like the Breeze (more than the Swift because it is quieter). So, I've bought George's Breeze. He didn't like it. This way, my insurance will pay for the Aura (almost) and I'll still have a Breeze. (I'll have to give the Breeze I'm using back to the DME.)

Can't have too many masks.

Jerry

I don't know this for a fact, but the clear plastic lock boxes seem to be what are being used on the newest Auras. The original one I got back within a month after they first started coming out was a beige plastic lockbox. Several that I bought from other people in the months afterwards also used beige plastic.

Also, don't know this for a fact, but.... the headgear straps on the original ones I got (beige) were considerably too large. I couldn't take them up enough to fit well. Hence, the homemade straps I began adding.

The newest Aura I bought, maybe two months ago, had a clear plastic "lockbox" instead of the old familiar beige. Oddly, the headgear straps fit a little better. Seems like I can take the straps up more on the "clear" one. Maybe it's just my imagination. Perhaps the strap design and length of straps are still exactly the same. I have no way of checking, 'cause I promptly cut the straps off every Aura I got, until this last one. Deconstructed all the old "beige" ones.

But just in case the strap design has been changed subtly, I'd say be sure you get one of the newer Auras. The "clear" plastic lockbox would indicate (to me, anyway; again, I don't know this for a fact) that it's one of the newer ones. Just might fit better, especially some women's heads.

At any rate, even if nothing in the straps design has changed one bit, the clear lockbox makes the whole thing look less clumsy...less heavy looking, even though it was always extremely lightweight. It's always been an elegant design, and now the clear color of the lockbox makes it actually look as light as its always been.