RestedGal, Still using Aura?

Linda3032 · Post by **Linda3032** » Mon Jan 30, 2006 10:52 pm

RestedGal, I was wondering if you are still using your "boxless" Aura without the Aura head-gear.

In getting mine fitted today, I see what you were talking about 6 weeks ago. The headgear does little to hold the whole thing in place - without additional straps.

I was able to get a comfortable fit which I believe will stay in place, but not without putting a stretchy band across the bridge of the nose area, extended around behind my neck.

That Aura headgear is huge . There is no way that neck strap will tighten up enough on a small or normal sized head. And I can't believe you Ladies haven't complained about how badly the rubberized cap messes up the hair (and I only wore it for 1 hour).

So please tell me you still like the "boxless" Aura best.

Linda

rested gal · Post by **rested gal** » Tue Jan 31, 2006 12:22 am

So please tell me you still like the "boxless" Aura best.

Yep.

Deconstructed Aura is what I've been happily using for almost a year now, since March 2005.

Occasionally I'll use an intact one, but I still have to put one "homemade strap that shall be nameless" around it at eyebrow level, like a sweatband. Or down around the nasal part -- just depends on where it seems to work best on any given night.

But the boxless one is what I use almost all the time. Lets me sleep on either side with my face snuggled down against the pillow almost like sleeping without any mask on at all. Nothing gouging my face.

These are the two ways I usually arrange the homemade straps on my "boxless" Aura:

rested gal · Post by **rested gal** » Tue Jan 31, 2006 12:39 am

That Aura headgear is huge . There is no way that neck strap will tighten up enough on a small or normal sized head.

Yep. I mentioned that to Holly Larkin at Aeiomed soon after I got an Aura. Nothing's changed though.

Another person whose wife was having the same problem -- headgear way too large for her -- also spoke to Aeiomed about it. He asked one of the higher-ups at Aeiomed if they had seen the pictures of the way one woman was adding straps to hers to stabilize it. The higher-up said he'd seen those pictures (I sent the pics to them...lol!!) and that THAT was the reason people were having trouble getting it to fit. Adding all those straps!!!

And I can't believe you Ladies haven't complained about how badly the rubberized cap messes up the hair (and I only wore it for 1 hour).

Yeah, well, I was doing ok with the intact one and an added strap. But a poster nicknamed Lorraine was complaining bitterly about how it was breaking her hair in front. That was the impetus that made me deconstruct my Aura just to see if it could be made to work without all that headgear. And it can.

Of course, the deconstruction kinda' defeats the purpose of wearing a mask that doesn't have any straps at all along the side of the face but.... the material that "tights" are made of (not just plain old pantyhose, gang...pantyhose TIGHTS ) is perfect to not cause a mark. Soft, stretchy, yet stays wide enough that you don't have a stretched out strand marking the side of the face.

Linda3032 · Post by **Linda3032** » Tue Jan 31, 2006 1:04 am

I'm going to try the Aura, as is, for a couple of nights. But the deconstructed one sounds alot more comfortable.

Two more questions:

1. (I forgot) . Oh ya, when you travel and stay in a motel, how do you get your hose fastened to a solid wall or headboard? Any tips?

2. When you trimmed the tip of your Large pillows, did that decrease the soft swoosh of inhaling?

Okay, going to bed with my Aura - hope I don't jerk my nose off reaching for the extra blanket.

rested gal · Post by **rested gal** » Tue Jan 31, 2006 2:20 am

1. Since most motel headboards are secured flush against the wall, I take these things along with the ubiquitous ponytail scrunchy:

a. several pieces of velcro to wad into a knot that can be wedged down between wall and head board if there's the tiniest bit of space there. Poke it down in there with a ballpoint pen. If I can get that wedged in tightly, a loop of the velcro can hold the scrunchy.

b. adhesive tape - which I have anyway, for taping my mouth. If the velcro can't be wedged in behind the headboard, I tape the scrunchy up -- if the headboard or wall surface lets it stick well enough.

c. several large socks - to tie as a "sockball" around the hose for wedging it between headboard and mattress. My last resort if there's no way to keep the scrunchy up.

A topic which contained jeffv's cool "sockball" post for hose management:
Apr 20 2005 subject: Are some hoses lighter than others?

2. I messed up when I trimmed the tips of the Large pillows. I thought I was taking off just a tiny bit, but it turned out to be too much.

They were extremely comfortable the first part of the night...nothing seemed to be inside my nostrils at all. But as the night wore on, I had to keep pulling the "strap which shall be nameless" tighter and tighter around the nasal assembly to prevent leaking. I went back to untrimmed ones.

ozij · Post by **ozij** » Tue Jan 31, 2006 10:01 am

I have never considered my head huge (I'm female) and the Aura's straps are OK for me - did you look at the fitting instructions on their site? http://www.aeiomed.com/press/perfect_poster.pdf

Those were not sent with my mask, and they (with jcarn's rubber bands) made a huge difference for me. I was ready to give up on the mask before that.

As for messed up hair oh yes. But Lori (Sleepless on LI)'s suggestion of spraying you hair lightly with water in the morning helps too.

I never dared take it apart, and greatly prefer the rubber bands to the tights. I tried them, but I hate the touch of anything synthetic agains my skin. Turned out that includes my face...

O.

wading thru the muck! · Post by **wading thru the muck!** » Tue Jan 31, 2006 10:15 am

Linda3032 wrote:
That Aura headgear is huge . There is no way that neck strap will tighten up enough on a small or normal sized head.

HEY! I guess the aura only fits us "balloon heads"

I do agree that AEIOMed needs to offer two sizes of headgear... the regular size and a smaller one for those with demure noggins.

Jerry69 · Post by **Jerry69** » Tue Jan 31, 2006 8:34 pm

Holly at Aeiomed sent me two sets of adapter straps to allow 'taking up' the straps on the Aura. One for the back strap and two for the top straps. They are double sided loop velcro. That's all. She says they are available from CPAP.com, but if you PM me I will send you a set. I only have two sets, so first come, first served.

I don't need them. My head is just big enough not to need them.

Jerry

Mile High Sleeper · Post by **Mile High Sleeper** » Tue Jan 31, 2006 9:34 pm

Sorry I don't have a photo. Aura modifications for my small head:

1. safety pin taking up the slack on the back strap, making the strap about 2 inches shorter. Not too comfy to sleep on, but I can deal with it.

2. Dr. Scholl's moleskin foam on the inside bands, 5 pieces to fit the curves. Tied on with short bits of pantyhose. 12 little white bows for that demure crazed nurse look.

3. the rubber band trick

4. a knee-high panty hose over the top plastic piece. Helps reduce rainout and slides on hair to prevent hair loss. Cut little slits for the straps.

5. another knee-high pantyhose over the hose portion to reduce rainout. Covered with a light synthetic fabric knee sock, held on with 4 rubber bands. A light dual layer.

6. for a while, I was also wrapping the nasal seal sides with finger bandages to prevent rainout. Have taken them off.

Now I know why I had all that stray unused hosiery in my sock drawer. The Aura looks ridiculous but it works as my every-night mask.

Thanks to Rested Gal, who goes where no woman has gone before, giving me the confidence to lab rat.

rested gal · Post by **rested gal** » Tue Jan 31, 2006 11:33 pm

Mile High Sleeper....loved your list of "fixes"!!

The fact that some of us are willing to do such extensive tweaking is testimony to the comfort of the Aura's nasal pillows and clever little exhaust!

Linda3032 · Post by **Linda3032** » Tue Jan 31, 2006 11:44 pm

Hi All,

I got brave and pulled a "RestedGal" on my new Aura. I had Hubby take the "dreaded box" off the top of my Aura for me. Dang that thing was uncomfortable, and my hair was a flattened, frizzled mess this morning. That sucker wasn't going to get the chance to pull my hair out .

And here's how I rigged it up (look at RestedGal's top picture above):

1. I kept the red strap in the same position.

2. But, instead of running the green strap horizontal across the forehead, I ran it vertically from the white plastic vertical adjustment thingy (just above the blue plastic by the forehead), down the back of my head and hooked it to the red strap with a velcro loop.

The "red and green" straps work against and with each other to keep them both snug and in place.

Both the straps are firm elastic so they are strong, but also have a little give. They have velcro on each end for easy adjustment and attachment to each other. They are some of my unused NasalAire straps from over the years, and are perfect for this application.

They keep the Aura firmly in place - but don't have the band across the forehead - I get headaches easily.

I know alterations/deconstructions aren't for everyone, and all options don't work for everyone. But I just wanted to give you one more idea that might work for you - if you're brave enough to cut off the " dreaded box ".

Maybe our multi-talented RG can give it a try and rig up another picture if it works for her. (sorry, but I can barely do a post, let alone doctor a picture).

Linda

Linda3032 · Post by **Linda3032** » Tue Jan 31, 2006 11:53 pm

And I want to say, the Aura itself (not the stupid box) was a pleasure to sleep with last night.

I sleep on my side, I love to cuddle down under the covers, I love to snuggle my soft pillow ----- I was finally able to do all that. There was no irritating noise from the exhaust ports when something got too close !!!!

I had no leaks, that I'm aware of - didn't do MyEncore because I had a busy day.

It really was comfortable - I like it.

rested gal · Post by **rested gal** » Wed Feb 01, 2006 1:28 am

instead of running the green strap horizontal across the forehead, I ran it vertically from the white plastic vertical adjustment thingy (just above the blue plastic by the forehead), down the back of my head and hooked it to the red strap with a velcro loop.

Linda!! How cool!! I just now tried your green strap configuration with one of my chopped up Auras. Worked like a charm.

I'll do another retouched picture soon of "Linda's over-the-head strap."

By the way...Mile High Sleeper, I especially loved the phrase you used for what you did to your headgear: "12 little white bows for that demure crazed nurse look."

JoeS · Post by **JoeS** » Wed Feb 01, 2006 12:31 pm

I read somewhere that women did make good engineers. Whoever wrote that had not met you all. Way to go!

rested gal · Post by **rested gal** » Wed Feb 01, 2006 1:19 pm

LOL, Joe! Thanks.

I understood what you were saying, even with one of the "not"'s left out. We won't take that as a macho Freudian slip, 'cause you're a nice guy to say what you meant to say.

RestedGal, Still using Aura?

RestedGal, Still using Aura?

Re: RestedGal, Still using Aura?

Adapter Straps

Aura all dressed up

Rested gal still using Aura

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