Nasal Aire ll...

MissAmethyst2U · Post by **MissAmethyst2U** » Tue Mar 21, 2006 12:03 pm

Ok, so I went back to the RT yesterday. I asked her what she recommended for me but I guess because I am sooo picky lol she didn't know what to really tell me. I asked her about the Nasal Aire ll and she said a few ppl have liked it b ut its not a popular choice by far. She went and got one for me to try and I laid my head down and twisted and turned to make sure I wouldnt have a repeat like with the other mask where its fine just sitting still. It seemed to do fine so I was like well I will take it. I got in about 6am this AM and either I was sooooo dead tired that I could have slept through anything or it really is a good mask for me! I fell asleep and only remember waking up just after I had dozed off to adjust the tubing and that was it! I slept like 6 hrs and when I woke up I felt AWAKE! Not like feeling that still sleepy feeling and the best part my nose wasn't sore! I thought since these seem to go further up my nose than the swift and since the swift makes my nose so sore I would have problem but none so far!

I have decided this will be my mask at home and then I already have the bag packed with my CC and 6ft hose for my BF's house when I go. That way I use the longer hose with the NAll at home and I use my humidifier at home but I can just unhook the cpap machine itsself and the power adapter and put that in the bag and go instead of having to change everything back and forth. (I have two CC's so I had been doing the same thing with the two of them one in each place)

So far so good! We shall see!

hecate · Post by **hecate** » Tue Mar 21, 2006 12:58 pm

Do you sleep on your side? I have thought of getting one simply because it does fit higher up the nose, but i'm a side sleeper and it doesn't look to comfortable around the side of the head.

idahogal · Post by **idahogal** » Tue Mar 21, 2006 1:16 pm

I was using the nasal aire and loved it. It never leaked an ounce. I could lay on my side and it was somewhat uncomfortable but not unbearable. I use this as a back up to my Aura (which I love) and keep it handy. My big thing with the NA was that I could not sleep on my stomach. I would use it again if I needed too.

hecate · Post by **hecate** » Tue Mar 21, 2006 1:22 pm

idahogal wrote:My big thing with the NA was that I could not sleep on my stomach

Sounds like it may work for me. Since I am a big thing I can't lay on my stomach.

MissAmethyst2U · Post by **MissAmethyst2U** » Tue Mar 21, 2006 3:32 pm

At first I thought it was gonna be hard to sleep on my side but surprisingly it wasn't bad at all I slept just fine. I don't think you could sleep on your stomach with it though cause you might close off the exhalation port thingys which I have a bad habit of doing with the swift. I don't think I rolled over last night on my stomach at all. I slept soooo well on my side I dont think I moved at all last night lol. I woke up with a crick in my neck though cause of the way I had my pillow lol...

I am getting ready to take a nap just for the fact I am going out tonight and its rainy and yucky here not to mention I feel bad due to female issues so I will update this in a day or so after another night of sleep with it and all...

hecate · Post by **hecate** » Tue Mar 21, 2006 5:29 pm

Next question. Is the hose cold against your head? I find that when I have my swift hose thrown over my neck when on the oposit side to my machine it gives me a cold neck. Does Karen do a Pad a cheek for the nasal II?

MissAmethyst2U · Post by **MissAmethyst2U** » Tue Mar 21, 2006 5:37 pm

The hose doesn't seem to be cold to me. Seems to warm up to your body temp. I have recently since the last time I got sick with a cold been using my humidifier on the lowest setting so maybe that helps a little I don't know...As far as the Pad A Cheek I am not sure about that either but I havnt had a prob at all with marks and well my CC was leaving permanent marks on my face I still have them on my face it will prob take a few weeks if not longer for them to fade completely but no problems so far with the NA...

I did however happen to look at the instruction booklet earlier and from what I am understanding you don't even have to use the headgear with it you can just put in the nasal thing and run the tubing over your ears and down the front without the headband thingy this works just as well as with the headband but you do need the neck strap or at least I do. I mean CPAP mask with NO headgear this is like a DREAM come true for me!!! (Ohh and if you are really supposed to use the headgear feel free to correct me if I am wrong about this) If I had time I would type what the instructions say cause they say its optional but who knows. It worked great without it and hey my hair didnt even get messed up! WOO HOO! lol

Tash · Post by **Tash** » Tue Mar 21, 2006 5:41 pm

Miss A,
What do the tubes feel like around your ears? I am interested in trying the NAII, but was concerned that the tubes would be painful or that my head would squish them down cutting airflow.... I am VERY interested now that you said you can wear it without the headgear and no hair messiness -

I have resigned myself to the Ultramirage FF mask, but am not yet in the sweet spot... the quest continues...

Sleep well,
Tash (formerly newgal)

MissAmethyst2U · Post by **MissAmethyst2U** » Tue Mar 21, 2006 5:56 pm

The tubes don't bother me at all. I guess they could be bothersome a bit to someone else. I didn't seem to smush the tubes and cut out the airflow at all. I will say I think its a great mask so far BUT I seem to like the ones that nobody else likes. lol...like the CC which is still one of my favs (Besides the ugly marks on my face ) The RT was a little leary it seemed to give me this mask saying not everyone liked it and blah blah (I was polite in telling her I know not everyone does but thats with all masks it works for some and not for others) but i could not be happier with it so far...

Linda3032 · Post by **Linda3032** » Tue Mar 21, 2006 6:27 pm

I used the Nasalaire for 3 years, so I can give a little advice and answer a few questions.

The tubes do not compress and stop the airflow. They are soft, but not that soft. Plus they sink into the pillow when pressure is applied.

The tubes are worn just above the ears (that's why you need the headband over the top of the head from ear to ear). I will take credit for "inventing" that feature before Innomed Industries incorporated it (I'm sure they won't agree to that statement). I even wrote to them and told them about it. A year later they came out with their new design. I used a thin piece of white elastic, formed loops on it, slipped the elastic over the tubes and ran it over the top of my head. It kept the tubes from slipping out of position - over the ears.

I never felt that the tubes were cold, even though we sleep in a cold bedroom.

I never had rainout with the Nasalaire using a standard covered hose.

I tried it with the hoses going over the head and found that the whole device was too lose to prevent leaks. I also didn't use the back bolo (piece of velcro), I simply crossed the two tubes behind my neck - it was so much easier than holding them in place while I tried to get the bolo around them.

But (drumroll here), for a long time I had a red nose. Seriously, I looked like a big boozer. I thought it was because I fish alot and am out in the sun. I would just put makeup (coverstick) on it. When I switched to the Aura, I no longer have a red nose.

It had to be caused by the Nasalaire. Those prongs have to fit really tight into your nostrils to prevent leaks. I tried one size smaller prongs, med-large, and got terrible leaks. So I had to go back to the large. Little did I know it was causing the dreaded Bozo Effect.

An ex-Bozo the Clown

Linda3032 · Post by **Linda3032** » Tue Mar 21, 2006 6:29 pm

And one more negative regarding the Nasalaire. The tubes get very dingy looking - in about 2 or 3 months. No matter how much you clean and soak them, they turn greyish. The nosepiece is fine, but not the tubes. Yuk.

hecate · Post by **hecate** » Tue Mar 21, 2006 6:42 pm

Linda3032 wrote:And one more negative regarding the Nasalaire. The tubes get very dingy looking - in about 2 or 3 months. No matter how much you clean and soak them, they turn greyish. The nosepiece is fine, but not the tubes. Yuk.

Greyish inside or out?

Or and what about size? Anyway to tell what size to get without having to spend time buying and receiving the sizing star?

Linda3032 · Post by **Linda3032** » Tue Mar 21, 2006 6:55 pm

I don't know if it was inside or out - it just looked bad.

And it wasn't just me, I saw someone else post on another forum (which I don't even look at any more). Some guy was complaining about the discoloration on his.

The sizing star is the best device to use. My internet DME sent me one for free.

Tash · Post by **Tash** » Tue Mar 21, 2006 7:25 pm

Hi all - thanks for the great replies! It is very helpful to get these insights for free, instead of having to re-invent the wheel each time!

Tash

MissAmethyst2U · Post by **MissAmethyst2U** » Tue Mar 21, 2006 7:58 pm

I just want to say something about the color of the tubes. All the tubes can turn colors. My 6ft tubing that I got with my CPAP almost a yr ago is turning a yellowish color. So I think any of them can turn color. If it lasts me 3 months I can then get a new one so I am not worried about that...

As far as the red nose, I probably havn't been using it long enough to notice anything like that but so far no red nose. Again its not going to be the same for everyone. Now with the swift, I had a VERY sore nose and the tip of my nose was very red...

THe headgear, hmmm, from what I read its optional even though they did not tell me you could use it without the headgear but like I said earlier it said something about it being optional and Linda you said you didn't use the back velcro strap and mentioned something about it not staying behind your ears well, there is n o way it can without that strap. I was showed the straps do go behind my ears thats how the lady put it on me. I personally think the tubes should be run through the loop on the actual headgear I think it would work better instead of running it through the bottom figure 8 loop. But again just my opinion. I prefer it without the headgear and using the back velcro strap but hey if it works for me and I am feeling fine I say its working so I am gonna keep using it...

Mask

Additional Comments: cpap pressure: 12