AirAvant Bongo Rx EPAP Starter Kit

I really wanted the Bongo Rx to be the solution for my sleep apnea, but after a week of trying to make it work, I’m throwing in the towel. This "starter kit" has been nothing but a source of frustration and sleep deprivation.

• Extremely Uncomfortable: The silicone inserts feel stiff and intrusive. No matter which size I tried from the kit, I felt a constant, irritating pressure inside my nostrils that made it nearly impossible to drift off.

• Won't Stay Put: The device is supposed to stay in place via a friction fit, but it fails miserably. I’d wake up a few hours into the night only to find the device sitting on my pillow or lost in the sheets.

• Worsened Sleep Quality: Because I’m constantly adjusting it or worrying about it falling out, I’m actually sleeping less than I was before.

• No Returns or Refunds: To top it all off, it sucks that there is no way to return this or get your money back. Since it’s a personal medical device, you’re basically stuck with an expensive piece of plastic that doesn't work.

I was hopeful and optimistic this would help my mild sleep ap apnea. The pamphlet said it can take some adjustment. Keeping that in mind I tried it for several nights. The first night I found it difficult to exhale through the tube. The grid on the ends are partially covered with a film. Perhaps this is supposed to assist with the apnea? I had to remove it at 3 AM because I was struggling to breath (something that's never been an issue for me). Subsequent nights were the same. The final night I tried it, I woke up drooling because I was breathing through my mouth. I've NEVER drooled while sleeping. Needless to say after several nights of terrible sleep this product didn't hit the mark for me.

It's only been a few nights since I started with Bongo Rx. Absolutely no problem adjusting to something in my nostrils as I sleep. I find that I haven't awakened as much as I had in the recent past. Cautious optimism that this will manage my diagnosis of moderate sleep apnea.

Have been using these bongos for about 2 weeks, and I’ve seen a lot of improvement. I have no snored anymore and I feel waking up more refreshed. I do have a two year old and 3 month old, but they’re another story. Breathing at first is a little hard, but it takes a couple days and you’ll still feel the resistance but it isn’t nearly as bad as the first few days. I do think the product works. I have mild sleep apnea.

Okay these definitely are taking time to adjust to. I'm about a week into using it. I definitely prefer it over getting a CPAP, but it's still not my favorite. I'm just so desperate for sleep and hoping this will get me to a better place in the short term. Long term, my hope is that myofunctional therapy will help decrease apnea symptoms, as well as trying to get back into running to also help strengthen my airways. I'm curious to see if lifestyle change will be enough (though I'm in my early 30's and not overweight), or if I'll always have to be dependent on something to prevent or decrease apnea symptoms. I haven't tried the headgear with the bongos yet because it just feels more cumbersome, but I've had a night or two where it fell out at some point so I may give it a try. One other thing, for me, moisture accumulates inside the bongos. So after several hrs of laying on one side, when I turn over all the "condensation droplets" run back into my noise. Not a deal breaker. But not the most fun either.

It’s been 2 days only so far. The resistance is the part I’m having some difficulty with but I hope my breathing can get stronger and adjusted bc of it. Other than that, I’m hoping this helps my sleep 😴