Trouble exhaling with Swift LT

[plr66]

I think the pinholes he's talking about are the ones on the tubing that attaches to the mask. It then attaches to the hose.
The ones you're referring to must be the nasal inserts?

Whoops. Yup!

[cpapqueen1]

Do you have the pillows correctly on the frame? The "bubble" on the pillow should match up with the "bubbles" on the headgear.

[GaryGarland]

FWIW, i find the LT to be easy to inhale and exhale - you mentioned you turned the EPR off - i have mine set to 3 and it is easier to exhale. i would NOT screw around with the vent holes by the elbow - if you cut the holes by the nares you may get better results, but me personally, i wouldn't monkey with them. i would try going up to as large a mask size as you can tolerate - per my respiratory tech the larger holes are easier to get air in and out with. i don't see any harm (other than a ruined pillow) if you cut, but i would not mess with the vent holes - the machine is "calibrated" to the mask (you do have the machine set to swift, right?) and if you fool with the vent holes you'll throw off the properties - plus if you think about it, if you allow larger venting then you'll get less pressure and some of the fresh air will go out those vents (yeah, designed for that, but probably not for whatever drilling you'd do)
maybe lower the apap pressure, or reduce settling time, or consider cpap mode - i'm going to fool around with apap when my software comes, but since using pure cpap at 14 with epr 3, low pressure 6 and ramp time of 5 minutes, i've been fairly comfy...

[elliejose]

Yep, I have never worn a large before, but with the LT, I am. I love the comfort of the pillows and headgear. Feels the most like no mask of any I have ever tried. My problem is not just exhaling .. mine is that I feel as tho I am not getting enough air. For this reason I went to large pillow. No problems with leaks or fit and it is better than with small or medium but I still feel as tho I'm not getting enough air. I keep thinking that I will get used to it but I haven't yet. Any other suggestions appreciated.... Thanks,
Josie

[silver123]

Hi elliejose,

I started withthe Swift II and used that for a few weeks until I got hold of the Swift Lt just as it was released. My pressure was originally set 4- 20 as per my docs instruction with no straight CPAP pressure mentioned. My 90% on my PSG was 14. When I got the Swift LT, I could not tolerate that low pressure and raised the low end to 7 before I felt like I could breathe with any ease with the LT. I have since, over time, gone up to 10-20 with help from folks here and the observing nightly date.

You are on a Bipap and I don't know enought about bipaps except to suggest the perhaps whatever the low end of the set of pressures set for inhalation and exhalation pressure and those transitions might be too low? Hopefully someone who knows more about bipaps can respond.

You posted this in an ongoing topic. If you don't see many responses, you might want to post this as a separate topic so it is more visible.

silver

[allinknots]

Sorry for being unclear in my second post. I meant to say that the exhalation screening seems to have pinholes to allow exhalation to escape, and I don't think they're large enough to allow my exhalation air to escape quickly enough before it's time to inhale again.

Last night I tried the following: 1. Laying in bed on my back, relaxing awhile before putting on the mask; 2. Putting in the medium nares and individually seating them. 3. Turning on the cpap (ramp) and tilting the nares back and forth to get them to allow as much air to be exhaled as possible 4. Adjusted the headgear multiple times to see if that would help any.

I kept the mask on for maybe 15 mins., but felt like I was suffocating. So I took it off, put the Swift II back on, and then slept through most of the night. The bad news is that I had the highest leak rate ever! with the Swift II: .34.

So I tinkered around this afternoon, before reading jnk's warning to NOT mess with the exhalation ports. I messed with them big-time! I took a needle and enlarged the holes. That seemed to help, but not nearly enough. Then I used the end of my embroidery scissors to enlarge them more. Helped a bit more, but not entirely.

I progressed onwards to the trimming-the-nares thing. I was working on it carefully, but DARN if I didn't completely mess up the medium pair! So I decided to work on the small. BEWARE, it is very easy to go from a little snip to a WOOPS! But after spending about 2 hours poking holes and trimming nares (trying on the mask zillions of times between little changes), I laid down with the mask on, checked the mask fitting feature (with my machine) and it read "excellent," and I felt able to move air in and out comfortably. Of course the true test will be tonight. I'm hoping I didn't over-do it with the nare trimming .

I'll let you know if my adjustments work! If not, that means I destroyed a perfectly good (for someone else!) mask.

All in Knots

[xCDOGx]

the machine is "calibrated" to the mask (you do have the machine set to swift, right?)

What do you mean by this? I am having this same issue with exhaling on the Swift LT mask I just bought. I have a RemStar M Series that came with one of the standard masks. Since I am trying to switch to the Swift LT, what changes should I make to the machine? I have never really tried changing anything on the machine before.

[jnk]

the machine is "calibrated" to the mask (you do have the machine set to swift, right?)

What do you mean by this? I am having this same issue with exhaling on the Swift LT mask I just bought. I have a RemStar M Series that came with one of the standard masks. Since I am trying to switch to the Swift LT, what changes should I make to the machine? I have never really tried changing anything on the machine before.

Gary uses a ResMed machine. Those machines help you do the math in checking your leak rate when you look on the screen, if you tell the machine what mask you use. That feature doesn't actually change anything in the therapy.

On your machine, you do not need to change any settings when you change masks. But you may find more suggestions here in this board for dealing with the sensation you describe, if you search LT in the search box above. Feel free to join the forum, fill out your equipment information so it will show up as text, and ask more questions.

jeff

[swcompassionate]

I too have had the same problem with the Swift LT. I am at a pressure of 10. I do not use my ramp at all or it does make me feel more like I cannot exhale. Does anyone know if the Swift LT hose that attaches comes with a bigger exhale port? Just wondering. I am so glad I found this site.

[Mebake]

I felt like that with the medium size but when I switch to the Large it was fine. A little harder to fit but I barley notice the mask now. Also try not to over tighten the mask.This the best mask I have tried so fare in my short CPAP experience. I really love this mask. Good luck with yours.

[gailandartie]

I too have trouble exhaling using the Swift LT.

I think we should contact contact Resmed and let them know about this problem.

Any knowledge of the name of the best person to conatact at ResMed?

Gail