Swift LT

[kdoron51]

Hi,
I am a new CPAP user and started yesterday.
I tried many years ago a cpap, but could not stand it. Because of that I suffered since.
My question is if the swift LT is for use with my mouth closed. I had problems to exhale.
Thanks in advance.
Doron

[wonderingal]

if you're having trouble exhaling the mask isn't fitting correctly or is dirty. try playing around with the way it goes into your nose to find a good fit. when i first got mine i had the same problem and found that i was putting the mask on backwards. when i found the right way to put it on, it slips on very easily and just falls into place. sometime i have to squeeze and adjust the nasal pillow a ocupleof time before I geet a tight fit.

good luck. i LOVE my anasal pillow -- most of the time.

[kdoron51]

Thank you for your reply.
So you mean it should be easy to exhale? I worked on it hours, and than I gave up.
Thank you again.
Doron

[PAPalogical]

I've been using the SwiftLT for about 6 months - had some problems the first few days w/ the inner of the 2 "cones" collapsing and pointing in making it difficult to breathe - after I looked at them and noticed it, whenever there's I feel too much resistance to inhaling or exhaling, it push on each side of the nose to check which side is OK or not, and then squeeze the pillow on that side a couple of times, and the inner "cone" pops back up and works.

[Pugsy]

So you mean it should be easy to exhale? I worked on it hours, and than I gave up.
Thank you again.

Try breathing, exhaling using the pillows when not attached to the machine at all so that you aren't fighting pressure. This makes sure that you have the pillows in place properly, if you can breathe in and out clearly.

Then hook up to the machine. If still cannot exhale, please post more information as to what pressure you are using and what machine you are using. Some machines offer some exhale relief.

[kdoron]

I have Resmed S8 Autoset Vantage and Mirage Swift LT Nasal Pillow CPAP Mask with Headgear.
I am breathing of course, but it is not easy. As there is the air flow into my nose coming from the cpap, when I exhale,
this air flow is makes it harder for me to exhale, right? So when someone tells me that he or she exhales with ease,
I wonder if this should be as it is, or I have a problem...
When inhaling, it should be easier, because this is the same direction as the air flow from the S8.

Should breathing using the Swift Lt be easier than breathing without being connected to an equipment?

In the lab, where I slept, I used a Nasal mask, and succeeded to sleep for two hours or so.
Now, I have tried for two nights, and could not sleep (this night I tried from 10PM to 3.30AM this morning
and did not sleep at all. After putting of the mask, I fell a sleep.
I hope this information will help more to understand my prolem.

[Pugsy]

As there is the air flow into my nose coming from the cpap, when I exhale,
this air flow is makes it harder for me to exhale, right? So when someone tells me that he or she exhales with ease,
I wonder if this should be as it is, or I have a problem...
When inhaling, it should be easier, because this is the same direction as the air flow from the S8.

What pressure is your machine giving you? Can you see the settings? Do you use the ramp to work up to whatever pressure you are set at?

Breathing in with pressure is obviously easy.
Exhaling against the pressure can be easy but many people have problems adjusting to it especially if they are having to use higher pressures. That is why I asked what pressured you were given to use.
Some machines have exhalation relief settings. I am not familiar with your machine in that regard. Someone will come along and explain that possible feature on the Vantage.

I use the Swift LT mask system. I have an auto unit and routinely have pressures in the 10 to 14 cm range. It takes me maybe 5 breaths to get used to exhaling against the pressure of 10 cm when I start the machine when I go to bed. After that, I feel no resistance and it is easy for me. I don't use any exhalation relief. I have never needed the ramp either. I never found it difficult at all. I started out making a game of it seeing how quickly I could adjust to the pressure on exhalation.

If you have to use really high pressure, adjusting is harder but can be done. Have you made sure that you breathe easily with the mask in place without pressure involved at all? This makes sure you have the pillows fitted properly.

So what pressure is being used? Have you unhooked the tubing from the machine and tried breathing in and out with the mask in place but no pressure involved?

[millich]

Should breathing using the Swift Lt be easier than breathing without being connected to an equipment?
.

No, not necessarily. I find it to be difficult every night when I first put it on but it is getting easier and easier (still in my first week). Nasal pillows take some getting used to. Don't give up yet!!!

[plr66]

Several suggestions for you to be sure of:
1) Make sure the "wing" on each plastic arm is pointing up.
2) Make sure the strap with the small-hose clip is on top of your head.
3) Be sure that the fat side of your nasal pillow is closer to your upper lip, and the edge of the pillow with the embossed ResMed logo is nearest your nose. This is easy to goof up in the beginning, so check it every time you put it on, to be sure.
4) Make sure that the inner cone of each nasal piece is pointing in the same direction as the outer cone, and that it has not crushed or collapsed in some way.
5) Tilt the pillow on its hinges slightly in each direction until you get clean, unrestricted breaths.

NOTE THAT RESMED HAS CONFIRMED BY INVESTIGATION THAT SWIFT LT PILLOWS MANUFACTURED WITHIN ABOUT THE PAST YEAR HAVE A QUALITY DEFECT IN BEING EXCESSIVELY FLIMSY, AND THAT MANY ON THIS FORUM HAVE VERIFIED THIS CAUSES RAPID INEFFECTIVENESS AND BREAKDOWN OF THOSE PILLOWS. RESMED IS NOT REPLACING THOSE THIN PILLOWS WITH ANY SO FAR WHICH HAVE BEEN REPORTED AS AN IMPROVEMENT. I SUSPECT THAT MAY BE PART OF THE PROBLEM.

In case you haven't seen this well-worn thread...
viewtopic/t41729/MIRAGE-SWIFT-LT-QUALIT ... ARADE.html

[millich]

3) Be sure that the fat side of your nasal pillow is closer to your upper lip, and the edge of the pillow with the embossed ResMed logo is nearest your nose. This is easy to goof up in the beginning, so check it every time you put it on, to be sure.

Yep. Been there, done that!