Exhaling with the Swift LT

MarylandCPAPer wrote:

(Sometimes it feels like the raised Resmed name on the pillows is pressing too hard on the top part of my nose, and that I'll wake up with a nose branding! So I loosen things so that won't happen!)

Allinknots:

I use the Swift LT for Her mask. The raised Resmed name is on the outside top of my nasal pillows, not facing my nose. Have you tried reversing the position of the nasal pillows to see if it makes a difference? I have only been using the mask for a few weeks (just diagnosed with OSA last month) but I haven't had the problems you describe.

allinknots wrote:I had issues with this mask when I first used it, too, but have overcome the problems for the most part. (Please see my past posts on this.)

I'll explain what helped me, however this is a "do-it-at-your-own-risk" kind of thing. (Most people advise *against* altering their masks.)

I felt that it required too much effor to exhale; I didn't feel it was natural to have to forcibly push your air out. I ended up enlarging the exhale ports/holes on my mask. I used a heavy-duty needle at first, and then even used the point of embroidery scissors. I got it to the point where I could exhale and feel that adequate air was escaping. My "numbers" have been pretty good: 1.9 to 3.9 AHI each night. (Resmed Auto cpap.) If anything, I'd think the numbers would show worse than is actually the case since the mask was not designed with "escape"/exhale ports that large.

As far as the difficult-to-breathe-problem when you first lay down: I experience that, too. This is what I do. I lay down on my back with the mask, and adjust the headstrap a bit as needed to feel comfortable. If I feel too "smothered," I loosen the straps a bit. If I feel the nosepiece is too loose or insecure, I tighten a bit. I adjust the nasal pillow part a bit too. (Sometimes it feels like the raised Resmed name on the pillows is pressing too hard on the top part of my nose, and that I'll wake up with a nose branding! So I loosen things so that won't happen!)

And here is the unusual part: AT FIRST I purposely PART MY LIPS, inhale through my nose and exhale through my mouth. I tilt the nasal pillows ever so slightly with my fingers and HOLD IT IN PLACE at the exact position that gives me the most incoming air, wiggling them a bit here and there to allow optimal air inhalation. I am still holding them there with my fingers, breathing in with my nose, exhaling mainly through my mouth. I do this for about a minute, then I gradually let go. It seems like the pillows have formed and "stuck" exactly the way I was holding them. I gradually close my mouth, while still exhaling through my mouth a bit. (i.e. I begin to close my mouth a bit, still exhaling through it, but also exhaling through my nose.) I do this until I can comfortably inhale as well as exhale through my nose, and then I completely close them and keep my mouth shut.

This whole procedure takes about 3 minutes for me, I'd guess.

I have a theory as to why this works. I think my heart-rate is increased a bit as I'm setting up the cpap, putting on the mask, laying down to go to sleep, etc. I lay down, but my heart is still going fast, and I'm breathing at a harder, faster rate than when resting. The gradual mouth closing bit allows me to inhale more strongly and then exhale the amount I need to in order to allow the next incoming breath. As I relax, my heart-rate slows and my breathing rate slows and is a bit more shallow. That's when I can close my mouth.

After this whole shenanigans is done, I can usually roll to one side or the other and get into my favorite sleeping position.

If you try this and it works for you, please let me know!

hth,
All in Knots

Allinknots wrote:
(Sometimes it feels like the raised Resmed name on the pillows is pressing too hard on the top part of my nose, and that I'll wake up with a nose branding! So I loosen things so that won't happen!)

MarylandCPAPer wrote:
Allinknots:
I use the Swift LT for Her mask. The raised Resmed name is on the outside top of my nasal pillows, not facing my nose. Have you tried reversing the position of the nasal pillows to see if it makes a difference? I have only been using the mask for a few weeks (just diagnosed with OSA last month) but I haven't had the problems you describe.

Allinknots wrote:
Trying to understand here--if the raised Resmed name is on the outside top of the pillows, it would be facing towards the nose (as opposed to place between your nose and your mouth). When I mentioned that the pillows sometimes press too hard on the top part of my nose, I guess I don't really mean the top of my nose--I meant towards the bottom tip of my nose. Sorry for my poor description! It feels that I get the most air when the pillows are so snugged in that the ResMed word presses against that part of my nose, that it sometimes turns a bit red. (The "branding" reference was really just an exaggeration.)

All in Knots

MarylandCPAPer wrote:
I noticed that the nasal pillows can be attached several different ways to the LT headgear and that it was hard to breathe when I put them back on "wrong" once.

MarylandCPAPer wrote:
Maybe our pillows are a different size, are different designs, or fit us differently, but the raised Resmed name (when on the outer top of the pillows) doesn't touch my face, so when I read about being "branded, " I wondered if the nasal pillows may have gotten reversed in position on your mask (or mine).

MarylandCPAPer wrote:

On a related topic, I read a long thread on here about the newer LT nasal pillows being lower quality than older ones. I assume I have "newer" ones since I got the mask a few weeks ago. Has Resmed done anything to improve the quality, and do you (or anyone) know how long before the problem in the LT nasal pillows may show up?

MarylandCPAPer wrote:
On a related topic, I read a long thread on here about the newer LT nasal pillows being lower quality than older ones. I assume I have "newer" ones since I got the mask a few weeks ago. Has Resmed done anything to improve the quality, and do you (or anyone) know how long before the problem in the LT nasal pillows may show up?
Maryland CPAPer