I am switching from the mask that just covers your entire nose to the swift lt.  My question is, does the tubing that comes with my other mask work with this new mask?  I can't figure out how to affix my swift LT to the tubing provided before with my other mask because the end of the tubing seems to be threaded.  Anyone have any ideas or am I supposed to receive a different size tube that attaches to the cpap machine?

I used the Swift for four years and liked it very much.  My nostrils did get a little sore at first but that passes.  

As to the connections, you need another hose piece to make the connection.  It's kind of a 'step down' attachment, about a foot long, smaller diameter than the regular 6' hose, with a bend at the end.  The thing is sort of the shape of a golf club.

The attachment piece should have come with your new mask.  If not, your provider should get you one.

Good luck with it!


_________________
Be well, sleep tight!

Bonnie
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Resmed S8 Autoser II - ResMed H4i Humidifier ResMed Mirage Activa LT mask
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“Nobody will ever win the battle of the sexes. There's too much fraternizing with the enemy.”
~~Henry Kissinger

if you have trouble with this mask such as your nose getting sore, there are a couple things you can do to ensure you are using the mask successfully:

1.  If the bridge between your nares is sore, the mask might be too tight.  The pillows just rest slightly below your nose.  You want the air to go into your nose--you're not going to snorkel with this mask under water.  

2.  You can use Lansinoh on your nose.  It's an excellent, lanolin based product actually for breastfeeding mom's.  It's inexpensively available next to baby diapers and formula is most stores.  It's intended to help nursing mom's toughen up breast tissue--also good for cpap noses.

3.  Try the different sizes of nasal cushions.....if you experience leaking at higher pressures during the night or as your prescription changes, a smaller nasal cushion may solve the problem.  What seems entirely too small initially, may work for you if your prescription is changes to a higher pressure.  Don't get rid of the cushions, just because you're not using them the first night or two.

4.  Connect the small hose to the clip over your head.  That keeps the hose behind  your pillow, allowing you to move from side to side easier without pulling on the mask and creating leaks or waking you up.

5.  I like the pad-a-cheeks fleece on each side of my mask...allows me to sleep on my side easier.  I wasn't too fond of the mask until I purchased those.  They can easily be made also.  I just put them right over the lightweight covers that came with the mask.

It's a mask I like using.........I'm already anxious for it's replacement that ResMed is releasing in Australia.  That looks to be even better.

Good luck in your endeavors....I hope that you like this mask as well as I do, or you are able to find a mask you do like.  That's a big part of the adjustment to cpap, and a key secret to your continued success.


_________________
ResMed S8 AutoSet II with H4i humidifier, Sleepzone heated hose, Swift LT for Her Mask, Regenesis buckwheat pillow, Hozer hose management system, and Rescan 3.7 + card reader

I've been a good CPAP girl.  I wear it every night.  I get great numbers.  I feel great. BUT.........after 1 year, I've started having trouble with my Activa mask.  So...this morning, at the crack of dawn I get in my little Subaru and head off for an hour and a half drive to my DME (before work!).  I've been having issues with the mask pushing on my upper gum line and now my teeth are getting sensitive.  I tried on all the masks in sight.  I always poo pooed the nasal pillow ones.  I thought only weird people used those. (Sorry White Beard!!!!) But.......again there is that "but".........I really liked how the Swift LT For Her (sounds like a tampon advertisement!) felt!  I'm taking it home and slapping that puppy on tonight!  It would be great if it was the solution I've been looking for.  I'll let you know. I'm open for change..I really am.

Thank all of you for your great tips!

Cape Cod Momma ( now I'm the weird one)

tootiredtocare wrote:

I am switching from the mask that just covers your entire nose to the swift lt.  My question is, does the tubing that comes with my other mask work with this new mask?  I can't figure out how to affix my swift LT to the tubing provided before with my other mask because the end of the tubing seems to be threaded.  Anyone have any ideas or am I supposed to receive a different size tube that attaches to the cpap machine?

All CPAP tubing is universal and fits all masks ports. You may have a quick disconnect piece from your old mask that is threaded stuck in your tubing. Just remove that piece out of the tubing and it will work for your swift LT. You probably already have figured it out. I get that question a lot and it is a easy fix.

Well, one night down.  Not sure.  No more pushing on my upper gum line....woohooo.  My numbers were still good.  Apneas up from .1 or 0 to .3.  But certainly within great.  My head feels a bit foggy in the back of it like pre-CPAP; but we'll see as the day goes by.  Only woke up a couple of times and only because of water in my nostrils.  Weird feeling.  NO hot spots; just a different approach to the same problem.  Hmmmmm.  Possibilities here folks.  I used the small nose thingys last night.  I did feel like I had to work on exhaling though.   But I loved the fact that I could "gear up", put my glasses back on and read until my eye lids headed south.  Just whip off the glasses and to sleep.  I didn't have to wait until I was sleepy then get myself all awake again while I got all my gear on.  

As long as my numbers stay good, as long as I can work on the exhale thing (got better when I wasn't thinking about it)(I did have my EPR on - I have a ResMed Elite - love that puppy) and as long as it continues to feel good, this might be my solution.  One problem though, my family says that the blue headgear clashes with the ruby chin strap.  What's a girl to do?

Cape Cod Momma

I also have a Swift LT. I love it, but I have two issues with it. The first is the rain out. It seems that this mask is prone to this problem. I had this problem pretty much solved by using a fleece cover and a hose heater. This heater is actually made for a reptile aquarium, is a flexible cable that is 6 ft. long and only 15 watts. (You plug it in). It gets warm, not hot. Just enough to keep the moist air coming from the unit to your mask from condensing. I learned about it from another apnea forum. That took care of about 95% of the rainout.

The second issue, I have not found an answer for yet. I do some breathing through my mouth. This drives my AHI way up. So I tried using a small piece of tape over my mouth. (With a folded over tab in case it had to be removed quickly). This helped my AHI, but the numbers were still too high. (From about 10 to 22). I then asked my respiratory therapist about this and she about had a hemorrhage when I told her about the tape. She then set me up with a full face Mirage. The mask works. Its OK, but I like the Swift much better. Anybody know of AI and AHI issues with the Swift? Oh, BTW, when using the swift, my leak numbers were 0 or right around there. Go figure.

jaybw,

I can't believe that your respiratory therapist didn't show you a chin strap!  It's just goes around the top of your head and under your chin.  Easy peasy, easy solution for mouth breathing.  Check them out on line.  It's very comfortable and stops any mouth breathing and SOOOOOO much more comfortable than a full face mask.  I started out with a full face mask since I too tended to breathe through my mouth once in awhile.  It was not for me.  I then went to a nasal mask with the addition of the chin strap.  That worked well for about a year.  Then I started have issues with pressure on my top gum line and my teeth became sensitive.  That's when my therapist turned me on to my Swift.  I love it.  I do use the chin strap with it.  The colors clash, but who can tell in the dark!

I do have rain out issues and sometimes sniff water.  But, I have turned my humidifier down a bit and it seems much better.  I still have to "tweek" it some but I'm getting there.  I do use a hose cover and it helps a lot.  But, we do keep our bedroom temp way down.....think ice on the inside....Neither my husband nor I like it warm when we sleep.  He's also a hose head and I do expect to someday have our children have to rescue us by chipping our masks off with ice picks!

My AHI has risen a bit since I started with the Swift, but my apneas still range from 0 to .2 so I'm guessin' I'm good!

Hang in there and check out the chin strap.  Mine is named "Ruby"!

Cape Cod Momma

I also use a Swift LT and (mostly) like it.  My husband is on cpap as well.  We find that he has NO rainout with his Respironics gel profile lite while using a humidifier, while I get lotsa' rainout with my Swift- same room, same bed, go figure.   Wrapping the hose with fleece didn't improve the outcome.  I no longer use the humidifier.

The Ruby Red hurt my jaw so I returned to an Ace bandage wrapped around my head to keep my jaw closed at night.


_________________
Dianne's: Remstar Auto M, C-flex, humidifier, smart card. Mask: Swift LT, AHI- 23, lowest blood ox 80%.

John's: Resmed S8 Autoset II w/EPR, Mask: Respironics Profile-lite mask.
severe apnea, Cpap user for more than 20 years.

Strange thing, that rainout. With the Swift LT, it was like sleeping with a Netti pot. With my full face Quattro, I don't get any. The worst thing with the Quattro is that sometime during the night, I'll get an itch on my face that I can't get to unless I stop the machine, take off the mask, de-itch and start from the beginning again. I will look into a chin strap, though. Maybe I can go back to the Swift. Thanks for the info. Sleep well.

Jay

Ok sooooo your more then weird!... I should know right ;P  I agree I want this mask to work too.  I find though I feel like i'm gasping for air for a while.  Going to check my ramp settings "which are off" and maybe my EPR settings too.
And yes it does sound like a tampon advert.

capecodmomma wrote:

I've been a good CPAP girl.  I wear it every night.  I get great numbers.  I feel great. BUT.........after 1 year, I've started having trouble with my Activa mask.  So...this morning, at the crack of dawn I get in my little Subaru and head off for an hour and a half drive to my DME (before work!).  I've been having issues with the mask pushing on my upper gum line and now my teeth are getting sensitive.  I tried on all the masks in sight.  I always poo pooed the nasal pillow ones.  I thought only weird people used those. (Sorry White Beard!!!!) But.......again there is that "but".........I really liked how the Swift LT For Her (sounds like a tampon advertisement!) felt!  I'm taking it home and slapping that puppy on tonight!  It would be great if it was the solution I've been looking for.  I'll let you know. I'm open for change..I really am.

Thank all of you for your great tips!

Cape Cod Momma ( now I'm the weird one)

Above is #1 son.  Also known as computer geek, the good seed, and fellow hose head.  I've taught him all I know.......poor kid!

Yes, we are both trying to get the Swift mask under our control.  We WILL win. Conquer we must.