Self inflating pads at altitude

Hi, I have a Thermarest style self inflating sleeping pad which when I go from the flat lands where I live to the mountains where I recreate the pad expands so much due to the change in altitude that it is hard to get out of the stuff sack. Is there anything I can do to keep this from happening? I'm sure the stress it receives trying to get it out of the stuff sack can't be good for the pad. I suppose folding it up so the valve is accessible and can be opened and the pad compressed is one option.

yeah, open the valve.

Travel with it out of its sack and the valve open. Coming home, also open up your water bottles.