Can using a CPAP for years open the epiglottis?

[MamaBear2016]

Can using a CPAP for many years open the epiglottis, so I'm swallowing food & drink into the lungs?

[Julie]

Of course not! Or are you joking?

[ChicagoGranny]

Can using a CPAP for many years open the epiglottis, so I'm swallowing food & drink into the lungs?

Possibly, if you are using CPAP and eating or drinking at the same time.

Want to know how to avoid this?

[Janknitz]

Can using a CPAP for many years open the epiglottis, so I'm swallowing food & drink into the lungs?

This is NOT a dumb question.

Your fear seems to be that you would have an unprotected airway because of CPAP and might choke on secretions. Are you having symptoms like that? If so you might first talk to your doctor about whether you might be having reflux which can cause this sensation. It's not the failure of the epiglottis to close due to CPAP, but it is a weakness in the upper sphincter of the stomach, which can have several causes (lack of acid blockers is NOT one of them).

But there are some people who DO have an issue with epiglottis in CPAP therapy. According to this article https://sleep-doctor.com/blog/the-epigl ... eep-apnea/, about 10% of Sleep Apnea patients have a "floppy" epiglottis that can cause CPAP to "push the epiglottis backwards to create a complete seal in the throat that cannot be relieved by higher CPAP pressures." That's not the same as "opening" the epiglottis, and it's not a long term result of using CPAP effectively. BTW, I take that 10% with a grain of salt. It's not a common complaint we see here, and more likely that doctor tends to get more referrals for people having that issue than most doctors treating sleep apnea.

If you aren't having issues with a choking sensation using CPAP, it's unlikely you will develop problems from long-term use. But if you are experiencing that, seek out a doctor who can look more deeply into the cause--ENT most likely.

[VVV]

Can using a CPAP for many years open the epiglottis, so I'm swallowing food & drink into the lungs?

I see you are a long-time user. 16 years for me.

If you are asking about food or drink going down the wrong way when you are eating, CPAP should be of no concern.

If you are concerned about reflux, particularly when you are lying down, you need to keep an eye on it. You can google and find some home remedies on sites like Cleveland Clinic and Mayo Clinic. If it doesn't resolve, you should seek medical advice.

CPAP would not be the cause of this. In fact, I had bad reflux at night that went away when I started using CPAP. The CPAP eliminated apneas and poor sleep which were causing reflux.

[MamaBear2016]

I was asking BC I developed a condition where, when I eat or drink ( not with the CPAP on ), it can go into my lungs.

In other words, swallowing food or drink can go into my lungs.

[SleepGeek]

I was asking BC I developed a condition where, when I eat or drink ( not with the CPAP on ), it can go into my lungs.

In other words, swallowing food or drink can go into my lungs.

Seriously?
iiwm - I would be seeing an ENT Priority ONE.

[ChicagoGranny]

I was asking BC I developed a condition where, when I eat or drink ( not with the CPAP on ), it can go into my lungs.

In other words, swallowing food or drink can go into my lungs.

Are you under the care of a doctor? Have you been examined?

[Janknitz]

I was asking BC I developed a condition where, when I eat or drink ( not with the CPAP on ), it can go into my lungs.

In other words, swallowing food or drink can go into my lungs.

I'm sorry to hear you are experiencing this. This is called "dysphagia" and there is often a neurological cause, sometimes it can be due to long-term, untreated reflux damaging the muscles that control the epiglottis, or a growth. Hopefully you have seen a doctor about this because it's quite serious, and a speech therapist can help teach you techniques to swallow safely and also what texture/temperature of food and liquids will help reduce the possibility of aspiration into your lungs.

This is not something caused by CPAP, but dysphagia is common with OSA. Several studies show a link between moderate and severe OSA and dysphagia, more likely the older you are, and possible causes are reflux (very common with OSA), friction on the tissues from snoring, weakness in the musculature for the entire airway.

I understand the feeling that you want to blame something for this situation, but there's no evidence that CPAP is the cause.

[MamaBear2016]

OK, that explains it, thanks. I don't know what to believe anymore, with medical people, since 2020.

I had lymphoma last year, 6 chemo treatments, now cured.

Also 6 stomach ulcers. They gave me an antacid drug, but I read that it's dangerous & had to quit it.

I saw a speech therapist who wanted to teach me all that, and how to swallow, but she's far from here & I'm swamped with work. Also didn't want a weird diet.

As far as OSA, I've been using the CPAP for maybe 10 years, and haven't snored since.

[Respirator99]

Also 6 stomach ulcers. They gave me an antacid drug, but I read that it's dangerous & had to quit it.

Don't believe anything you read on the internet!

Have you been tested for Helicobacter pylori? That is the most common cause of gastric ulcers (60% of stomach ulcers and 90% of duodenal ulcers), and needs a specific antibiotic in conjunction with an acid suppressant.

The other thing to be aware of is that some stomach cancers sometimes present with the same symptoms as ulcers. Because yours has been recurrent, you should probably get all options checked.

[MamaBear2016]

Also 6 stomach ulcers. They gave me an antacid drug, but I read that it's dangerous & had to quit it.

Don't believe anything you read on the internet!.

It was Pantoprazole.

Where would THAT leave us? But actually I had the word of a medical professional ( Dr. ), who showed me an article.

Have you been tested for Helicobacter pylori? That is the most common cause of gastric ulcers (60% of stomach ulcers and 90% of duodenal ulcers), and needs a specific antibiotic in conjunction with an acid suppressant. .

Yes - h-pylori, supported by endoscopy & biopsy.

The other thing to be aware of is that some stomach cancers sometimes present with the same symptoms as ulcers. Because yours has been recurrent, you should probably get all options checked.

We did, thanks.

https://www.michiganmedicine.org/health ... ains-risks

"Recent studies, however, have cited dangers thought to be associated with the long-term use of PPIs.

Among them: an increased risk of kidney disease, osteoporosis, low magnesium or vitamin B12 in the blood, pneumonia, stroke, and contracting the Clostridium difficile (C. diff) bacterium. A 2016 German study also pointed to a potential link between PPI use and a higher likelihood of dementia."

[chunkyfrog]

I have been taking pantoprazole for years.
The only effect is if I skip one--then the dreaded GERD returns.
Losing my gall bladder forced me to make minor adjustments.

[Janknitz]

It's much more likely that lymphoma, the chemo, and untreated reflux caused this problem than cpap. But it sounds like you are grieving having to deal with this new development. Understandable. you've been through a lot.

I saw a speech therapist who wanted to teach me all that, and how to swallow, but she's far from here & I'm swamped with work. Also didn't want a weird diet.

Really, a speech therapist could teach you what you need to know in one visit. It's not that hard. It has to do with positioning yourself and tucking your chin while swallowing to protect the airway.

And not a weird diet. The most common issue with dysphagia is with thin liquids--they slide down fast and bypass your epiglottis.
Thin liquids can be thickened (and yes, thickened coffee IS gross, but a coffee smoothie is nice). There are choices as to what you use to thicken liquids because some of the common thickeners have an unpleasant texture. Also (in some cases, and this is where the ST can be very helpful in assessing) very cold liquids and carbonated liquids are less likely to be aspirated because you can feel them going down, and that gives your brain time to stimulate the the airway protection.

Aspiration pneumonia is no fun, and it can be silent so you don't always know it's happening. Repeated bouts take a huge toll on your health. So it's really worth it to take a day to see the therapist, and learn how to protect your airway.

[MamaBear2016]

I have been taking pantoprazole for years.
The only effect is if I skip one--then the dreaded GERD returns.
Losing my gall bladder forced me to make minor adjustments.

I almost never had reflux, unless I ate one meal horribly. But they did an endoscope & found ulcers, biopsied them & they were not cancer, then gave me antibiotics and the pantoprazole. You saw the warnings above. I don't need cancer again. Once was quite enough, and fortunately it was curable, this time.