Gas and Bloating Caused by CPAP

[Wulfman]

Wow looks like things got a little heated. I just want to know how to cure my gas and bloating. From what i am reading if I use CPAP I will get gastric insufflation and if I do not use CPAP I wont get it. That makes my decsion easy i will look into an oral device I have been told my sleep apena is mild so it seems logical. Old Lincon if you have any insight on what i should do let me know it sounds like you know more then this "doctor". Thanks

You didn't tell us what machine you were using or what your pressures were. That can have a big effect on your conditions.
Sometimes it means using an APAP with a little lower pressure (range) and sometimes turning on or off (or selecting different settings of) EPR or C-Flex can help.....or using straight pressure. In some cases, switching to a Bi-Level/Bi-PAP machine will usually help. Lots of variables when dealing with those conditions.
Giving up CPAP should not be a first option.

Den

[OldLincoln]

I don't disagree with trying an oral device and I hope it works for you. However, should it not, please read "the rest of the story" in my attached post. I was within a short time of giving it up when my last desperate attempt convinced the doctor to write a new script for an APAP.

By setting the low limit under my LES threshold I no longer have the serious bloating. At most I have a couple "toots" and absolutely no pain. It is interesting that my APAP spends over 50% of the time sitting on the low limit yet reaches up to swat down trouble when it arises in a few seconds. That trouble is in the range my CPAP used to be set at all night long.

So know there is yet an answer if the oral device doesn't work for you. I can provide the package I handed my doctor that convinced him.

[Jason S.]

My $0.02 is that I had GERD prior to starting CPAP. I also has a little morning gas (air) which I now attribute to gulping air all night as I snored with my mouth open. Now after CPAP (full-face mask) I have experienced sporadic aerophagia (some mornings worse than others) but my GERD has improved. I equate my symptoms of aerophagia as about the same as post-colonoscopy gas expulsion.

[Sleepless in Canada]

Thanks for the advice. My sleep specialist has never mentioned bi-pap, A-pap or c-flex I had no idea what they were I had to Google to find out. My pressure started at 12 then went to 8, then 10 now 12 again, they think that if the pressure is not high enough I am gasping for air. If anyone has more information on the A-PAP and why it might relive gas pressure, please let me know. The only problem I have with CPAP is it causes bloating. I have been using it on and off for 2 years. Every "professional" says it is common and have little to know advice about the bloating they act like I am lying or making it up.

After researching and reading some of the forums it sounds like CPAP may be the most effective method only for the simple reason that it is the most prescribed as there is A LOT of people with issues

[Wulfman]

Thanks for the advice. My sleep specialist has never mentioned bi-pap, A-pap or c-flex I had no idea what they were I had to Google to find out. My pressure started at 12 then went to 8, then 10 now 12 again, they think that if the pressure is not high enough I am gasping for air. If anyone has more information on the A-PAP and why it might relive gas pressure, please let me know. The only problem I have with CPAP is it causes bloating. I have been using it on and off for 2 years. Every "professional" says it is common and have little to know advice about the bloating they act like I am lying or making it up.

After researching and reading some of the forums it sounds like CPAP may be the most effective method only for the simple reason that it is the most prescribed as there is A LOT of people with issues

As I mentioned to the "Doctor" last night, do a Search on the forum (above) on "aerophagia" and "GERD" (if that applies) and start reading through posts. The "solution" is different for different people. These topics have been VERY frequent (here) over the years.

I don't have either of those adverse effects from CPAP and don't have an A-Flex machine, so I can't give any first-hand advice in these areas......only where to look.

Den

[Raj]

Sleepless, two exercises, both invented by doctors, have helped me with this problem. The first is to stick your tongue far out of your mouth and swallow without withdrawing your tongue. Do this several times a day (I recommend when no one's looking your way). The second is to lie flat on your back, raise your head a few inches and hold it in that position for ten (at first) to thirty seconds (as you grow strong enough), then lower your head and relax for thirty seconds. Repeat ten to twenty times. Go easy initially, because this can put a strain on your neck muscles until they adapt, and these muscles tend to be weak even in very strong people.

[OldLincoln]

These exercises helped Raj, anybody else try them? If not maybe we can get a few folks (including me) to do them for, what - a month?, and report back. If something that simple helps we might include it in the nuby section.

[Jason S.]

Sleepless, two exercises, both invented by doctors, have helped me with this problem. The first is to stick your tongue far out of your mouth and swallow without withdrawing your tongue.

I tried it and its impossible. I cannot swallow with my tongue even a little outside my mouth.

[nobody]

these people are hypochondriacs please do not listen.

[Raj]

Jason, don't try to extend your tongue very far at first, but do try to keep it from pulling back in. With a little practice you'll find a way to do this. I remember how difficult this exercise seemed to me in the beginning and now it's quite easy for me. Both this and Dr. Reza Shaker's neck-raising exercise mentioned above were designed to help people who have difficulty swallowing, but strengthening the complex muscles involved in swallowing seems to have a beneficial effect in maintaining a proper separation between the digestive and breathing channels in the throat. And as xPAP users with air shoved down our throats all night, we certainly need more such separation than the average person.

[nobody]

So should I be worried? In the last month or so I've been having a lot of air in my stomach. I wake up a few times a night and belch it out. Am I going to get shit in my stomach from that?

[roster]

If Old Lincoln is right then the 80% of cpap users that experience bloating have GERD. If the problem is so common the specialists would be aware of this issue. Sleepless in Canada these people are hypochondriacs please do not listen. GERD is Gastric and if you Google it there are a list of symptoms. If you are not medical doctors please do not scare people. Please do your research before you give bad advice. Bloating and gas is VERY COMMMON please do not spook new users. This site is for information sharing not scare tactics

The comment above is very poorly written and adds nothing definitive to the discussion. I doubt you are a sleep doc.

Oh wait. You could be one of those first two sleep docs that I had to fire due to their incompetence.

[knifty]

hello, am new to this site, went through sleep test two years ago, didn't follow up with next study with cpap machine, went to dentist instead for device, tried that faithfully for a month, my jaw was so sore, couldn't hardly eat breakfast and wasn't better till noon, didn't get any better, still snored with it and didn't feel any better, ie, felt worse since it felt like someone punched me in the head every day. So I threw that piece of junk in the garbage, haven't done anything since, but am still tired every day, going back to Dr next week probably try the cpap, but after reading lots of posts here, not getting too excited, maybe if I could loose that extra weight. Anyway, if you are going to get a dental device, save your money and don't bother, there was an earlier post where a faithful user ended up with his teeth being moved from the constant pressure

[OldLincoln]

I tried it and its impossible. I cannot swallow with my tongue even a little outside my mouth.

I had the same problem with my mouth open. When I tried it while softly biting on my extended tongue I could swallow (with difficulty). I suppose it will get easier with practice. Hey, it's worth a try. Look at the thing about taping your mouth shut. Who woulda thunk!! If "the big you guys" can try that, why not a couple exercises?

[dieselgal]

I use to have a lot more bloating until I changed to the auto with a/flex. Not nearly so much problem with that anymore. This issue may be something that bothers people with weak esophagus muscles or even damage from gerd. I had suffered with Gerd for years and in fact had enough damage that it caused scarring in the esphagus that my Dr called a shatzi ring. They go in and stretch the scar tissue so that you quit getting a choking feeling (anyway I digress) What I mean to say is that I have had severe heartburn for most of my adult life and have to take something like nexium daily. I also tend to gulp air if I get nervous or out in the cold. It is interesting to maybe tie the easy bloating to the gerd. I will have to check into that.