Aerophagia - does switching to biPap help?

[twasbrillig]

I could use some help from all you folks out there who started with CPAP and switched to BiPap. Did it help with aerophagia? Did anyone find it helped them have more restorative sleep without necessarily having changed their AHI?

I have been trying to get my doc to prescribe biPap; he doesn't believe in it, though he hastened to add that he knows the guy who invented it... I am kind of tired of dealing with his patronizing manner, but if folks tell me they had noticeable results in regard to the above problems, I will re-enter the fray.

I have been hearing a lot about data. But it seems to me that aerophagia and unrestorative sleep may be related to something that is not measured in either sleep studies or by data-capable machines, which is, reflexive tongue movements in response to turbulent airflow during exhalation. Nobody measures tongue movements, but I have noticed both at home and in my most recent titration study that my tongue is moving a lot in swallowing motions. No surprise, then, that I would be swallowing air. Nor that I would have my sleep disrupted, even though flow limitations have been eliminated.

Please comment if you can!

[Hawthorne]

I don't know if switching to Bipap would help but switching to an autopap, set at a narrow range, helped me with this.

I also find that using the A-Flex on my machine, at a setting of 1 for me, helps this problem a lot.

[jnk]

It wouldn't be surprising if your doc is completely unaware of the connections between CPAP and aerophagia. According to -SWS:

"Many . . . patients have problems with CPAP induced aerophagia. To this day many sleep doctors have never even heard that CPAP pressure can cause aerophagia. Some sleep specialists flat out deny there is even a link between those two." -- viewtopic/t43546/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=42 ... 74#p381474

I believe I have read that a few have found that in their case their aerophagia got worse with bilevel, or with using expiration relief with their CPAP/APAP. Others have found it helps.

Here is a thread where some comment on what has helped them:

viewtopic/t43546/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=42 ... 04#p379502

In harmony with Hawthorne's post, have you tried APAP? You may be more successful arguing for APAP before arguing for bilevel. As I understand it, APAP is the same insurance code as CPAP, so it is basically considered the same as CPAP. Bilevel is a different code, though, and is generally reserved for those needing pressure higher than 15 or those who have "failed" using CPAP/APAP.

[dsm]

It sure improved the problem for me !. But hasn't fully eliminated it.

I was getting a bit depressed at the extent of the aerophagia I was getting when on cpap (was also on GERD medication)
It seems that many of us who have GERD as another issue, are prone to greater levels of aerophagia.

Interestingly, my GERD symptoms have reduced markedly since I lost a lot of excess weight. But a mild aerophagia is
still present but very tolerable.

Good luck

DSM

(PS I know you are not at all overweight, just thought I'd throw that line in for anyone else reading it).

[John35]

It sure improved the problem for me !. But hasn't fully eliminated it.

I was getting a bit depressed at the extent of the aerophagia I was getting when on cpap (was also on GERD medication)
It seems that many of us who have GERD as another issue, are prone to greater levels of aerophagia.

Interestingly, my GERD symptoms have reduced markedly since I lost a lot of excess weight. But a mild aerophagia is
still present but very tolerable.

Good luck

DSM

(PS I know you are not at all overweight, just thought I'd throw that line in for anyone else reading it).

Hey:
I also have sleep apnea and GERD. I´m still not compliant, lots of issues with CPAP. Aerophagia is one of them. I was just wondering if you would like to share some of your story with me...

John