EMBARRASSING question

[jeffishere]

I'm on my 3rd week of CPAP and all is well except that I am awakened every night after 5-6 hrs of good sleep by a belly full of gas. I proceed to pass gas for the next hour or more! I know I'm swallowing air...I know about aerophagia....that's what it is, no doubt....the question is...
Is there anything I can do about it?
Or just "grin and bear it?"
It's actually ruining my sleep.....
Thanks for any help!!

[LinkC]

Learn to embrace it! Become a virtuoso...

This is a familiar topic here. No need to be embarrassed. We've ALL been there (and still are on occasion...) I don't know anything that can prevent it.

[roster]

It is likely that you are not actually swallowing air. It is that the pressure is pushing it through your lower esophogeal sphincter into your digestive system.

Like LinkC said there is no pat answer.

You might try the home treatment for GERD, http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/gerd/D ... e-remedies, at the Mayo Clinic website. Even if it doesn't help these are good practices for your health.

The remedy for me was to sleep exclusively on my tummy.

[PST]

I grin and bear it, jeffishere, but I must not swallow as much air as you. If it were wrecking my last hour or two of sleep, I would talk to my doctor about trying a lower pressure. If you could get big relief with little penalty in AHI, it might be worth it. I believe that in some people there may be a bit of a threshold effect. Even a small reduction in pressure may help a great deal if you are lucky.

It is too bad you have an Escape instead of an Elite. The difference is data reporting capability. Having that ability makes it easier to experiment with trade-offs like effectiveness vs. aerophagia. If there is one strong article of faith on this board, it is the advantage of machines that provide therapy data, not just compliance data. I'm a believer, definitely. It is just a situation like yours where that comes in handy. The big split here is between those who would talk to the doctor first and those who would go it alone.

On the subject of data-capable vs. non-data-capable machines, is there anyone who thinks in this day and age that a non-data-capable machine is anything but a data-capable machine with some of the software disabled? In this age of cheap electronics, I find it hard to imagine that adding data capability represents much of an incremental manufacturing cost.

[mars]

The remedy for me was to sleep exclusively on my tummy.

Hi jeffishere

If you extrapolate from what Rooster says, and try different sleep positions, you might find the remedy there.

If you do, then I will take credit for inventing a new term - positional aerophagia (together with Rooster of course )

cheers

Mars

[idamtnboy]

On the subject of data-capable vs. non-data-capable machines, is there anyone who thinks in this day and age that a non-data-capable machine is anything but a data-capable machine with some of the software disabled? In this age of cheap electronics, I find it hard to imagine that adding data capability represents much of an incremental manufacturing cost.

It may be something as simple as a jumper on the mother board. Or it could be a different program flashed into the ROM. But I agree, the hardware very likely is the same. Kind of like my Daikin heat pump. It's a 3 ton unit. My HVAC guy said the only difference between it and the 4 ton unit is the program in the mobo, and my unit could actually be changed by changing out the mobo, or maybe even just reprogramming the mobo.

[roster]

The remedy for me was to sleep exclusively on my tummy.

If you extrapolate from what Rooster says, and try different sleep positions, you might find the remedy there.

If you do, then I will take credit for inventing a new term - positional aerophagia (together with Rooster of course )

Mars

Good one Mars! You get all the credit!

When you file for a copyright, cover all the bases:

Positional Aerophagia (PA)
Positional Aerophagia Positional Treatment (PAPT)
Positional Gastric Insufflation (PGI)
Positional Gastric Insufflation Positional Treatment (PGIPT)

[LinkC]

Rooster: Frontal Aerophagia Recumbent Therapy...

jeffishere: I forgot the GOOD news about aerophagia. Since it is only ingested air--and not digestive gas--there is little or no "aroma" involved. An assault on the ears, but not the nose!

[JayC]

My "morning music" seriously *decreased* as I continued CPAP therapy nightly. Most of the music remaining seems more from diet...(sniff, sniff..!)

J

[Guest]

Just don't ask me to pull your finger

[jeffishere]

Thanks all for the informative replies! I agree that I'm not swallowing air but that it's being forced down into my gut. It was painful last night!

Especially interesting was what PST said:
It is too bad you have an Escape instead of an Elite. The difference is data reporting capability. Having that ability makes it easier to experiment with trade-offs like effectiveness vs. aerophagia.

I will call on Monday & see if it's too late to change machines...I'm still in my 1st month....not sure if my insurance will allow that. Anyone know?

Thanks again!

[roster]

I will call on Monday & see if it's too late to change machines...I'm still in my 1st month....not sure if my insurance will allow that. Anyone know?

Thanks again!

It depends on the policy and the DME you are working with and how hardnosed you are willing to be in demanding a data-capable machine. My doctor and DME decided it was better to switch out my machines that to keep suffering my slings and arrows. Stink their offices up if they show reluctance to give you a new machine. You can do it.

For members' evaluation of data importance see: viewtopic.php?f=1&t=60874&p=570977.

[PtownKev]

First of all, I don't think there are any questions too embarrassing to raise on this board. We're all dealing with the physical effects of CPAP therapy and these are very real issues that affect our ability to continue with treatment--if we can't talk about them here, where can we get support? So, I'm glad you spoke up--and you're obviously not alone in this condition!

On the question of the Resmed S8 Escape vs. Elite, as I have learned on this board (primarily from Janknitz), most insurers do not reimburse the DME according to make and model of machine. Generally, insurers pay based on a single billing code which covers ALL CPAP/APAP machines. Therefore, the DME gets the same amount from the insurer regardless of their cost for the machine, which obviously provides an incentive for them to give you a lower priced model, thereby increasing their markup on the equipment. As everyone on here will tell you, the value of the full efficacy data reporting far exceeds the difference in cost of the machine (which, incidentally, is minimal--if you look at online DMEs, the difference in retail price between the Escape and the Elite is about $40-$50).

[LinkC]

I will call on Monday & see if it's too late to change machines...I'm still in my 1st month....not sure if my insurance will allow that. Anyone know?

I did! But it took a new 'script. My DME wanted a new 'script stating the exact model to justify the change, so I called my doc's office. She was off that day, but when I told the office clerk what I needed, she said she could prepare it and get the other doc to sign it. Then she asked me what they needed it to say. I dictated it over the phone (and upgraded myself to an Auto while I was at it! ) In about 10 mins, the fax got to the DME and I got my new machine.

I was on a "rent-to-own" deal, and that started over, so I ended up paying an extra month's "rent"...$25!

Bottom line, it all depends on your insurance, what your DME needs to make the switch and how willing your doc is to play the game.