Feel like i have come to the end

[rwalker]

I have been on CPAP for around 6 months now, i have tried every ff mask going, the quattro is the best for me but I am having real bad problems with aerophagia, I wake 3 to 4 times a night with the stomach pain, let off a great big burp and then go back to sleep, my pressure is at 13.5 and has just been raised as i was starting to snore and have apnea events again with a pressure of 12.2. What should i tell my consultant who I am due to see again on the 2nd July, I can't go through the rest of my life having these pains, I feel very down at the moment and do not look forward to sleeping at all, I really fell i have come to the end with nothing else to try.

[jnk]

Don't get discouraged, there are machines out there designed to help people with that problem. You need a machine that gives you efficacy data, for sure, and you need a machine designed to help someone with aerophagia problems. For example, it may be that you need an auto-titrating machine, a bilevel machine, or an auto-titrating bilevel machine in order to experience positive-airway-pressure treatment without pain. (If that doesn't work, there may even be a minor surgical fix to try.) You aren't at the end. Fight for what you need, my friend. Life is too precious not to!

[harry33]

do you burp a lot when awake, you may have the habit of swallowing air

[Hawthorne]

Getting an autopap and setting it in auto range with minimal exhalation relief solved the aerophagia I had when using straight cpap pressure.

That may not work for everyone but, it certainly worth talking to your doctor about trying an auto.

As jnk said, you have a lot of options to try! Don't give up!

[carbonman]

What should i tell my consultant who I am due to see again on the 2nd July,

I really fell i have come to the end with nothing else to try.

You haven't tried everything.
You haven't even scratched the surface.
Tell your consultant you want an auto cpap with some exhale relief....
cflex or EPR. Could relief many of the problems you are having w/this therapy.

[Babette]

Why are you using a full face mask? I use a chinstrap and nasal prongs mask and have NO aerophagia.

Try a different set up. Try a chinstrap or taping and a nasal-only mask.

There are several Free Test Drives being run by forum members. You can read more about them in the links below in my signature line. You can try a mask for the cost of postage only.

Good luck!
Barbara

[Julie]

Hi, a couple of things you might not have tried that have worked for some people, and they are - turning down their pressure just a notch or two, and/or raisin the head of the bed 4-6" (which at least deals with any GERD problems that might be involved).

[TSSleepy]

I need a pressure of around 12 to really fix my sleep apnea. But my stomach has a problem with pressures that are much above 10.

So for me, an APAP set at 10-12 worked out quite well. I spend large portions of the night at 10, but climb up to 12 for short periods during REM sleep. Overall, I average around 10.5 and feel OK. I think this was the main fix for me.

I also use maximum A-Flex exhalation relief to make my exhalation as gentle as possible, which seems to help some. A "sharp" air flow change from inhalation to exhalation almost seems to "bump" a little air into my stomach.

Another thing that seemed to help a little was a lower humidity. I'm a mouth breather and the air flow tends to induce drooling. I think some of the stomach-air was coming from reflexive swallowing of saliva during the night. I'd rather wake up with a dry mouth/throat than an aching belly.

But as people have said, everyone's a little different, so it may take some trial and error to get this solved.