CPAP & Chron's Disease

Hey everyone,

I have been diagnosed with Chron's disease a year ago. Later, I was diagnosed with Sleep Apniea. Anyone out there have the same thing goin on? I've been having problems lately with gas pains....or what I think are gas pains...in my chest. It almost feels like something crawling or sliding up the center of my chest. It hurts, but it's more of a scary hurt. My first thought is heart attack! But the doc says my heart is good. So I think it's gas. I get a lot of that with the Chron's. I take corticosteroids every morning and drink one ensure every day. I recently stopped smoking, drinking soda, stopped coffee, and pretty much all caffeine. I've been eating a lot of fruit and glutin-free stuff as well. Of course I gained weight since...around 10lbs over the past 30 days. Weight gain could be an issue, but with Chron's, I'll lose it all in a week or two. My machine is a Fisher&Paykel Icon. I have a full nose/mouth mask as well. Any clue why I have these sensations? I wake up extremely bloated as well.

Thanks for any comments that could help me resolve this.

~D~

I don't know enough about Crohn's to say what your new symptoms are related (though I wouldn't necessarily think they are) but so many of us with OSA do have GERD (acid reflux overnight) that I'd be more inclined to go with that.. one way to help it (aside from lots of meds) is to raise the head of your bed by about 6 inches (not necessarily more) which some people here have done (using bricks under the bed frame).

I agree with Judy, talk to your gastroenterologist about Gastro Esophageal Reflux. It's often seen in sleep apnea patients and in it's worst forms can damage the esophagus from stomach acids being forced upwards into the throat. You have enough damage going on already. Until you can see the doc you can try one of the OTC brands of the prescrition meds- prevacid, cimetidine, etc. for acid reflux. Don't ingone this. Raising the head of the bed helps gravity keep stomach contents where they belong.
Good luck, keep us posted.

I think you have a number of things to address here with some good suggestions above.

Regarding the Chrons, I cannot overemphasize the positive results I have gotten from dietary change and eliminating pathogens. It is a slow process but it can be done. Two places to start: "Listen to Your Gut" http://www.listen2yourgut.com/

Also take a look at Elaine Gotschall's info on The Specific Carbohydrate Diet". http://www.breakingtheviciouscycle.info/

Both of these women tell very interesting stories about healing very serious intestinal issues, and I can say i have been helped tremendously by both.

Noting your username; apnea comes to all ages.
No one is too young, too skinny, too athletic, and epecially, no one is TOO COOL!

You may be experiencing "aerophagia" which is swallowing air while wearing your CPAP. The best way to prevent that is to teach yourself to sleep with your tongue pressed firmly to the roof of your mouth. This seals off the mouth from the throat, so that the air goes into the lungs instead of the stomach. That should relieve a lot of the gas you have been swallowing.

It may sound impossible to teach yourself to do something in your sleep, but it's not. The trick is to work on it ALL day. Every time you think of it, check where your tongue is, and if you are not talking or eating it should be firmly planted on the roof of your mouth--on that ridge just behind the front teeth. If you really work on it for a day or two, it will become a habit that will carry over into your sleep.

Congrats on dropping some of those bad habits!

I have Crohn's and sleep apnea and sleep w/a bi-level PAP and have had problems not so long ago w/aerophagia (gas and bloating). You've had good advice, talk to your gastro about GERD (reflux). If he/she puts you on a PPI (proton pump inhibitor) follow the package insert instructions and only take the PPI for 8 weeks during which time you raise the head of your bed (easiest way is 4 inch blocks at head of bed under mattress springs and 2 inch blocks under the mattress springs about 1/3 to 1/2 of the down the length of the bed), concentrate on proper positioning of your tongue all day - and if necessary speak to your sleep doctor about dropping your pressure 1-2 cms and then gradually building back up to your titrated pressure.

If you haven't already found it or run across it I would strongly suggest that you check out the Crohn's disease forum at http://www.healingwell.com It is a GREAT Crohn's disease support forum!!