Aerophagia: May we discuss this again?

CheezWiz · Post by **CheezWiz** » Fri May 04, 2007 12:08 pm

Snoredog wrote:
rooster wrote:I have never had any symptoms of gerd.

If your LES is healthy and sealing, you shouldn't have problems with aerophagia especially at your pressure.

Hey don't take my word for it, google it up for yourself.

I disagree with this assumption.
I have been scoped every way possible. I have no erosion, I have no damage, but I swallow air like crazy. In my case, the LES seals properly. but the top of my throat is not blocking the forced air which puts pressure on the LES and expands the esophagus. The body then swallows on reflex to relieve this pressure. Then the process starts all over again. My LES seals so tight that it often is very difficult for me to burp once I wake up.

I wake up at least once per night to burp my stomach empty and it takes hours in the morning to deflate via flatulence. I have started taking Devrom to combat the latter, but the jury is out on it. Most of the time, the air stops at my stomach, but sometimes it goes right on through.

The best relief I have found is three semethicone pills every night before bed. Some night are great with little flow through and some night are horrid and painful. I am keeping a diary to try and determine any possible patterns.

roster · Post by **roster** » Fri May 04, 2007 3:29 pm

[quote="CheezWiz"]....

I disagree with this assumption.
.............

Snoredog · Post by **Snoredog** » Fri May 04, 2007 3:35 pm

CheezWiz wrote:
Snoredog wrote:
rooster wrote:I have never had any symptoms of gerd.

If your LES is healthy and sealing, you shouldn't have problems with aerophagia especially at your pressure.

Hey don't take my word for it, google it up for yourself.

I disagree with this assumption.
I have been scoped every way possible. I have no erosion, I have no damage, but I swallow air like crazy. In my case, the LES seals properly. but the top of my throat is not blocking the forced air which puts pressure on the LES and expands the esophagus. The body then swallows on reflex to relieve this pressure. Then the process starts all over again. My LES seals so tight that it often is very difficult for me to burp once I wake up.

I wake up at least once per night to burp my stomach empty and it takes hours in the morning to deflate via flatulence. I have started taking Devrom to combat the latter, but the jury is out on it. Most of the time, the air stops at my stomach, but sometimes it goes right on through.

The best relief I have found is three semethicone pills every night before bed. Some night are great with little flow through and some night are horrid and painful. I am keeping a diary to try and determine any possible patterns.

Linda3032 · Post by **Linda3032** » Fri May 04, 2007 3:42 pm

Rooster, does your machine have any sort of exhale relief? If not, you might be a candidate for EPR or cflex.

I would go to the closest sleep doctor -- make it easy on yourself. Ask your original sleep doctor to transfer your files so the new doctor can read your sleep study, etc.

Let him know about the aerophagia. Maybe he can get you set up with a Remstar with cflex to see if that helps. If not, then insist on trying a bi-level.

There's no reason that you need to live with the pain. Living with cpap is hard enough.

roster · Post by **roster** » Fri May 04, 2007 4:05 pm

[quote="Linda3032"]Rooster, does your machine have any sort of exhale relief? If not, you might be a candidate for EPR or cflex.

I would go to the closest sleep doctor -- make it easy on yourself. Ask your original sleep doctor to transfer your files so the new doctor can read your sleep study, etc.

Let him know about the aerophagia. Maybe he can get you set up with a Remstar with cflex to see if that helps. If not, then insist on trying a bi-level.

There's no reason that you need to live with the pain. Living with cpap is hard enough.

Linda3032 · Post by **Linda3032** » Fri May 04, 2007 4:11 pm

Did you go to the new one or the old one?

CheezWiz · Post by **CheezWiz** » Fri May 04, 2007 4:28 pm

Snoredog wrote:
CheezWiz wrote:
Snoredog wrote:
rooster wrote:I have never had any symptoms of gerd.

If your LES is healthy and sealing, you shouldn't have problems with aerophagia especially at your pressure.

Hey don't take my word for it, google it up for yourself.

I disagree with this assumption.
I have been scoped every way possible. I have no erosion, I have no damage, but I swallow air like crazy. In my case, the LES seals properly. but the top of my throat is not blocking the forced air which puts pressure on the LES and expands the esophagus. The body then swallows on reflex to relieve this pressure. Then the process starts all over again. My LES seals so tight that it often is very difficult for me to burp once I wake up.

I wake up at least once per night to burp my stomach empty and it takes hours in the morning to deflate via flatulence. I have started taking Devrom to combat the latter, but the jury is out on it. Most of the time, the air stops at my stomach, but sometimes it goes right on through.

The best relief I have found is three semethicone pills every night before bed. Some night are great with little flow through and some night are horrid and painful. I am keeping a diary to try and determine any possible patterns.

roster · Post by **roster** » Fri May 04, 2007 6:02 pm

Linda3032 wrote:Did you go to the new one or the old one?

Found out the nearby doc is not approved by my insurance. This may change and I will reconsider switching docs.

CheezWiz · Post by **CheezWiz** » Fri May 04, 2007 6:03 pm

[quote="rooster"]

Thank you CheezWiz. I also have doubts about that assumption. I don't burp easily, which in my mind is an indication that LES is sealing the stomach from sending acid to the esophagus. All of the entrapped air is expelled through the rectum.

When I lie on my back it seems as if none of the cpap pressurized air is going into my stomach. If I turn to either side, my stomach will fill in a minute or two.

That's interesting about the Devrom; I had never heard of it. According to their web site, it is bismuth subgallate. I wonder how that "deodorizes"? I also wonder if it interferes with digestion of any nutrients?

Reminds me as a kid joking about drinking a bottle of perfume to make certain bad odors smell wonderful.

Please let us know your opinion of Devrom after you try it some more. Or better yet, the opinion of your friends and associates.

roster · Post by **roster** » Fri May 04, 2007 6:24 pm

CheezWiz wrote:........The maker claims that Devrom works by selectively killing the bacteria that produce sulfur compounds and result in bad odor. However, I am afraid that it was just killing everything... ........

1. Thanks for this information. Like you, I am wary of the manufacturers claim of a selective biocide.

2. I eat yogurt with probiotics nearly every morning and it helps with many conditions, but air machine-forced into my stomach is something else.

SleepySandy · Post by **SleepySandy** » Fri May 04, 2007 6:24 pm

Hi rooster,

I was diagnosed with GERD years ago and my symptoms weren't the ones most people are familiar with. I had what felt like a lump in my throat. I also got these really funny stomach aches. I had a lot of pain in my stomach - like I hadn't eaten for days and there was nothing I could do to make it feel better.

I saw an ENT who assumed the lump feeling was post-nasal drip but he put a tube down my throat and something was all red, indicating GERD. I actually hadn't told him about the stomach aches because it took me a while to make the connection.

My symptoms have long since subsided so I haven't been medicating it. I take A LOT of medication already and I would rather not take another one.

Lately I've been coughing quite a lot in the morning every morning. I happened to go to the doctor yesterday for a different reason and I asked her if GERD could cause the coughing in the morning and she said absolutely.

So, if you're coughing a lot in the morning or have a feeling of a lump in your throat or get very strange stomach aches, that could be GERD.

Sandy

roster · Post by **roster** » Fri May 04, 2007 6:29 pm

The more I read this forum the more diseases and conditions I am getting. I am outta here!!! (for today)

CheezWiz · Post by **CheezWiz** » Fri May 04, 2007 6:31 pm

rooster wrote:The more I read this forum the more diseases and conditions I am getting. I am outta here!!! (for today)

LOL! This place is a hypochondriac's worst nightmare for sure! Hope you are not one of those too..!

WifeIsHappyNow · Post by **WifeIsHappyNow** » Fri May 04, 2007 6:45 pm

rooster wrote:2. This aerophagia attack coincided with our pollen season and some allergy problems causing stuffiness. Could this be a factor? I am a mouth breather year round.

I find that I swallow more air when my nose is stuffed up. I think that when we swallow, some air is normally pushed out the nose. But, when that passage is blocked, it goes down into the stomach.

Just a thought...and I'm no expert...

Mike

lmmo · Post by **lmmo** » Sat May 05, 2007 1:15 am

I have not been able sleep on either side since I have been on cpap. I have horrible aerophagia. I can sleep comfortably on my back without swallowing air. I tried again last night to sleep on my side(s) and after 30 minutes, it was horrible.
Have you noticed it in different positions?
L

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