APAP not mixing well with GERD

[suneilp]

I haven't been able to use my APAP for a few days. When I use it, I start getting shortness of breath and increased discomfort in my chest. My GERD was really bad Monday night and I ended up going to the ER early next morning. In the end, all they gave me was some sucralfate, pepcid, and anxiety medicine. They also had me double the dosage of my prevacid.

The sucralfate seems to help a lot but it gives me stomach pain, close the diaphragm. I tried using my APAP on Tuesday night but the same thing on Monday night happened so I took it off. I keep myself elevated a good amount but that doesn't seem to help.

I started sleeping on my left side and found while I still have some heartburn its far less. I'm going to try using my APAP tonight while I sleep on my left side to see if that helps.

If anyone has any other suggestions, that would be much appreciated. The heartburn is really interfering with my ability to sleep.

[Julie]

When you went to the hospital did they do an ECG? Just because you're known to have GERD does not mean you can't incidentally also have a cardiac problem. I also wonder if the sulfacrate pain is due to overproduction of acid compensating for enforced suppression with all those meds - it happens, and your system does need some acid to function. Have you had an endoscopy to rule out things like gastritis, which is more definitive than random GERD? See your own MD and talk about it all rather than just going with what the people at the ER told you.

[ozij]

I know this is not exactly what you asked about...
However:
Prevacid gave me stomachaches when I tried it.
Nowadays I do great on 10mg of Omeprazole (that's Prilosec).

O.

[One Tired Puppy]

I haven't been able to use my APAP for a few days. When I use it, I start getting shortness of breath and increased discomfort in my chest. My GERD was really bad Monday night and I ended up going to the ER early next morning. In the end, all they gave me was some sucralfate, pepcid, and anxiety medicine. They also had me double the dosage of my prevacid.

The sucralfate seems to help a lot but it gives me stomach pain, close the diaphragm. I tried using my APAP on Tuesday night but the same thing on Monday night happened so I took it off. I keep myself elevated a good amount but that doesn't seem to help.

I started sleeping on my left side and found while I still have some heartburn its far less. I'm going to try using my APAP tonight while I sleep on my left side to see if that helps.

If anyone has any other suggestions, that would be much appreciated. The heartburn is really interfering with my ability to sleep.

I had GERD before starting cpap therapy but it wasn't really that bad. Since cpap therapy it has continuously been getting worse. A few months ago my worse times would be before bedtime and through more than half the night, usually ranging between 6-8 hours. Now it can last day and night for days. Actually I have an inflamed esphoagus for a year now.

I started with Previcid 30 mg once a day then up to twice a day with Metoclopramide 10 mg 4 times a day for emptying stomach faster. Because it isn't getting better but is getting worse my doctor is sending me back to the GI I saw last year. I also take liquid Gaviscon inbetween. My doctor said I can take as much Gaviscon as I need as it won't hurt. Gaviscon feels good but doesn't last very long.

Mine is hardly ever any reflux but is all in the chest and upper back. I bought a 2nd hand hospital type bed and it helps a lot if it is just mild but still doesn't help when it is bad.

You should talk to your doctor if it isn't getting better after a time. I am not stopping my therapy but am keeping my pressure at a low range (not over 9) so that I don't aggravate it more.

Anne