continued bloating and GERD

[tmorris]

Been awhile since I have been on here...guess I gave up with my issues. I finally got my mask issues straightened. Out. Nasal pillows and chin strap is the only way to go for me. I still have painful bloating and abdominal pain. No help with a wedge pillow or bricks under the bed so I have been sleeping. In a recliner since august ..too bad I can't sleep with my husband anymore. Took the step and had a endoscopy which revealed GERD. and loss of esophageal Sphincter. So he prescribes prilosec. I tried to tell him that I dont have heartburn or reflux symptoms. So now he wants me to see about getting bipap for bloating relief. I have an auto cpap I use now with min pressure of 8 and Max of 12 which is the only setting that controls my apneas. Will bipap really help with the bloating? Kinda tired of this recliner! The only thing that controls my bloating issues is this recliner and no eating 3 hours before bedtime. Gluten free eating has helped as well. I miss my bed and I'm hungry!

[Julie]

Hi, one thing to keep in mind is that you can have 'silent' GERD, and not be aware of it, but it still is doing a number on your system and affecting your sleep. I have chronic gastritis, but found out only on scoping because I also did not have 'heartburn' so didn't understand what was going on for years. I haven't had coffee in decades, and stay away from a few real triggers (you have to read labels on food!), but having also gotten rid of personal stress a few years ago, I no longer have as much of a problem.

Some people find lowering their Cpap pressure even one notch helps with bloating, but I guess it's up to you and your doctor to experiment with that - sorry I know nothing about bipap.

[Gerryk]

I take the purple pill for heartburn and it was usually very extreme at night. When I started on cpap, I also had a problem with swallowing air and being able to tolerate higher pressures up around 20. I was put on BiPap and it helped greatly with swalling air and tolerating higher pressures.

You will never know if it helps until you try it.

[Peace]

I too get that bloating and stomach pain with CPAP. I take Gas X as soon as I get up in the AM. By the time I start working, the symptoms are gone. I used to take it before bedtime, but found if I don't eat several hours before bedtime, the pain is not as bad. Ask your doctor about it.

[Xney]

A BiPAP/VPAP can help many people with reducing air swallowing. It doesn't mean it will for sure, but it can. Worth a shot!

I also tend to gulp air down, and a gas-X as soon as I wake up helps. I won't say it's the greatest fun on earth because it sucks somewhat, but it's usually gone pretty quick with this approach.

If you have GERD, whether you feel it or not, treating it with prilosec or some other medication is a good thing. It will help your stomach heal and become less irritated over time. My stomach actually didn't agree with prilosec or some of the other generics, but Nexium works for me.

[archangle]

Don't for get that prilosec, nexium, and other PPI acid reflux reducers are not without risk. Read the warnings and watch for the problems.

They may be good if you have reflux, but they are drugs with their own side effects and eliminating acid from your stomach does have some side effects.

[robysue]

I want to say that in some people the switch to a bi-level can indeed help with the aerophagia problems. It certainly helped me. When I first started CPAP back in Sep. 2010, my prescription was for straight CPAP @ 9cm. And I woke up feeling like I'd swallowed a basketball every morning. Not good for getting restful sleep, as you well know. Between the aerophagia and other discomforts, the PA first tried reducing the pressure and switching me to APAP running at 4-8 cm. (95% pressure was usually between 7.5 and 8; AHI was usually below 2.5 and often below 2.0). I still had painful aerophagia, but at least I no longer felt like I was eating basketballs every night in my sleep. After another month and a half of painful aerophagia and growing insomnia, the PA suggested that I try a bilevel. My first bi-level titration came in at 8/6. And breathing at 8/6 felt more normal (and led to less swallowing of air) than straight APAP at 4-8cm. And running BiPAP at 8/6 took some of the edge off the aerophagia and made it a bit easier to tolerate the machine. But my aerophagia really wasn't licked for good until the PA switched me to BiPAP Auto running with min EPAP = 4, max IPAP = 8 (and PS = 4). Having my EPAP stay close to 4cm most of the night seems to be the trick for me: The only times I seem to have much trouble with aerophagia these days is when my EPAP is >= 5 for 50% or more of the night.