HELP!

[Koree17]

So once again I am trying to use my bivalve. I also have narcolepsy and my new doctor refuses to prescribe medication for narcolepsy if I wont use the damn machine. My issue is every time I use it I wake up with tons of mucus, a sore throat, and I often vomit when I brush my teeth. Sometimes it continues all day, sometimes it gets worse throughout the day. I'm at the point where I cant even go to my classes without stepping out to throw up. I desperately cant stop gagging and my sleep doctor says its the xyrem causing mucus.... He's been useless because I know its the machine causing something to happen while I'm sleeping that shouldn't. It only happens when I use the bivalve. I went months taking the xyrem and not treating the apneas and not a single case of excessive mucus. Anyway I've gone to emergency clinics and also seen my family doctor and they've all been clueless in my opinion. I was even given a steroid shot and told this will definitely clear things up. Of course it only helped slightly. I'm pretty desperate for an answer so if anyone has any insight on this please say so.

[kaiasgram]

Koree, welcome to the forum.

You sound very much in the dark about your machine. "Bivalve" is not a sleep apnea therapy machine. Maybe you mean a bilevel PAP machine. So the first step is to identify your machine for us. Make (manufacturer like ResMed or Philips Respironics) and specific model (often identified by a number on the side or underside of the machine). Next you need to figure out what the machine is doing (and perhaps what it is not doing). We need this information in order to help you start understanding about your sleep apnea therapy.

As for the mucous and vomiting symptoms, these are not typical side effects of using a PAP machine. Your doctor is saying that the mucous is a side effect of the xyrem. I wouldn't even guess about whether PAP therapy could possibly be problematic when someone is using that medication.

Where we can help is with getting your sleep apnea therapy on track.

[Julie]

And on the off chance you have set your humidifier on high, but the ambient humidity where you live is also high, you may be making yourself sick (with or without the meds). Make sure you need humidity rather than thinking it's part of therapy - it's not and if you don't need it, turn it down or off.

[Koree17]

Its a Philips respironics bipap system home auto. Theres a bunch of letters and numbers on the side so here they are incase they help. at the top of the sticker it says MHHH - HME. PAP 102. SN: PO5096805077B. I keep the humidifier at 4 because 5 is to high for me. I've experienced a night where the humidifier didn't work so I know that is not the issue. The humidifier is on a moderate setting every night and working fine to my knowledge.

[kaiasgram]

On the side or the bottom of the blower part of your machine, do you see this model number: DS760S ? If not, what number do you see that starts with DS or REF?

[Koree17]

ref 1056215

[kaiasgram]

ref 1056215

That's the humidifier part. What's the number on the blower part?

[Koree17]

Ref 750p

[BlackSpinner]

Personally - waking up with mucus i my throat has usually been an indication of GERD - silent acid reflux. The mucus is a way the oesophagus protects itself from acid.
Try elevation the head of the bed by 6 inches and using an acid reducer and see if that helps.

[Koree17]

yah I read something about that earlier tonight. I'm planning on trying tonight, but are antacids something you can safely take every night?

[Julie]

I suppose it depends on the person and what they take, but e.g. I can take a small (or even half) a Tums before bed with no consequences if I've had something likely to cause trouble overnight like a late coffee or anything acidic, but if I were to take one for no reason (unless I get GERD every night no matter what I've eaten) I might feel a little effect. Your system needs some acid just for maintenance and good digestion, and trying to get rid of all of it creates a situation where even more would be made to counter the pill.

[Koree17]

yah it's pretty much an every day thing. Unless I skip the therapy for the night, which I really shouldn't do and haven't been. Would it make more sense to see an ENT or a Gastrologist? Because I expressed it to my sleep doctor and he just kind of blew it off.

[Julie]

A lot of people raise the head of their bed on 5-6 inch blocks (no more is necessary) and it apparently really works. You could always talk to your MD, but be careful about getting into a vicious cycle of meds like PPIs, etc. Better to avoid trouble to begin with by a better diet (and dieting if necessary).

[kaiasgram]

There is free available software that you can use to see if your machine is effectively treating your apnea: http://sleepfiles.com/SH/index.html?TestingVersions

Take a look at the very first thread on this forum, Pugsy's pointers. Your machine is definitely a full efficacy data machine. You just need to make sure you have an SD card slot in your computer or an external card reader to connect to it. If you use a Mac, SleepyHead is the only software that has a Mac version. SleepyHead is a very user friendly program.

Let's see what your pressure settings are, and what pressure changes are happening as you sleep, and whether your current pressure settings are effectively controlling your apnea, and let's make sure that mask leaks are under control and not compromising your therapy.

There is a connection between untreated (and I assume under-treated) apnea and acid reflux. So it's worth making sure that your therapy is doing what it's supposed to be doing. Ask questions as you start getting set up with software.

[Merlin7]

When I went to the ENT for the fist time he asked me about acid reflux, which really surprised me. I had been waking up sometimes with a mouth full of stomach acid etc, and just put it down to eating late at night.

Since being on APAP there hasn't been a hint of reflux, again an eye opener as to the damage OSA can cause!