After 4 nights, I am ready to quit....or at least call my dr

dvsid1 · Post by **dvsid1** » Sat May 26, 2007 6:24 am

Is is normal for your stomach to get hard and get very gasy from CPAP?

I have been belching and had terrible gas and diaherrea since I started this thing. I can only wear that mask for 2 hours or so before my body starts leaking and then I feel bloated and make distracting sounds all day.

Is there something wrong wiht my CPAP or do you think it is me. If it is me, what could it be?

Now I am getting concerned, I feel damned ir I do and damned if I don't

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sat May 26, 2007 6:26 am

its called aerophagia .... "eating air". It goes away in some people and not in others. Definitely talk to your Dr. about it.

momadams · Post by **momadams** » Sat May 26, 2007 7:37 am

Until you can see your dr, try some different head positions.
I sleep on my back, and have the best luck with just a small neck roll. The RT suggested this, since it puts one's head in a "clear airway for CPR" - type position, maximizing the airway.
Shari

rested gal · Post by **rested gal** » Sat May 26, 2007 11:58 am

hi dvsid,

I looked in your profile to find some of your previous posts...to see what pressure you were prescribed.

viewtopic.php?p=175676

"I have an AHI of 80.6 with an O2 sat of 70% and I am on a pressure setting of 17."

Seventeen's a pretty big blast of air coming at you all night. I noticed you were given a REMstar M Plus with C-Flex. A straight cpap machine that doesnt have "full details" recording capability.

If it were me (I'm not a doctor or anything in the health care field) I'd go back to the doctor and tell him you are going to have to quit...that the aerophagia you're getting from that kind of pressure with a straight cpap machine is something your body can't handle. Even with C-flex.

Ask him to prescribed the Respironics BiPAP Auto with Bi-flex. That machine can be used in several ways:

1. as just a bipap (one pressure for inhale and a separate lower pressure for exhale) and can be used with or without bi-flex enabled to soften the transitions between the two.

2. as an auto-titrating bipap -- working like two machines in one, in effect. Still working as a bipap with a lower exhale pressure, but also working as an autopap does -- sensing from your breathing what pressure you need and varying the pressure to deliver that. There might be long blocks of time during the night when you don't really need 17 at all...might need that only when in "worst case scenario", which for most people would be when on your back and in REM.

If you can get that machine, I think you might get relief. It's a very, very comfortable machine to use.

All this "stuff" can be a lot better. And a lot more comfortable. Hang in there and push for what could let you actually "do" this kind of treatment. Good luck!

Slinky · Post by **Slinky** » Sat May 26, 2007 12:49 pm

dvsid1, RG might not be a medical professional but she is one wise, experienced xPAP lady. Your own instincts were correct as well. Contact your sleep doctor immediately Tuesday morning.

blarg · Post by **blarg** » Sat May 26, 2007 3:25 pm

Ditto on RG's solution.

I use that machine myself and it is very very comfortable. Helped my aerophagia a lot.

cwsanfor · Post by **cwsanfor** » Sat May 26, 2007 5:39 pm

I've never really had a problem with aerophagia, even at 15/19.5, but that's just me. I understand that BiPAP helps with that, though.

This was a pretty useless post. But generally, if RG says it, go with it. That is a useful tip from me.

blarg · Post by **blarg** » Sat May 26, 2007 7:45 pm

cwsanfor wrote:I've never really had a problem with aerophagia, even at 15/19.5, but that's just me. I understand that BiPAP helps with that, though.

Yup. I get aerophagia (mild though) at CPAP 13 with C-Flex, yet at 13/16, nothing.

dvsid1 · Post by **dvsid1** » Sun May 27, 2007 5:58 am

Thank you all for you response. I must admit, I did not use my CPAP last night and after 3 days, my belly is FINALLY soft again.....for the most part.

My poor kids call me foghorn because I have been constantly expelling gas for 3 days. Damn guinea pig is even avoiding me.

In all seriousness, I am contacting my Dr. on Tuesday and seeing about getting the Auto Bi-pap and moving forward. I so want to know what it feels like to be refreshed and awake.

Again, thank you all for your advice and support.

Dave

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