Coughing when eating...

[joeljjk11]

So for a while now I will do this thing where I cough when I eat. Can high pressures cause this? I am also thinking the humidification can worsen this, I went to a nurse that I have at work and she does not think it is heartburn or GERD. I am pretty sure it is related to my CPAP, almost like my lungs and throat are inflamed and irritated. My pressures are currently 12-20 but when I did my sleep study the doctor recommended 10-12, could the lower pressures help? I am thinking I may lower them because it does not really matter what pressures I have tried, my AHI numbers are always terrible. Any suggestions?

Thanks!
Joel

[rcobourn]

Sounds like you should see an ENT specialist, rather than a nurse. I doubt your pressures have anything to do with it. You of course need to address the AHI's with your prescriber. Poor sleep and declining health in general could be a factor in the coughing. Too much or too little humidification could be a factor, and is an easy thing to experiment with.

[Julie]

Have you tried a full face mask - it's quite possible your throat's dry due to losing Cpap air through your mouth when you sleep and you may need to fix that. Cpap doesn't normally irritate anything otherwise.

[chunkyfrog]

See an ENT.
The "nurse" at work could be there just to save your employer money,
by keeping you at work (and away from a doctor.)
Your health is somewhere near the BOTTOM of their priorities list.
YOUR health is in YOUR hands. Do not forget that.
Too bad you got stuck with the lowest model in the Airsense line . . .
Efficacy data would be very helpful in your case . . . Alas . . .

[joeljjk11]

Have you tried a full face mask - it's quite possible your throat's dry due to losing Cpap air through your mouth when you sleep and you may need to fix that. Cpap doesn't normally irritate anything otherwise.

Wouldn't this show as leakage though on my machine? My leakage is typically very low and is never really above 5 L/min.

Joel

[palerider]

So for a while now I will do this thing where I cough when I eat. Can high pressures cause this?

No.

[ChicagoGranny]

I went to a nurse that I have at work and she does not think it is heartburn or GERD

Maybe she does a good job putting bandaids on paper cuts, but she sounds useless to you.

my AHI numbers are always terrible.

Well, this is certainly one of the first things that needs to be corrected. When a person is experiencing obstructive apneas, the body's struggle to breathe can cause stomach contents to be thrown into the upper airway (reflux).

Are you sure the machine in your equipment profile is the correct model? That is the basic model which has limited data capability. It really leaves a person handicapped without full data to analyze the therapy and optimize the settings.

[chunkyfrog]

Selling a brick as a first machine ought to be a FELONY.

[Cpapian]

Do you take blood pressure medicine?

[joeljjk11]

Selling a brick as a first machine ought to be a FELONY.

Mine is the Auto Set Airsense 10 but I do not see that option when I select my equipment, I only see the standard Airsense 10.

Do you take blood pressure medicine?

No I do not.

[joeljjk11]

I went to a nurse that I have at work and she does not think it is heartburn or GERD

Maybe she does a good job putting bandaids on paper cuts, but she sounds useless to you.

my AHI numbers are always terrible.

Well, this is certainly one of the first things that needs to be corrected. When a person is experiencing obstructive apneas, the body's struggle to breathe can cause stomach contents to be thrown into the upper airway (reflux).

Are you sure the machine in your equipment profile is the correct model? That is the basic model which has limited data capability. It really leaves a person handicapped without full data to analyze the therapy and optimize the settings.

I have tried every pressure setting imaginable and my AHI numbers are always terrible. I take a sedative type medication at night that I believe completely causes my sleep apnea. Because I have taken naps during the day without my machine and I do not snore and have no symptoms of apnea.

[Julie]

And you haven't asked your MD to change that medication... why?

[palerider]

Selling a brick as a first machine ought to be a FELONY.

Mine is the Auto Set Airsense 10 but I do not see that option when I select my equipment, I only see the standard Airsense 10.

Look under "Resmed".

[joeljjk11]

Selling a brick as a first machine ought to be a FELONY.

Mine is the Auto Set Airsense 10 but I do not see that option when I select my equipment, I only see the standard Airsense 10.

Look under "Resmed".

Thanks!

And you haven't asked your MD to change that medication... why?

Not as simple as it seems, it is a psychiatric med that works great for me and neither me or my doctor want to change it. So I have to use the CPAP machine at night, which is becoming more and more annoying.

[ChicagoGranny]

You have an excellent machine. Rather than changing pressures willy-nilly, how about doing some real analysis and rational changing by using Sleepyhead software? See the first sticky at the top of the index page.