at-home methods?

[Budleigh]

Hey all, been a while. CPAP is not going particularly well. I'm still really tired, depersonalized and groggy. I had a couple of thoughts though, and wanted to probe your fine opinions.

First, I know that I have GERD. I've treated it sporadically in the past, once actually resulting in a lot of relief from fatigue about a year ago. I was wondering how much a roll GERD will play in apnea or in sleep disruptions in general, and if anyone else has had success lessening symptoms by treating GERD (and how they did that).

Secondly, I noticed a few days ago via visual queues and feeling, my tongue is MASSIVE. I remember my doctor saying so but I didn't think too much about it. It has not always been this huge. There are always teeth marks on it, and simply by opening my mouth I literally cannot see my airway behind it. I have to push it down quite a bit to get a peek. Could this be connected to apnea (and to the GERD, perhaps)? And on that note, I can't get an oral device to help keep it forward because I have pretty bad temporomandibular joint disorder, which they say is CAUSED by apnea (derp dey derp...). Has anyone tried any at-home methods for pulling their tongues forward, and is it more or less safe? I was theorizing about some kind of floss-tie and chin-tape thing, among other things.

Thanks!

[Janknitz]

First, I know that I have GERD. I've treated it sporadically in the past, once actually resulting in a lot of relief from fatigue about a year ago. I was wondering how much a roll GERD will play in apnea or in sleep disruptions in general, and if anyone else has had success lessening symptoms by treating GERD (and how they did that).

GERD and OSA go together like the chicken and the egg, and we don't know which comes first. There's a very good post by Dr. Steven Park here which explains this very clearly: viewtopic/t54826/The-Biggest-Throat-Pro ... erers.html. FWIW, I've have great relief of GERD symptoms as long as I'm using my CPAP. If I fall asleep without it even for a short cat nap, I'm likely to have reflux. Some people seem to find the opposite though--an increase in GERD symptoms with CPAP--or perhaps it just increases awareness of symptoms that were already present???

Has anyone tried any at-home methods for pulling their tongues forward, and is it more or less safe? I was theorizing about some kind of floss-tie and chin-tape thing, among other things.

We all go through stages of accepting this diagnosis and difficult treatment. You are definitely in the "bargaining stage". This sounds very uncomfortable, will have side effects (gangrene of the tongue--perhaps, dry mouth for sure), and won't work.

Just use your CPAP.

[Budleigh]

Yeah, i guess it's a bit of desperation. CPAP still isn't quite doing it, I still get a lot of centrals that doesn't seem to be going away. I was told most centrals were a matter of adjusting, but I'm not sure about these. :\

[Hospiceangel]

If you can post your pressures and any other info....... I'm sure someone with more knowledge than I have will be along shortly to help you figure out the centrals and why you're not sleeping well.
Keep your chin up and keep posting....
Shar

[Julie]

Have you tried a full face mask (you might well be mouth breathing when you sleep and losing the Cpap air that way)?

[brazospearl]

Budleigh, I wonder if sleeping on your stomach would help? It seems like that might let gravity be your friend (by letting the tongue fall forward) instead of your enemy (falling back into your throat) when you're on your back. Don't have GERD myself, but it seems like treating both OSA & GERD would benefit you.