experienced the "VACUUM EFFECT"?

[Junebug999]

Does this happen to anyone...where you are asleep (probably without cpap -- mine hasn't arrived yet)....and the gasp for air causes you to aspirate....if you wake up during....you have this feeling as if your esophagus is a straw sucking up something....i had pneumonia from this in 2009, and it occurred in aug 2010 which started the journey to finding out about my 2002 spg results...and my resent spg and titration study and i'm waiting for apap to arrive.....

but does anyone experience this feeling where you are trying to aspirate?

I fell asleep a couple hours ago on my back (propped up with wedge and pillows)....but woke up when this was happening....i'm staying outta my bed and in my recliner until i get my equipment!

[elena88]

Im not sure what you mean... when you are gasping you suck in some saliva is that it?

that proably would make you cough your brains out.. how unpleasant!


I slept in my husbands recliner with it straight up one night, and he said I made all sorts of terrible little choking noises..
so you be careful!

[Junebug999]

well...saliva...and stomach contents...it gave me aspiration pneumonia in march of 2009 and bronchitis sinusitis in aug of 2010.

I first read about it on Dr. Steven Park's website in an article about sore throats....I just went to the site, but couldn't find the exact article. I had printed it out though to take to sleep doc (who didn't seem interested in reading it)....so I have it around here somewhere.

[kteague]

I used to wake up with similar sensations as if I were choking, or that something went down the wrong way, or that my throat had clamped down somehow. A couple times it fit the description of a vocal cord spasm - that was when it felt like my airway was no bigger than a coffee stirrer. That was discussed on here and I realized I did everything wrong to try to breathe. Back sleeping was and is a no-no for me. I think reflux played a big role in mine. I quit having these episodes once on cpap.

If reflux may be an issue with you, maybe instead of staying out of your bed you could take measures to stay off your back. I think I read that sleeping on the left side is best if reflux is an issue. Keep the head of the bed elevated, and follow general guidelines for GERD, such as not eating late. Hopefully you'll be on your machine soon, but even then, I think I'd still avoid back sleeping.

[elena88]

eeek, stomach contents, thats terrible!

I have not had that happen, but I have several times had larangospasms..

its pretty creepy the first time it happens..


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nPtdkqOLLP4

[Junebug999]

yes you are so correct....i do have gerd...and when i aspirated into sinuses/lungs in 2009 i was on my left side....i'm outta my bed right now because i'm waiting for my equipment to be given to me....so far it looks like 11:00 a.m. tomorrow i have an appointment with an R.T. at the dme and will be set up.

If I can find the article i had printed out and scan it, it is a great article from Dr. Steven Park. It explains this "vacuum effect" far better than I am explaining it...but then i'm sleep deprived, what can i say (I fell asleep at a red light tonight).

Ac tually.....GERD can be CAUSED by sleep apnea...as far as this vacuum effect happeing and bringing stuff up. The sleep clinic doc said my GERD may even go away with using the apap..... said his did.

Anyway, most people just think they have a sore throat....or caught a cold, but i was the GERD stuff coming up. I have caught this happening a couple times since august, and like i said earlier, i felt it starting to happen this morning and woke up. I was on my back but propped up on pillows...to the point i was almost sitting up.

and....i think i'll have my son take me to the DME appointment in the morning...i don't think it is safe for me to drive....sigh

[Eeyore_1]

I take a zantac and a claratin every night before bed. Both of these are a preventive against the aspiration you experince and against post nasal drip and stuffed up sinuses. I've done this for several years and it really helps. I've also had nights prior to CPAP where I've had to sleep propped up but in the past year or 2 before I got my CPAP I could only sleep on my side or stomach and I still experienced apneas and frequent waking. I also have the head of my bead propped up on bricks so I sleep at an angle.

[Slartybartfast]

Sounds like GERD to me. Had it happen occasionally, but once on CPAP it became history.

So many things go right when we can breathe freely.

[elena88]

Gerd.. ewww..

I had LPR larynx reflux pretty badly, and just finished a year long course of dexilant (ENT said it would take a year to heal the darn thing and
she was right)

and its GONE! I can sing again, Im so happy..


Now, I heard laying on your left side was best for gerd, but you aspirated there, Im so sorry that happened..

For an entire year, I could not have chocolate, mint, spicy food, fried food, alchohol, carbonated water, or any fizzy beverage, and a ton of
other things.. I followed the diet to a T, and my LPR is history! I agree, I thought I had bronchitis and tonsillitus, but it was larynx reflux!

I hope your gerd improves with the cpap therapy!

[Janknitz]

My GERD is non-existent on CPAP, but if I sleep without my CPAP, even a short nap sitting up in a chair, I will have reflux I take Omeprazole (Prilosec) twice daily.

I have definitely experienced that "vacuum effect" and it is pretty awful. I'm not sure which came first, the GERD or the SA, but they both cause the other to worsen. With CPAP, I don't have to sleep on pillow mountain anymore, and I can drink milk (my worst GERD trigger) at night within reason (I love a glass of cold milk!).

[Mimmie]

My GERD stopped with the start of my cpap. No more problems. I did what you are talking about all of the time, and had pneumonia from it constantly too. It is frightening to wake up and feel like you are drowning because the acid has been sucked into your nose and into your lungs, and it's painful. No amount of meds helped mine. I was on everything from tums to protonics. No meds now, just the cpap. I even had my gallbladder removed because they said that was what was causing it. Then they said chronic gastritis and a hiatal hernia.

[Junebug999]

Hahaha. Pillow mountain. I'm propped up on pillow mountain right now with the hose on just hanging out and relaxing. I fell asleep in recliner with it on and got up to move to the bed. I'm looking forward
To getting rid of pillow mountain. Grrrrrrrr typos. I'm stuck in bed with iPhone typing with thumbs. Well u were compliant with food rules. I was not. I need to work on the gerd food rules. I take prevacid but missed tonight's dose and I don't want to take off mask to take the dose. I think I need a better bed routine also. One or more if u have suggested that.

[Junebug999]

Wow Mimmie u really went thru it poor baby. And above someone sucked it up into their larynx. Ohhhhhh that is why my voice would get all weird when that happened. Well thank goodness we are properly diagnosed and know what age cure is now.