This Machine is Going to Kill Me

gkeenan · Post by **gkeenan** » Fri Apr 21, 2006 10:45 am

I woke up twice last night with that air bubble thing. I was choaking...really could not get any air at all! It scared me to death!!! I went the rest of the night without the machine. I think I will take my chances with the heart problems.

G

Wulfman · Post by **Wulfman** » Fri Apr 21, 2006 11:03 am

gkeenan wrote:I woke up twice last night with that air bubble thing. I was choaking...really could not get any air at all! It scared me to death!!! I went the rest of the night without the machine. I think I will take my chances with the heart problems.

G

G,

I looked back through your posts to see what kind of equipment you have and what pressure you're set at.......couldn't find anything. Lots of others have asked you for this information, too.

Again.....
What equipment (make and model of CPAP and which mask) do you have?
What pressure is your machine set to?
Do you have a humidifier?

Have you addressed this issue with your doctor and DME/Respiratory Therapist? If so, what did they say?

Den

gkeenan · Post by **gkeenan** » Fri Apr 21, 2006 11:24 am

Hello D. My machine is the Remstar pro2 with C-Flex, my mask is ResMed Ultra Mirage II Nasal Mask, I actually did post this in the other vine I'm in. The pressure is set at 9. I do not have a humidifier, well, I do have one for my old machine but not for the new one...will look into getting one, but after last night I don't know if I can put that thing back on...I had to burp about 12 times to get my breathing going again...it scared me silly...this does not happen every night but is happening enough now that I'm not sure about this...

G

Snoozin' Bluezzz · Post by **Snoozin' Bluezzz** » Fri Apr 21, 2006 11:32 am

It sounds to me like you are swallowing air, what is called Aerophagia, and it is causing you great discomfort. I have not had a problem with aerophagia so I can't offer any solutions but I'm sure others here have and can give you some feedback.

We offer some possible remedies when you posted earlier - turn off C-Flex, consider GERD and resuming your medication etc.

Were you able to try any of those things?

SB

Wulfman · Post by **Wulfman** » Fri Apr 21, 2006 11:38 am

Have you tried to determine whether it might be anything you may have eaten or drank prior to going to bed on the nights it's happening?

Perhaps you need to take an antacid prior to bedtime.....?

Is the C-Flex turned on? What C-Flex number are you set to?

A (heated) humidifier MAY do wonders for what you're experiencing.

(again) Have you discussed this situation with your doctor? (about what's causing the burping)

Could be you're swallowing air or mouth-breathing.

Maybe others here have some ideas for you, too.

Den

Selena (but really Julie) · Post by **Selena (but really Julie)** » Fri Apr 21, 2006 12:06 pm

Hi, You probably are swallowing air, and sometimes it helps if people lower their pressure a bit (it did for me), as well as be sure your mask fits well, even sometimes slightly loosening it to seat better, as over-tightening may seal one area, but let others pop open. I'd definitely ask your wife, or someone else who's used to your sleeping if you do it with your mouth open, as that may make a difference (as the other posters said).

RestInSeattle · Post by **RestInSeattle** » Fri Apr 21, 2006 12:21 pm

I'm a GERD sufferer and need to have that treated to have it not interfere wtih my OSA. GERD or Acid Reflux disease can occur and not necessarily be painful or cause heartburn.

But even without the heartburn, you have the reflux in your esophagus and it can cause the "bubble" you describe. Your body will actually reflexively try to prevent you from inhaling the reflux as it'll cause avioli damage (the little airbags that make up your lungs, reflux in the lung digests them).

Besides that risk, you'll possibly suffer from Barrets syndrome (sp?) that is a precancerous condition from the erosion of the esophagus (sp?) from the continual reflux. The reflux can also irritate the sinus passages and tirbinates in your nose, so if you are consistantly congested, etc, it could very well be related to reflux disease.

I'm currently on perscription for Prilosec, but there are many meds to treat. I originally treated until the heartburn stopped, but it turns out that the reflux had continued, so I'm having to continually treat. With treatment, my nasal passages have also opened back up due to reduction of irritation from the reflux.

If you wake up gasping and choking due to a "bubble" it sounds like you could very well have reflux contributing to this problem. Ironically, CPAP tends to help some as the additional pressure can help keep the material in the stomache where it belongs, although if the muscule at the top of the stomache is real weak, you could suffer Aerophagia more until the underlying causes are treated.

Don't give up, but do work with your physician (or get a new one if you aren't getting anywhere) to determine and treat additional issues beyond the OSA that you are receiving treatment for.

Here's a link with more information on GERD: http://www.gerd.com/

tooly125 · Post by **tooly125** » Fri Apr 21, 2006 8:35 pm

gkeenan

I belive I am experiencing the same kind of air bubble you are.
It does not bother me to the point of choking but it builds up in the back of my throat and waits to be swallowed then a new one will form.
The end result is a stomach full of air. I have tried all c-flex settings, no c-flex, low pressure, loose mask, tight mask, different (bed)pillows,full stomach,empty stomach, different sleep positions all with no results.
I once was told by a doctor that i have large tonsils I am beginning to think this is where the air bubble develops(just my theory if anyone knows better please correct me) maybe a visit to an ear\nose\throat doctor would be helpful?

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sun Apr 23, 2006 7:05 am

Wow, what a great group of people you all are. I really am very liminted in my knowledge of my machine/disorder. I would not know how to turn off the Cflex...I don't even know what it is...I do know that I have it though.

I have spoken with my doc about the bubble. I am now taking my Prilosec but that does not seem to be working...I am going to stop eating after 5PM to see if that helps. There is quite a bit of information in this vine that I need to research...

I thank you all so much for your assistance. I know I need to continue using the CPAP but this really makes it difficult.

G

gkeenan · Post by **gkeenan** » Mon Apr 24, 2006 6:31 am

I'm not sure why the last post has me listed as a Guest...the other problem I am having is I keep waking up at 3AM (between 3-3:30) and can't get back to sleep so I'm STILL very sleepy every day...anybody have a solution for this?

G

ozij · Post by **ozij** » Mon Apr 24, 2006 6:50 am

Make it a rule to have only two kinds of "wake up in the middle of the night (or early AM)"

First kind:
You wake up, turn to the other side, barely look a the watch, and let yourslef fall asleep again.

Second kind:
(When the first doesn't work)
You wake up, get out of bed, go to another room, and do something quiet and relaxing, something you like, until you feel ready to sleep. Then go back to bed. If you don't fall asleep, repeat the procedure (get out of bed, go to another room, etc),

Do not, at any price, stay in bed tossing and tumbling, growning and moaning, getting angrier and angier at yourself and the world in general because you can't fall asleep. Frustration, anger and worry do the opposite of helping you sleep. Getting out of bed when you can't fall asleep is an important part of developing good sleep hygiene (or good sleep habits). The aim of doing this is to create a simple conditioning: 'awake in bed' = relaxation = falling asleep. And to break the conditioning that 'awake in bed' = 'omigod I can't fall asleep again, how will I function tomorrow, this is dreadful, I better fall asleep' etc. Since you're awake, you might as well use the time feel good, instead of upset....

O.

gkeenan · Post by **gkeenan** » Mon Apr 24, 2006 7:00 am

Thanks O...

This morning I ordered a heated humidifier and nasal pillows. Last night I started taking my Prilosec again and will be making another appt. with my doc. to see if my 9 setting is too high. Now I see some of you at 17-19...so I am assuming that 9 is not considered high at all. Should I be considering a BiPAP I need sleep sooo badly

G

gkeenan · Post by **gkeenan** » Mon Apr 24, 2006 8:22 am

ok, so I've now looked up Barretts and know I do not suffer from it. I had the endoscope of the esophagus and was told there is no damage.

I've had the UPPP, Tonsillectomy and Septoplasty and still these problems...I am actively working on losing weight...I hope there will come a day I'm off this machine altogether.

G

RestInSeattle · Post by **RestInSeattle** » Mon Apr 24, 2006 12:01 pm

gkeenan wrote:I have spoken with my doc about the bubble. I am now taking my Prilosec but that does not seem to be working...I am going to stop eating after 5PM to see if that helps. There is quite a bit of information in this vine that I need to research...

Prilosec (Omeprazole) does take time to reverse the effects of Acid Reflux disease (GERD). You'll want to take it according to your physicians instructions consistantly and expect at least several days at a minimum before you see the results, if you suffer from GERD.

Taking antacids at the same time will relieve the symptoms on the short term, but encourage the production of more stomache acid, so should be avoided "if possible" in combination with Prilosec treatment.

Glad to hear that you don't have Barret's. Hopefully you'll find the right combination of therapy that allows you to sleep good soon, I can understand the frustration.

As to BiPAP, not sure if that's what you need, but doesn't hurt to ask. BiPAP has to phases, an inhlation and exhalation phase that are both set to specific set pressures. So you'd inhale at a high setting and exhale at a lower setting. BiPAP's are also capable of going higher than a pressure setting of 20 and this is one benefit of a much lower exhalation setting.

NightHawkeye · Post by **NightHawkeye** » Mon Apr 24, 2006 12:29 pm

gkeenan wrote:Should I be considering a BiPAP I need sleep sooo badly

Normally, with my limited knowledge on this subject, I wouldn't jump in here, however . . ., on the off-chance that it might help, I'll relate my recent experience.

I got horrible, pain wracking, aerophagia whenever I attempted to increase pressure with my Remstar-auto. But, one day not long ago, DSM, a very conscientious poster here and an individual who is very accurate with details, posted that using a BiPAP minimized aerophagia. Based on that, I've used the BiPAP-auto for the past three nights and have tolerated moderately higher pressures with minimal aerophagia. For these past three nights, aerophagia has been less of a problem for me than it normally was at lower pressures. I haven't used the BiPAP long enough to say with certainty that it has solved my problem, but I am very encouraged right now.

Don't misunderstand me, the BiPAP isn't a cure-all by any means, but there is something about it's operation that I believe does minimize aerophagia. When the machine transitions from the inhale pressure (IPAP) to the exhale pressure (EPAP) it kinda feels like it's sucking the breath out of you. DSM's theory was that air gets pumped into the stomach as one starts to exhale. If so, then the lower pressures during this exhale period should dramatically reduce aerophagia.

Anyway, take it for what it's worth. I'm trying BiPAP now and I think it helps, but I have no hard evidence to back it up. If you're interested in experimenting or can get access to a BiPAP easily it's hard to think it would hurt to try it.

Regards,
Bill

This Machine is Going to Kill Me

This Machine is Going to Kill Me

Re: This Machine is Going to Kill Me

This machine...