lph or gerd (acid in general)

[Ruinednose]

is it posible i dont get deep sleep because of the gerd of LPH or whatever?
does gerd or acud reflux in general cause awakanings from deep sleep even if you dont wake up with acid symtoms. im wondering ig it slightl pulls you out of deep sleep

[Janknitz]

That's a loaded question, because which came first, the GERD or the Sleep apnea?

First, GERD/LPH can cause sleep apnea--the acid in the airway irritates and swells the airway, leading to apnea.
Second, the Apnea may cause GERD/LPH. The theory is that when your airway is obstructed, you struggle to breathe in, thereby creating a vacuum which sucks gastric contents up into the airway.
Then, the acid in the airway irritates and swells the airway, causing apnea.
Rinse and repeat.

So yes, even "silent" GERD/LPH can cause awakenings, but you may or may not feel the pain from the acid irritation.

And treatment of the GERD/LPH can be more complicated than your doctor would have you believe:
Long term use of PPI's and/or antacids can be bad for your health (impair absorption of B vitamins, can lead to osteoporosis) but doctors routinely prescribe them for long term use.
Most GERD is a matter of stomach acid that is too LOW, not too high. Blocking acid with acid blockers may exacerbate the problem in the long run. Some people do very well by increasing stomach acid with acids like apple cider vinegar or lemon water, digestive bitters, and/or betanine HCL
GERD may be a result of SIBO or Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth. Norman Robillard wrote a very good book on this called "Fast Track Digestion: GERD" which I highly recommend. He recommends a diet low in "fermentable fiber"--essentially a low carbohydrate diet.
Very few doctors test for H-Pylori--a bacteria which may cause GERD and if treated may eliminate GERD.
If apnea is the primary cause of GERD/LPH, treating apnea should have a better chance of success

It's not as simple or straightforward as it would appear. Treating the apnea is crucial, but figuring out the CAUSE of the GERD and treating that (rather than the standard approach which is just to treat the SYMPTOMS) is important, too.

[moondoggy]

I'm on meds because of GERD and in general, my meds keep my GERD in check but on occasion I'll have a flare up at night and yes, I've been awaken out of a dead sleep by an attack. Remember, for the most part your lying down which reduces the resistance needed for the GERD to flow out of the stomach and eating and drinking certain foods late in the evening can trigger and attack. If you have GERD or think you have GERD then it's a serious problem that needs to be treated as you don't want to get Barratt's disease as that tend to lead to cancer. If you have concerns, see your doctor.

[Ruinednose]

ok i think i need to get it checked out good. my gerd gotten better since the cpap use but im wondering why i have very fragmented sleep on the second half of the night.

i wonder if the gerd LPH is slightly waking me up from sleep sometimes, even tho i don't always trully consciously awaken

is that possible?

[LSAT]

That's a loaded question, because which came first, the GERD or the Sleep apnea?

First, GERD/LPH can cause sleep apnea--the acid in the airway irritates and swells the airway, leading to apnea.
Second, the Apnea may cause GERD/LPH. The theory is that when your airway is obstructed, you struggle to breathe in, thereby creating a vacuum which sucks gastric contents up into the airway.
Then, the acid in the airway irritates and swells the airway, causing apnea.
Rinse and repeat.

So yes, even "silent" GERD/LPH can cause awakenings, but you may or may not feel the pain from the acid irritation.

And treatment of the GERD/LPH can be more complicated than your doctor would have you believe:
Long term use of PPI's and/or antacids can be bad for your health (impair absorption of B vitamins, can lead to osteoporosis) but doctors routinely prescribe them for long term use.
Most GERD is a matter of stomach acid that is too LOW, not too high. Blocking acid with acid blockers may exacerbate the problem in the long run. Some people do very well by increasing stomach acid with acids like apple cider vinegar or lemon water, digestive bitters, and/or betanine HCL
GERD may be a result of SIBO or Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth. Norman Robillard wrote a very good book on this called "Fast Track Digestion: GERD" which I highly recommend. He recommends a diet low in "fermentable fiber"--essentially a low carbohydrate diet.
Very few doctors test for H-Pylori--a bacteria which may cause GERD and if treated may eliminate GERD.
If apnea is the primary cause of GERD/LPH, treating apnea should have a better chance of success

It's not as simple or straightforward as it would appear. Treating the apnea is crucial, but figuring out the CAUSE of the GERD and treating that (rather than the standard approach which is just to treat the SYMPTOMS) is important, too.

The primary cause of GERD is a defective/non functioning/weak lower esophageal sphincter. It is this weakened sphincter that causes many of the things you mentioned.
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/gerd/D ... ION=causes

I suffered from many acid related problems over the years...tried many meds, changed diet, raised bed etc. Everything helped a little. 10 years ago I had surgery to fix my LES....I haven't had any problems and have not taken a pill since the day of my surgery.

[penuel]

ok i think i need to get it checked out good. my gerd gotten better since the cpap use but im wondering why i have very fragmented sleep on the second half of the night.

i wonder if the gerd LPH is slightly waking me up from sleep sometimes, even tho i don't always trully consciously awaken

is that possible?

Reply,

IMO, you could not decide if your sleep fragmentations are caused by GERD unless you find out if you actually have GERD (by doing an Upper Endoscopy) and if, yes, then try to eliminate it. Just earophagia from CPAPing does not need to cause sleep fragmentation. But if you have a combination of the two then the CPAP earophagia would be aggravating the GERD.

[Janknitz]

LSAT, not everyone with GERD needs fundoplication surgery to tighten the sphincter. In many cases, treating the underlying causes like low acid and SIBO will reduce the pressure on the sphincter. PPIs are among the most prescribed medications in the country, and it's unimaginable to think all these millions of people need a surgical intervention.

There's a podcaster I listen to who starts with the basic premise that "humans are not broken" and I think that applies here. Our diets and lifestyles are causing serious damage to our bodies, but we have the ability in many (not all, as your case illustrates) to find the root cause, fix the diet and lifestyle issues which contribute, and let our bodies heal.

I recognize FULLY that we can't fix everything. No amount of great lifestyle and diet will fix my congenitally small airway. But I also don't think all these millions of human beings need surgery to fix their GERD.

Your case was different, I'm glad it worked for you. We are fortunate to live in a time when such treatments are available for those whom diet and lifestyle changes cannot help.