Reflux ??

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Architect
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Reflux ??

Post by Architect » Sat May 14, 2022 8:00 pm

I've been aroused or wake up, 4 hrs into sleep every single night, been trying to figure out cause, since my Bipap stats are outstanding. Spoke with sleep clinic, have an appt home sleep study with oximetry.

Long story short, believe I may have discovered cause of waking up 4 hrs into sleep. Reflux !!! I do not have reflux disorder, been tested a few times.

Years ago, before diagnosed OSA, remembered eating spicy food just before bed, woke up with a swollen throat, my throat was burning/swollen shut, I was gasping for air.

Reason, I never thought reflux, cause I never had any reflux issues, cept 1 time, but believe I do now when I lay down and sleep.

Same feeling I had years ago, feels like I'm suffocating during sleep. All my sleep data is fine, 0 leaks, 0 AHI, normal 02 sat, etc.... Bipap pressure not enough to overcome reflux throat swelling. After event happens, I sleep fine rest of the night.

Thanks for any feedback.....

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mummmz
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Re: Reflux ??

Post by mummmz » Sat May 14, 2022 10:34 pm

For reflux try chewing 2 Gaviscon tablets at bedtime. Wally World brand works just as well too. Reflux can make your throat burn and maybe feel raw but I've never felt like my throat was swollen shut due to reflux. That sounds more like a food allergy causing the swelling.

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LSAT
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Re: Reflux ??

Post by LSAT » Sun May 15, 2022 2:49 am

Raise the head of your bed. Take blocks of wood and get the head up as high as possible. They say 6" but we have always found that 4+ helps. It may seem strange at first but we have had our bed raised for at least 7-8 years and do not notice it at all. Also..sleep on your left side. If you look at an anatomy chart you will see that when you are on your left. contents of the esophagus empty into the stomach. When you are on your right, contents of the stomach empty into your esophagus.

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Julie
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Re: Reflux ??

Post by Julie » Sun May 15, 2022 4:33 am

Half a TUMS before bed works.

Architect
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Re: Reflux ??

Post by Architect » Sun May 15, 2022 12:06 pm

Thanks so much for suggestions everyone. Will certainly try :D

Architect
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Re: Reflux ??

Post by Architect » Sun May 15, 2022 12:16 pm

mummmz wrote:
Sat May 14, 2022 10:34 pm
For reflux try chewing 2 Gaviscon tablets at bedtime. Wally World brand works just as well too. Reflux can make your throat burn and maybe feel raw but I've never felt like my throat was swollen shut due to reflux. That sounds more like a food allergy causing the swelling.
Thanks. Don't have any food allergies, was tested last year. I thought the same, till I experienced years ago, if reflux reaches inner mouth, into nose while sleeping, depending on the amount, acid will swell throat shut. Only experienced once, and hope the last. Never had reflux in my entire life, freaked me out. If I can remember, I ate alot of jalapeno peppers with greasy chicken, before bed.

I read articles, many suffer reflux during sleep in laying position, but during daytime hours, no issues, body is upright or standing position, sounds like me.

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Jlfinkels
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Re: Reflux ??

Post by Jlfinkels » Sun May 15, 2022 4:56 pm

Try 40mg of famotidine before bed. If it works you can get them in bulk.
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Janknitz
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Re: Reflux ??

Post by Janknitz » Sun May 15, 2022 5:53 pm

I have pretty bad reflux. If you speak with your doctor he/she will recommend a PPI like Omeprezol (Prilosec) or an H2 blocker like Famotidine. They used to think these drugs were pretty benign, but recent research is suggesting otherwise: https://www.mayoclinicproceedings.org/a ... 20dementia.

These drugs are meant to be taken for the SHORT TERM--2 weeks or so. Long term you can have great difficulty getting off of them because they suppress stomach acid and we NEED stomach acid. So when you stop taking them, symptoms rebound even worse. Reflux is not a problem of too much stomach acid, it's stomach acid in the wrong place. If you have the correct pH of acid in your stomach, one of the functions of that acid level is to trigger the upper GI sphincters to close so stomach acid doesn't travel into the esophagus and airway. If you suppress acid, the signal doesn't work. (See Why Stomach Acid is Good for You by Jonathon V. Wright, M.D.)

So why do we get stomach acid where it doesn't belong? Abdominal pressure from overeating too close to bedtime is certainly one reason. Reflux and sleep apnea go together according to Dr. Steven Park. If you are struggling to get air in, it can form a pressure gradient which causes stomach contents to be pulled into the airway. Another theory is that eating certain foods feed bacteria which are in the small intestine, and they emit gases which push upward on the upper GI system and cause pressure against the sphincters that are supposed to keep stomach acid out of the esophagus and airway (see Fast Tract Digestion: Heartburn by Norman Robillard). Some people think acid in food is the issue, but our digestive system is well-equipped to handle that. Although individuals may have some food sensitivities to acidic foods. My worse reflux trigger is . . . dairy. Not wine, tomatoes, chocolate. Dairy.

Things like tums taken long term don't help and have a rebound effect. Elevating the head of your bed might help, but I can have reflux sitting straight up if I fall asleep without my CPAP.

Just saying this all to warn you against getting caught in taking acid suppressing medications for the long-term, it's a a really hard climb out of it! I've had a very difficult time.
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Architect
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Re: Reflux ??

Post by Architect » Wed May 18, 2022 5:37 pm

Update: Been taking 1 Tums past several days, last night wasn't aroused or woke up at all. Fitbit graph, showed no awakenings. Prior, Fitbit showed awaken 2-3 times per night, although I wasn't aware during sleep. So, now I know the cause of arousal, suffocation, awakenings.

Thanks for everyone's assistance, feedback. Sleep well friends.