PLEASE PLEASE ADVISE ~ I need some help

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri Nov 30, 2007 2:05 pm

I go into my DME today Im switching to a new one.

I need to know what I should try to help with this awful aerophagia that Ive gotten since switching to full face. Should I request an APAP with Cflex or is that pointless? Should I talk to my doc about a BiPap?

Please help - last night I just used my nasal instead of my FF my AHI and leaks and pressure were much higher but I cannot tolerate the aerophagia anymore and not using the ff is the only thing that I can do to help me.

Someone please give me some advice.

CarrieS · Post by **CarrieS** » Fri Nov 30, 2007 2:07 pm

ill never understand why it doesnt keep my login - so here I am again logged in now so you can see my treatment info below. Thanks agian for anyone who will actually respond. I need help and dont know where else to get so please respond to my post.

6PtStar · Post by **6PtStar** » Fri Nov 30, 2007 2:28 pm

Carrie, I think that a BiPap is going to depend on your pressure. Don't think they help much with the lower pressures. Unless your pressure is up around 16 I don't think it will do much good. But, what do I know I have never had a BiPap. I'm sure some one will wade in here that is on one and can give you a better answer.

Jerry

Perchancetodream · Post by **Perchancetodream** » Fri Nov 30, 2007 5:03 pm

Carrie, I'm not sure, but I think you already have an auto PAP machine. Not sure that switching to CFlex from EPR will help that much (here is a link that discusses the differences: https://www.cpap.com/DisplayNewsletter/22).

What is your current pressure? Are you operating your machine as CPAP or autoPAP? Jerry is right that the BiPAP is generally used for higher pressures. I tried to set my minimum EPAP to 13 once and wound up with severe aerophagia. When I let the machine run with a minimum EPAP of 8 there is little to no aerophagia.

I would explain my concerns to the doctor and hope that he knows something about the various options out there.

Susan

jules · Post by **jules** » Fri Nov 30, 2007 7:10 pm

EPR is not available in auto mode on Resmed machines.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri Nov 30, 2007 9:48 pm

Jules is correct my Resmed Vantage does not allow for ERP mode on the Auto setting. I have my minimum at 5 and max at 13. I average from 8-10 so not very high and yes I run on APAP mode. Thanks for conversing and please continue to help me solve this. Unfrotunately I a fam doc first sent me to a sleep lab where I use to live, I have never seen a specialist besides my test and titrations at the hospital. I am thinking I may have to find one as my fam doc has limited knowledge where I live now. I will have to get a referral and see how far out it will take me to get in. Hopefully I can come up with some ideas with the help here in the meantime. I just cant win...Im thinking of staying away from the FF for now as I just cant take the aerophagia and the fatgue that seems to come with it - I tolerate poor treatment with leaks, and higher AHI and higher pressures beter then I tolerate the aerophagia even though my leak is 0 and my pressure is way down in the 8s and the AHIs are under 1 with FF. Sigh....thx much and keep the help coming.

Panhandler · Post by **Panhandler** » Fri Nov 30, 2007 10:20 pm

Carrie:

I get the impression from the discussions here in the forum that aerophagia is very different from one individual to another and that what works for one may not for another. I found it was worse going from a FF mask to nasal prongs, but they solve other problems, so it was worth working on improving it.

You might want to try to narrow the range of your auto settings so that the machine isn't changing pressures so much.

Make changes one at a time and wait a week or so before changing anything else, so that you get a good trial of the new parameter. If you change more than one thing, you don't know what worked or didn't.

Hopefully one of the more experienced users will weigh in with some advice.

ozij · Post by **ozij** » Sat Dec 01, 2007 12:09 am

A bi-pap.
posting.php?mode=quote&p=50714

[quote="momexp5"]I *so* apologize for not being in here much lately - to recap, on CPAP at about 7 (I'm a small-boned 120lb woman) I was having a lot of aerophagia problems. I went on the BiPAP with BiFLEX, at 8 IPAP and 4 EPAP, with the BiFLEX turned on. I had some trouble "synching up" with the machine, or vice versa - the machine would switch to EPAP before I was ready to exhale - but I found that the best solution was for me to go with the machine, to let the machine lead - and after just a few breaths worth of that, the machine synched up with me I am very happy with this now. I'm going to be taking the smart card to my ENT/allergist's tomorrow; the doctor said they could read it while I'm getting my shots.

track · Post by **track** » Sat Dec 01, 2007 10:31 pm

I cannot tolerate the aerophagia anymore and not using the ff is the only thing that I can do to help me.

There are a number of things you can do to deal with aerophagia that are not related to your mask. ...elevate the head of your bed 6", don't eat for 5 hours before going to bed, take a one of the over the counter meds like Zantac or prilosec an hour before going to bed, sleep on a wedge pillow, sleep on your back instead of your side, if you have to sleep on your side limit it to your right side, ramp up so the first 45 minutes the pressure is low,,...all of the above will help your aerophagia to some degree. I am sure there are other things that have worked for people ...do a search on aerophagia.

Mask

Additional Comments: Strictly a side sleeper