New Pressure Setting -- feels like aerophagia

First off, hello folks -- I just signed up.

I was diagnosed with severe sleep apnea about 2 months ago. I was on an APAP (which adjusted pressure usually to the 10-13 range) for a few weeks until yesterday when my Bi-PAP showed up.

The APAP was a temporary fix until the results of the titration study determined I needed a Bi-PAP set to 20 in and 16 out.

Wow -- I was able to get to sleep, but this morning I woke to great pain. From reading the forum it sounds like I have aerophagia.

So... ...what can be done about it?

I left a message for my doctor. I took some advil. Not sure what else may be done.

I have released enough gas (from both ends) that I am in less pain. I can also breathe in as deep as usual without pain. This morning I could only take shallow breathes or it hurt.

Any suggestions?

Thank you!

-Dave

I'm no doctor, but I can tell you what I would do.

My first question would be... do I really need that much pressure?

If I felt OK in the 10-13 range, I would reset my BiPAP down more towards that lower pressure range and then slowly walk the pressure up every couple nights until the aerophagia started to bug me again.

Once I found the maximum pressure I could handle without aerophagia becoming a problem, I would use the software to see how my therapy was doing for a week or so.

It's possible that you'll be able to find a balancing point where your pressure is low enough to not bother your stomach, but high enough to give you decent therapy.