CPAP CAUSING ACID REFLUX

Quite a few people have found relief by changing to a bilevel.

MinerMomx3 wrote:
Questions: Has anyone else had CPAP make acid reflux come on or get worse? And does raising the head of the bed really help?

I already had acid reflex before CPAP. It was worse for about a week or so after starting and then the problem went away with no other change. I was already taking 40 mg of generic Prilosec daily because my acid reflex causes post nasal drip, which leads to chronic coughing and repeated bouts of pneumonia and bronchitis. Getting healed up is the first goal. I totally agree with trying the wedges or other methods of raising your upper torso during sleep as a first attempt to eliminate the problem. Also, eliminating or altering those foods that worsen your condition.

My major change was to eliminate most things with vinegar (I miss pickles) and to only have one (large) cup of coffee a day unless I need to drive somewhere (cpap is reducing this need). I switched to tea, both black and herbal, which has far less caffeine which I guess is what worsens the acid reflux. I gave up pizza years ago. Once in a while I have it when my sister makes it (she makes fabulous pizza!), but can only have one slice. I rarely drink pop, so I don't know if it causes problems with acid reflux.

Raising the head of the bed does not always help. Did nothing for me. The gastroenterologist suspects a leaky valve (I think that was the word). Any weight change, gain or loss, seems to aggravate it. So long as medication is keeping things under control, he doesn't want to mess with it. Once I get to goal weight, I will discontinue the med and see how it goes.

From what I've been Googling there is definitely a relationship between GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease) and sleep apnea. In most cases treating one symptom also helps the other. However, it appears for some people, the forced air from CPAP can in some cases an increase in aerophagia, a side effect of CPAP treatment in which air enters the stomach. This can also cause some reflux.

I believe this to be the case for me. I have also learned that many people have acid reflux but do not have heartburn. Instead, the primary complaints are a chronic cough, frequent throat-clearing, hoarseness and/or a lump-like sensation in your throat. Throatburn reflux is acid reflux without any heartburn complaints. The medical term for throatburn reflux is LPR (laryngopharyngeal reflux).

I have on a few occasions awakened in the middle of the night burping with an acidic taste in my mouth and feeling like I just threw up in my CPAP mask.