Stomach air

How do I keep my stomach from filling up with air? I do not sleep with my mouth open but I seem to swallow to much.

A problem however its curable but only if you fill out your profile or at least post what type of machine you have Cpap or Apap to start with

tmeyer16 wrote:How do I keep my stomach from filling up with air? I do not sleep with my mouth open but I seem to swallow to much.

Hi tmeyer16

Some find apap or epr/cflex/aflex helpful. That is however depend on
what equipment you have

Sleepdeprived

Tmeyer, if you search for the word "aerophagia", you will find tons of discussion on this issue. It's a fancy term for all that gas. Some of us have a huge problem with it. Some don't seem to be bothered by it.

Some have suggested sleeping with a wedge. I've tried that and found it not to make much difference for me, but raising your head is supposed to help.

Also I was told to turn up the humidity on my humidifier. Again, I didn't notice much of a difference, but it it may work for you.

What did make somewhat of a difference to me was moving to APAP rather than a straight pressure. With APAP, instead of a steady blast through the night, the pressure fluctuates depending on your events. My aerophagia has gotten somewhat better, though there is still enough of it to be a huge inconvenience. In fact, I am now going in search of the previous thread where NightHawkeye shared he's taking some sort of herb or supplement that is helping. I've spaced on what it was and need to refresh my memory.

So search for "aerophagia", and then come back with more questions if you have them. Good luck!! I know it's miserable!!

Peggy

Peggy,
I see the trial 420E has finally arrived. Congratulations.

O.

Thanks, O.! Haven't gathered the data from last night yet since my hubby is still in bed, but I did manage to download data from the previous night and a nap. Centrals showed up on both but not in huge numbers. I still haven't figured out how to save the data and pass it on in a usable format, but I'll get there and would be happy to share it with you if you're interested to see what happens when I try your settings.

Peggy

pjwalman wrote:In fact, I am now going in search of the previous thread where NightHawkeye shared he's taking some sort of herb or supplement that is helping. I've spaced on what it was and need to refresh my memory.

Cayenne pepper - certainly not for everyone though ...

That's what I wondered, Bill. Is it spicy to your gut? Honestly, I am getting rather desperate with the aerophagia and would try just about anything, but I am having so much gut turmoil despite Prilosec OTC every morning and now Pepcid Daily at night that I wonder what cayenne pepper will do. I'd like to hear your take on it.

I mean, not that it's not just tons of fun to try to break records in volume and duration of burps and farts, of course making my husband just want me like crazy because of my new attractive skills, but come on!!! I get up, go into my office to go to work, and it's hard to sit there with a gut ache. I'm tired of it. Being on APAP has helped somewhat, but it's still not fun, and it seems like it's a side effect that lasts on and off all freakin' day. I think I must have a weakened LES, as has been mentioned. Does the pressurized air aggravate it even more? 'Cause it seems like every meal prompts gut air activity, and I'm even throwing up sometimes 'cause the air makes me so uncomfortable.

Jeez! Nice session of whining there! I'm sorry! I am just getting very frustrated. Seems like I'm such a mess lately -- I can see my husband's raised eyebrows, can see him wondering what system is going to fail next.

So, to get back to the subject at hand , I would like to hear about how the cayenne pepper has worked for you, what side effects there have been, if any, etc.

Thank you!! Sorry I didn't provide you any cheese with all that whine!!

Peggy

Peggy, it does sound like you've got a bad case of aerophagia. (or was that gastric insufflation?)

I guarantee nothing about this, btw, except that it has been helpful for me. I think what happens is that the cayenne pepper improves both overall circulation and digestive secretions. At least both are attributed to it, so that kinda makes sense. As a result the entire digestive tract functions better. Why the LES would function any better, if it does at all, your guess would be about as good as mine.

pjwalman wrote:That's what I wondered, Bill. Is it spicy to your gut?

Can be, but that hasn't been a problem. The trick is to start with small amounts of cayenne pepper, once or twice a day, and increase gradually as you can tolerate it. The hardest part for me was simply swallowing a glassful of "cayenne water". That leaves such a "hot" taste in my mouth that I typically follow it with some Kozyshack (TM) tapioca pudding.

pjwalman wrote:Honestly, I am getting rather desperate with the aerophagia and would try just about anything, but I am having so much gut turmoil despite Prilosec OTC every morning and now Pepcid Daily at night that I wonder what cayenne pepper will do. I'd like to hear your take on it.

My take is that both Prilosec and Pepcid are worthless. I didn't get any benefit from either. I did get benefit from Protonix (Protein-Pump-Inhibitor, PPI). I can't say that helped the aerophagia any though.

pjwalman wrote:I would like to hear about how the cayenne pepper has worked for you, what side effects there have been, if any, etc.

No side effects. Really! Unless, you count improved circulation. OK, maybe there has been one ... I've gained weight, but that's due to increased appetite, and I consider that a benefit. .

I'd recommend googling Cayenne Pepper first. I wouldn't expect you to find anything about aerophagia (except maybe my posts), but the other claimed benefits/drawbacks should be obvious enough.

Regards,
Bill

Ugh! You have to drink it???? Probably guaranteed instant return from *my* gut. Is there a reason you can't take capsules?

EDIT: Answered my own question by reading up on it. Cayenne pepper in a capsule, your mouth doesn't taste anything, doesn't warn your stomach it's coming and then, boom, it hits and shocks your stomach. I like the idea of using juice a little better than water, though -- a really strong-tasting juice. Why does good health have to make us suffer?

The Protonix, is that something you can get over the counter or does it have to be prescribed? If it's over the counter, is it a health food store kind of item? I don't recall seeing it at, say, a Rite-Aid, but it may have been there since I didn't know I should be looking for it.

I will definitely Google it, Bill, but I wanted to hear from a "real person". You know? I greatly respect your input in particular, so I appreciate your taking the time to talk to me about it.

I am so tired of feeling crappy that I'm wondering if I should start looking into some kind of alternative medicine. I wonder if acupuncture or acupressure would help with the gut and how it is processing the air. I don't know.

And do I recall right that you said moving to a bilevel didn't do a thing for your aerophagia, Bill? Are some of us just destined to be miserable in exchange for having open airways at night?

I used to have this homely looking doll called Pitiful Pearl, and I'm thinking maybe I should start signing my posts with her name. Sorry to be such a mess!!

Peggy, aka Pitiful Pearl

_________________

CPAPopedia Keywords Contained In This Post (Click For Definition): aerophagia

pjwalman wrote:The Protonix, is that something you can get over the counter or does it have to be prescribed? If it's over the counter, is it a health food store kind of item? I don't recall seeing it at, say, a Rite-Aid, but it may have been there since I didn't know I should be looking for it.

Prescription only. Expensive, too, although there might still be off-shore outlets which offer it for less than local pharmacies.

pjwalman wrote:I am so tired of feeling crappy that I'm wondering if I should start looking into some kind of alternative medicine. I wonder if acupuncture or acupressure would help with the gut and how it is processing the air. I don't know.

I'd recommend trying to fix the GERD and get any other digestive ailments under control. For me, in addition to Cayenne Pepper, an alkaline diet proved useful. Again, not for everyone - just health nuts. .

pjwalman wrote:And do I recall right that you said moving to a bilevel didn't do a thing for your aerophagia, Bill?

Peggy, now that you mention it, I suspect that a BiPAP might work quite well for you. The BiPAP did provide relief for me, but not any better than APAP. For me an APAP can operate at considerably lower pressure for much of the night and so BiPAP couldn't do any better than that. It's different for you though. You need the APAP to provide relatively constant pressure all night. Logic suggests then that you likely would get considerable relief from aerophagia using a BiPAP.

At any rate, prescribing BiPAP for aerophagia seems to be something which physicians are quite willing to do. Call your doc up, tell him how much misery you're in and ask him to prescribe BiPAP pronto.

pjwalman wrote:Are some of us just destined to be miserable in exchange for having open airways at night?

LOL. Well, I kinda look at the trade-off in terms of a little discomfort rather than being miserable. It's not yet time for you to throw in the towel, Peggy.

Regards,
Bill (who is also interested in hearing more on how the 420E works out for you ... )

Cayenne pepper I think I can handle trying. I'm just seeing it sold in capsules online. Do you buy it in capsules and then break them apart or do you buy it in the spice aisle at the grocery store?

Alkaline diet? I just read about it, and I think I would starve.

Bill, I think you're right about approaching the doctor about this now. I can tell him that the APAP has helped to bring my AHI down and I am seeing some improvement in the morning RLS symptoms but that the aerophagia is still a problem to an extent that I need to pursue further machine options. It probably wouldn't hurt to point out that I've brought back the equipment to my former DME and have contacted a new DME and that this would be a good time for the new prescription as they are just now going through the process of transferring my records and haven't yet obtained a new machine for me. Does that sound feasible? Is there anything about that you would leave out? How specific do you think I need to get with him or can I just mentioned that the aerophagia continues to be a big problem and leave it at that? You already know I tend to ramble. Doctors are busy. Can I be effective still if I keep it short and sweet? EDIT: I've composed a fax and managed to squeeze it all on one page. Unbelievable!

Will I have to go through another sleep study possibly? Just want to know what I might be getting myself into.

Thanks for letting me pick your brain, Bill! Any suggestions are appreciated in how best to phrase things.

Peggy

P.S. How do I find my AHI on SilverLining? It breaks everything down, but I don't have a number to compare to what I was seeing when on the M Series and using Encore Viewer. I only have two nights of data so far, but I don't know how to share it with you other than listing every single little thing unless I figure out where to find my AHI average.

_________________

CPAPopedia Keywords Contained In This Post (Click For Definition): DME, AHI, Prescription, APAP, aerophagia

pjwalman wrote:Cayenne pepper I think I can handle trying. I'm just seeing it sold in capsules online. Do you buy it in capsules and then break them apart or do you buy it in the spice aisle at the grocery store?

I buy it at Sam's. It's a lot cheaper that way. .

pjwalman wrote:Alkaline diet? I just read about it, and I think I would starve.

Thing is, our bodies are built for alkaline diets. The modern acidic diet, largely from processed foods, causes a whole host of detrimental effects, GERD is just the tip of the iceberg, so to speak. Even cancer is tied in with acidity. Apparently, cancer thrives in acidity, but not alkalinity.

One of the most common effects appears to be osteoporosis. I've read that a high acid diet results in bone minerals being leached out in order to buffer the acidity and maintain a more alkaline ph in the bloodstream.

pjwalman wrote:Doctors are busy. Can I be effective still if I keep it short and sweet? EDIT: I've composed a fax and managed to squeeze it all on one page. Unbelievable!

Will I have to go through another sleep study possibly? Just want to know what I might be getting myself into.

I'd blast him with all the gory details ... seriously ... don't give him any room to not help you through this.

If you ask for the BiPAP-auto, you may be able to avoid another titration study. He already knows you're working with data. Tell him you just can't afford another titration study. Just suggest a trial with the BiPAP-auto.

pjwalman wrote:P.S. How do I find my AHI on SilverLining?

First select "Compliance Details" (I think that's right - working from memory here). To the right of the graph are several icons/buttons arranged vertically. The one of a notepad (2nd from bottom, I believe) will give you AHI and other details when you click on it.

Also, you can choose particular sessions by first clicking on the pencil icon below the 96 hour graph.

Just clicking around with SilverLining is the best way to learn it. Think of it as a "treasure hunt" as Ozij put it.

Regards,
Bill

Okay. Well, this is weird. I don't know if I'm the one misunderstanding or if it's the office staff or both. At your suggestion, Bill, I faxed the doctor with all the gories of my aerophagia, gastric insufflation, stinky/loud/percussive/eruptive talents , whatever you want to call it. I explained that I was just starting up with a new DME provider, that a machine hadn't been acquired yet for me, and would he please authorize a trial for a BiPAP Auto since I had done research that suggested that might be helpful for some with aerophagia.

I just got a call from the office staff, and what she told me was that the doctor was going to set me up with a VPAP, not a BiPAP. That's what she said. Do VPAPs help with aerophagia, too? I guess I have that in my knowledge banks as more of a centrals kind of machine. Killing two birds with one stone perhaps?

Anyway, I haven't been contacted by the DME provider about it yet, and the lady who called said the doctor hadn't given her the file, but that's what she passed along. We'll see what actually happens. Just thought you might like an update.

Peggy

Good for you, Peggy!

The VPAP is Resmed's bi-level machine. Not to be confused with ASV - the one for treating central sleep apnea
.
Scroll down here to "Bilevel Devices" to find your exact model when you get it.
http://www.resmed.com/en-us/products/de ... u=products

Bi-PAP is Resprionic's trade name for a bi-level
VPAP is Resmeds' trade name for a bi-level.

And then both companies have an Automatic Servo Ventilation machine as well.

Welcome to SlinkyLand...

O.

_________________

CPAPopedia Keywords Contained In This Post (Click For Definition): resmed, Bi-Level Machine