sleep apnea and Acid Reflux

Hello, are any of you experiencing acid reflux along with your sleep apnea. I take Aciphex, which seems to help, but I notice If I eat something greasy or spicy or just eat too late, I get a relfux, like my throat closes up even while wearing my mask. It's kind of scary. Can anyone relate?
Thanks

Hi Amann,

How long have you been taking the Aciphex?

I started out using Prevacid, which worked good for me. My insurance wouldn't pay for it, so I switched to Aciphex.
Within about 3 days on the Aciphex, my symptoms in my throat came back. (I had an uncomfortable feeling in my throat on breathing in and out, hoarseness, coughing, and nausea a lot, my ENT said I had silent reflux, affecting my voice box).

Maybe you should talk to your doc about trying a different med for the reflux.
I also had some side effects with the Aciphex (headache, and not feeling like myself) that I didn't seem to have on the Prevacid. I know we all react differently to stuff, but might be worth a try to see if something else helps you more.

Best wishes!

Acid reflux is very common for people with sleep apnea. Your throat closes off but your lungs are still trying to suck in air, this causes the stomach acid to get sucked up into the esophagus (acid reflux). Try not to eat right before bedtime. I've heard raising the head of your bed by a few inches is supposed to help.

How are you doing on CPAP? Do you know your treated AHI? Your throat shouldn't be closing off while on CPAP.

Dan

when you recover from an apnea, you gasp for air, that process can suck or reflux stomach contents up into the esophagus leading to GERD.

It happens because you are laying flat and experience the apnea which blocks the airway on inhale. Things that help:

-use CPAP to prevent the apnea, it reduces the gasping for air which reduces the sucking action
-elevate the head of your bed by at least 3", this keeps stomach contents in the stomach and makes it hard to vacuum stuff out of your stomach.

O.k. thanks everyone for all the advice. I have been using aciphex for about 3 years. I tried Previcid but I think it gave me headaches. It seems aciphex worked. But for some reason, maybe because I am going through chemo treatments now. I am having more reflux. I will try to sleep elevated tonight. and make sure I don't eat anything after 7:00. oh my AHI averages about 2.7 and now it's 3.2 leaks are 33 to 34 and my pressure was 8.7 now 9.3. Does this mean I am leaking too much at night.

Audrey

I suffered from acid reflux for several years, treating it with Nexium and Prilosec. When I began CPAP treatment in Feb. 2008, the reflux went away, as dramatically is if it was switched off. I have experienced zero reflux, or even heartburn since February. Even when I sometimes eat the "trigger" foods late in the evening... I still sleep soundly with no reflux. I consider myself very lucky.