CPAP ergo GERD?

I have never had any problems until a few months ago. I was doing down dog in my yoga class and I felt breakfast coming up. It was a strange, isolated incident. Now three months later, I've got that feeling most of the time, plus an acidy feeling. Is this GERD or something else?
Did CPAP cause this? I've had a lot of trouble waking up with an stomach full of air each morning since I started CPAP.
Now I'm doing the loop of which doctor should I see? Should I go to my regular internist or the sleep dr?

I am going to work soon, but I would appreciate any help, and will check the board as soon as I get home.

Thanks.

OK... I'm replying to myself, as I'm off to work and I want to push this up to the top again, even for a couple minutes.

CPAP won't cause GERD...if anything it's forcing your reflux back down while using the unit. The CPAP can definitely cause the air in the stomach if tou breath through your mouth and swallow air. Try using a chin strap or mouth taping to keep your mouth shut. Are you sure you are not doing your exercise too close to breakfast? You may have a problem with slow digestion where your food stays in your stomach longer than normal before passing to the intestines. There are tests for this.......a gastric emptying study.

Cpap doesn't cause GERD, but OSA is closely related in that possibly the majority of patients seem to have GERD, whether it began prior to or after being diagnosed with OSA. A lot of the time it will have been "silent", though a doctor can often tell if it was present, but once OSA shows up, GERD seems to come right along for a lot of us.

OCNorsk wrote: Did CPAP cause this? I've had a lot of trouble waking up with an stomach full of air each morning since I started CPAP.
Now I'm doing the loop of which doctor should I see? Should I go to my regular internist or the sleep dr?

Two different things.

1. Untreated obstructive sleep apnea definitely can cause GERD.

When in deep sleep, due to our muscles relaxing to various degrees, the smaller your jaw size, the more likely you’ll stop breathing and wake up partially or completely. During this process, a vacuum effect is created, actively suctioning up small amounts of your stomach juices into your lower esophagus or your throat. ...... Many people with chronic acid reflux issues will have an underlying sleep-breathing problem, and further testing usually confirms this. http://doctorstevenpark.com/index.php?s=gerd

2. "Waking up with a stomach full of air" is a symptom of what we call CPAP-induced aerophagia. The pressure from the CPAP process pushes air past the upper and lower esophogeal sphincters into the stomach and maybe the intestines. Aerophagia can be reduced or eliminated by sleeping on your tummy or your back. Aerophagia is most likely when sleeping on your left side and also likely when sleeping on your right side.

If you do decide to sleep on your back, make sure your CPAP pressure is high enough to control your sleep apnea. For many people, a higher pressure is needed for back sleeping as compared to other sleeping positions.

If you are unable to eliminate aerophagia, then your morning routine needs to include some exercise to relieve the gas and you need to avoid exercises that position the head lower than the stomach. Here is one idea http://www.abc-of-yoga.com/yogapractice ... ieving.asp

If you try tummy sleeping, look at viewtopic.php?f=1&t=43663

I would go to a specialist, maybe an ent.find out if you have gerd's and if you do Barretts and what stage and act accordingly.hopefully you have none of it but once its esophagus cancer the rate of living very long is not great .Not trying to alarm you but with all the commercials trying to minimalize it , thought I would throw in my not very often Solicited advice. good luck.

potholerepairman

Go get this one https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NjMUfIKktWU

OCNorsk wrote:I have never had any problems until a few months ago. I was doing down dog in my yoga class and I felt breakfast coming up. It was a strange, isolated incident. Now three months later, I've got that feeling most of the time, plus an acidy feeling. Is this GERD or something else?
Did CPAP cause this? I've had a lot of trouble waking up with an stomach full of air each morning since I started CPAP.
Now I'm doing the loop of which doctor should I see? Should I go to my regular internist or the sleep dr?

I am going to work soon, but I would appreciate any help, and will check the board as soon as I get home.

Thanks.

As already said, CPAP won't cause GERD but it can exacerbate the symptoms. Am on GERD meds myself (1 pariet tablet every day). Recently went in for an endoscopy which was to look at the stomach valve & see if it was worth repairing. After the examination the doc said that pariet was doing every bit as good a job at controlling the GERD that the best surgery could achieve & that at my age it would be pointless do the valve op because they at best were only 70% successful & even then the improvement often was lost after 3 or more years.

The doc explained the sleeping on one's back also exacerbated the symptoms because the stomach opening was in a down position & if we have a lot in the stomach (or a big one) there is a tendancy for the contents to squeeze out & travel up toward the mouth.

The typical side effects of GERD include sinus problems & possible vocal chord damage (from acid) also GERD sufferers often find they have heavy mucus in their throats in the morning (from the body producing it to protect the esophagus & throat )

DSM

PS the above is me trying to recall conversations from 8 months ago & I may have some info a little 'muddled'
(I am no expert in this area, just a victim)

.
OCNOrsk wrote:

OCNorsk wrote:I have never had any problems until a few months ago. I was doing down dog in my yoga class and I felt breakfast coming up. It was a strange, isolated incident. Now three months later, I've got that feeling most of the time, plus an acidy feeling. Is this GERD or something else?

I have GERD also (yes it sounds like GERD), and who knows which came first OSA or GERD. I was diagnosed with GERD first, but probably had undiagnosed OSA for many years.

How long have you been doing yoga? I love yoga, but always have trouble with GERD when I do it. Part of my problem (and maybe YOURS too) is that I eat 1-2 hours before doing yoga. Everything I read, and my yoga instructors emphasize, that you should not eat FOUR hours prior to doing yoga. You should avoid eating 3-4 hours before going to bed also. Perhaps that in itself would help you.

My TempurPedic adjustable mattress base has been wonderful for preventing nighttime GERD. I raise the head of my bed easily and as much as I feel I need on any particular night.

Good luck!

JoyD.

Wow! What a lot of good information.

I have been doing yoga for many many years, but I had taken some time off in my dotage. Breakfast two hours before, so there's a good hint right there. I'll skip breakfast before yoga. ( I hate skipping meals.)

I have a friend who was just diagnosed with esophageal cancer so that's what made me very aware. She was told the condition had could have been brewing for ten years. I can't recall any instances of feeling any discomfort at all until I started swallowing air. I do wear a chin strap, and it's lovely. With my eye mask and nasal pillows, I am a vision. The head of my bed is elevated.

I will try the suggestions and see what works. But I should go to the dr to be sure, huh? ( Do you feel the resistance?)

Thank you, everyone, for your assistance. I really do appreciate your taking the time to help me out.

rooster wrote:
potholerepairman

Go get this one https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NjMUfIKktWU

That southern dark shadow could put fear in 20 inch firestone tires . i'll try to smooth out the twang some but no promises.

This is one doctors visit that won't hurt except for financially.You gotta know , its kinda like door number 3.good luck and maybe you can slide in this year before some of the rates go up next year (for my insurance at least).

I wouldn't suggest skipping a meal, try to eat a lighter meal or give yourself more time between eating and exercising.
I have had gerd since I went overboard about 20 years ago doing sit ups. I was on meds for about a year and had to take two table spoons of liquid antiacid before and after each meal. I had to eliminate all the spicy foods I used to eat. Then a few years after that I started having frequent heartburn and have been on meds for it since.
I never had anything done test wise but I had two doc tell me I was having good luck with the meds to stick with that since the surgery isn't 100%

Gerry

Thanks again for the suggestions. I will give them a try. I've noticed that with many of the things I've done in relation to my CPAP experience, things will work for awhile, then I have to try something new. I do think I am going to have to be very careful with what I eat, and when. If only that were easy. As they say, "old age ain't for sissies."

Old age? I haven't seen any old people doing yago or any exercises at all. I used to consider anyone 5 years older than me old. Then I hit my 20's and it was anyone ten years older than me. Well now I don't really consider anyone older notice I didnt' say old just older, meaning considerably older than me unless they are at least 30 years older and then they are just more experienced not old.