CPAP causing bowel inactivity

I am new to this forum, But I need some answers. I have been using a CPAP for 8 months and have noticed severe changes in bowel activity. I have no urge to ever use the bathroom. I never even have gas anymore. I have one of the worst cases ever seen at the lab. I had 242 apnea episodes noted in the lab. I have had this for years and just lived with it. My girlfriend asked me to get treatment due to she had witnessed me completely stop breathing at night and then wake up gasping for air.
Back ground: I am 42 years old and played college football. I have always been in good shape and healthy. I played fullback in college. in order to play this position our coaches were always on us to get bigger. in college I was 6'0 242 pounds. My doctor said it was common in football players that have big muscular necks like mine. He even said some people that are very small even have apnea. I have a resmed tango set at 16 out of a max of 20. Before the CPAP i would go 2-3 times a day and always had stomach activity. Since the PAP i have been hospitalized twice for bowel blockages. They even did a complete ct and colonoscopy after my last blockage. Every thing checked out normal. Dr said he has never heard of this being caused by CPAP. He doesn't beleive this is the cause even now. Even my GI doctor dismisses my claims of this. I have never had this problem until CPAP. I like the machine but bowel problems are killing my life. They keep telling me to take miralax which i do but still no bowel activity. i never even pass gas. It is like my whole system has shutdown, I have read other people mention this on here. I have tried everything diet changes high fiber no fiber yet still no changes. i am at my wits end. dr says i have to stay on machine or risk death. i run and workout but no bowel movements are scarring me to death. my left side hurts so bad. my stomach feels like it will explode after sleeping with cpap. i have a full facemask that worked best in the lab. my rest is 1000 x better but at what cost? how can cpap cause this and how do doctors say they never have heard of this as a side effect. my dr's have just given up on doing anything for me. i take no medications and this only started with cpap. help.....i cannot deal with this anymore

my guess is severe anxiety about the cpap that is causing it. ask if they will put you on vaium or something short term to see if it helps. i doubt very much the cpap itself is causing it.

greatunclebill wrote:my guess is severe anxiety about the cpap that is causing it. ask if they will put you on vaium or something short term to see if it helps. i doubt very much the cpap itself is causing it.

Thanks unc. But I am leary of valium. I had a friend that was addicted to that stuff. I am amazed I cannot find any studies on the correlation of cpap and bowel problems. I have found many older post's here from others that have the same problem. I hear benzo's can slow down gut motility. thanks

Although I don't think the CPAP is causing this, perhaps the stress of 'thinking' it is causing might be. If you don't want something as strong as Valium maybe you could try Reglan. I had to take something for this problem after my gallbladder surgery, so this is what they gave me. In no way is this related to my CPAP, but I was told this med works by relaxing the bowel. Just a thought?
Jen

I have to be careful how much sugar-free gum or candy I consume.
If I am a little careless, the results are, well, "significant"

jencat824 wrote:Although I don't think the CPAP is causing this, perhaps the stress of 'thinking' it is causing might be. If you don't want something as strong as Valium maybe you could try Reglan. I had to take something for this problem after my gallbladder surgery, so this is what they gave me. In no way is this related to my CPAP, but I was told this med works by relaxing the bowel. Just a thought?
Jen

Thanks Jen. i am willing to try anything. Did you have success using it after your surgery? My gi dr thought i may be having muscle spasms keeping the stomach tight due to the air flow from the cpap. he acts like he unwilling to do anything unless i die from a blockage. U.S. healthcare ranked 38th in world. H ow depressing

chunkyfrog wrote:I have to be careful how much sugar-free gum or candy I consume.
If I am a little careless, the results are, well, "significant"

All that sorbitol can do that. I wish it did that for me. no luck. prune juice is loaded with sorbitol.thanks

Yes it did help. I still take it, twice a day, and will have to for the rest of my life. When they took out my gallbladder, it changed something in the way my bowels react to food/waste, so they need the help to relax and work properly. In theory, if the air or stress is clenching your bowels, this might work. Can't hurt to give it a try if dr will write the rx. Sounds like gi dr will, since they are as stumpted as you as to what is causing it.
Jen

Try a controlled-release magnesium product - I take one from a company called Jigsaw. Magnesium helps muscles relax, so too much of it will cause the opposite problem to the one you have. I have never had magnesium causing problems with sleep apnea - my dose has remained constant for the last 3 years, and my AHI has dropped, so maybe there is a benefit? Also, I suggest you take a good probiotic - PM if you need some information on this. Finally, make sure you are drinking enough liquid each and every day, and that you are eating plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables. Those things alone have helped me become more regular, quite apart from all the other health benefits that are claimed!

About 6 months ago, I would wake up in the middle of the night with absolutely terrible pain in my bowel that would last for hours. I literally thought something was ripping my insides apart. This happened on and off for about 6 months. I finally went to colon doctor and turns out I was having something that was expressed in a latin term. I'm sorry, I dont' remember the word, but it's caused from lack of fiber. So now I take about 3 heaping tablespoons of Walmart Equate Fiber Therapy (equivalent to Metamucil) two or three times a day and haven't had an episode yet, plus it keeps your cholesterol low, plus it helps you lose weight. I also take it by just scooping spoonfuls of the powder in my mouth and chasing it down with water. I pay no mind to the choking warning on the can. I don't have patience to mix it with water in a glass. I know you have tried Miralax but in my experience, taking the amount of fiber therapy I do seems to do the trick. I should own stock in the stuff and I swear by it. Hope this helps.

How did you end up with such an old CPAP machine?

I find CPAP tends to have the opposite effect on me. It sometimes gives me gas and tends to "push things along."

Has anyone else had a similar reaction to CPAP?

Apnea does a lot of things to you. As your body adapts to apnea, your body chemistry changes as it tries to adapt. When you start CPAP, your chemistry can be out of kilter until your body adjusts to not being strangled every few minutes during the night.

archangle wrote:I find CPAP tends to have the opposite effect on me. Has anyone else had a similar reaction to CPAP?

oh yeah

Hi FRUSTRATED, I really like the magnesium suggestion -- good for the nervous system and a potentially happy side effect for your G.I. system. Good forms of magnesium are magnesium taurate and magnesium citrate.

Worth trying to up the fiber in your diet, as well, as was mentioned above. Helpful for me, anyways. A lot of times your not conscious of how much fiber you're getting (or not getting) until you start to see what the fiber content of what you're eating is. Also helpful for losing weight, if that's an issue, since high-fiber foods tend to be low in fat and calories in general. And they are filling.

And exercise! Just walking around has the same effect on us as it does the dog.
WALKIES!