I have been trying to use my CPAP with nasal mask for about 2 months now but I always wake in the night with horrible pain from air that has filled my stomach.  

I am so terribly bloated and have awful heartburn.  it sounds disgusting, but I have to force the air out through continuous burping (or worse...thank goodness I am single) before I can even get out of bed since I am too uncomfortable to move.  

I thought the air was just keeping breathing passages open, so how does it end up in my stomach???

What causes this and how can I prevent it?

Please help since I really do need the mask for a restful sleep but I end up pulling it off in the night since I am in so much pain.

BTW - I use a nasal mask, machine pressure set at 15 ( i feel like i have stuck my face out an airplane window with this thing on    )

HELP.

net2156 wrote:

I have been trying to use my CPAP with nasal mask for about 2 months now but I always wake in the night with horrible pain from air that has filled my stomach.  

I am so terribly bloated and have awful heartburn.  it sounds disgusting, but I have to force the air out through continuous burping (or worse...thank goodness I am single) before I can even get out of bed since I am too uncomfortable to move.  

I thought the air was just keeping breathing passages open, so how does it end up in my stomach???

What causes this and how can I prevent it?

Please help since I really do need the mask for a restful sleep but I end up pulling it off in the night since I am in so much pain.

BTW - I use a nasal mask, machine pressure set at 15 ( i feel like i have stuck my face out an airplane window with this thing on    )

HELP.

Hi,

15 is a strong enough pressure to start with. I'll list a few probabilities, that might be the cause:

As you are new to hoseheading you may have your mouth open, or are breathing through your mouth. Do you have a dry mouth in the mornings ? It is important to keep your mouth closed to maintain the pressure seal.

The nasal mask allows for inhaling and exhaling through your nose only, and departure from this can lead to air getting into your tummy...........and yes we have been known to fa*t in the mornings  

If you are a natural mouth breather, you might consider a full face mask ?

The heartburn issue. There is a condition called GERD which can be linked to OSA. Did anyone at your sleep clinic mention this to you ?

Post back. I have no doubt that the members here can help you. Your situation is not unique.

Kind regards,


Daniel


_________________
The untreated Sleep Apnoea sufferer died quietly in his sleep.......
Unlike his three passengers who died screaming !!!!!!

(Anon)

Daniel,

I was interested to read your comment that OSA and GERD have been linked.  I was recently diagnosed with OSA, waiting to get with a DME for my C-PAP.  In the meantime, had episodes of tight chest and pain - diagnosed with GERD and my doctor put me on Protonix, which is helping.

Do you have any other references you can point me to about that?  Just wondering if improving my OSA will help eliminate/lessen the GERD.  The Protonix is quite expensive, plus I really hate to take any unnecessary meds.

Sorry I can't help the original poster more - since I'm not on the C-PAP yet.  I had a rough night at the sleep study, and I've seen a lot of people with adjustment issues, but I know I've got to improve my sleep and I'm determined to make it work.  Now if I could just get the DME to call......

TGIF!

I also had a pretty bad problem with ingested air early in my cpap therapy.  My original titrated pressure was 18.  During titration, I spent a lot of time on my back, as instructed by the staff.  So my pressure needs were based on my back sleeping position, which is higher for most of us.
I never sleep on my back at home, and upon retitration, my pressure was lowered to 16, and now 14 - and the ingestion of air stopped.  I also find I never get air ingestion using autopap, which adjusts throughout the night based on needed pressure for sleep position, etc.
 I would recommend you call you doctor, and tell him you are suffering aerophagia, and ask him if in reviewing your sleep study numbers, you might be able to reduce your prescribed pressure one or two points.  This can usually be done without a retitration.  If he agrees, you might be amazed how much relief you can get with just a one or two point pressure reduction!!  While I haven't had this problem for several years, I certainly can't forget how uncomfortable it was.
  Good luck!!