Does acid reflux get worse with CPAP

I have jsut been diagnosed with sleep apnea stopping breathing 12 times an hour. Shocking to me but probably mild to lots of you anyway. After using my machine for just 2 nights it woke me up choking last night with a lung full of stomach acid. Now I did have acid reflux before using the machine (self diagnosed) but it would only ever leak into my throat and start burning. I have never had it as severe (like being sick) so is this common with CPAP, my research so far seems to indicate it is? Of those of you who have suffered and have been using CPAP for a while, does it settle down as you get used to it? Already feeling a tad fresher during the day so dont want to have to stop using it.

My experience is that my acid reflux has improved in a major way. I used to take zantac 150 twice a day. I would wake up choking and gasping, and I would get stuck in a spasm that wouldn't stop until I vomited. I would sometimes inhale the acid reflux, and it would burn for hours.

Within a week of starting cpap, I was able to quit taking zantac, except for the occasional dose during the day after eating something like pepperoni pizza. If I have any burning in my throat, I eat a couple almonds, and it goes away. I rarely need medication anymore. I have been using cpap for 10 weeks now, and I have not had a single event with acid reflux at night.

Is it possible that you are hyperventilating because of the mask, and that is bringing up the acid reflux?

Awesome, sounds promising. It is certainly possible I am hyper-ventilating having only been on it 2 days. I was just hoping for reassuruance which you have given me. Nice one cheers

I've been lucky in that the mask and machine haven't bothered me a whole lot. I had some problems with fitting without leaking. The leaks weren't affecting my treatment, just blowing in my eye, which annoyed me. But I have mostly worked that out. Overall, I have adjusted fairly easily. I can sleep with it, and I find that it is usually comfortable for me.

I have also had many benefits that have happened fairly quickly. Some I had hoped for, such as lowered blood pressure. This was the reason I confessed to my doctor that I know I have sleep apnea. My blood pressure was not improved with 8 months and 3 medications. With a week on the machine, I was seeing some lower numbers. They would go up and down as my sleep varied each night. If I slept well for 6+ hours, my blood pressure was better. If I took the mask off half the night, it would go right back to the bad numbers. So, it was visibly clear that the treatment was working, and once I get my sleep to be consistently good, I will have consistently good blood pressure readings.

Some things were surprises, such as the reduced acid reflux and fewer trips to the bathroom. Until I had the sleep study and consultation, I had no idea that these things were related to sleep apnea. And I feel better. I thought I would feel somewhat better. But as this got worse over a long period of time, I didn't realize how bad my sleep really was. I was diagnosed with an ahi of 79. I had no idea I was fighting with myself all night. I was expecting a crappy night at the sleep study, yet I slept well and felt good the next day. The day after that, I felt like crap, and I realized that it wasn't any worse than normal. I just didn't know I felt like crap every day until I felt the difference.

When I got my machine, I did not feel as good the first day or even the first week. Apparently, this is normal for many people to feel really good if they had a good titration at the sleep study, and then slowly feel better once they get their machine. That first day is such a shock that the body doesn't know what to make of it. I did notice within the first few days that I felt more cheerful. And I was thinking about doing things that I did not yet have the energy for. As an example, I felt like getting up and dancing to the music I was listening to, but I didn't really have the energy to dance. I do now. It took some time, but I could feel the improvement in my energy level. I rarely feel the need for an energy drink now, I am not bouncing off the walls by any means, but I'm not struggling either.

Headaches are also reduced. I'm not sure if my short term memory has improved yet, but I am hopeful. Mine is dismal, so I would love some improvement in that area. I am also hoping to lose some weight. I don't expect any magic weight loss, but I do feel more energetic, so that should help. I did have a bad cold awhile back that was extremely bad for a week, then a bad cough for another 2 weeks, and my asthma was still bad for a couple weeks. So, I am just now at a part where I can start doing exercises that I can't do with asthma problems. I was stuck with only minor weight lifting. Now I can do some actual cardio routines.

I agree with what zoocrew posted. Most of what she posted has been my personal experience too, so I won't reiterate.

I wish you success with your therapy and I know that the acid reflux (GERD, in my case) has reduced substantially! I hope this gives you something to look forward to if it works for you

My acid reflux episodes stopped with cpap, from the first night.

As was indicated above, some people need therapy with an antacid like Prevacid or Nexium for a period of time, sometimes 90 days or longer, to aid the healing process. A doctor's visit is indicated.

I have not had more reflux, but I have had more heartburn. I have a hiatal hernia and so I am having a lot of problems with getting air into my stomach with the CPAP, which is probably causing the heartburn. I have tried several different medications to get rid of it and nothing has really worked. I have been on omeprazole for years and it wouldn't even touch this, so I finally have gone off it since it's not doing anything (which is a good thing in the long run). So I've been trying the almonds, pickle juice before meals, and sugarless gum to help keep it under control, and it's been mostly effective, though not 100%. I was hoping that the reduced pressure the doctor just prescribed would take care of the aerophagia, but it has not. I'm not swallowing air, it is just going right down my throat and into my stomach. I have felt it happen and there was no swallowing involved. It's not the same every night, but I have yet to figure out a pattern as to why it's really bad some nights and not others.

I, too, have had issues with reflux. This may be a basic suggestion, and if so forgive me. I have found that eating early -- say, by 6:00PM -- helps enormously. I also try not to have any alcohol after I finish dinner, that way both food and libation are pretty much through my system by bedtime. I occasionally eat and drink late with friends, but hey -- we've got to live a little!

I also invested in an inclining Tempurpedic bed several years back. I incline this, which helps reflux and seems to help apnea (though I'm not as sure about that). There are non-Tempurpedic mattresses on the market now that are less expensive.

MeToo wrote:I, too, have had issues with reflux. This may be a basic suggestion, and if so forgive me. I have found that eating early -- say, by 6:00PM -- helps enormously. I also try not to have any alcohol after I finish dinner, that way both food and libation are pretty much through my system by bedtime. I occasionally eat and drink late with friends, but hey -- we've got to live a little!

I also invested in an inclining Tempurpedic bed several years back. I incline this, which helps reflux and seems to help apnea (though I'm not as sure about that). There are non-Tempurpedic mattresses on the market now that are less expensive.

Excellent advice! I also have started making sure that I have had dinner at least 3 hours before I go to bed. Since I'm the only one in my household who wakes early for work, it's very important to me to eat earlier and not go to bed on a full stomach.

So far, it's working wonders on the days I can actually get my family around the dinner table at the same time. I hate eating alone and I also am not a fan of spending the time to cook and no one's around when it's done. I'd expect that from teens, but we're talking 3 grown men (my 85 yr old dad, my hubby, and my 26 yr old son). Last Monday night, dinner was ready but family was not. I ate mine and set theirs in the microwave... and made sure they knew I was unhappy about it. They've since learned that I mean business about dinnertime LOL.

I am affirming the above advice: Don't eat anything three to four hours before bedtime. That solved all my problems plus helped me lose weight. Ditto with the alcohol.

I started having what felt like a mentholated feeling in the back of my throat about 8 months ago. This was before I realized I was having sleep apnea symptoms. I never had heartburn or acid reflex before so I just thought it was no big deal, until it came further up my throat!
I started eating tums like candy but only at night. Once I decided to see my doc about all of my symptoms and found I had OSA, the cpap has been working pretty good. I've only been on it for about 3 weeks and I've had some mild heartburn but nothing like it was! I've only had to take a tums once since I started cpap.
I don't know how you sleep but I noticed if I slept on my back or with few pillows it would start up. I've been sleeping on my side with no less than 2 pillows and it's been working. Hope this helps!