ask: How can I eliminate the aerophagia/gastric insufflation caused by my CPAP machine?

I'm sorry to hear you're having trouble with your therapy for your sleep apnea. It's unfortunate that you aren't a good candidate for corrective surgery.

My daughter is a sleep apnea patient, but was able to undergo the surgery to correct her deviated septum. Her doctor considered the CPAP as a last resort, if all other efforts were not successful. She was on the CPAP during her sleep test and had no problems.

You said "medical experts" suggested you were taking in, I'm assuming too much, air. Have you actually conferred with your ENT about your discomfort and possible solutions?

We do have some information on empowHer that may interest you:

Reference: Continuous Positive Airway Pressure
In His Own Words: Living with Sleep Apnea
Other Treatments for Sleep Apnea

Hi Anonymous!

Thank you so much for visiting the website and for posting your question for us. Like alysiak, I'm sorry that you are having problems with your CPAP. I know so many people with sleep apnea, it is unreal. Some use CPAPs and others get by with things like Breathe Right strips, and some have had surgery to correct it.

The part of your post that jumped out at me was the comment about your TMJ. Did a doctor tell you that you can't use an oral appliance or did you decide this on your own, based on your jaw issues? The reason I'm asking is that I have a good friend who has a TMJ-like condition (basically she sprained her jaw from clenching her teeth so hard at night) and she sees a dentist specialist who deals with facial pain and he told her that many people with sleep apnea also have TMJ because clenching your jaw can help open your airway. My friend also has a mild to moderate case of sleep apnea and what she was saying makes sense. The dentist/specialist wants to re-test her for apnea to see how bad it is now and will probably fit her for an oral appliance that I believe will treat both the apnea and the TMJ.

So maybe all is not lost with the oral appliance. I can get you the name of the specialist my friend sees if you'd like it. She lives in the Phoenix area. It might be worth getting a second opinion on the TMJ angle.

If there is anything we can do to improve the website please let me know. I would welcome your opinion. Thank you again for your question. Best in health, Michelle

I too am interested to find out how to eliminate the aerophagia/gastric insufflation caused by the CPAP machine? My husband recently had a trip to the ER with an extended abdomen and blockage. They stated there was so much air in is abdomen from the CPAP that it was blocking food to flow through his stomach and into his intestines. He was in a great deal of pain and had lost 20lbs in 3 weeks. Any help here would be greatly appreciated.

Dear Anon

I'm sorry your husband has had such a painful result due to gastric insufflation.

My husband also has sleep apnea and we deal with some CPAP issues too. One effective but rather odd solution may be for your husband to tape his mouth shut. I know this sounds a bit outlandish (and should not be done if the person has a cold or illness or if his doctor advises against it) but it completely stops a person from swallowing so much air. Some people do this and it's very effective.

What kind of PAP is your husband using? Continuous? (CPAP) Adaptive (APAP)? A bi-level variable (BIPAP)? Some people find that APAPS AND BIPAPS work well against gastric insufflation, because they adjust the pressure upon every single individual breath. These other machines are not guarantees against mouth breathing but really help some people.

The APAPS are more expensive than the CPAPS but if your insurance covers it, your husband needs to talk to his doctor to ensure he qualifies for it.

Please let me know what kind of PAP your husband is using and we'll investigate further from there - I'll be waiting to hear from you!

Thanks for the update Anon!

Give the new setting some time - has your husband felt any improvement yet?

I know a CPAP is difficult to get used to, so additionally taping the mouth closed but feel very suffocating - I don't blame your husband for not wanting to try it, it'd be like going to sleep in a casket!

Let us know how level 7 is going.

I have a similar question. My husband started using a cpap a few months ago and he has terrible gas and sometimes pains in his stomach. I would love some help to let me know any helpful tips for this.

Thank you

It was my question that started this strand. I am delighted to say that after being prescribed an Auto-titrating machine I no longer suffer from the gastric insufflation. My suggestion to anyone who is suffering with gas because of a single-pressure CPAP is to begin the process to obtain an APAP or BIPAP machine. When I requested an APAP my HMO denied me. After filing a grievance (California allows such actions) I was tested by the HMO sleep lab and after some time was prescribed the new machine. Luckily my HMO had begun to "see the light" and realized that because of the gas many apnea patients simply put the machines on the shelf rather than suffer every night.

If you are one of those or have continued to have problems with gas while using a CPAP, by all means start the process of requesting an auto or bilevel machine. As noted in one of the responses above, gastric insufflation can cause some serious health problems and prescribing an auto or bilevel machine should be "formulary" for those with the problem.

I am on a bi-pap and I woke up this morning with such large amounts of stomic pain! I think it is gastric insufflation. But I don't know what to do about it. Do I cll the doc, do I wait it out, do I rush to the er? Ugg!