Bloating | Data Review | Alternative Treatments

[eh4tings]

First and foremost I just wanted to express my gratitude for this board, Oscar and the wealth of information here. This is my first post.

In late 2018 I was diagnosed with severe sleep apnea (AHI 34) and have been a Dreamstation APAP user since Jan 2019. My sleep improved, but I always 

• Suffered from bloating (aerophagia)
  
• Frequently woke up due to mask discomfort and couldn’t get back to sleep - probably averaging 6 hours of sleep per night
  

About a year ago I started treatment with dental devices from Dr. Belfor known as the Homeoblock and POD. You can read about them in the book Breath, by James Nestor. They help grow bone in the jaw and tone and expand the airways. About three months ago I stopped using the APAP for a period of time and felt well-rested. 

Then I bought a Wellue O2Ring, and realized my oxygen levels were dropping by 4% or more ~20 times per night when NOT wearing the APAP. 

So I started wearing my APAP again. 

And now I 

• Have regular bloating with APAP - usually I wake up after 4 hours, take the mask off and shut the machine off
  
• Feel similarly rested with or without APAP
  
• Experience very few (0-3) 4% O2 drops with APAP
  
• Experience many (15-30) 4% O2 drops without APAP
  

I have read the recommendations for bloating and 

• STARTED to reduce my pressure (from 20 -> 17) and will try to further reduce 
  

• WILL NOT sleep on an incline (likely this will cause back/neck problems)
  
• MOUTH TAPE - so I don’t believe it’s from mouth breathing or nasal congestion
  

Below is some Oscar and O2 data side by side

13-June-2024
Comments about the data

• I slept the entire night, over 8 hours with the CPAP machine. This is very unusual. 
  
• I woke up feeling bloated and not particularly well rested. 
  
• Around 22:20 in the data can be observed
  • 3 separate 4% O2 drops (see O2 data in upper right) 
    
  • A spike in AHI, but still only 6 compared to the average for the night of 2.55
    
  • A lot of activity in the Flow Rate 
    

  13-Jun Data.svg (Size: 744.7 KB / Downloads: 23)

9-June-2024
Comments about the data

• This is a more typical night - about half the night with the APAP
  
• There are no 4% O2 drops until after shutting off the APAP
  

  09-Jun Data.svg (Size: 733.4 KB / Downloads: 24)

5-May-2024
Comments about the data

• I did not wear the APAP all night
  
• No bloating
  
• Many drops in O2 level
  • 20 > 4%
    
  • 33 > 3%
    

  05-May Data.svg (Size: 69.71 KB / Downloads: 25)


I would welcome a review of the data, and any recommendations people may have, and especially those related to 

• reducing bloating
  
• reducing O2 drops while wearing the APAP (see 9-Jun data)
  
• eliminating the need for CPAP/APAP usage altogether
  

Many thanks,
Eamon