10-14-2024, 10:42 AM
(This post was last modified: 10-14-2024, 10:54 AM by mark.apnea.)
Reflux, Propping & Side Sleeping
Over the past month or so, I've had 3 or more coughing fits each night while sleeping. Its a dry cough, following by a flood of phlegm from my nose and down my throat. It's quite annoying to take the crap off my face each time to get up to blow my nose and take a swig of cold water.
I already take 2 x daily doses of Omeprazole (40mg) for long term reflux issues, but I still suspect reflux is the cause of my throat irritation. Maybe I've developed some sort of tolerance for the stuff (?)
Last night I propped myself up on 3 pillows hoping to help reduce these coughs, but sleeping on my back produces a rash of CA and OA events. I'm a natural side sleeper, but sleeping on my side while propped is quite uncomfortable on my lower back. Coughing was reduce to a single session of 3-4 coughs in a row with the normal flood of post nasal stuff. Not zero, but better. AHI was not terrible at 1.8.
Any suggestions on propping and side sleeping?
RE: Reflux, Propping & Side Sleeping
I've slept on wedges forever. My current 25 year old one is 40" wide, 25"long, 6" high and goes down to zero. I'm also a side sleeper with apnea and reflux. I take one Omeprazole in the morning and one at night. at one point i had to take 2 at night and one in the morning. Omeprazole stops acid production in the stomach which stop b12. you may also want to take a b12 supplement to compensate. when my b12 got low i had to get a b12 shot a day for a week and then a shot a week for several weeks. i suggest you get or jury-rig a wedge that raises the upper part of your body so you can sleep on your side. the perfect thing would be an adjustable bed.
First Diagnosed July 1990
MSgt (E-7) USAF (Medic)
Retired 1968-1990
RE: Reflux, Propping & Side Sleeping
See the
MedCline Shoulder Relief Wedge and Body Pillow System
https://www.apneaboard.com/forums/Thread...#pid511291
It is a wedge pillow for side sleepers.
There is also a higher inclination version for reflux problems.
RE: Reflux, Propping & Side Sleeping
Thanks, Sarge. I was recently diagnosed with temporal lobe epilepsy that included short and long term memory losses. Low B12 can be a contributor to memory loss, so I got tested. My B12 levels were way too low (certainly due to uptake issues from Omeprazole), so I also went in for weekly B12 injections. Then switched over to daily OTC B12 supplements. Several blood tests later show me to be in the normal range.
I'll look into the wedge thing. I agree a new bed would best, but not gonna happen any time soon. Do you lie on the wedge directly, or do you stuff it under your mattress? No issues on your side torquing your lower back?
RE: Reflux, Propping & Side Sleeping
Wow, that's quite a thing. I'll look into that as a possible solution for me. I am a constant flip flopper, so I'd need to to make some adjustments.
RE: Reflux, Propping & Side Sleeping
I put the wedge on top of the mattress. then i put a pillow on top of it. so my head is on the pillow and my shoulders etc are on the wedge. it sounds weird but it works good. I've used this for so long I don't remember any back problems.
we also tried raising the head of the bed putting blocks under the legs. even a few inches made us feel like we were sliding off the bed. a wedge on top of the mattress is way better than making the whole bed a wedge.
First Diagnosed July 1990
MSgt (E-7) USAF (Medic)
Retired 1968-1990
RE: Reflux, Propping & Side Sleeping
(10-15-2024, 06:57 PM)greatunclebill Wrote: we also tried raising the head of the bed putting blocks under the legs. even a few inches made us feel like we were sliding off the bed. a wedge on top of the mattress is way better than making the whole bed a wedge.
I have had similar experiences and agree with the conclusion.
If you cover the whole bead with the wedge on it with 1-2 inches of memory foam, you mitigate sliding and make it more comfortable.
