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+--- Thread: [Pressure] Aerophagia issue, requesting pressure setting review (/Thread-Pressure-Aerophagia-issue-requesting-pressure-setting-review)
Aerophagia issue, requesting pressure setting review - karen.k.quinn - 02-28-2022
I began my CPAP therapy in December 2021. My sleep study showed mild sleep apnea with an average of 10 events per hour. The prescription was written for pressure of 4-20.
Overall the therapy seems to be going very well.
However, I find that I'm burping quite a bit during the night and into mid-morning and sometimes waking with a painfully bloated belly.
As you can see from my current settings of 4-19, I did begin to adjust the pressure settings on my own based on previous advice I read on this board (you mods are amazing), but then realized I really should be making changes based on my own OSCAR data and not somebody else's. Hence, the reason for my inaugural post today.
Thank you for any advice and suggestions you have for me.
[attachment=40309] [attachment=40310]
RE: Aerophagia issue, requesting pressure setting review - GuyScharf - 02-28-2022
Welcome to the forum!
A little more information would help so we can offer a more educated suggestion.
Have you had a sleep study? If so, it would be helpful to post that here, with any personal information redacted.
How did you arrive at the PS setting?
RE: Aerophagia issue, requesting pressure setting review - Sleeprider - 02-28-2022
Karen, change your settings to a EPAP minimum pressure of 4.0 and maximum pressure (IPAP) of 6.8 with PS 2.8. This will result in the lowest possible pressures with approximately your current starting pressure. Although this is fixed pressure, it appears it should adequately control your events while avoiding aerophagia to the maximum extent possible. Give it a try, and let's hear back tomorrow morning.
RE: Aerophagia issue, requesting pressure setting review - karen.k.quinn - 02-28-2022
@GuyScharf, I did have a sleep study, results as noted averaged 10 events/hr. I don't have a physical report from the sleep study itself, just a copy of the prescription they sent to Apria for the CPAP. To make a long story somewhat shorter about the PS setting, I ended up getting a machine second hand (from my father, so I know the usage) and doing the settings myself for financial reasons. The prescription did have 4-20 for pressure, and then it was a bit of trial and error on my part to figure out the PS setting, which is still my area of least understanding. I had the PS set at 3 for about a month and just reduced it to 2.8 when I was trying to "fix" the aerophagia problem myself.
@Sleeprider, I will change the settings as suggested and post back tomorrow. Thank you!
RE: Aerophagia issue, requesting pressure setting review - karen.k.quinn - 03-01-2022
Images posted below. Looks like I had some issues between 4am and 5am but I wasn't aware of it at the time. I also see snoring seems to have increased - looking back through the dailies, I hadn't seen this previously. I don't know how weird this is, but I snore with my mouth closed (don't laugh too hard!) so I don't think it was an issue with my mouth coming open.
As far as burping or bloated feeling this morning... there is none! So that worked!
[attachment=40323] [attachment=40324]
RE: Aerophagia issue, requesting pressure setting review - Sleeprider - 03-01-2022
How has the fixed pressure been working for your aerophagia? The events look a bit positional and not serious, especially if you are getting good rest and feel better.
RE: Aerophagia issue, requesting pressure setting review - karen.k.quinn - 03-01-2022
I had no issues at all with aerophagia last night and this morning. What a relief! I felt well-rested and refreshed this morning, so the only negative that I can report is the snoring. Well, OSCAR reported that one but I'm waiting for my husband to mention it too. haha
Thank you so much for your suggestions that resolved the air swallowing!
What are your thoughts on the snoring, if any? The closed-mouth snoring is what led me to seek out the sleep study in the first place.
RE: Aerophagia issue, requesting pressure setting review - Gideon - 03-01-2022
Is the snoring disturbing your sleep, or your husband's sleep?
Your numbers are excellent, that means we shift focus to comfort (mostly). The goal is to get good solid restful sleep, not to have numbers that are the envy of every user on apnea board.
So how do you feel?
RE: Aerophagia issue, requesting pressure setting review - karen.k.quinn - 03-02-2022
@Gideon, I am in complete agreement with what you said. There's no contest to win here.
I'm very happy with my AHI and the quality of my sleep now. The snoring definitely did disturb my husband's quality of sleep prior to my beginning the CPAP therapy, or really anyone that I was sharing a hotel room with (my sister, mother, children, etc.). I don't know if it's the specific CPAP machine, the P10 nasal pillows, or the combination of the two, but I'm so darn quiet now when I sleep that it's amazing! Anyway, that was my reason to follow-up with the snoring question. Personally, I'm a heavy sleeper and I sleep through everything including my own loud snoring.
I'm thinking I should slowly bump up the max IPAP (currently 6.8), making sure I don't begin experiencing issues with aerophagia again but seeing if I can knock down that snoring again. Does that sound like the right action to take?
RE: Aerophagia issue, requesting pressure setting review - Gideon - 03-03-2022
That sounds reasonable.
Is it inspiratory or expiratory snoring. What part of the breath form does it occur on?
Inspiratory, increase min pressure
Expiratory increase max pressure.