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New to CPAP - Aerophagia? - Printable Version

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New to CPAP - Aerophagia? - LFS9000 - 10-01-2024

I am very new to apnea treatment - first CPAP use was August 8. Overall, I am a lucky person who took to the CPAP very easily and experienced immediate benefits in terms of energy, cognition, etc. I struggled with finding a mask that didn't leak like crazy but also didn't destroy my nose in one way or another and eventually landed on the Philips Dreamwear Nasal Cushion. Since I started using this mask all my "basic" stats have been perfect - 100 score on myAir every night. But, I am experiencing stomach pain every morning - sometimes it's extreme. I am thinking this is due to aerophagia and am wondering if it looks like adjusting my pressure could be a good idea.

If I didn't include something necessary let me know, I'm new at this. Appreciate any help anyone can offer.


RE: New to CPAP - Aerophagia? - G. Szabo - 10-01-2024

(Yesterday, 12:38 PM)LFS9000 Wrote: I am thinking this is due to aerophagia and am wondering if it looks like adjusting my pressure could be a good idea.

Higher EPR mitigates aerophagia, so you can try EPR=3, full time. 
As for the pressure, you might be better with a pressure max of 12 cm and a ramp-off setting.


RE: New to CPAP - Aerophagia? - LFS9000 - 10-01-2024

(Yesterday, 03:57 PM)G. Szabo Wrote: Higher EPR mitigates aerophagia, so you can try EPR=3, full time. 
As for the pressure, you might be better with a pressure max of 12 cm and a ramp-off setting.

Thank you!


RE: New to CPAP - Aerophagia? - cyberfiche - 10-01-2024

To solve my aerophagia problems, I had to come down on my pressure. I was (bi-level) at IPAP=13, EPAP=9. I had to reduce that to IPAP=10, EPAP=7. I reduced the pressures enough so that the aerophagia was pretty much gone, while my data still shows good results from the therapy. I think I was over-titrated initially.

- cyberfiche


RE: New to CPAP - Aerophagia? - LFS9000 - 10-02-2024

(Yesterday, 03:57 PM)G. Szabo Wrote: Higher EPR mitigates aerophagia, so you can try EPR=3, full time. 
As for the pressure, you might be better with a pressure max of 12 cm and a ramp-off setting.

After doing some more research I do think it's the pressure. Would it make sense to bring the max pressure down incrementally to look for the sweet spot?


RE: New to CPAP - Aerophagia? - G. Szabo - 10-02-2024

(9 hours ago)LFS9000 Wrote:  Would it make sense to bring the max pressure down incrementally to look for the sweet spot?
Yes, but how do you define the sweet spot. If it means a pressure at which the Aerophagia is minium then the sweet spot pressure is the zero pressure. 
Alternately, the sweet spot may mean some balance between the decreasing Aerophagia and the increasing flow limit/AHI. But how do you compare apples with oranges?