velacook

Yeah that's similar to what I am doing now.

Just that I think i;ve narrowed it down to reflux. I initially thought it's some weird anxiety, stress, hormonal issues and that's a big rabbit whole to actually find a legit diagnoses.

This is somewhat similar to how I feel except I can also feel the throat being narrower. Like actual exhaling being obstructed slightly. Like I said it's only when I am relaxing or if I've eaten too much.

If I kept to reflux friendly foods and had some Malox or gaviscon, I would be free of these obstruction episodes for 1-2 days. I am still having troubles being consistent with diet and anti reflux meds because I don't always want to carry a big bottle of malox every time I am out for a lunch meeting or something.

I don't drink alcohol often these days. Save the drinking for weddings or birthday events.

Perhaps I do have SA but I feel like there's a sudden significant difference in my daytime breathing which shouldn't be related to SA. I think I'd just be happy with a confirmed diagnosis rather then wondering what is the cause of my day time issues.

Have you found any solution to help ? It makes sense though LPR = throat inflammation = sleep apnea issues.

I am actually starting this topic to update a member on this forum : @Southafrican

The previous thread has been locked and just wanted to share a small update.

So I've been having some onset apnea issues back in April-May. I would be drifting off and still partially awake enough to notice I've stopped breathing and I'd wake up to breathe. The biggest issue is that I wasn't asleep yet and I'd have to restart the whole sleep process. This could lead to not being able to sleep for 5-6 hours after I'd planned to sleep which was hell for 2 weeks. Went to 2 ENTs and they jumped on sleep apnea and the sleep test showed sleep apnea with a AHI of 27.

Since then I've gotten myself a Resmed Airsense. It helped minimize the issue. Instead of having it happen 3-5 times in a row. I got it down to 1-2 times then I am able to sleep. I've not looked at the sleepyhead data for this, my card reader doesn't work and haven't gotten around to get an external one yet.

Anyways weird symptoms started manifesting itself during the day after about 2 weeks with CPAP. This was around the start of june. My throat will feel tight/flexed and breathing was harder like breathing through a straw. I guess it was like asthma without the coughing and wheezing and this only occurred when I was inactive e.g watching tv, driving, on a plane etc. Eating something or just standing up and walking around made it better.

I started researching more and it seems like it could be LPR-Laryngopharyngeal reflux possibly that has inflamed the throat. One thing that alerted me was that it can sometimes be caused by nerve damage from a virus. Post viral vagal neuropathy, weakening one of your GI organ, most likely esophagus, causing a significant delay in reflux clearance. Which made sense somewhat as I've been experiencing worsening mucus pooling ever since coming down with major flu in December last year. Right now I am wondering whether this LPR could have significantly contributed to my sleep apnea because of throat inflammation. I probably have some form of sleep apnea regardless judging from my loud snoring and being overweight. Never suffered major SA symptoms though.

For the last month or so I've been taking off the counter reflux meds and there seems to be significant improvements both when awake and asleep. I am trying to schedule a GI doctor visit soon to see if it's what I suspect it is. Will update again.

Hi guys,

I've been a reader here since april when my issues all started.

I was wondering if anyone here has LPR? Can it cause/contribute to obstructive sleep apnea?

Now that I am a month on CPAP after my ENT said my issues were sleep apnea which showed up on a sleep test, I am beginning to think that it's all caused by LPR.

It first started because:

1. The sensation of my throat closing when relaxing
2. Feeling of a lot of deep pooling mucus in throat
3. Jolting awake when partially asleep because I can feel the air popping through a blocked throat.

Sounds like sleep apnea right? However after starting my CPAP now for a month. It has eliminated the issues while going to sleep. However I am beginning to notice my throat still partially blocked with tightness during the day. It's occasional, happens 2-5 times a day especially when I am stationary e.g driving, watching TV, working on my desk, seated on a long flight, lying down for an extended period relaxing. It's relieved by walking around or having something the drink/eat. It basically feels like an asthma attack without the coughing and wheezing.

Reading up online it seems like I have half the symptoms listed on this link. https://www.fauquierent.net/lpr.htm

In addition, my CPAP report is fantastic. Pressure peaking at around 14cm after 2-3 hours in to sleep and events at 0-1 with no leaks. Averaging about 5-7 hours of usage per night. Maybe there will be 2 days a week that I see AHI events around 2.

Anyone got any ideas or experienced something similar? It's really starting to cause some stress and quality of life issues. I am looking to get a 2nd opinion soon but I want myself to have a good understanding of what could possibly be wrong as well.

Obviously taking it off that would happen but I didn’t experience that till this week or the last 2 days more specifically

Following up abit on my previous post.

Since 2 months ago. I’ve felt extreme physical obstruction in my throat while lying down supine.

Got tested. Moderate apnea AHI 28.

On cpap now for about 9 days and it works brilliantly(good sleep test reporting too) but in the last week I’ve noticed that my throat is “still sleeping” or collapsed when I’m awake. Most notably after waking up from sleep and taking off my mask, I’ll be struggling to breathe while lying down on my back. It was never this bad last time and in fact ever since I suspected it was sleep apnea 2 months ago, I have been dieting and working out. Dropped 3.7kg since 1st of May.

So I’m wondering why the symptoms are getting worse even after cpap and weight loss. It’s like my throat/tongue is lazy or getting larger/inflamed randomly.

Any ideas ?

You would think that after going to two ENTs that it would be alright but they didn't even scope down the throat, they scoped the nasal passage way only. They were adamant I'd just go get the sleep test done which did prove sleep apnea. After that if CPAP doesn't work, come back and lets talk about surgery. That's the summed up message they gave me. That's why I am here, can't help but wonder if there's something else contributing to the apnea. From being totally fine one day and now having a lot of discomfort trying to breathe while getting a massage.

Yup I don't doubt that there's actual sleep apnea. The tested showed it and I fit the bill physically. I am wondering if something is making it worse to the point that there's obstruction while I am awake. However it's also not constant, there are times when lying down and I am totally fine but like yesterday my wife got me a massage for father's day and while lying down, it felt like i was breathing out of a straw. It's almost like some painless inflammation or something.

Hi everyone,

I've been searching around but this puzzles me. Does it count as Sleep apnea if when lying down awake, you can already feel the throat collapsing ? Is there something else medically that this falls under or is it regarded as sleep apnea?

Long story short, I've been suffering this since April and it's getting worse. Been to two ENTs and they were so quick to jump to sleep apnea. I've been tested and it shows I have a AHI of 19. That's fine, I am not surprised I have sleep apnea for a while now. I do fit the bill as I am overweight and have a large neck but I don't suffer greatly from other sleep apnea symptoms (slight daytime tiredness, no awakenings in the middle of the night, no headaches etc).

However, it's becoming more apparent that my air passage way is getting more restricted when I am just lying down on my back. Just today I went for a massage and found that I had to unnaturally move my tongue further forward to breathe better while lying down. I even suffered this breathing difficulty while trying to sleep on a plane.

I've been on CPAP for a week and it does help but I can't help but wonder if there's something more serious at play here as the onset of the issue was very sudden.