Something wierd happening..cpap related?

I had my surgery in September, but lately I've noticed at night, when I have my cpap on, that I wake up feeling like my stomach is full of air, and I start constantly burping.  I know it sounds wierd, but I cant help but think that the cpap is pushing air into my pounch, rather than into my lungs!!!!  Once I take the cpap off, the symptoms stop.   Has anyone else experienced this strange thing, and if so, what did you do about it?

I also have another question....for those that had sleep apnea prior to surgery, and it has now resolved, how and when was it discovered that you no longer require cpap?  Did you need a sleep study to confirm it?  Or can your doctor tell by taking readings off the machine?
Thanks in advance for responses...

I noticed the same thing, even extra air coming out my mouth.  Needed to have the pressure reduced.  I knew how to change my machine, contact your cpap person.  May need a repeat sleep test.  There is also a cpap that I had on loan at one time(a few years ago with another weight loss) that self adjusted to see my presure needs.  Since surgery, my pressure has gone from 16 to 12.  Yes, I had pretty severe sleep apnea.  I also had my surgery in early Sept.

I hope to not need the cpap eventually, still early out for me.

Hi,

The same thing has happened to me and I was advised to stop using the machine and get in for another test.  You don't want the air to stretch your pouch.  I have talked to a few technicians that told me to first speak to my surgeon and then get scheduled asap.  My machine doesn't self adjust so there is no way around going to get tested again.  I was also told that there may be something wrong with the section between my airway and stomach, the epiglottis.  (sp?)    My pressure is 13 right now and according to the sleep center folks, if you drop as much as 20 lbs they recommend that you be retested.  I'm sure we all don't have time for that....

Hope this helps.

I've lost 48 lbs and I started off with pressure set at 10.  Didn't know i had sleep apnea until I started the process for lap band.  I wonder if insurance will pay for another study at this point.  I really think I don't have it, but just don't know.  I think 10 may be too high now.  How else can you know what the pressure should be unless you have another study done?   But the big question, will insurance pay again?????

kathy, Im having the same trouble but only 5 days post op. I am also a 16. I have lost almost 40 pounds since I was tested for sleep apnea. how long did it take until you needed a pressure readjustment?

Any significant weight loss (or gain) can lead to a need for a pressure adjustment.  Congrats on getting to the losing side of surgery and wow, 40 pounds since your sleep study.  Time to call your PCP or supplier of your CPAP supplies and ask for a trial peroid on a self adjusting CPAP to see what your current pressure need is.  My guess is you are no longer needing the pressure of 16.  Feels great to be a loser doesn't it? 

To answer your questions..

1) When I first rec'd my machine, I was told that it is totally normal for you to feel bloated and gassy because air is being pumped into you.  (Keep in mind that I am pre-op so I wasn't too worried if this happened---now that I will soon be a post-op'er I will be absolutely concerned if I notice this because I don't want that excess air stretching my pouch--to date, I haven't noticed this.)

2) My pulmonologist felt certain that the surgery would "cure" the apnea once weight was lost.  He told me to come back in for a sleep study to determine if a need was still there to use the CPAP machine since I have very mild apnea.

HTH

Thanks for your responses everyone!
I took a look at the machine, and I dont think there's anyway I can decrease the pressure myself.  My current and highest setting is 9, so I'm hoping I dont have too much further to go before I can do without it.   I was so tired last night, I must've fell asleep the minute my head hit the pillow....so needless to say, I didnt get a chance to put my cpap on.   I felt rested this morning, and my husband didn't notice any snoring.  
Maybe, just maybe I can be rid of that thiing.....it'll be my first goal met!!

I did an auto pap trail from my DME dealer for a week or two to find out my avg pressure was at 7 and no longer 12.  That was when I was one month post op.

Lot cheaper than a sleep study