This is really embarrasing, but has anyone else experience excessive, um, gas from using cpap?  I think I may be opening my mouth (full face mask that I am still trying to get used to).  It is awful, between burping and the other thing.   I am thinking of taping my lips shut (someone had suggested that a couple of weeks ago).

Anyone else having this problem?  Should I contact my care provider?  TIA.

I tape my lips closed when using nasal pillows interfaces or nasal masks (cover the nose), but I never tape my lips while using a full face mask (covers nose and mouth.)   I'm gutsy (no pun intended!) but not quite that gutsy.  When wearing my full face mask, I want to be able to breathe through my mouth.    

I've experienced aerophagia on occasions - the bloating from swallowed air can be very painful.  Very disruptive to good sleep.  It's not pleasant to have "both ends" eruptions the next day either, as you mentioned!       I've had aerophagia episodes even with lips securely taped, wearing various types of masks (not a FF mask.)

I really don't think keeping the mouth shut, even with tape, would necessarily stop aerophagia from happening.   You don't have to have your mouth open at all to swallow.   Sometimes it can be caused by some of the air flow detouring a bit and pushing on through the wrong way into the esophagus -- even without your actually swallowing at all.

Some people do eventually get over having aerophagia, but I'm a big believer in comfort.  My suggestion would be to see if your doctor would let you reduce the pressure temporarily to a level that doesn't cause you to have aerophagia.  Gradually, over a period of days or weeks, the pressure could be raised back up in little steps.  Perhaps given a bit of acclimatization time at lower pressures, you could work your way back up to your prescribed pressure without a return of aerophagia.

Sometimes just one or two less cm of pressure avoids the problem.  One more good reason to try an autopap, in hopes that one can spend most of the night down at lower pressures anyway.

I'm not a doctor.  That's just how I'd go about it.  

Try Beano.

DON'T TRY BEANO

If you are truly swallowing air, then 'Beano' will not work.  Beano prevents gases from being produced during the digestion of food ...  namely methane.  It uses enzymes to suppress the production of methane.  Beano doesn't get rid of gases once they have formed... or in this case swallowed.  Swallowing air, AKA "Aerophagia", is a completely different issue since the gases are totally different and they are not produced as a byproduct of digestion.

Plain atmospheric air consists of primarily:
Nitrogen 78.084% -- inert
Oxygen 20.947%
Argon 0.934% -- inert
  --these three account for 99.998% of all gases in air.

All of the other gases are in trace amounts:
Carbon Dioxide 0.033%
Neon 7.0 parts per million
Helium 5.2 parts per million
Krypton 1.1 parts per million
Sulfur dioxide 1.0 parts per million
Methane 2.0 parts per million
Hydrogen 0.5 parts per million
Nitrous Oxide 0.5 parts per million
Xenon 0.09 parts per million
Ozone 0.07 parts per million
Nitrogen dioxide 0.02 parts per million
Iodine 0.01 parts per million
Carbon monoxide -trace
Ammonia -trace

As you can see there is only a trace of methane in plain air (2.0 ppm or 0.000002%).  

I have aerophagia as a result of CPAP and it slowly is going away.  You just need to give it time.  The first few weeks were the worst.  Now most nights, I don't swallow any air at all.  Try moving around alot and sitting up on the side of the bed...   expell the gases and go back to sleep.  Just give it time.


_________________
mesocosm

OSA / PLMD / Atrial Fibrillation

Thanks for your useful input.  Didn't get a chance to check back until tonight.  I have been improving in this area.  I try to sleep in a reclining position and use the chin strap (tight) with the full face mask.

I just got my cpap and am also experiencing gas. My concern is that it may be dangerous? Does anyone know? While trying to search the answer I have come across info about my expelled air not diffusing enough and also being dangerous. Not I am starting to get paranoid. Has anyone had any trouble with their exhales air not leaving the machine and causing them any problems?

As mesocosm stated above, aerophasia may subside with time & acclimation .  If it does not, then speak with the doctor about using a bi-pap instead of cpap.

My aerophagia occurs only occasionally now.  I expressed similar concerns to my Dr. about damage to my GI tract due to aerophagia.  He assured me that while it can be painful, it really represents no physical harm.


_________________
mesocosm

OSA / PLMD / Atrial Fibrillation

I too am having a problem with aerophagia, but I didn't know that it was called that until now.    For me it is getting worse.   I have an autoset machine, but it doesn't help.   I unsucessfully tried a chin strap.   I find I am not using the CPAP more than half the time because of it.     They can't recommend anything else.  I have been told that surgery would not help me.    I guess I am looking for a miracle if I am going to continue.   Not much help to you .... I guess.