Hello everyone and sorry for the quite minging question. A couple of weeks ago I started to vomit nearly every night whilst asleep (it wasnt much) but inhaled it whilst asleep and awoke to a horrendous coughing fit, really bad pain in the lungs each time. This weekend (from Friday) I have had a chest infection and on steroids and anti Bs, no sleep, nearly passing out just by standing up etc. Chest and breathing have started to shall we say (very loosly) ease this afternoon and I actually managed to fall asleep for half an hour until I was woken up by inhaling my own vomit yet again. This has happened 3 times so far tonight so I am going to just stay awake. My question is, could this possibly be the cause of a chest infection because this one seems to have been a right bad one as in pain on the inside and ribs? Thankyou all so much and I dont mind waiting until yous are awake for an answer lol.
Thanks,
Rob
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robdonn
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You really must see your GP about this asap. Inhaling stomach acid is a serious thing, not good for your lungs and will cause damage. If you were in a really deep sleep it could actually kill you.
Hi and thankyou so much for yours and everyone elses replies. II had a chat with the triage nurse over the phone who got me in straight away yesterday afternoon. She was brilliant, a quick natter with myself and my wife, straight onto the nebuliser (never been on one before). It worked to an extent. She wanted me to go to hospital but I refused to. I did explain how, in my opinion, medical staff do a fantastic job, are under so much pressure and can do without a silly fool like myself putting more strain on their resources. I also promised if I got any worse I would let my wife know and she would phone 111. My wife and I have a really good relationship with the nurse practitioner who treated me and we have the upmost respect for her and her judgement, she always goes above and beyond to help patients which is something we both really admire and respect. I am feeling a touch better today, still struggling to breath, coughing and choking but not quite as bad as yesterday. I do already sleep/ or try to sleep, on my side but wake up sometimes litterally choking. Hopefully the extra medication will sort that out know. Thankyou so much everyone
Yes, you need to see your doc, in the meantime if you need to rest, don't lie down. Prop yourself up with pillows and cushions then if you do nod off you're a little less likely to inhale any vomit.
Yep, agree with the others - you must see your doctor. As well as propping yourself up, you could try sleeping on your left side - you can use pillows as bolsters behind your back to prevent you turning over in the night. The entrance to the stomach is down a bit on the right hand side, so sleeping on the left keeps that higher up so that gravity will keep most of the acid or other stomach contents in the stomach.
I did not know sleeping on the left was preferable, so thank you for that.
Unfortunately, I cannot sleep on my left, my breathing gets more difficult on that side, I always sleep on the right, I have never been able to sleep on my back.
Probably not relevant, but way back at school, we had a PE teacher whose organs were all the wrong way round, i.e. heart on the right - everything back to front. Don't suppose this applies to you Insomnus as its a bit unusual
My son died from inhaling vomit 6 days before his 20th birthday, he had drunk too much alcohol and passed out. This is, of course, very different from your problem, but the coroner said if he had slept on his side it would not have happened, so your sleeping position is very important.
Your stomach is inhabited by a large variety of Beneficial Bacteria and a healthy gut fauna is extremely important to health and longevity - if kept in the stomach. In the lungs, it is highly dangerous, there are no checks and balances in there and the Ph is dangerously low.
I strongly suggest heeding the advice given by O2Trees and Magpuss. See your GP and try sleeping with your head elevated or sleeping on your side will decrease the chance of your problem re-occurring.
I wish you all the luck you need to survive comfortably.
Hello robdonn, I agree with 2greys and others, it's really important that you seek medical advice asap. I hope you start to feel better soon. Please stay Intouch with us? 🤞😉
I hope you have seen a Dr by now as this could be a number of things. I’m not a Dr but worked in surgery as a Ward Sister for 38 years, and a Histus Hernia is one possibility, (the muscle above the stomach weakens, causing gastric fluid to regurgitate up your food pipe, especially when lying down), as are gastritis caused by meds. If it doesn’t settle do see your GP and get some outpatient investigations such as bloods, a scan, etc and maybe he/she will try you on OMEPRAZOLE to minimise your gastric acid whilst this is going on. Early intervention is key if this is ongoing.
Hi and thankyou for reply. I am already taking omeprazole twice a day, I did used to have H pilori (excuse spelling) but was treated twice with really strong anti Bs (a treat and a half especially half way through a shift at work then it hit me lol). Today I had a lay down and after nodding off for about ten minutes exactly the same. Ive got to put a sputem sample in tommorrow so hopefully something will come from that. Sometimes it is quite frightening (maybe a bit strong a work/ concerning) waking up litterally choking on your own vomit. I dont drink and havent for many a year so its not that thats causing it. Hopefully it will get sorted soon. I have noticed a coupe to a few days after my chest pains so badly and I can hardly breath. Once again thankyou
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