Choking in your sleep : Morning and... - Scleroderma & Ray...

Scleroderma & Raynaud's UK (SRUK)

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Choking in your sleep

23 Replies

Morning and happy 2015 everyone :) has anyone ever woken up choking? I have this infrequently enough to forget to mention it to my doctor (I'll remember now!) last night I woke suddenly choking on stomach acid and got up gasping and coughing. Walked about and it made me burp (not normal for me) and then went back to bed.

Just wondered if this shock of a wake up has happened to anyone else?

Hope you're all well :)

23 Replies
JoyH profile image
JoyH

I have many times I have been told to raise my head with a higher pillow and that has helped also cinder blocks under the head of the bed can also raise the bed and help eleveate choking

in reply to JoyH

Hi Joy, yes my bed is elevated with a purpose made foam wedge and I take gaviscon and eat early and small meals and drink water. My stomach is red raw today and my lungs feel like they're burning. It's nice to know I'm not the only one though :)

PaleIndian2 profile image
PaleIndian2 in reply to

How high is it recommended to elevate the bed? In inches please? I keep waking up with reflux and I am already on two pillows, three are too high as this stops me sleeping.

in reply to PaleIndian2

Pillows just lift your head you need to lift your torso so your oesophagus is at an angle. I think tje recommendation is about 8" if you put your bed on blocks.

PaleIndian2 profile image
PaleIndian2 in reply to

Thanks Bear. We have some hard wood blocks that the children play with. I will get him indoors to raise the head. It does seem rather high, I just hope he will be able to sleep that high up. Saying that he can usually sleep on a clothesline.

tobbee14 profile image
tobbee14 in reply to PaleIndian2

6 inches or more is recommended

florence1884 profile image
florence1884

Hi, yes this happens to me infrequently too. For over 25 years I was diagnosed with lupus, then around 3 years ago, because of the calcium lumps on my fingers, knees and elbows, they said I had Scleroderma. This means that, apart from other things, my osoephegus is thickening and food gets stuck sometimes, especially things like potato and bread, and I also have acid reflux at night - it feels like a whole load of water rushes up from my stomach and goes into my windpipe, it burns and makes you gasp for breath. Like you I just walk around for a bit , try to relax - and I usually take a glass full of Andrews or another antacid, which helps.

Hope that helps. You are not alone!

Wendy x

Anjigrunty profile image
Anjigrunty

Yes, this was one of my first symptoms. I'm on omeprazole and have Gaviscon by my bed. It tends to happen in episodes then nothing for a good while. At it's worst I would wake up gasping for breath. Omeprazole seems to help a lot.

Ricexxjm profile image
Ricexxjm in reply to Anjigrunty

Omeprozole helps the esophagus dysfunction but no one is able to explain.

Winter64 profile image
Winter64

Hi yes I do, I take lansoprazole for it xxx

Lickylicky profile image
Lickylicky

The best thing I can tell you is it's happened to me a time or two but when I've had acid reflux really bad and iPad to see a doctor for it they want to put you on Nexium or something similar and usually that's what they'll do but you should be tested for H. pylori which is a bacteria which is what really caused my acid reflux it wasn't until I prompted my G.I. doctor to test me for this that he did so and we found out that that was the real problem hope this helps

truerose profile image
truerose

Happy new year ,i have this problem it is your refloux acid that come up from your stomick .you can get tablets from the doctor,i have got SYSTEMIC SCLEROSIS i have had it for about 5Years and Raynaud for a long time Joan

truerose profile image
truerose

It is not very nice when this happens ,yes i get this all the time...Happy new year to you.

ultima47 profile image
ultima47

happens to me every might...put the foam under the mattresses...now that disenr work sounds like your sphincter to ur esophagus is deteriorating then the acid just runs freely up ur throat I know this feeling well.....oh no motillium here in the US either

in reply to ultima47

Ah yes I read that - there are other prokenetics you can have though :) ask your doctor 

ultima47 profile image
ultima47 in reply to

this is the last one they want to give me I've tried them all....been up all night

ultima47 profile image
ultima47 in reply to ultima47

Dr sent me to specialist after specialist they say there's nothing more they can do for me😢

Bracey_Jane profile image
Bracey_Jane

Both my husband and I have trouble staying in place on a bed raised that high, so we are thinking of buying an adjustable bed for general use. However, I have found that sleeping in a zero gravity adjustable lawn chair gives me some relief, though it is hard to sleep in it all night since it doesn't provide much support with the canvas seat. It does help when I start out in the chair first for two or three hours before going to bed for the night. I  currently use a n extra long wedge developed for that purpose and put a pillow under my knees. I am thinking that a small rectangle of rug grip under thy wedge and under the hips may also help me stay in place through the night. My doctor explained that I need to keep my upper body (bottom of hips up to top of head) in relatively straight alignment on the inclined plane so the acid will not pool anywhere in my esophagus or where the esophagus empties into the stomach. I hope these ideas will help you. 🤔

in reply to Bracey_Jane

A simpler method is to raise one end of the bed so the whole mattress is on an angle :) 

mad4cavs profile image
mad4cavs

I'm glad you asked this it just happened to me it's terrible.I think it's the added stress of going on holiday tomorrow first one since becoming ill

Shejustice profile image
Shejustice

Hello, I am reading this and have been having So many Gi problems.i am up at night with. I have had all of the GI tests!

I have Limited Scleroderma, Sjorgen, Raynauds for many years- eat early, head up on my adjustable bed, take nexium now..-and Zantac, carafate....scleroderma rheumatoid and Gi want me to try Baclofen? gastro esophageal valve weak and this is why have severe burning, choking, chest and neck pain! Worry about my lung health.😯 saw this and wondering how now??

AJOC4 profile image
AJOC4

I take omeprazole and my doctor told me to take it before I go to bed and it does make a difference.

Ricexxjm profile image
Ricexxjm

No diagnosis or help for me.

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