nightime aspiration of saliva?
When it was at it’s worst, I would wake many times with bile in my throat and mouth. Hasn’t happened since the myotomy. Although I still sleep on an incline to try and prevent this.
I get aspiration pneumonia almost anytime that I get a cold. The constant coughing causes me to aspirate food and food particles get into my lungs. I’ve also gotten it at night from sleeping flat, but inclining my bed helps.
// I get aspiration pneumonia almost anytime that I get a cold.//
Hello, dancer3216.
It seems like something should be done so this would be less likely to happen. Do your doctors offer you any treatments? I saw your profile. You must have an interesting story to tell, with all you have been through.
notan
When at my worst, I would awake in the night trying to catch my breath, for my eshophagus was so tightly shut I couldn’t even drain my salavia my body made at night. I really thought I was a gonner 4 or 5 times. Sometimes it seemed like 10 minutes before I’d catch my breath back, scary.
Before I started having serious problems exhibiting achalasia, I used to choke on my saliva. After treatment, I’ve developed a cough. Every time I lay down to sleep (even when prompted with pillows), I cough like crazy and at times becomes such fit that I end up throwing up. I sleep with a trash can next to my bed because this happens every night. Recently, I’ve been having problems with mucus as well.
Does anyone else have this problem? If so, how have you dealt with it? Does anything work?
Hello, Chava.
//anyone else have this problem? If so, how have you dealt with it?//
Many of us have put blocks under the heads of our beds and that helps. Also the use of a wedge pillow can help. Some people just use a pile of pillows, or use them with the other tricks. The best thing though, is effective treatment for the achalasia.
notan
I usually drink some water before going to sleep, but learned my lesson a few times, waking up in a choking/coughing spit-fit. I’ve learned to NOT lay down until after at least 30 minutes after drinking any fluids.