Sleep apnea. Does it go away if u loose weight?

I have been diagnosed with moderately severe sleep apnea. On one hand I am grateful that there is a cure(will see md for first time to discuss it on Monday but they sent a letter with the diagnosis. On the other hand I hope it will go away after weight loss. Any experience ?

Replies

  • Cerakoala
    Cerakoala Posts: 2,547 Member
    It is possible it really depends on your body. I know a lot of people who no longer have it after losing weight however, I also know some who still have it. At my heaviest I was diagnosed now I no longer have it :)
  • hazenson
    hazenson Posts: 22 Member
    For most it will go away! Chances get even better the more active you become. The more active you become the more in tone all muscles will get. The stronger all muscles are plus the lack of the extra weight pressing down on your organs, the easier your whole body functions. Good luck, for me I dont even snore any more--- my wife loves it!!
  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,603 Member
    Many, many people are able to breathe while they sleep after they lose the weight. The odds are in your favor there. :)

    Most people adjust to their machine very quickly and report that they feel not just less tired, but much more energetic.

    I think you'll be glad you did it! :)
  • Spreyton22K
    Spreyton22K Posts: 323 Member
    In my husband's case it certainly significantly improved with weight loss.....whether he would ever have been able to do without the machine completely I don't know as he suffers with both types of apneas.

    I do know that his machine is on the lowest setting it can be on which is fabulous.
  • phyllb
    phyllb Posts: 735 Member
    Thanks for input
  • bokaba
    bokaba Posts: 171 Member
    Possibly, but there are other causes of sleep apnea. I know several thin, active people who have sleep apnea. Chances are it developed after weight gain and did not exist before, it will probably go away after you lose the weight.
  • FatFreeFrolicking
    FatFreeFrolicking Posts: 4,252 Member
    It depends. For some it disappears after weight loss, for others it doesn't.
  • MyaPapaya75
    MyaPapaya75 Posts: 3,143 Member
    depends on the type....for obstructive it may require surgery
  • NikonPal
    NikonPal Posts: 1,346 Member
    I was diagnosed years ago as having severe sleep apnea (through sleep study); I will be having my first post weight-loss sleep study sometime the first half of next year to re-check. It is possible to have sleep apnea and not know it. You might not be aware of all the shallow breathing or pauses. I know I still have some shallow breathing issues, but hoping the severity has been reduced. I’ll leave that up to the doctors. Good luck.
  • uconnwinsnc1
    uconnwinsnc1 Posts: 902 Member
    It will go away. Unless the doctors say otherwise.
  • Mr_Knight
    Mr_Knight Posts: 9,532 Member
    It sure can. It's not a guarantee, but the odds are pretty good.
  • phyllb
    phyllb Posts: 735 Member
    What's the best model. Pros a d cons???
  • Rashanti1
    Rashanti1 Posts: 108 Member
    My older brother used to have it really bad, but he's lost over 100 pounds and it is no longer a problem.
  • girlwithcurls2
    girlwithcurls2 Posts: 2,282 Member
    It will go away. Unless the doctors say otherwise.
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    Huh??

    My husband and I were both diagnosed within 30 days of each other and neither of us is overweight. So "otherwise."

  • phyllb
    phyllb Posts: 735 Member
    Any equipment preferences?
  • hearthwood
    hearthwood Posts: 794 Member
    phyllb wrote: »
    I have been diagnosed with moderately severe sleep apnea. On one hand I am grateful that there is a cure(will see md for first time to discuss it on Monday but they sent a letter with the diagnosis. On the other hand I hope it will go away after weight loss. Any experience ?

    My son in law has a severe case if it, and the doctor told him it is directly associated with him being overweight. It's really a vicious cycle, because if you don't sleep well, it tends to make you hungry, so you eat more, and of course gain more.

    Thankfully my son in law listened and he is taking off weight now. He was miserable with it.

  • DaFibble
    DaFibble Posts: 152 Member
    Weight loss, very much so!
    Exercise, very much so!
    Vocal exercises, especially singing lessons and didgeridoo playing are good for this.
    Prioritizing healthy sleep patterns, big deal.
    If you live in a place where it is legal, marijuana before sleeping can also help. Mindful of forum rules in commenting!

    I had an older friend, in his early 50s, who had this problem to a serious degree. He lost enormous amounts of weight and got into exercise as a daily thing for at least an hour a day. He considers it a literal life saver.
  • GiveMeCoffee
    GiveMeCoffee Posts: 3,556 Member
    I have severe obstructive sleep apnea, losing weight has helped but I still have to use my cpap
  • Bakkasan
    Bakkasan Posts: 1,027 Member
    Mine did. I still use the cpap though because I got so used to it and it keeps me from snoring. My last sleep study was clean. I just snore.
  • shellypaints
    shellypaints Posts: 49 Member
    hearthwood wrote: »
    phyllb wrote: »
    I have been diagnosed with moderately severe sleep apnea. On one hand I am grateful that there is a cure(will see md for first time to discuss it on Monday but they sent a letter with the diagnosis. On the other hand I hope it will go away after weight loss. Any experience ?

    My son in law has a severe case if it, and the doctor told him it is directly associated with him being overweight. It's really a vicious cycle, because if you don't sleep well, it tends to make you hungry, so you eat more, and of course gain more.

    Thankfully my son in law listened and he is taking off weight now. He was miserable with it.

    In the last 5 years studies have shown that sleep apnea causes weight gain and not that you get sleep apnea because of weight gain. Many Dr's who are not specialists are not up to date on the latest info. Weight gain does make the apnea worse but it was already there to begin with. I highly recommend seeing a specialist for treatment of sleep apnea.

    There are 2 basic types of sleep apnea, a physical obstruction or a central nervous system glitch or a combination of both. Both types cause weight gain over time and make it difficult to lose without treatment.

    I had a physical obstruction (improperly healed broken nose) that surgery fixed. It took 32 years for me to go from 115 lbs to 230 lbs. I am hoping it will take significantly less time to reverse the weight gain. :smile:
  • T1DCarnivoreRunner
    T1DCarnivoreRunner Posts: 11,502 Member
    I have obstructive sleep apnea, and the dr. has told me that losing weight can help, but it isn't a guarantee that I can get off the CPAP. So it may be that I go through all that effort to lose weight and still have to use the CPAP.

    With that, it's such a waste since all I'll get from losing weight is that I will look better, probably feel better overall, and will extend my life expectancy. :'(
  • blossomingbutterfly
    blossomingbutterfly Posts: 743 Member
    It depends. For some it disappears after weight loss, for others it doesn't.

    This.

    My dad lost 300lbs and still had sleep apnea.
  • dgobbett
    dgobbett Posts: 53 Member
    It depends. For some it disappears after weight loss, for others it doesn't.

    This.

    My dad lost 300lbs and still had sleep apnea.

    Yes, that is the truth of it. I have lost a fair bit of weight and still have no change in CPAP pressure. I just went though a new sleep study to see how my weight loss affected my sleep apnea and it doesn't appear to have made any change.

    I still have a ways to go but I know my father who also has it, lots a lot of weight and is presently 180lbs and still needs to use the CPAP machine.

    I am hoping mine goes away as I didn't really start to snore / stop breathing until I was really heavy.
  • ahamm002
    ahamm002 Posts: 1,690 Member
    edited October 2014

    In the last 5 years studies have shown that sleep apnea causes weight gain and not that you get sleep apnea because of weight gain. Many Dr's who are not specialists are not up to date on the latest info. Weight gain does make the apnea worse but it was already there to begin with. I highly recommend seeing a specialist for treatment of sleep apnea.

    There are 2 basic types of sleep apnea, a physical obstruction or a central nervous system glitch or a combination of both. Both types cause weight gain over time and make it difficult to lose without treatment.

    I had a physical obstruction (improperly healed broken nose) that surgery fixed. It took 32 years for me to go from 115 lbs to 230 lbs. I am hoping it will take significantly less time to reverse the weight gain. :smile:

    I'm calling you out for lying. Why don't you link those studies? Just because sleep apnea causes weight gain DOES NOT mean that weight gain can't also cause sleep apnea.
  • shellypaints
    shellypaints Posts: 49 Member
    edited October 2014
    ahamm002 wrote: »

    In the last 5 years studies have shown that sleep apnea causes weight gain and not that you get sleep apnea because of weight gain. Many Dr's who are not specialists are not up to date on the latest info. Weight gain does make the apnea worse but it was already there to begin with. I highly recommend seeing a specialist for treatment of sleep apnea.

    There are 2 basic types of sleep apnea, a physical obstruction or a central nervous system glitch or a combination of both. Both types cause weight gain over time and make it difficult to lose without treatment.

    I had a physical obstruction (improperly healed broken nose) that surgery fixed. It took 32 years for me to go from 115 lbs to 230 lbs. I am hoping it will take significantly less time to reverse the weight gain. :smile:

    I'm calling you out for lying. Why don't you link those studies? Just because sleep apnea causes weight gain DOES NOT mean that weight gain can't also cause sleep apnea.

    I'll ask my Dr to give me that info so I can link to it for you. <eyeroll>

    http:/sleepapnea.org/learn/sleep-apnea.html

    Here's a quote from that article
    "Untreated, sleep apnea can cause high blood pressure and other cardiovascular disease, memory problems, weight gain, impotence, and headaches."

    BTW that part you're saying I'm lying about is almost a direct quote from my Dr, Daniel Slaughter MD who is part of a group that specializes in sleep apnea and snoring.

    As soon as I get the specific study links I'll link them for you precious.
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
    phyllb wrote: »
    I have been diagnosed with moderately severe sleep apnea. On one hand I am grateful that there is a cure(will see md for first time to discuss it on Monday but they sent a letter with the diagnosis. On the other hand I hope it will go away after weight loss. Any experience ?

    My brother has it.....he's never been overweight.

    So I guess it depends.......
  • phyllb
    phyllb Posts: 735 Member
    Kinda freaks me I have had this severe case for ? Amount of time which could have resulted in slow loss brains cells , heart or strokes. Who knows how long this has been undetected. I have slept lousy for few years but just got drastic in the last year. Actually thought I could have cancer because of the severe fatigue
  • sciullo779
    sciullo779 Posts: 12 Member
    edited October 2014
    It depends on the type. I had moderate to severe sleep apnea and I couldnt stand a cpap so my ENT specialist suggested a surgery option. They called it a UP3, and basically its a facelift for your throat. They widen your airway at the back of your throat and suture it upward, yes there is cutting involved, but it completely cured my apnea, and I dont snore much at all anymore.

    I will say this, the recovery absolutely sucks. I was confined to liquids for almost 2 weeks, and even ice cream burned like hell. Im a chocolate lover, and I couldnt touch anything with cocoa because it burned, vanilla only. Warm water, cream soups, anything warm and non acidic. Cold always was painful.

    But.... it was worth it.
  • elisa123gal
    elisa123gal Posts: 4,333 Member
    from what i hear and read.. YES.
  • phyllb
    phyllb Posts: 735 Member
    sciullo779 wrote: »
    It depends on the type. I had moderate to severe sleep apnea and I couldnt stand a cpap so my ENT specialist suggested a surgery option. They called it a UP3, and basically its a facelift for your throat. They widen your airway at the back of your throat and suture it upward, yes there is cutting involved, but it completely cured my apnea, and I dont snore much at all anymore.

    I will say this, the recovery absolutely sucks. I was confined to liquids for almost 2 weeks, and even ice cream burned like hell. Im a chocolate lover, and I couldnt touch anything with cocoa because it burned, vanilla only. Warm water, cream soups, anything warm and non acidic. Cold always was painful.

    But.... it was worth it.

    Do you know others who had the surgery? I heard it was very rare to get it done?