sleep Apnea

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monteymole
monteymole Posts: 47
edited November 2021 in Sleep, Mindfulness and Overall Wellness
Has anyone who has sleep Apnea lost alot of weight if so does the condition go away ? My doctor has said that if I lose the weight it will go ! !
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  • moustache_flavored_lube
    moustache_flavored_lube Posts: 849 Member
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    I dont' have sleep apnea, but I know studies confirm that being overwheight is one of the leading causes of obstructive sleep apnea. I wouldn't say it's guaranteed to go away, but it will very likely be improved

    I sleep way better than when I was fat
  • laserturkey
    laserturkey Posts: 1,680 Member
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    My husband's seems to be improving as he loses weight. Not sure if it will go away completely, but he's definitely snoring a LOT less after losing about 35 pounds with maybe another 35 to go.
  • Midnight_Sunshine
    Midnight_Sunshine Posts: 369 Member
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    My boyfriend gained weight and developed sleep apnea so in his case weight was definitely the cause and weight loss would cure it.
  • crimsontech
    crimsontech Posts: 234 Member
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    No one has actually answered the OP's question. I wish I knew the answer because I have sleep apnea and I'm hoping that losing weight will cure it. It would be neat to be able to sleep anywhere without having to worry about having my CPAP handy.
  • Jenni129
    Jenni129 Posts: 692 Member
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    My husband is normal weight and has sleep apnea, so being overweight doesn't always have anything to do with it.
  • Midnight_Sunshine
    Midnight_Sunshine Posts: 369 Member
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    No one has actually answered the OP's question. I wish I knew the answer because I have sleep apnea and I'm hoping that losing weight will cure it. It would be neat to be able to sleep anywhere without having to worry about having my CPAP handy.


    See sorry we aren't all licensed GPs

    Good grief.
  • swtiajenice
    swtiajenice Posts: 12 Member
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    I think it depends on the cause of sleep apnea. With some people I think it's hereditary. I have one uncle who is skinny as a pole (literally!) who has sleep apnea and then my dad and another uncle who are a bit overweight and have sleep apnea as well. I also have sleep apnea and no matter if my weight is up or down, I still have to wear my CPAP. So if the sleep apnea is weight related it might go away, but not all sleep apnea is weight related.
  • moustache_flavored_lube
    moustache_flavored_lube Posts: 849 Member
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    No one has actually answered the OP's question. I wish I knew the answer because I have sleep apnea and I'm hoping that losing weight will cure it. It would be neat to be able to sleep anywhere without having to worry about having my CPAP handy.

    Geez would it make you feel better if I lied and said I had it, and then it went away. Talk to a Doc, and listen to your Doc over strangers on the interwebz


    Google has magically lead me to a page with some answers http://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/sleep-apnea/news/20110601/weight-loss-may-improve-sleep-apnea
  • Akimajuktuq
    Akimajuktuq Posts: 3,037 Member
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    I used to have severe sleep apnea. I had it whether I was obese or not. Of course, at my heaviest it was more severe than when I wasn't overweight, but I always had it. Last fall, I changed my diet drastically and the sleep apnea was resolved even BEFORE I lost a significant amount of weight.

    So, for me, it was more about what I was eating than my actual weight.
  • SanteMulberry
    SanteMulberry Posts: 3,202 Member
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    Has anyone who has sleep Apnea lost alot of weight if so does the condition go away ? My doctor has said that if I lose the weight it will go ! !

    Mine is a lot better---hopefully, when I lose another 30 pounds and get back to a normal weight, it will go away completely (I have lost over 50 pounds). I don't have to use a CPAP anymore. I just got a mouth appliance that pulls your jaw forward (so that your tongue doesn't fall back into your throat). CPAP was a misery for me. If your apnea isn't too bad, maybe you could be fitted with a mouth appliance. My doc says that only the people with severe apnea get CPAP now.
  • CristinaL1983
    CristinaL1983 Posts: 1,119 Member
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    As has been stated, sleep apnea can either be genetic or related to weight (or other issues). Both of my parents have OSA and my father is an extremely fit person (always has been). My daughter was diagnosed with OSA when she was 4 months old (and of appropriate weight) but she seems to have grown out of it. Hers was related to tonsils/adenoids that were too large.

    Whether it will go away or not depends on why it exists. If it is genetic, it probably will not. If it is weight related, it probably will.
  • Ericsawicki
    Ericsawicki Posts: 75 Member
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    I have sleep apnea and I use a CPAP machine. It really helps, but it is a genetic condition that is exasperated by being overweight. losing weight WILL help, but it will not stop your sleep apnea. I suggest you do a sleep study and find out exactly what you need.
  • SanteMulberry
    SanteMulberry Posts: 3,202 Member
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    I used to have severe sleep apnea. I had it whether I was obese or not. Of course, at my heaviest it was more severe than when I wasn't overweight, but I always had it. Last fall, I changed my diet drastically and the sleep apnea was resolved even BEFORE I lost a significant amount of weight.

    So, for me, it was more about what I was eating than my actual weight.

    What did you do with your diet? I would love to make a dietary change and get rid of the mouth appliance too. I didn't have apnea before I had surgery on my neck that caused the muscles on the left side of my neck to weaken. So mine might not go away with anything I do. I heard learning to play the diggeri-doo (that Australian musical instrument) can strengthen your throat muscles to the point where it gets rid of sleep apnea. Thinking of taking that up. :wink:
  • Slamdunkpro
    Slamdunkpro Posts: 88 Member
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    and the answer is...... maybe. As others have said it depends on the root cause of your apena. I developed it when I gained a lot of weight and since losing a bunch my pressure has dropped considerably, so in my case it's possible it will go away once I reach my goal, but everyone is different.
  • knightreader
    knightreader Posts: 813 Member
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    i used to use a cpap machine. notice i said "used to."
  • twentyco
    twentyco Posts: 70 Member
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    I was diagnosed with a fairly mild form of sleep apnea a couple of years ago. I used a CPAP machine to control it, and if I didn't use the machine I would wake up several times at night and/or wake up with a headache in the morning. I also snored enough to bother my husband. Since November, I've lost about 40 pounds, and I stopped using the machine a month or so ago. I don't wake up at night, and for the most part I don't snore any more. So for me, yes, it seems to have taken it away. I haven't been re-tested, though, so I can't say "officially" that that's the case.
  • cindygretz
    cindygretz Posts: 94
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    Having lost 70 lbs over the last 2 years since I was diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea I can tell you it gets better. I'm off my cpap, but my son tells me I still snore sometimes, though I don't stop breathing anymore. Currently at 175lbs, 5'6"
  • llkilgore
    llkilgore Posts: 1,169 Member
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    Has anyone who has sleep Apnea lost alot of weight if so does the condition go away ? My doctor has said that if I lose the weight it will go ! !

    It went away for me, along with the gastric reflux problems and the swollen feet and ankles that had been bothering me. I suspect the chronic heartburn had little or nothing to do with the weight gain, which it predated, and went away because I quit eating potatoes. I cut out all of the "white carbs" for a couple of months and was never able to add potatoes back to my diet because they made me feel like crap every time I tried. My doctor seemed to think the reflux and apnea were related, so maybe dealing with a previously unrecognized food sensitivity helped with that too.
  • issyfit
    issyfit Posts: 1,077 Member
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    Hubby started sleeping sitting up about 10 years ago due to hip pain when laying flat. His sleep apnea and snoring completely went away even though he was still obese.
  • RobynMWilson
    RobynMWilson Posts: 1,540 Member
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    I've heard the same thing. I know my brother is obese and has sleep apnea and he's the only one in my immediate family who has it and is obese...

    Lose the weight and see what happens!

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