Anyone else have sleep apnea?

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x1v16
x1v16 Posts: 66
in Health and Weight Loss
I've been diagnosed with moderate sleep apnea for a month now, but instead of getting the 500-2000 dollar CPAP I'm first trying to lose 50 pounds to see if it will reduce it enough to not need one. Anyone else have sleep apnea and lessen/eliminate it through weight loss?

My Respitory Disturbance index is a 17.1, you need treatment after 10 and you cannot wait for treatment after 30. My blood oxygen levels vary, but never dip below the low 90's so that isn't a major concern yet. Having sleep apnea untreated leads to many differnt ailments like high blood pressure, diabetes, depression, arrhythmia and the list goes on.

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  • arghbowl
    arghbowl Posts: 1,179 Member
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    I've been diagnosed with moderate sleep apnea for a month now, but instead of getting the 500-2000 dollar CPAP I'm first trying to lose 50 pounds to see if it will reduce it enough to not need one. Anyone else have sleep apnea and lessen/eliminate it through weight loss?

    My Respitory Disturbance index is a 17.1, you need treatment after 10 and you cannot wait for treatment after 30. My blood oxygen levels vary, but never dip below the low 90's so that isn't a major concern yet. Having sleep apnea untreated leads to many differnt ailments like high blood pressure, diabetes, depression, arrhythmia and the list goes on.

    I had an AHI of over 40... I lost 30 pounds and tried some positional therapy and now have an AHI of ZERO!!! Best of luck -- if you aren't desatting below the low 90s, don't worry about it too much. Also, RDI is FAR more sensitive than AHI; you may want to look into getting more info on your AHI (apnea/hypopnea index) instead of just relying on RDI, which also includes non-apnea related arousals.
  • Momof32001
    Momof32001 Posts: 1
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    I had severe sleep apnea and used a CPAP for a little more that a year and a half. I had a reduction in episodes when I had lost 50 lbs but not enough to discontinue the machine. Dr said come back when I had lost 100. I had another sleep study done in July when I had lost around 120 lbs. I had 2 episodes and 5 and under is considered normal. I am happy to say my machine is gone!! I have lost approximately 137 lbs at this point and seem to be sleeping just fine without the machine. Good Luck to you!
  • action_figure
    action_figure Posts: 511 Member
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    I used to have it bad. My O2 levels would drop to the low 70s. I weighed 350 lbs then though. Now I'm 207 and I stopped using the CPAP a couple of months ago.
  • giagbreak
    giagbreak Posts: 5 Member
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    My O2 levels drop into the 50's. The biggest problem with leaving it untreated is the lack of energy. You just keep slowly losing energy during your day. Gradually, you start trying to sleep more, get more tired, but it doesn't help because you're not getting any rest during your sleep. I got to the point where I was sleeping 18 hours/day. I was taking caffeine pills throughout the day in order to keep awake for a few hours. The CPAP machine saved my life; insurance fully paid for mine, luckily. Because of my untreated sleep apnea kinda making me hibernate, I went up from 230-ish to 282 pounds. Being able to stay awake let me work out regularly, and I dropped down to 225 after a couple months without changing my diet much. I still use the CPAP to this day; I can feel it when I try and sleep without it. The next day feels like I had just done an all-nighter despite getting 8 hours of sleep. My doctor says that once I get under 200, I'll get another sleep study.
  • x1v16
    x1v16 Posts: 66
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    Glad to hear people have gotten off the CPAP's through losing weight. Really hope I don't gotta break 200 though :-P
  • penmanruss
    penmanruss Posts: 1 Member
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    I do indeed, with what was listed in February of this year as high to extreme. I don't have the figures for this right handy as I wright. Currently, I have lost 50 lbs since mid January, and do feel that it has made a difference in my health. It will be quite a while, if ever, that I am able to dispense with the machine, as I was told, contrary to the opinion of those that know me, that I have a very small mouth and throat. The plan is to get to a target weight of 170 lbs and maintain that, then look to retesting for the sleep apnea. The factor that will make the most sense is to speak with your dentist for a mouth-guard, as the weight loss has gone better when I finally began to sleep better. The mouth-guard can provide some relief from the apnea, but a trained medical professional is the best to speak with for that. Best of luck.
  • walleymama
    walleymama Posts: 174 Member
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    My husband had sleep apnea. Doc told him to lose weight. He did and the apnea went away. Also cured his awful snoring problem!
  • MzzFaith
    MzzFaith Posts: 337 Member
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    have it bad since I been losing weight, the wheezing have been a lot better
  • NonnyMary
    NonnyMary Posts: 982 Member
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    NO PLEASE DO NOT DO THAT!!!!

    if you need the Cpap machine, get it now, can your insurance pay for it?

    if you have an incident where you lose your breath during your sleep, you might die... thats what the machine is for..
  • kelleybean1
    kelleybean1 Posts: 312 Member
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    My brother-in-law had a massive stroke due to sleep apnea. Don't mess around with this! I also have mild apnea and sleep with a Cpap and love it. I feel so much more rested during the day! Don't let vanity stop you, it could save your life.
  • lilbearzmom
    lilbearzmom Posts: 600 Member
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    I had one as well, 100 lbs ago. I think they are amazing, life changing, and very important for health. Sleep apnea is a silent killer. Of course, people should try to lose the weight as well, but in the meantime....

    -Kendra
  • vjw221
    vjw221 Posts: 34 Member
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    I have apnea but refused the CPAP because it gave me too much anxiety. I have a TAP dental appliance which works great. But my spnea is structural based and not wieght influenced.
  • mrsmarit
    mrsmarit Posts: 229 Member
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    I was diagnosed with sleep apnea 2 years ago and tried to use the CPAP machine but could not sleep with it on. I would knock it off during the night or I couldn't get to sleep anyways.

    I went back to the sleep clinic and got a referral for the surgery and had it done in August of 2011 and it changed my life. Before I would be asleep @ 2pm (at work no less) and when I got home I was so drained I would fall asleep in my chair every night and I never felt rested.


    Since then I have started eating better and exercising and have lost about 60 lbs and no longer sleep all the time. Also my husband has told me that I don't snore like I used to, he says he barely can hear me now.

    Surgery isn't for everyone but it's what worked for me.

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