Sleep apnea?

My husband lost weight, but it didn't help his apnea. Still needs a CPAP (not sure of his exact diagnosis...he even has it sitting up, laying on his side, and on his stomach), but that helps tremendously for the quality of our (both of us) sleep.

You can do things to help your sleep apnea like losing weight. Excess weight and sleep apnea~people who are overweight have extra tissue in the back of their throat, which can fall down over the airway and block the flow of air into the lungs while they sleep. My hubby has sleep apnea and lying on his side helps. He had sleep studies done and uses the CPAP every night. That is also the only way I can sleep. I can't sleep if I hear him gasping for air and snoring so loudly that it wakes me up.It also frightens me so! I love his CPAP! It means a Silent Night for both of us!

So very true (above)! I definitely couldn't sleep w/o my husband's CPAP. His snoring would make a banshee jealous and the not breathing scares the crap out of me, which made it impossible for me to get a decent night sleep. But to answer the original question, I have noticed over the years (he's been using a CPAP for 14 years) that when he gains weight he starts snoring and he has to have the CPAP set to a higher level.

I've lost 100ish pounds and mine hasn't changed a bit. I still need about the same CPAP setting.

I will say that the combination of CPAP and weight loss has made me feel like a different person. I wouldn't give up my CPAP for anything!

My youngest had sleep apnea until he had his tonsils removed (they were obstructing his airway).

I used to have sleep apnea. After losing weight it is completely better (but I still grind my teeth).

Used to have it .. lost 50 lbs of ugly fat and several inches off my neck (really the issue here) .. and no more issues.

They say 17 inches for men and 16 inches for women is the danger zone when it comes to sleep apnea.

I have very severe apnea (116 per hour) and I am very curious. My sleep doctor said they would retest me if I lost 100lbs but with my apnea they don't think that I will ever be off the CPAP. Apnea is awful, I may never be rid of it, but I know dropping weight will help me with the other affects. I sleep so little (between 3-5hours) that it for sure takes a toll on my body. I need to make my body healthy if anything with my apnea gets better that's a bonus.

I lost. 25lbs and my husband says the snoring and apnea are gone!

80 pounds lost since my OSA was first diagnosed. It has improved but not gone away. My sleep doctor says there is no guarantee but to keep losing the weight.

My wife, very politely, told me that the fatter I get, the more I snore. After slowly losing 45 pounds, she claims that I don't snore anymore. Personally, I don't believe that I ever snored.

:laugh: That's exactly what my husband would say :laugh:
We've seen those machines and they don't look comfortable, he gets overheated when sleeping (plug in fan and overhead fans are on) because he works w/ lead and sometimes he has to wear a mask is why he doesn't want to use 1 for sleeping.
He doesn't stay in 1 position is really his main reason...he'd end up pulling the tub out or getting tangled up in it...he'd probably "try" it as something new and then it would get put somewhere to collect dust :ohwell:
I have recorded him snoring for 10 minutes for him to hear what I have to endure....he laughed & said that was probably me making those sounds or the dog.
The funny thing is...he has snored so loud before that he's woken himself up!

My big fat neck has slimmed down....which in turn my loud snoring has mellowed a lot:bigsmile:

I had it real bad. Sometimes if wake myself up. Lost over 130 now the woman says it's gone.

My husband lost weight especially in the mid-section area but it didn't help his sleep apnea - he would keep me awake cos for some reason I wouldn't hear the snoring and jerk awake and would have to wake him up - he now uses a cpap machine (its not the Hannibal lecter looking one) and he sleeps better than me now!
go do a sleep study and see what they say - he was stopping breathing 300 times a night!

I have central sleep apnea and there is really nothing that can be done about it other than the CPAP. (my arousal was 272 times and 16 "apneas" of >30 seconds which is considered moderate altho I signed a medical waiver to refuse the equipment).. For obstructive weight loss and tilting your bed will work. I've never been over 200 not pregnant and am 5'9.. I'm in nursing school with a sleep tech and she warns me all the time about central apnea.. but obstructive can/does improve with lifestyle modification.