Sleep Apnea Recovery?

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Jimmie342
Jimmie342 Posts: 56 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hi all!

I was just wondering if there is anyone out there that was diagnosed with Sleep Apnea but no longer has it due to weight loss. I was diagnosed with Sleep Apnea and I use a cpap. I know if I fall asleep without it, I wake up several times a night gasping for breath. I hate to think of having to sleep with that bulky mask on my face for the rest of my life. I have read some conflicting reports on whether or not weight loss really does get rid of sleep apnea.

Replies

  • jsantus
    jsantus Posts: 53 Member
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    I think it depends on your physical makeup. For some people, sleep apnea is caused by putting on weight and in those cases, I'm sure it would go away when the weight comes off. For others (like myself), it is due to the way your body is made up. I have resigned myself to the fact that I will be wearing this mask forever, but hoping technology comes up with a better alternative. Who knows though, yours may go away after you lose the weight. Good luck!
  • 257_Lag
    257_Lag Posts: 1,249 Member
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    Diagnosed? No

    Probably had it based on what others have said listing to me sleep? Yes

    I sleep so much better now down 50 pounds.
  • dubird
    dubird Posts: 1,849 Member
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    Probally depends on what's causing the apnea. My husband has a palitte issue, so losing weight won't affect his apnea.
  • hermann341
    hermann341 Posts: 443 Member
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    I have been diagnosed with sleep apnea, and was using a CPAP until I dropped from the 230's down to about the 200's. I have have been watching my calories to lose weight, but I have also been running like a madman to get in better shape. As my health was improving, I could tell the CPAP was less and less necessary, as I could feel the pressure the machine was supplying was dropping over time. I eventually tried a few nights without it, and then a few more, and did not feel like I was more or less tired without it. I think my apnea was partly weight related, partly age related, and partly genetic (my dad snores like a chainsaw). I think that I am an example of weight loss and fitness providing relief from most of the symptoms of apnea.
  • Jimmie342
    Jimmie342 Posts: 56 Member
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    Posted this quite a while ago but wanted to know if anyone else had an experience with this?
  • hill8570
    hill8570 Posts: 1,466 Member
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    FWIW, once I lost 50+ pounds and got into more-or-less "normal" BMI range, my wife tells me I no longer snore. While hardly apnea, it sure improved her sleep :-D
  • akboy58
    akboy58 Posts: 137 Member
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    In my case, sleep apnea was a direct result of my excess weight -- in fact, it was the apnea diagnosis, and the idea of being tied to a cpap machine for the rest of my life, that convinced me I had to lose the weight. I got the apnea diagnosis on a Wednesday afternoon, and began my diet on Thursday morning. I started at 255 lbs in November 2013, and am now at 175; but the apnea resolved pretty quickly in my case, after about 30 lbs / 4 months. I gather there's a correlation between neck-size and apnea: I went from a size 16.5 collar to a size 15. That said, everybody's body is different, and weight loss isn't the solution in every case. But it sure worked for me.
  • middlehaitch
    middlehaitch Posts: 8,484 Member
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    My SO was about 30 lb overweight, snored a lot, and slept on his back with his arms over his head.

    His doc had him do an apnea test about 2 years ago. He was borderline, so monitored every few months.

    At the same time he had decided, after a couple of years watching me lose then maintain weight with relative ease, to shed a few lbs.

    Outcome; lost the 30lbs, runs, swims, does aquafit for mobility and balance, and is about to try yoga, and best of all, is off the apnea watch, and seldom snores ( belly smaller=less sleeping on back with arms up restricting airflow).

    As others have said, the cause can determine the outcome.

    Cheers, h.
  • Healthy0110
    Healthy0110 Posts: 1 Member
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    Bump
  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
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    You won't know until you get there. I asked for a repeat of the sleep test and even though the results came back that my sleep is no longer interrupted, I still sleep better with the mask. I decided to keep using it.
  • The_Invisible_Boy
    The_Invisible_Boy Posts: 568 Member
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    I was never diagnosed, but I'm pretty sure I had it. I was always tired. I could sleep 12+ hours a day and still be tired and take naps. I would wake up gasping for air with my heart feeling like it was gonna jump right out of my chest. Had daily severe headaches and had people compare my snoring to a rabid wolverine. My snoring would also wake me up. I've lost 140lbs and have no issues whatsoever now.
  • 7lenny7
    7lenny7 Posts: 3,493 Member
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    I saw this bumped in September but didn't post because I had seen no difference after losing 40 pounds. My basis for this was on my AutoPAP the pressure had gone down from 12 to 9.1. An improvement, but not one I thought was significant. After this past weekend I think perhaps there's been a huge improvement.

    I was diagnosed with severe sleep apnea about 14 years ago. I know I had it as far back as 25 years ago but it went untreated until I became a walking zombie. I did not think that losing weight would help much in my case because 25 years ago, when I was in college I was not that much overweight. I'd guess 220 lbs.

    Last weekend I took my son camping on the north shore of Lake Superior. We were tent camping and I took a deep cycle battery to power my CPAP. You can buy crazy expensive battery packs for CPAPs, but I just use a deep cycle marine battery from walmart that cost me $100. It will last me at least 2 weeks and is great for car camping.

    Last weekend, however, the temps dropped as low as 27°F and after a couple of hours of the CPAP blowing frigid air through my nose, it felt like an ice cube and I took it off, figuring terrible sleep was better than having a frozen nose. To my surprise, I still slept well. I woke up frequently, but I was doing that in the cold temperatures even with the CPAP on. Without it I was even getting REM sleep and having vivid dreams. The third night I didn't even bother with the CPAP. My son said he never heard me snoring but he's a teenager and can sleep through anything.

    This weekend I may try sleeping at home without it and have my wife tell me if I snore at all. I still prefer to sleep with it on, but I'm beginning to think that backpacking trips and canoe trips into the Boundary Waters are now a possibility if I can leave my CPAP behind.
  • ModernRock
    ModernRock Posts: 372 Member
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    My brother had sleep apnea even when he was in his early 20s and otherwise fit. When he put on some weight it got bad enough that he sought out treatment. When he lost the excess body fat he still had sleep apnea. In his case, the opening in the back of his throat when relaxed is small even at lower body fat percentages. We both snore like freight trains--always have--but my wife and I didn't start noticing any problems with my breathing at night (nor tiredness during the day) until my weight increased.

    Some people are fine physically, but the problem causing them to stop breathing exists in their brain. This is far less common than the physical obstruction.

    Fun fact: Despite being mammals, breathing is a voluntary action for dolphins while not breathing is involuntary. Humans lose all voluntary control of breathing while sleeping, but that would cause dolphins to drown. They have to think to breathe. As a result, different parts of their brain go to sleep at different times, with a part always allowing them to be conscious enough the breathe.
  • Jessyd76
    Jessyd76 Posts: 539 Member
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    A little off topic, but how long did it take you guys to get used to sleeping with that thing on your face? And which mask style is the most comfortable.

    I just got mine a week ago. I waited till I wasn't super congested to try it since I got nasal pillows. I've only used it 2 nights... both nights I laid awake with the thing on for 3.5-4 hours and then had to take it off so I could fall asleep and get a few hours of sleep before work.

    Does it get easier?

    Apparently, I have 30 days and they will swap to a different mask style at no cost. I'm open to doing that, but don't know what else to try. I thought this would be the least intrusive... have no idea if the more bulky ones will be more comfy.

    And re: being able to get off of it after weight loss... Per my Dr, that's the plan. So I'm optimistic.
  • Ashtoretet
    Ashtoretet Posts: 378 Member
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    I was diagnosed with mild sleep apnea about 3 years ago and also have asthma that gets worse at night. I had several ENT-related surgeries and my sleep improved but still had issues with fatigue. I also had my childhood asthma come back. This year after losing 48 pounds and doing 30+ minutes of cardio 3 times a week, I've seen improvements in my asthma and my sleep quality. I am making my sleep a bigger priority, always getting 7-8 hours, but my big issue was snoring and my husband says I rarely snore anymore now.

    Unfortunately I have to add that my scrawny dad has had sleep apnea for most of his adult life and even at his lowest weight in decades his sleep apnea hasn't improved. I think he would give up on life if it weren't for his CPAP.
  • sillekered
    sillekered Posts: 10 Member
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    I have been using CPAP, well APAP about six years. Moderate sleep apnoea. I have lost approx 56lb due mainly to exercise now 193lb but still use it. I wake a couple of times each night to visit the toilet and occasionally; usually after wine, I get back in bed and immediately fall asleep forgetting to fit the mask. I always wake with a sore throat due to snoring when I fail to wear the mask so I am happy to keep using it.
    Jessyd76, does it get easier? Yes, nasal pillows for me is the best mask but you have to be a mouth closed sleeper. I know you will look silly, but shut the blinds and walk about the house or sit for a while during the day with the mask on, obviously disconnected from the CPAP. Just get used to wearing it. Full face masks in my opinion are worst.
    Regards
    Dez Ellis
  • Jessyd76
    Jessyd76 Posts: 539 Member
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    sillekered wrote: »
    I have been using CPAP, well APAP about six years. Moderate sleep apnoea. I have lost approx 56lb due mainly to exercise now 193lb but still use it. I wake a couple of times each night to visit the toilet and occasionally; usually after wine, I get back in bed and immediately fall asleep forgetting to fit the mask. I always wake with a sore throat due to snoring when I fail to wear the mask so I am happy to keep using it.
    Jessyd76, does it get easier? Yes, nasal pillows for me is the best mask but you have to be a mouth closed sleeper. I know you will look silly, but shut the blinds and walk about the house or sit for a while during the day with the mask on, obviously disconnected from the CPAP. Just get used to wearing it. Full face masks in my opinion are worst.
    Regards
    Dez Ellis

    Thanks! I'll keep trying it! I just couldn't deal last night, was too tired. But I'll try it again tonight. So hopefully in a week or so I'll be used to it and sleeping like a baby! :)

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