sleep apnea

andympanda
andympanda Posts: 763 Member
edited November 15 in Health and Weight Loss
Has any one here had their sleep apnea cued by weight loose? when did you get retested, or how did you know if you were ready to go off the CPAP machine

Thanks

Replies

  • bootskitty96
    bootskitty96 Posts: 6 Member
    I have heard that weight can help with sleep apnea and im sure if you did a sleep study they could determine when it is safe for you to go off of your CPAP
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
    Mine went from severe to mild. I still have my machine but rarely use it. I generally just use it when I am stuffed up as my symptoms get worse those nights. I decided to retest when I was routinely sleeping without it and my husband said that he wasn't noticing me snoring. The reason I was sleeping without it was that one of our dogs chewed up the mask (!) and I was trying to wait a few weeks until I reached the time period when the insurance would pay for a new one (rather than me having to pay out of pocket.)
  • 7lenny7
    7lenny7 Posts: 3,498 Member
    I have severe sleep apnea (API of 65). When I gain weight, I need a higher pressure. When I lose weight, I need a lower pressure. I think I'll always need a CPAP, but it's conceivable that weight loss could make the difference in someone less severe.

    When I had a regular CPAP I found the manual on line and would change the pressure settings on my own as my weight fluctuated. I now have an autopap so it changes as needed.

    If you could figure out how to change the pressure on your machine, you could gradually dial it down and see how you react, but I'm no doctor, so this is not medical advice.
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
    7lenny7 wrote: »
    I have severe sleep apnea (API of 65). When I gain weight, I need a higher pressure. When I lose weight, I need a lower pressure. I think I'll always need a CPAP, but it's conceivable that weight loss could make the difference in someone less severe.

    When I had a regular CPAP I found the manual on line and would change the pressure settings on my own as my weight fluctuated. I now have an autopap so it changes as needed.

    If you could figure out how to change the pressure on your machine, you could gradually dial it down and see how you react, but I'm no doctor, so this is not medical advice.

    I found my manual online too. I cannot remember where I found it but when I did, I lowered my pressure from 11 to, I think, 4. My AHI was originally 87. I was a mess.
  • andympanda
    andympanda Posts: 763 Member
    I have a auto CPAP, and due to the prescription it was set to a minimum of 6, but it never goes above that, and i have not been able to figure out how to lower it.
  • cathleen73
    cathleen73 Posts: 11 Member
    You should be able to have your doctor adjust it for you. They can look at your card and see how you're doing and make changes.
  • 7lenny7
    7lenny7 Posts: 3,498 Member
    jemhh wrote: »
    I found my manual online too. I cannot remember where I found it but when I did, I lowered my pressure from 11 to, I think, 4. My AHI was originally 87. I was a mess.

    Sorry...AHI. I didn't think I had that right. 87? Yikes!!! And you're just mild now? That gives me hope!!

    Usually for any manual you can go to Google enter your model number and "PDF" and there's a good chance you'll find it. I do this for just about any old manual I need.

    Andy, Just be very careful doing it for CPAPs. I don't how easy it is for you to see your doctor, but if you explain what you want to do and why, he or she may have some good guidance for you, and I'm sure they'll be thrilled you're doing something that will help.

  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
    *phew had to get past all those typos first. When I lost my first fifty pounds I asked for a retest, as my mask was starting to give me trouble. But I decided to stay on the CPAP anyways because I sleep better. I got a new mask instead.

    Some sleep apneas are congenital, others are weight related.
  • fish2find
    fish2find Posts: 221 Member
    Part of my current job is getting clients out of hospitals and into board and cares. Some of out B/C like to baulk at the C PAP and deny clients, or worse kick them out if they develop the need for one.
    Ive seen that same B/C director help quite a few clients lose weight and avoid the machine or kick it all together.
    60 pounds ago my wife also felt I needed one and says I sound much better at night with 60 less pounds on my gut. Its not the cure all Im sure, but its helped many.
  • LiftAllThePizzas
    LiftAllThePizzas Posts: 17,857 Member
    andympanda wrote: »
    Has any one here had their sleep apnea cued by weight loose? when did you get retested, or how did you know if you were ready to go off the CPAP machine

    Thanks
    For what it's worth, I wasn't diagnosed and didn't have a machine, but my wife observed all the classic non-breathing and gasping many times when I was heavier, and I was exhausted (like sleep-deprived) constantly. All of that (and snoring) went away after I dropped the excess fat.
  • andympanda
    andympanda Posts: 763 Member
    One of the reasons i was wondering when to be retested is, i have lost just over 100 pounds since I was diagnosed, But i still have 30-40 pounds to go. I don't know if I should get tested now, or wait till i loose the rest of the weight I need to take off.
  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
    I haven't reached my goal weight but I felt good enough to go get retested. My test results came back good but I was restless all night without it. I decided to stick with it.

    By the way, I negotiated off my medications when I started to experience new symptoms which I suspected were due to weight loss (mostly dizziness). I continued to test on doctor's orders (blood pressure, blood sugar) to confirm that I was ready to go off. I still test my blood pressure once a week.
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
    7lenny7 wrote: »
    jemhh wrote: »
    I found my manual online too. I cannot remember where I found it but when I did, I lowered my pressure from 11 to, I think, 4. My AHI was originally 87. I was a mess.

    Sorry...AHI. I didn't think I had that right. 87? Yikes!!! And you're just mild now? That gives me hope!!

    Usually for any manual you can go to Google enter your model number and "PDF" and there's a good chance you'll find it. I do this for just about any old manual I need.

    Andy, Just be very careful doing it for CPAPs. I don't how easy it is for you to see your doctor, but if you explain what you want to do and why, he or she may have some good guidance for you, and I'm sure they'll be thrilled you're doing something that will help.

    Yes, I would wake myself up gasping for breath, feeling like I was going to pass out. The 2 weeks between having my sleep study and then finally getting the cpap were brutal. I think it was partially nerves because I was terrified of dying in my sleep with my young daughter at home (husband worked nights) once I got the results.
  • andympanda
    andympanda Posts: 763 Member
    i will e-mail my doctor,I am i will screw up the setting on my cpap machine if i start playing with it. I have been told i barley snore anymore
  • AriannaInProgress
    AriannaInProgress Posts: 5 Member
    I have sleep apnea, both obstructive and central. My doctor told me that even with weight loss, even though it can cure the obstructive that I will probably always have a machine for the central apnea. He did also tell me thought that with a weight loss of more than 10% of your body weight, they do want to look at you to see if anything needs to be done about the pressures. So with 100 pounds lost (congrats by the way) your pressures most likely need to be altered, if not get rid of the machine all together. So yes, get in touch with your doctor.
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