Anyone else with sleep apnea/using a CPAP?

Like many overweight people, I depend on a CPAP machine to get through the night. I have fairly severe sleep apnea, only made worse by my excessive weight. I'm pretty sure I'm already genetically pre-disposed to the apnea based on the size and shape of my passages (and even as a young adult, when I was not as heavy, I snored), but it didn't become a dangerous problem until my weight continued to creep up.

Being on a CPAP machine can be a real hassle, and the parts to maintain are expensive. It makes traveling overnight difficult and the concept of a "quick nap" is non-existent for me. In short, I'm tethered to a machine, and I don't like that.

Anyway, has anyone had success at getting rid of the CPAP after losing weight? My doctor didn't say that if I lost weight I could lose the machine, but he did say I would never be off the machine until I got the weight off. Anyone else know what I'm going through?

I don't use one, but my mom does. I know it's a hassle.

But even though it's a hassle, please use it. In addition to allowing you to rest, it reduces your risk of heart attack and stroke.

My mom's broke recently, and she was without it for two weeks. She was exhausted, in much more pain, and even though she couldn't tell, very mentally foggy--she'd forget things you had just told her minutes ago, for example. Frankly, I was quite worried about her driving or doing household tasks without it, she was so foggy!

She's not lost enough weight to even consider going without the CPAP yet, but I can tell you she did find that not using it made it much more difficult for her to avoid comfort eating and excessive snacking, She was also in much more pain from carrying the excess weight than she normally is, and slightly depressed. Amazing-it only took about a week without it for her to start to fall to pieces.

My husband does this for a living. He doesn't see many patients of normal weight come into his sleep lab. He generally says the thinner you are, the less dependent you will be on a CPAP. However, even after weight loss some people will always snore due to the size/shape of their passages. Weight loss should dramatically improve your situation. And then of course, there are rare cases called central apneas which originate in the brain and no weight loss will help the people in this situation. Hope that helps!

I have sleep apnea and was diagnosed almost 2 years ago.My pressures have increased during as I lose weight.

I have lost 95 pounds, and stopped needing my CPAP after losing 45ish somewhere. I sleep so much better now. It's one of the many MANY benefits of losing weight.