IM NOT SAYING ITS A CURE!!!!!!!!!!.......BUT IT HELPED ME

thunderlight7
thunderlight7 Posts: 72
edited October 7 in Success Stories
Ive have been on MFP for a while now. Didnt get serious until September of this year. While playing professional sports I weighed 315. Sometimes jumping to 330 in the offseason. I saw nothing wrong with being that big. To compete being that size was mandatory. Although I was strong and sometimes dominate on the outside, I was killing myself on the inside. Over time I developed a condition called "Sleep Apnea". For those of you who don't know what this is.

Sleep apnea (or sleep apnoea in British English; English pronunciation: /æpˈniːə/) is a sleep disorder characterized by abnormal pauses in breathing or instances of abnormally low breathing, during sleep.

Very scary!!!!!!!! Sometimes I would feel myself trying to breath to wake myself up. Choking, gasping for air. Like I was moving within my body. Kind of hard to explain. I have done 3 sleep studies to try and help the situation. I've worn a mask on my face to help clear my passage ways for sleep. Ive even tried that dumb mouth piece. Lol. Nothing worked. It sucks to be scared to fall asleep as "Sleep Apnea" is a high trend amongst obese individuals. What made it worse is I had to travel away to coach football, sleeping alone at night. Therefore nobody was there to wake me up, if it occurred. Former NFL player "Reggie Whites" death was caused by complications from "Sleep Apnea".

Since being on MFP Ive lost 45 pounds and I feel awesome. "Sleep Apnea" makes you lose alot of sleep, but now I have more energy than ever. Im able to control my eating. And check this out.......SLEEP APNEA IS GONE!!!!!!! Crazy right!!!!! My wife use to beat the crap out of me to wake me up from this condition. And now she hardly hears me sleeping. I sleep well through the night. All the machines, medications, and mouthpieces for nothing. And now I have to look at that mess in the closet...Lol.

AS I STATED IN THE TITLE BEFORE.......IM NOT SAYING ITS A CURE.......BUT IT HELP ME. I'm not a Dr. by any means. Lets put that on the table. Im just reaching out and trying to mention an option to this condition. For those who are struggling with this, please keep me posted. I hope it helps.

I thank my wife for bringing this site to my attention. I really thank my MFP fam for the support. Lets keep MFP going!!!

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Replies

  • crisnis
    crisnis Posts: 83 Member
    So happy for you! Sleep apnea is very scary and very under diagnosed in obese individuals. Losing weight is a CURE for a lot of people if the excess weight on the chest and neck are contributing factors. Thanks for sharing!
  • shiseido_faerie
    shiseido_faerie Posts: 771 Member
    Hoping as my bf continues to lose weight it will help him too!
    It's really terrifying as the other person, I completely relate with your wife beating the crap out of you to wake you up!! I'm curious, now that the apnea is gone, do you still snore, and...if not...does your wife have trouble sleeping because the silence signals to her that something is wrong?
  • MadisonsMom2009
    MadisonsMom2009 Posts: 36 Member
    Congrats that is huge!!!!!!!!
    You look fantastic too!!! :)
  • chmiddleton
    chmiddleton Posts: 30 Member
    WAY TO GO!!! That is awesome! I've heard that losing weight can make sleep apnea go away! How wonderful for you!!!
  • 2012Nina
    2012Nina Posts: 1
    What is that?
  • BreakThruComing
    BreakThruComing Posts: 58
    Congrats on your transformation!!! Sleep Apnea...GONE
    > YoU gO bOy!!!!
  • sarahbear1981
    sarahbear1981 Posts: 610 Member
    I had difficulties sleeping as well. I snored incredibly loud and my boyfriend swears I would stop breathing sometimes. Since I have lost some weight I have quit snoring and sleep much better. It helps with your sleep for sure. Congrats to the OP.
  • ChristineMarie89
    ChristineMarie89 Posts: 1,079 Member
    thats great!!! and awesum before and after so amazing :)
  • sandy2006
    sandy2006 Posts: 483 Member
    congrats! you look great! This is true for sleep apnea, my huband has it and when he loses weight he stops all the snoring and waking up gasping. Its scary, I wish he would lose the weight and keep it off.
  • KyleB65
    KyleB65 Posts: 1,196 Member
    Congrats with the great success! (You look awesome!)
    I never had anything as serious as sleep apnea, but I drove my wife almost insane with my snoring! I am down to 198 lbs from 272 (at my heaviest) and the snoring has disappeared! My wife is eternally grateful.
  • sunnydays33
    sunnydays33 Posts: 170 Member
    Wow, that sounds so scary!! I'm glad you shared though, hopefully this will hit home for some other folks that are also suffering from sleep apnea and push them to make the change too.

    I'm really proud of your hard work, I see you putting in the time for excercise, eating right and most of all, you have the right attitude!! 2012 is your year!! Cheers!
  • april_beth
    april_beth Posts: 616 Member
    woah - fabulous job man!!! and lucky *kitten* wife not hearing you snoring!! im jealous of her :)
  • CROCKETT1
    CROCKETT1 Posts: 83 Member
    Hooray for you! Amazing transformation.
  • bjohs
    bjohs Posts: 1,225 Member
    042101.jpg
    CIMG3071.jpg

    WOW! Amazing transformation! You are an inspiration!!!
  • sunnybrunette126
    sunnybrunette126 Posts: 200 Member
    Congratulations on your success. You look awesome. :smile:
  • Luv2BMommy
    Luv2BMommy Posts: 36
    That's great, and you look amazing! :-)
  • TinaDay1114
    TinaDay1114 Posts: 1,328 Member
    You're so right -- losing weight DOES help sleep apnea. All the men in my husband's family have it, and his father is morbidly obese (he's been on a c-pap machine for over 10 years, but hasn't stopped eating himself into oblivion). My husband developed sleep apnea a few years ago after packing on about 25 lbs. over the years. Then he lost that weight, and the sleep apnea DISAPPEARED. He's gained a little bit back, and he now knows there's a certain 10 lb. window that brings it back for him -- if he stays under a certain #, it's gone. If he goes about 10 lbs. above that, it comes back, and badly.

    I know that there are also genetic factors at play there -- how the structures in your throat and neck are, and how much you do/don't gain fat around your neck -- but weight is a big part of it, too.

    CONGRATULATIONS on figuring this out for yourself. It can have a really really horrible impact on your health.
    You look GREAT by the way!!
  • loveliisa
    loveliisa Posts: 47
    good for you!! you look great!
  • kimmie185
    kimmie185 Posts: 550 Member
    Wow! You look so much different! :) WTG!
  • littleenginethatcan
    littleenginethatcan Posts: 264
    That is great news! That sounds extremely scary. You look amazing!
  • Kany
    Kany Posts: 336
    Congratulations on your success!!!
  • pangela13
    pangela13 Posts: 172 Member
    My husband has been to Johns Hopkins for sleep study he is now using the machine nasal pad doctors wants him to lose 20 lbs he is not over weight but they say it helps thank you I will pass this on to my husband. Congrats. you look fantastic., Keep up the great job.
  • Jessy0383
    Jessy0383 Posts: 42
    You look great! I am so glad that you are feeling better.. Keep up the good work!
  • BeautifulScarsWECHANGED
    BeautifulScarsWECHANGED Posts: 749 Member
    I've actually read that if your neck circumfrence is more than 15", you will most likely have sleep apnea. My brother has it...I wish he would lose weight because the combo of the apnea and being unhealthy has affected his heart.
  • Mustangsally1000
    Mustangsally1000 Posts: 854 Member
    Nice transformation! You look great. My husband suffers from sleep apnea as well, and has not managed to get any of the weight off. Wears the mask..it's loud and it blows really cold air my way. Looking forward to the day he gets it all together.
    Your wife is a lucky woman!! Good job man!!
  • Annette_rose
    Annette_rose Posts: 427 Member
    Wow, amazing!!! What a great job you have done. Working with Durable Medical Equipment, we issue a lot of c-pap and bi-pap machines for sleep apnea. I know that I have sleep apnea too but have not had the sleep study done. I had open heart surgery though for a defective heart valve so have a mechanical aortic valve now and all of that contributes to the apnea in my situation. However, I do need to lose about 25 lbs. I am just amazed by your before and after pics! You have every right to be so proud of yourself.
  • JennBona
    JennBona Posts: 255 Member
    Thats amazing...awesome work :)
  • Hellbent_Heidi
    Hellbent_Heidi Posts: 3,669 Member
    Good for you, and Congratulations on your success!
  • tml224
    tml224 Posts: 19 Member
    What is that?

    The definition is in the post.
  • Leslie0423
    Leslie0423 Posts: 13
    I have sleep apnea and have been on a CPAP machine for over 5 years now. I have just started (today) on MFP, and hope to be off the machine by the end of this year. Among other things, my weight has caused the sleep apnea. I dream of the day I can go to bed or nap without it! Congratulations to you for achieving that.
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