Has anyone here lost weight and improved apnea?

[ineedsomegoodsleep]

Just wondering if anyone here has lost weight and as a result saw an improvement in their sleep apnea.

[Arlene1963]

I lost weight and here are my results:

First sleep study:



Second sleep study (after 10% weight loss)




Titration portion



The sleep specialist left it up to me whether to continue with CPAP or not, as the second sleep study, albeit of no duration in terms of REM sleep, did not seem to indicate moderate OSA on that night. (My first sleep study indicated very little variation in AHI between REM and nonREM sleep anyway)

CPAP has helped me to reduce night sweats, has completely resolved episodes of racing heart at night, has reduced my BP and decreased my resting heart rate.

I feel crappy when I sleep without CPAP and so am continuing despite the result of the second sleep study. The sleep specialist said that many people with mild OSA can benefit greatly from CPAP, it all depends on the individual. I'm obviously one of those.

Most recent research studies indicate that weight loss does not completely resolve OSA. However, weight loss can help reduce AHI in some. Very individual response based on what is causing OSA. Also, weight loss is very difficult to maintain.

I think if one is overweight and has OSA it is a very good idea to try to lose weight, not to get off CPAP but to improve BP, inflammation, glucose control and other health issues that tend to go hand in hand with sleep apnea.

[ineedsomegoodsleep]

Cool. Thank you for sharing this info. Do you feel like your sleep has improved after losing the weight (i.e. improved apnea even though you're still using CPAP)?

[BlackSpinner]

From studies with people who have had weight reduction surgery - you have a 49% chance of weight loss helping.

But we have many people here who were never over weight and others who lost weight and had to increase their pressure.

[Arlene1963]

Cool. Thank you for sharing this info. Do you feel like your sleep has improved after losing the weight (i.e. improved apnea even though you're still using CPAP)?

On those nights that I don't use my CPAP machine I feel horrible, wake up feeling 'hung over'

One thing I noticed in my second sleep study is that even though my AHI was low in the pre-titration portion of the night, my mean oxygen saturation was about 3% higher when I was titrated on CPAP. This might explain why I feel better on CPAP.

[Wulfman...]

Just wondering if anyone here has lost weight and as a result saw an improvement in their sleep apnea.

Sleep Apnea can often be the cause of weight gain. Losing the weight is no guarantee that the sleep apnea is lessened or cured. It's mostly about the lack of oxygen during sleep and the body's metabolism being all screwed up.
Don't get your hopes up. Losing weight is a good thing, but it may not solve all the problems.


Den

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[rosacer]

I did. When I was at almost normal BMI my AHI was 5.2 as per two sleep tests. But that was too high for me to feel good. My AHI at diagnostic time was 31 but I gained weight and I think it was way worst because at that time I was really doing bad with the apnea symptoms.

I gained back 20 pounds and the pressure needed to keep an AHI as per the machine lower than 1.5 went to 8.

I imagine if I lost 25 pounds of maybe 30, which would put me in the middle of the normal BMI values I could maybe get rid of the cpap. I need to tell, I don't know if that will arrive one day soon

I'm am 5'6'' and weight 170 lbs now, I was at 255 pounds at my highest and worst pressure which was 11.5

[ineedsomegoodsleep]

Thanks everyone for responding to me:)

[Woody]

I am over 100 lbs overweight and need a pressure of ~ 15" but a couple of years
ago I lost 45 lbs and the pressure I needed fell to 13" drat it I put it back on again
and the pressure I need is again back up to ~15" . I had a friend who was about 90Lbs
overweight and lost 80 lbs she had to have another sleep study all to find out she no longer
needed 11" she now needed 15" somehow that just doesn't seem fair does it.

[chunkyfrog]

Pressure needs can go up or down; sorry yours went up,
but losing excess weight is almost always a good thing. Hang in there.
Weight loss messes up my mask fit, but it's an excuse to shop for new ones.

[RogerSC]

I've lost about 25 lbs. over the last 2 or 3 months, and no discernible effect on my AHI or pressure needed. Actually lost a few more lbs. than my sleep doctor recommended (10%, or about 20 lbs.) when I started with him 5 years ago. Not a whole lot of weight to have lost, but I'm within a stone's throw of my target weight now. For me, I think my sleep apnea is due to the "architecture of my air way", genetic gift from my father *smile*.

Since I just read an article about higher BMI's being less risky for people over 65 (according to statistics), I'm re-thinking my BMI as well. From that point of view, I may not want to go much lower in weight. I obviously need to do more reading *smile*.