CPAP pressure and losing weight

General Discussion on any topic relating to CPAP and/or Sleep Apnea.
sbr3500
Posts: 17
Joined: Fri Aug 05, 2005 7:49 am

CPAP pressure and losing weight

Post by sbr3500 » Mon Aug 08, 2005 1:25 pm

Thanks for everyone's advice to me last week. I had an awful experience last Thursday during my titration study but refuse to let it get me down.

So, I am expecting to hear from my doctor soon regarding the correct pressure setting and then I can get my equipment and hit the road to recovery.

I am hoping I will have enough energy to get back into the gym and get into shape again. My goal is to lose 15 pounds. At what point can this or will this affect your pressure setting? I plan on asking my Doctor but was hoping to hear from someone who has experienced this first hand.

I had 34 episodes per minute and do realize if I lose weight it would help ... but seems obvious the problem will not and can't be prevented without CPAP.

Thanks in advance.


sir_cumference
Posts: 240
Joined: Wed Jun 29, 2005 10:47 am
Location: UK

Post by sir_cumference » Mon Aug 08, 2005 1:57 pm

Good question, but unfortunately there isn't an easy answer.

As you start to recover energy, which can be slow or fast, you start being able to do more which in turn means you use more energy and could lose weight. However, your appetite also can improve and so you can actually put on weight if you're not careful.

However, it is worth noting that OSA isn't always a direct correlation between weight and severity. You could just have OSA which can get worse with age regardless of weight.

As for changing your pressure ... if you had such a bad time on titration, make sure you get an APAP and not a CPAP machine. APAP is an auto adjusting machine that will react to exactly what you need breath by breath, night by night, month by month, year by year (pound by pound). CPAP will always needs titration, and then its a case of trial and error. APAP is about responsiveness at the point of need. After all, your weight could go up as well as down.

Hope this isn't too discouraging ... but do look into APAP.

sir_cumference (A -PAPPY)


merlin
Posts: 12
Joined: Thu Aug 04, 2005 4:48 pm
Location: North Texas

weight loss and titration

Post by merlin » Mon Aug 08, 2005 2:20 pm

I have read in other forums that you should be re-titrated after 20 pounds in weight gain or loss.

gracie97
Posts: 149
Joined: Fri Jul 01, 2005 10:02 pm

Re: weight loss and titration

Post by gracie97 » Mon Aug 08, 2005 6:58 pm

merlin wrote:I have read in other forums that you should be re-titrated after 20 pounds in weight gain or loss.
My sleep specialist says it should happen after gaining or losing 10% of body weight.
Started CPAP on 7/1/2005
Mild apnea
Plus upper airway resistance syndrome with severe alpha intrusion

Janelle

Post by Janelle » Mon Aug 08, 2005 7:18 pm

With the return of healthy deep sleep since you won't be having all the fragmented sleep with apneas, etc. your cortisol levels, which caused you to gain the weight and crave sweets and carbs in the first place will return to normal and you'll find the weight will almost come off with no effort. Of course exercise will help the process. But if you are still not getting the deep sleep, you could still be in the same boat and get into the whole diet yo-yo thing.

My son was diagnosed with OSA and 47 episodes an hour. He lost 38 pounds through Weight Watchers and working out at the gym (a weight class and aerobics plus using the machines). He went back to the doctor and asked for another sleep study and the doctor told him if he still had OSA he needed to see a dentist for a dental device. What an idiot!@
Anyway, he found another doctor and will be seeing him in the next few weeks. I'm sure his events will be less, but I'm also sure he still has OSA. He had severely enlarged tonsils and he has not quit smoking. He has reduced his neck size by 3 inches and I know that will help, but he still wakes up with headaches and has other symptoms.

Yes, he will probably require less pressure now than before (they couldn't titrate him because he is very claustrophobic and they only tried one mask on him and he ripped it off in a panic. But he might not. There are many people with Sleep Apnea/OSA who are not overweight who require high pressures.

But, as suggested, an APAP from the first machine is the best choice if you plan to lose weight or even if you don't plan and it just happens.