Weight loss....and CPAP

[garyland]

What are the odds of a 6' tall, 245 lbs man loosing 60 lbs. and getting of the CPAP?

Gary

[mindy]

Hi Gary,

I wouldn't want to attempt to estimate odds. Some people have severe OSA and are super skinny while others of us are a little challenged in that department. I've read that *some* people who lose weight can eliminate their OSA but it could also stay the same or get partially better. I don't think I had OSA before my weight gain but have no idea if weight loss would eliminate my OSA.

Excess weight includes fat cells in the neck and thus can make OSA worse. So losing weight can only help.

Mindy

[garyland]

Hi Gary,

I wouldn't want to attempt to estimate odds. Some people have severe OSA and are super skinny while others of us are a little challenged in that department. I've read that *some* people who lose weight can eliminate their OSA but it could also stay the same or get partially better. I don't think I had OSA before my weight gain but have no idea if weight loss would eliminate my OSA.

Excess weight includes fat cells in the neck and thus can make OSA worse. So losing weight can only help.

Mindy

I agree with you. I have been trying to loose weight. It is difficult this time of year but not impossible. BTW I did not have OSA when I was of a more normal weight.....but then again I was younger then too.

Gary

[Goofproof]

You have been on CPAP for over two years, Without Cancer or Gastric by-pass, or ExtreeeeeeM will power losing large amounts of weight aren't likely, even more likely loosing that weight and being able to get off XPAP, even more unlikely.

In the last two years I've cut my food intake by 1/2, and still gained 35 pounds, resulting in no pressure change. After two years you need to make friends with your XPAP, you are running 23 months behind at the least.

Swim for the Bank, the rest of your life is waiting on the Shore. Jim

[ozij]

Giving up smoking is the easiest thing in the world. I know because I've done it thousands of times.

Wrong question, Gary.
Rather ask:
How many of you have maintained weight loss after you've been on a diet?
How many times have been "on a diet"?

O.

[Billy6]

According to my doctor, its virtually 100%. And he said the worst thing is to stay at the same weight or gain, as that is a sure to get married to the mask and blower.

[taberge]

Losing weight can be easier than you think if you love your veggies. I was diagnosed with diabetes and had to make the change. The key to a diet that will drop pounds from you with regular daily activity is to eliminate or severely limit bad carbs. Carbs from fruits and veggies are mostly ok. There are a few fruits and veggies which have a LOT of sugar in them, like dates and parsnips. Carbs from processed white stuff: flour, rice, potatos, milk, sugar, and even corn are to be consumed in strict limits. Oatmeal is an exception because one small portion is really recommended due to the fact it low carb for a grain and sucks up bad cholesterol. Beans are good in moderation for their fiber. For a diabetic ,foods with low Glycemic indexes or foods that don't convert and dump sugar into your blood stream are preferable. It would be the same for anyone else. If your body cant use the excess sugar in your blood for normal people, the body make fat deposits. For diabetics, sugar crystals form in the tissues and/or is eliminated through the kidneys which is bad. Crystals act like little knives and carve up things you might need like your kidneys. Also you must follow portion contol. It does you no good to change the kinds of foods if you still are eating mass quantities like a pig at the trough. If you are hungry between meals, choose to eat fruit, veggies, cheese, or nuts. Eating more fruits and veggies seems like a dead horse beat on too many times but eating them is fiber which makes you feel full and not staying constantly hungry. This makes it easier to stick to a program.

The hardest thing i found is not staying on the diet but actually having to shop for foods. You have to look real hard at the packages. Just go to the "Health Food" section of your grocery. The "Health" bars pack on the carbs. Hell it is about as healthy as just to go eat Oreos and a tall glass of milk. Some of the foods I have found that help alot are: Dreamsfield pasta (thank god for this company!), sugar free chocolates(my one weakness forever), and anything with equal, splenda, or stevia.

In the end, it is all up to you. This is the way I did it. I lost 35lbs in about 3 months just by food choices. When I start up a vigorous excersize plan I hope to lose more.

[jayman13]

I've been married for 40 yrs and my SA started about 15 yrs ago. I was 200 lbs on my wedding day which gradually climbed over 300. About 8 yrs ago, I went on Atkins and lost 100 lbs in 10 months. As the weight came off, I was able to lower my pressure until I didn't need it. For the 3-4 yrs until I "found" the weight I lost, I didn't need the CPAP. Then gradually turning up the pressure until I am back where I started. I've had no luck loosing again despite starting and falling off the Atkins wagon dozens of times since

[dsm]

Gary

Prior to my last titration in 2007 I managed to lose a lot of weight got down below 180 lbs & am 6' tall. I was feeling super fit at the time. I went into that sleep study convinced they would say - you no longer need cpap - But, I was titrated as needed 12 cms & am still here.

DSM

[mindy]

I suspect that barring really huge weight gains, that those of us who develop OSA after weight gain may either 1) have already had it and not known it or 2) we may have been close to OSA but the weight pushed us over. My sleep doc said the back of my throat was small and that has nothing to do with weight as far as I know.

Mindy

[zen]

This sure varies from person to person. I get a lot better if I am thin but getting and staying thin thats
another story! But one of the ladys here had to go to a higher pressure when she lost weight and a woman friend of mine also had to raise her pressure about 4cm when she lost ~60 lbs. I saw an article that said that
in many of us with sleep apnea some slight pre existing brain damage may be the real cause. But saying all
that my weight has a heck of an effect on my sleep apnea and in my case my stuttering also gets a lot less
when I am thinner.

[garyland]

According to my doctor, its virtually 100%. And he said the worst thing is to stay at the same weight or gain, as that is a sure to get married to the mask and blower.

Billy,

I like those odds...I'll take it.

Gary

[Paul56]

What are the odds of a 6' tall, 245 lbs man loosing 60 lbs. and getting of the CPAP?

Like me... 180 is likely your ideal weight and I am on the same quest to get down to that.

I don't have too high expectations to get off the machine once the weight is gone. If it happens great, if it doesn't well I will just continue with the machine.

Losing weight is simple... consume less and move more. If you don't move more then be prepared to consume even less. Still not losing or perhaps even gaining... well then you are still consuming too much for your activity level.

The difficult part is what happens between the ears... that little voice that says "I'm hungry." or that says "I want something tasty." or says "I need some comfort food.". If you can get the emotional part under control the rest comes easy.

Once achieved then the difficult part is maintaining which requires a lifelong change from the habits that caused the weight gain.

BTW, I'm now 10 lbs lighter than when I started on my quest to reach my ideal weight.

[Captain_Midnight]

Your post is of interest to me as I'm one of the 30% of OSA patients who is of normal weight.

My weight fluctuates a bit, roughly between 185 and 195 lbs, and my pressure varies modestly with with weight variations, but only slightly.

60 pounds is a fairly large amt of weight to lose, and it's a worthy goal, regardless of the xPAP requirements. Most experts think that to have good long-term success with weight loss, one needs to loose the weight fairly slowly. If you loose it too quickly, then the "thrifty gene" kicks in, and your hormones will gang up on you.

I had an excursion with obesity some years back (undiagnosed OSA contributed, I'm sure.) When I lost the weight back, I noticed a couple of interesting things. First, I just felt better, more active and alive. And second (from the life is not fair department) the more weight that I lost, the better people treated me.

Best of luck on the weight control.


.

[taberge]

Weight loss might land you off the cpap but don't get your hopes up too soon. The fact remains that anatomy plays a big part and if genetics are against you, you will have to learn to live with the cpap. Just like my diabetes, I'm way skinnier than a lot of people i'm aquainted with and they don't have the disease. I have my dad's side of the family to thank for it.

PS and guess which side of the family has incidents of sleep apnea too?