Weight Gain

[janjol]

I have been using my CPAP now for a year, and have definitely felt better. However, I seem to be putting on weight. Why is that?

Thanks to any replies......

Janjol

[BeanMeScot]

Unfortunately, weight gain seems to be even more common than weight loss. It was discussed here: viewtopic.php?f=1&t=40437&st=0&sk=t&sd=a&hilit=weight.

Personally, I have lost weight but I was slowly losing weight before getting on CPAP. That has continued, although it has been slowing recently so I am working on doing better.

[Julie]

I hope you didn't go in thinking Cpap was going to specifically help you lose weight (except that if you feel better, of course, you're likely to be more active)? It's not designed for that, so you might want to look into your own activity level and diet. However, for whatever reasons (they're debated all the time), sleep apnea so often does come with weight problems, but whether the apnea is responsible, or the inability to do much due to the apnea, is unclear.

[janjol]

Thanks for your replies. No, I didn't go into it thinking I'd lose weight. I eat a healthy diet and do exercise. I was not overweight, but now feel I am.

I guess I'll just have to do more exercise and trim down even more on my diet.

I will read the link. Thanks again for your replies.

[kteague]

Janjol, the weight thing is so individual, I guess because weight gain or loss can have so many influencing factors. If weight gain is a new thing for you recently after having been on cpap for a year, I think I'd want to get my thyroid checked just to be sure. Also, are you on any newer meds that can cause weight gain?

Another thought, although if you were not overweight when your OSA was untreated, I really doubt if this is a factor, but I'll throw it out there. Since the hormones affected by OSA can lead to weight gain in some, any chance your body is changing and could now be affected that way by the OSA and your pressure is not therapeutic?

My weight loss of about 50 lbs was helped by getting off Prednisone and controlling edema, but I seem to have plateaued. For some reason it seems the better I sleep, the easier to lose weight, and my sleep hasn't been good for quite some time.

CPAP may or may not have something to do with your weight gain. Wouldn't hurt to have a checkup to make sure something else isn't going on.

Kathy

[norm]

The sleep therapist told me that a lot of people gain weight after starting therapy even though they are not eating more, just because you are burning a lot fewer calories when you are sleeping well. But he also said that after a while, you might find yourself losing weight--why? you feel better, so it is easier to exercise more and you no longer gobble up donuts and other high carb food to give you enough energy to stay awake during the day. I have followed this path--I put on weight for about a year or so and then slowly began shedding weight. But I am sure that different people have different experiences with this.

[norm]

The sleep therapist told me that a lot of people gain weight after starting therapy even though they are not eating more, just because you are burning a lot fewer calories when you are sleeping well. But he also said that after a while, you might find yourself losing weight--why? you feel better, so it is easier to exercise more and you no longer gobble up donuts and other high carb food to give you enough energy to stay awake during the day. I have followed this path--I put on weight for about a year or so and then slowly began shedding weight. But I am sure that different people have different experiences with this.

[Muse-Inc]

I mark the beginning of my apnea the year I gained 50# for no apparent reason (hadn't changed eating or activity tho I was under extreme stress at the time which I rationalized was the cause); my doc at the time was clueless, he kept insisting I was diabetic with normal sugar levels <dummy>. Now, looking back I know it was apnea. I went for another 10 yrs gaining each yr before getting so exhausted and sick that I finally changed docs and got diagnosed at the first visit with the new doc.

I only lost 18 #s the first yr on CPAP, it took 9 months for my energy levels to be anywhere near my pre-apnea levels; I've now lost 50# and am slowly losing the rest of the excess wt.

[janjol]

I really appreciate all your replies. This is a great forum to air concerns and relate to others about apnea.

I have a docs apt scheduled for next week......so I'll see where that goes......

J

[BlackSpinner]

As I said the previous thread - sleeping allows for better digestion - so more calories are processed when you sleep. So as you now have proper sleep with the CPAP machine you are getting more calories (stored as fat) from your food then you did before. For many people this is offset by the fact that they are much more active after they get a CPAP and because like in my case they stop nibbling to stay awake at work.

[ChrisC]

I'm getting very discouraged by my own weight gain on CPAP. My diet and exercise haven't changed, but I've put on 20 pounds since the end of March. I'm finding that I sleep longer/actually have dreams/don't snore.. but I just keep putting on the pounds. I really haven't felt a "surge" of energy at all.. very disappointing.

[Jason S.]

The sleep therapist told me that a lot of people gain weight after starting therapy even though they are not eating more, just because you are burning a lot fewer calories when you are sleeping well. But he also said that after a while, you might find yourself losing weight--why? you feel better, so it is easier to exercise more and you no longer gobble up donuts and other high carb food to give you enough energy to stay awake during the day. I have followed this path--I put on weight for about a year or so and then slowly began shedding weight. But I am sure that different people have different experiences with this.

I heard this before (perhaps from you) and think it might apply to me. Less calories burning while I'm sleeping. I've put on 15 pounds in 6 months of CPAP even though my diet and exercise have improved in that period. I'm 6'2, 200 lbs, so I'm not terribly overweight. Prior to CPAP I wasn't experiencing the extreme fatigue that others have mentioned, so there wasn't a huge increase in my activity level. I suspect that those who have a large increase in activity level due to successful CPAP therapy are the ones who are experiencing the weight loss.

[Jason S.]

I'm getting very discouraged by my own weight gain on CPAP. My diet and exercise haven't changed, but I've put on 20 pounds since the end of March. I'm finding that I sleep longer/actually have dreams/don't snore.. but I just keep putting on the pounds. I really haven't felt a "surge" of energy at all.. very disappointing.

I'm right there with ya, gaining steadily since January. I was skinny my whole life. I don't get sleepy in the afternoon anymore but otherwise my energy level is the same as before. I probably would have gained over 20 lbs except I've been more active plus coming out of winter has helped. I'm exercising 3-4 times per week and improved my diet but that's just holding my weight steady.

I'm consoled by the fact that I'm not terribly overweight but more importantly the OSA is being treated and that is what matters. The alternative of not treating it is no alternative at all. I think my BP has been lower and I'm dreaming at night now. I'm not slowly killing myself like I was with untreated OSA.

[Jason S.]

As I said the previous thread - sleeping allows for better digestion - so more calories are processed when you sleep. So as you now have proper sleep with the CPAP machine you are getting more calories (stored as fat) from your food then you did before. For many people this is offset by the fact that they are much more active after they get a CPAP and because like in my case they stop nibbling to stay awake at work.

This makes perfect sense. For those that had weight losses, I presume they were significantly overweight to begin with as a result of inactivity due to the effects of OSA. Successful treatment provided an energy boost to the point was activity was increased, the extra pounds that wouldn't have been there save for untreated OSA started to come off.

[TSSleepy]

I gained ~135 pounds over the last several years before realizing I had sleep apnea. There's no doubt in my mind that I had sleep apnea before I was obese, and that the sleep apnea was a major contributor to my weight gain. So I was really hoping my weight would fall off easily after going to CPAP... but life is not often that simple.

I've been on CPAP for about 4 months now. I definitely feel better and my energy levels are higher, but I was still slowly gaining weight. I got an armband device that measures calories-burned and activity, and quickly realized that I didn't ever move anymore.

My years of untreated sleep apnea had conditioned me to avoid movement and exercise, due to the crushing fatigue and cramps that would follow. I'm just now starting to realize, "Hey, I can push my body now and it's OK!"

Over the last couple weeks I've been trying to become more active, and my body is grumbling some...but it's letting me! One day, I went on a 10-min walk. The next day, I went on two 10-min walks. Then I went on two 15-min walks. A week later, I'm much more mobile and actually lost a couple pounds this week. No racing heart, no crushing fatigue, no midnight muscle cramps!

Everyone is different, but I guess I would give the following advice to people who have gotten their sleep apnea under control, but are still feeling sluggish and still having weight issues:
Try to push your body and see what you're now capable of, you might surprise yourself!

Your body has probably been on the defense, conserving all the energy it can, for many years. It may take some moving and shaking to get the rust off and start getting active again.