Newbie Questions

[Redsfan35]

I am going for my second sleep study next week and have following questions.

1) Should I begin a weight loss program immediately or will the loss of weight affect the settings of the CPAP machine?

2) If I lose enough weight to where I am no longer obese, what is the likelihood I will no longer need the CPAP?

3) Do I need a doctor in person to evaluate my sleep study? I have yet to meet a doctor in person over this.

[el_zorro]

I am going for my second sleep study next week and have following questions.

1) Should I begin a weight loss program immediately or will the loss of weight affect the settings of the CPAP machine?

2) If I lose enough weight to where I am no longer obese, what is the likelihood I will no longer need the CPAP?

3) Do I need a doctor in person to evaluate my sleep study? I have yet to meet a doctor in person over this.

You ask some good questions, I am a relative newbie also but I can share what I have learned so far.

1) Obesity contributes to OSA but is not the primary cause, chances are that in one week your weight will not impact the settings dramatically. The main thing is to be in a state of mind that the second study goes well and you come out with a good pressure setting, the correct type of machine and mask. You wil learn more about pressures settings, monitoring software and APAP, those are good things to learn after your second sleep study in terms of weight loss and pressure settings.

2) This is a very good question, I think all of use who are diagnosed think about this one. Everyone has a different breathing anatomy and condition, most people have structural issues that cause OSA. Weight is a factor that weights in OSA but not usually the primary cause.

3.) This depends on whether your primary care doctor referred you to a sleep specialist or just ordered a sleep test. I was in the same boat as you, going into my second sleep test and had never even talked to a doctor other than my primary care who just ordered the sleep test and did not tell me anything. The sleep lab just sent the second test to my doctor who wrote the description for me after I had to ask him for it. There are pros and cons to having a sleep specialist, but I can tell you to learn as much as you can here and then you will have a lot of knowledge yourself. Not everyone has a sleep specialist, if you have the knowledge and can make requests to your doctor to write the prescription a certain way that is not always a bad thing.

[Redsfan35]

I also have a couple more questions I have thought of.

1) I recently have gained like 15 pounds in the last 4 months. The last 4 months is when I really started having real serious apnea symptoms like chocking and dry mouth. Did the 15 pounds I gained have to do with me eating to much or was there some type of imbalance in my body that created the weight gain along with the apnea?

2) Once my apnea is fixed is it likely I will automatically lose this weight due to my body being back to normal or will I need to diet?

3) I have never been a real energetic person. I just recently in the past few yearshave started to snore due to due being heavier. Other than being a non energetic person this is the only apnea trait I have had my whole life. Even thoughearly in life I had few apnea symptoms is it likely I have had apnea my whole life?

[sheep1234]

I had my initial visit with a sleep dr. about 2 weeks before my sleep study. I got my equipment about a week later. I didn't see my sleep dr. again until about 2 months after the sleep study.

All in all, I think I've spent 20 minutes with the sleep dr. His nurse or asst. has spent slightly more than that with me, asking more detailed questions and stuff.

Just saying all of this to say, don't expect to spend or need too much time with a sleep dr.

Can you imagine how much money he's making and hardly spending any time earning it? Shoot, I can read test results and tell someone they need a cpap machine!! lol

Anytime you can lose weight is a plus! It sure can't hurt, huh? I have plenty to lose myself, but have been lazy about it.

[el_zorro]

I also have a couple more questions I have thought of.

1) I recently have gained like 15 pounds in the last 4 months. The last 4 months is when I really started having real serious apnea symptoms like chocking and dry mouth. Did the 15 pounds I gained have to do with me eating to much or was there some type of imbalance in my body that created the weight gain along with the apnea?

2) Once my apnea is fixed is it likely I will automatically lose this weight due to my body being back to normal or will I need to diet?

3) I have never been a real energetic person. I just recently in the past few yearshave started to snore due to due being heavier. Other than being a non energetic person this is the only apnea trait I have had my whole life. Even thoughearly in life I had few apnea symptoms is it likely I have had apnea my whole life?

1.) Its hard to say, there is a link between the stress of lack of oxygen and weight gain (IE survival reaction) but dont expect it to be dramatic.

2.) Its doubtful that you will lose the weight dramatically after going on CPAP. Good sleep hygiene, exercise, proper diet, and CPAP can help with a lifestyle change and all of these things together can help you lose weight.

3.) CPAP will help with your energy level but it will take time. Exercise can actually increase energy levels quicker. If you focus on getting proper exercise and track your calories this is the key. At least 20 mins 6 days a week is a good start and monitor your heart rate while you are exercising. As you start to feel better, increase the time and intensity. I have always been an exercise freak and work out at the gym 3 times a week, x-country ski 10 miles at a stretch, etc. Stress at work, horrible sleep habits, overeating and drinking added to my weight gain so I had a beer gut. OSA probably hadnt helped either. I went cold turkey on the drinking after I was diagnosed and have lost the taste for beer. This dropped 10 pounds off pretty quickly. A smaller version of the gut is there now but it will take a lot of work to get back to 6-pack abs, I can assure you. A nutrionist could help you with calorie intake. A good start is to cut down on sweets, sugar soft drinks and limit alcohol strictly. Instead of eating two sandwiches for lunch, cut back to 1, etc.

As far as OSA, focus on getting the second sleep study done and getting proper therapy. Once you get the therapy your body needs you are on the road to recovery. Weight loss is a great goal to have but feeling the effects of CPAP and losing weight together take some time (months or longer).

[RipVW]

Hello & Welcome, Redsfan35! Glad you found this forum—SO much useful info and everyone here is so willing to help!

You're lucky to have found this forum as you begin CPAP—took me almost year before I found this place and, with the help of folks here, got my CPAP therapy working as it should. It does take time to get everything tweaked and working at its best, so patience is key as one begins CPAP.

"You are getting sleepy . . ."

[kteague]

If you make sure to get a machine that tracks treatment data, you'll avoid depending on repeat sleep studies just to see if your pressure needs are changing with weight loss. If I remember correctly, your diagnostic study showed you've got more going on than OSA. In spite of knowing that I've had a sleep doctor who was NO help, I really don't think it's a good idea for you to work thru this without the help of a specialist. And it may be that your 1st machine won't be the one you end up needing, so you'll want a doctor knowedgeable about your specific needs. Maybe call the doctor you got to order these studies and ask them what they recommend you do from here.

OSA and weight is such an individual thing. OSA can contribute to weight gain in some, and excess weight can contribute to OSA in some. But not everyone with OSA becomes overweight (got some trim folks on here), and not everyone overweight has OSA. Probably too convoluted for accurate predictability. But as you know, it's hard to be active when you're just plain depleted of energy. Hopefully you'll soon be on therapeutic treatment and find the energy for more activity.