Can Sleap Apnoea be Cured Permanently

[Julie]

Opinions are fine, except science is showing that apnea is likely the cause of weight gain, not the other way around (as so many old fashioned or just ignorant doctors spread around for so long). In a question of scientific proof vs 'opinion', I'll go with science.

So what's happening there - any word on your machine yet?

[Enchanter]

Opinions are fine, except science is showing that apnea is likely the cause of weight gain, not the other way around (as so many old fashioned or just ignorant doctors spread around for so long). In a question of scientific proof vs 'opinion', I'll go with science.

So what's happening there - any word on your machine yet?

I agree that apnea causes weight gain, but I also would think that if you lost the weight when on the machine that the apnea would go away. I don't see how less weight would hurt.

No word on the machine yet, just that the lady said they'll give me a call tomorrow.

[palerider]

I could be wrong,

pretty much a certainty, there.

I was just giving my opinion

and you know what they say about opinions and assholes... and what are those full of?

but, then, you'd need to *read* things to understand why your opinion is ... well, let's just say, out of date and not in keeping with current research.

.... or, to put it another way, you're welcome to your opinion, and the expression thereof, as long as you're good with someone coming along and saying that there's no basis in fact to actually give any validity to your opinion.

[palerider]

I agree that apnea causes weight gain, but I also would think that if you lost the weight when on the machine that the apnea would go away.

so, wait, let me see if I can follow your 'logic' or whatever you call it.

person has apnea.

apnea causes weight gain.

person loses weight gained because of apnea.

apnea goes away?

just HOW does that make ANY sense at all?

[chunkyfrog]

When I lost weight, my need for cpap did not change--one bit, and I lost a lot of weight!
Some people may even require higher pressure, due to their individual anatomy.
Losing excess weight is good, regardless of its ASSumed effect on apnea.

[MusicalMind]

Wish it could be cured, but alas the only true cure is death.

Yes, weight loss can help with it, but my son of 13 years old has it, I have it.. my father has it, and likely his father had it too. I am overweight, but I lost a lot of weight at one point in my life, and the apnea frequency did improve, but they still happened and without my CPAP I struggle to sleep, it took three days of not having it before I could do a sleep study cause insurance here in the US is so messed up about it. (My previous study was ten years prior).

So .. to put it politely, if you have it, you're stuck with it for life.

Deal with it.

[Enchanter]

I agree that apnea causes weight gain, but I also would think that if you lost the weight when on the machine that the apnea would go away.

so, wait, let me see if I can follow your 'logic' or whatever you call it.

person has apnea.

apnea causes weight gain.

person loses weight gained because of apnea.

apnea goes away?

just HOW does that make ANY sense at all?

Yes, that's exactly right. It makes perfect sense IN MY OPINION only. The apnea helps contribute to weight gain. Key word here is contribute. But when a person wears the CPAP, he/she has the ability to lose weight again. As long as the person STICKS to their lifestyle, they can POSSIBLY live without getting the apnea again. What I mean is the Apnea contributes to weight gain but doesn't cause it. Weight gain is based on calories. You still can control calories, like for example once you don't have the apnea anymore you can exercise. Maybe the person wasn't exercising when they got the apnea. It's my opinion that weight and sleep apnea go hand in hand. But once you wear the CPAP combined with a lifestyle change, the apnea may never come back.

I guess what I mean is someone that gets the apnea may get it for various reasons that might not apply later on. I don't know... Could be wrong, it's confusing.

[Enchanter]

Wish it could be cured, but alas the only true cure is death.

Yes, weight loss can help with it, but my son of 13 years old has it, I have it.. my father has it, and likely his father had it too. I am overweight, but I lost a lot of weight at one point in my life, and the apnea frequency did improve, but they still happened and without my CPAP I struggle to sleep, it took three days of not having it before I could do a sleep study cause insurance here in the US is so messed up about it. (My previous study was ten years prior).

So .. to put it politely, if you have it, you're stuck with it for life.

Deal with it.

Well in my opinion, having a neck more than 17 inches causes sleep apnea. It's a cause for many at least. Losing weight to the point where next size is less than 16 or 17 inches opens up the airway and allows more oxygen to travel down the throat at night. So while I believe wearing the CPAP will help give me the energy, I don't think I will have severe sleep apnea once I become thinner and super fit, if I do. So CPAP may be able to help me, but I have to do my part as well. But not everyone's apnea has to do with weight, some is caused by allergies and having large necks relative to their weight and height. I just believe that sleep apnea is highly self inflicted. Maybe not for EVERYONE, but for many.

[Enchanter]

When I lost weight, my need for cpap did not change--one bit, and I lost a lot of weight!
Some people may even require higher pressure, due to their individual anatomy.
Losing excess weight is good, regardless of its ASSumed effect on apnea.

But my question for you is did you lose enough weight to stop sleep apnea? I'm not critiquing you, but based on what I read weight is still vital.

[palerider]

But once you wear the CPAP combined with a lifestyle change, the apnea may never come back.

step back, and see if you can't see just how ludicrous you sound.

it's confusing.

uh... huh.

[palerider]

Well in my opinion, having a neck more than 17 inches causes sleep apnea.... . I just believe that sleep apnea is highly self inflicted. Maybe not for EVERYONE, but for many.

your opinion, some dirt, and a packet of seeds, and I could raise some nice plants!

could you go opinion some gardens? that, at least, would give what you say some worth.

[Enchanter]

But once you wear the CPAP combined with a lifestyle change, the apnea may never come back.

step back, and see if you can't see just how ludicrous you sound.

Well sleep apnea may contribute to a gain in LBS, but what I'm saying is there are other things you can do to counter that like diet and exercise. That is ludicrous? I'm not trying to offend people by any means. I feel I'm actually responsible for my apnea.

[palerider]

But once you wear the CPAP combined with a lifestyle change, the apnea may never come back.

step back, and see if you can't see just how ludicrous you sound.

Well sleep apnea may contribute to a gain in LBS, but what I'm saying is there are other things you can do to counter that like diet and exercise. That is ludicrous? I'm not trying to offend people by any means. I feel I'm actually responsible for my apnea.

you really, REALLY, need to quit spazzing out something on the keyboard and hitting send.... type it, save it, come back to it after an hour, read it again, and again, and say to yourself.... "will this make people think I've given this some thought?" and then think on it some more, before you actually post anything.

if you should weigh 160, and you do, and you have sleep apnea, and you gain weight BECAUSE OF THE APNEA, (as science is showing), then get treated, and lose weight back down to 160... what, in your fevered imagination makes you think that the sleep apnea is going to magically disappear, just because you lost weight? IT WAS THERE IN THE FIRST PLACE.

if you STILL can't wrap your head around this concept, and you want to keep being insulting people with your "opinions"... then maybe someone else can help you find your current fault. I give up.

[Enchanter]

But once you wear the CPAP combined with a lifestyle change, the apnea may never come back.

step back, and see if you can't see just how ludicrous you sound.

Well sleep apnea may contribute to a gain in LBS, but what I'm saying is there are other things you can do to counter that like diet and exercise. That is ludicrous? I'm not trying to offend people by any means. I feel I'm actually responsible for my apnea.

you really, REALLY, need to quit spazzing out something on the keyboard and hitting send.... type it, save it, come back to it after an hour, read it again, and again, and say to yourself.... "will this make people think I've given this some thought?" and then think on it some more, before you actually post anything.

if you should weigh 160, and you do, and you have sleep apnea, and you gain weight BECAUSE OF THE APNEA, (as science is showing), then get treated, and lose weight back down to 160... what, in your fevered imagination makes you think that the sleep apnea is going to magically disappear, just because you lost weight? IT WAS THERE IN THE FIRST PLACE.

if you STILL can't wrap your head around this concept, and you want to keep being insulting people with your "opinions"... then maybe someone else can help you find your current fault. I give up.

That's true. But I'm saying that it can make one feel better. Even if they have sleep apnea, if they are less weight, they might still feel better. But also weight gain can contribute to sleep apnea too.

[archangle]

To bypass all the drivel and get back to the original question.

There's basically no cure other than CPAP. There are a few other options, but the success rate is low and the problems are high.

There are some surgical options. None are really that good. Failure rate is high. Cost and pain level may be high. Side effects are common. There are lots of doctors with delusions of grandeur and visions of dollars dancing in their head who think they can cure apnea. There are some "semi-surgical" things like RF treatments, but still very unproven.

There are some interesting and promising implantable pacemaker like devices. Still far from being ready for general use in my opinion.

There are some ideas about mechanical stent like devices, but there are problems, especially with being able to withstand something in your throat.

I have great hopes for an eventual cure involving "surgery" implants of some kind, but I have doubts it will be anytime soon.

Weight loss may work for some, but there are a lot of thin apneacs. Quite a few people have lost weight and not been cured. Even more people have decided they'd lose weight instead of doing CPAP and ended up not losing weight and still having apnea.

Dental devices seem to have a low success rate.