Am I the only one that has gained weight?

Snoozing Gonzo · Post by **Snoozing Gonzo** » Mon Oct 16, 2006 12:47 pm

22 pounds here, which negated any reduction in blood pressure I had hoped for. I wonder if sleep doctors and clinics should assess diet and exercise as part of the intake interview and have some suggested post-hose directions along those lines. At least it wouldn't have been a suprise and, as mentioned above, its harder to go backward.

Chris

DreamStalker · Post by **DreamStalker** » Mon Oct 16, 2006 12:52 pm

The key to weight loss is fewer calories and more exercise. For me, the PAP treatment has facilitated the effect of exercising in that I now have the energy to do it and am also able to sleep in order for my exercised muscles to recover and continue the exercise program. When I first began my PAP treatment, I didn’t see any effect until after the first month. I then noticed a 12 pound loss over the following 3 weeks afterwards and that gave me the encouragement to start the exercise program. I guess it took a month for my body to recover to a normal metabolism which must have been completely out of whack to non-existent with O2 saturation levels down to 60% prior to PAP treatment.

The exercise program must be a gradual introduction (walking/swimming is ideal as it provides minimal stress and reduces the chance for injury and setback). The program should eventually include 1) stretching (or Yoga), 2) aerobic (or cardiac), and 3) resistance (or weight-lifting) training. I started out walking and have progressed to walking stairs in my office building starting today. I also start a Yoga class tomorrow. I plan to start resistance training with heavy-duty rubber bands and dumb bells next month.

Weight loss becomes even more successful when you eliminate both saturated and trans- fats and avoid high-glycemic index carbohydrates such as refined starches and sugars. You generally want to keep fat intake to about 25% to 30% of total calories and carb calories should be between 40% and 50% and the remainder should be from protein. The Nutri-System and Weight-Watchers programs are based on portion control of the above mentioned nutritional distribution of fat, carbs, and protein.

I prefer my own fresh nutritional ingredients and use my fists for portion control. No I don’t beat myself up to prevent over-indulgence. The meal size you eat should not exceed the volume of your two fists. You should distribute your meals to four per day with an additional healthy snack (such as apple or carrot) only if needed. I use the 23 ounce oval CorningWare with burping lids since the most food I can put in them equals to two fist-fulls. It also makes it easy to prepare my meals in advance and store them in the freezer and/or frig for low hassle, time efficient consumption. A typical lunch meal consists of a grilled chicken breast with sautéed onions, garlic, and bell peppers and a side of green beans or broccoli.

Drink lots and lots of ice water. You actually burn calories by having to warm up ice water to core body temperature. In fact, I usually snack on crushed ice for most of the day. I’m never hungry and I am losing about 5 pounds per week with this system … though I’ll admit that the exercise part is the hardest to get use to.

-r

Bamalady · Post by **Bamalady** » Mon Oct 16, 2006 1:07 pm

Arizona-Willie-

Thanks for stopping in again. At least now I know the weight gain may stop at some point. Good luck with the Nutrisystem.

Offerocker-

I'm with you. I do think there is something about the treatment that triggers the gain. I'm just not sure what it is.

DreamStalker-

As I said, I had never had a problem with my weight. It just seemed counterintuitive to increase activity with no increase in calories and still gain weight! I have always loved to walk and to garden. These activities kept me fit until I became just too exhausted to continue them. As soon as I started to feel better after treatment, I started walking and gardening again. Just doesn't make sense to me.

Bamalady · Post by **Bamalady** » Mon Oct 16, 2006 1:24 pm

Offerocker-

I was just reading back a bit. It would have been nice if we could have had some say in just where that extra weight settled, wouldn't it?

Offerocker · Post by **Offerocker** » Mon Oct 16, 2006 5:39 pm

Bamalady wrote:Offerocker-

I was just reading back a bit. It would have been nice if we could have had some say in just where that extra weight settled, wouldn't it?

Sure would! But I don't care about 'that area' any more - I got so used to wearing t-shirts that I can hardly tolerate that wicked device anymore. I WOULD like to have that extra, misplaced poundage in clay form, to add where I'd like though. Or, maybe just be able to take if off where I DON'T want it. I can place my thumb & little finger around my arm, 4" above the wrist, and that MAKES me look so skinny. But then I look in the mirror, and can't tell whether I'm coming or going!!! HA HA HA. I'm JOKINg...OR AM I?
Or am I becoming my mother??????? NO NO NO. At least she had terrific legs . ...I think I 'talk' too much...Egad!
Well, SOME DAY I'll post a full-length picture...huba huba huba Don't say it -yes, it will be of ME.

tohosa · Post by **tohosa** » Wed Nov 08, 2006 10:27 am

The day after my titration study, my hands and feet swelled quite uncomfortably. That was Sep 27, and the swelling took two or three days to disperse completely. I started CPAP on Oct 4, have used it every night, and my weight has been up about six pounds since my sleep study. This feels like fluid retention, but my blood pressure has come down about 10 points. Before CPAP for many years I was waking up every two hours to go to the bathroom, and now it's only a couple of times a night. How long does it take to reach a new equilibrium of nighttime fluids?

tater pie · Post by **tater pie** » Wed Nov 08, 2006 12:04 pm

When I first started treatment, nothing much happened. Then after I got everything straightened out with the correct mask and got the mouth leaks stopped, I had so much more energy that I wanted to do something all of the time. I painted the entire outside of my house by myself and would walk at least 2 miles a day. I lost 20 pounds. Then after about 8 or 9 months, the energy leveled out and I began to put on weight again. I gained back the 20 pounds I lost plus I put on 8 or 10 more. That's the story of my life. I lose weight and then gain it all back plus 8 or 10 more. I had to stop walking last summer because I developed a heal spur and you won't do much walking with one of those so I'm battling the weight again.

My daughter had a lap band put in last July and so far has lost 40 pounds but let me tell ya, those aren't as easy as they try to make it look on all of the commercials on t.v. You basically can't eat anything but protein bars and shakes because you have to keep your protein intake up or your hair starts coming out like crazy. If you eat more than 3 ounces at a time, you will throw it back up and if you don't chew it really well, and I mean really, really well, it will get stuck in your stomach and that hurts a lot. It doesn't take away your desire for eating either and that can cause despression and irritability.

All in all, I guess there is no easy way to lose weight. It's just hard work.

snork1 · Post by **snork1** » Thu Nov 09, 2006 2:51 pm

This is an interesting thread.
I would think that the extra energy from good sleep on CPAP would burn more calories(assuming the energy is USED) and result in weight loss for most people.

I also gained about 10 pounds for seemingly no reason when I got on CPAP. I actually REDUCED calories and kept my usual high level of exercise, but the pounds crept up. I chalked it off to cresting 50 years old.

Then I switched from CPAP to a dental device for my apnea and have DROPPED 10 pounds and seem to be stable again, which sort of kills the theory that it was JUST age for me. Although I certainly consume a lot less calories than I used to, but that only seems to matter for me with apnea in control, but not by CPAP.

I have heard many stories where CPAP has given people the energy they need to start an exercise program and drop some pounds.

It just shows we aren't all stamped out with the same cookie cutter!

Sleepy-eyes · Post by **Sleepy-eyes** » Thu Nov 09, 2006 9:50 pm

My machine tells me I've only put 122.7 hours in under the hose, so I can't say if I've gained or lost weight yet. However, my cousin is a mere shadow of his former self after just a year on his machine. Said his doctor told him it would happen. He's lost around 35 pounds.

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