Dr. Oz's comments about Sleep Apnea

JulySky · Post by **JulySky** » Thu Jul 26, 2007 5:50 pm

Hi All,

FYI, it was posted on the forum at SleepApnea.org that Dr. Oz made some brief comments about sleep apnea on both the Oprah and the Charlie Rose TV shows.

Basically he said that the best way to treat sleep apnea is to lose weight, and that if one lost 5% of their weight, then the sleep apnea (symptoms) would improve by 30%. He didn't say anything about PAP treatment.

This advice is also given at the link to the Oprah show: http://www.oprah.com/health/yourbody/yo ... _109.jhtml

thread about the Oprah show:
http://www.apneasupport.org/about11222.html

thread about Charlie Rose show:
http://www.apneasupport.org/about11256.html

Just wondering what your thoughts are about his comments.

socknitster · Post by **socknitster** » Thu Jul 26, 2007 6:16 pm

I'm disappointed. I thought Oz was smarter than making half-baked comments like that. I will now take his comments with more grains of salt. He is a surgeon, a heart surgeon I believe, Maybe he should stick to his specialty and leave sleep disorders alone.

Jen

Babette · Post by **Babette** » Thu Jul 26, 2007 6:18 pm

Read his book. He comes off pretty half-witted in it.

Oprah only hires people who aren't as smart as she is, so they don't make her look dumb. Think about it.

Cheers,
B.

JZ · Post by JZ » Thu Jul 26, 2007 6:30 pm

So, let's see. I weigh 120. So if I went all the way down to 114 I would have a 30% improvement in my OSA? Then I wonder why a few years ago when I went from 140 to 120 I did not realize a 90% improvement in my sleep apnea from a 15% weight loss. Although my OSA was undiagnosed at that time, I don't believe there was any improvement as measured by snore quantity and volume or daytime tiredness.

You don't have to have too much expertise about sleep apnea to know that: 1) not everyone with sleep apnea is overweight, and 2) only some of those with sleep apnea who are overweight get significant symptom relief when they lose weight.

Personally, I am all for the weight loss (it would be better for me to be at 114 than 120), but the main benefits of weight loss will be reduced risk for cardiovascular disease and diabetes.

I agree with socknitster. Dr. Oz could speak authoritatively about weight and heart disease. Maybe not too authoritative about sleep apnea.

Janna

Slinky · Post by **Slinky** » Thu Jul 26, 2007 7:11 pm

Maybe ????

DreamStalker · Post by **DreamStalker** » Thu Jul 26, 2007 7:53 pm

He's gotta sell books ... his books are about losing weight. If his books were about CPAP, then he would have said the best way to treat SA is to use CPAP. It's always about the dollar.

JulySky · Post by **JulySky** » Thu Jul 26, 2007 10:29 pm

Please consider posting a request for the Charlie Rose to do a show about sleep apnea. It is very easy to post comments. It is not necessary to subscribe. There's power in numbers and maybe the message will get through.

Here is a link to the show and where to post a comment:
http://www.charlierose.com/shows/2007/0 ... -mehmet-oz

Thank you.

Stefernie · Post by **Stefernie** » Fri Jul 27, 2007 11:15 am

Honestly, yes, I think if you lose weight your sleep apnea will improve. It sounds like he was throwing that 5% number out there randomly.

There are some things Dr. Oz uh, MISSED....
Not everyone with OSA is overweight.
It's *10%* weight loss that makes a big health difference.

Snoredog · Post by **Snoredog** » Fri Jul 27, 2007 1:12 pm

what does he know!! he's a skinny little fart!!

I was about as skinny as he is when I got diagnosed w/AHI=72 and SA02 @67%, didn't seem to help me any.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri Jul 27, 2007 1:46 pm

He's a heart surgeon! If OSA is treated with CPAP... Then less heart problems which would be less work for him.
It's all about the money.

andyomega · Post by **andyomega** » Sat Jul 28, 2007 8:07 am

If I lost anymore weight I would die.
Thin people get OSA just the same.
I never was heavy and neither was my father.

Dave2you · Post by **Dave2you** » Sat Jul 28, 2007 9:33 pm

it's the old "It will get better if you lose Weight" cop out.

If it does it proves it

If it doesn't, you need to lose more

If it Still doesn't after you lost all the Weight, then don't you feel better anyway.

the of doctor Ace in the hole.

other aces are....

Stop smoking
Stop drinking
get more sleep.
control your Stress

Any of these gems are ringers For talk shows. because they can't be argued, even if they didn't Cause the issue, they are smart to do

the danger lies is that it does two terrible things.

First, it makes others think you did this to yourself. So they have no pity. like you deserve it,

Second, it attaches a reason makes a one stop fix.do this all is better.

what he fails to mention, is the weight might be the Symptom of the condition.

wait, that's no fun 'that gives Someone an excuse to aroid aw easy ace

what a good doctor would Say...

there is no one cause of apnea, but there are many things that can make it
worse, weight, alcohol, lifestyle, Pillows, sleeping Positions, stress. allergies.

what's important is not what is Causing it, but treating it.

because it is deadly, and people ignore It

treatment with Cpap or other means until you can do one of two things

decrease the things that make it worse, So it becomes manageable.

or accept it, treat it, move On.

Just don't ignore it.

That's the doctor I will listen too.

Bookbear · Post by **Bookbear** » Sat Jul 28, 2007 10:16 pm

I think the "You snore because you're male, you snore because you're overweight, you have apnea because you're overweight" mantra is pretty deeply ingrained in the medical community as a whole.

Just a cursory look at the members here would show that none of those statements is necessarily true for even a minority of patients. I personally know of one guy who has lost half his body weight in the last two years (175, down from 350). He still has apnea, though his pressure needs have dropped form 19 to 15. He says he snored like a freight train even as a teen, and he was lean then... a swimmer, weighed about 130.

For a good number here, it seems the weight gain happens as a result of the apnea, not as a cause of it.

Oz needs to be reading some of the medical literature on apnea before he pontificates. At least some doctors are questioning the old "truths" and are finding that their research does not support those old shibboleths.

Elle · Post by **Elle** » Sat Jul 28, 2007 11:48 pm

I've lost 115 lbs in a year and a half with no improvement in OSA

rested gal · Post by **rested gal** » Sun Jul 29, 2007 12:28 am

You hit the target squarely, Dave2you!! And so did you, Bookbear! Good posts.

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Additional Comments: Avg. AHI .4