Am i supposed to GAIN weight on cpap or lose it?

[BeanMeScot]

I was already walking a good bit prior to CPAP. Now that I have been on it 5 months, I am walking more and just generally feel more energetic. I am loosing weight. I am also walking a minimum of 2.25 miles EVERY day. Not a couple of days a week. EVERY day. You can actually eat somewhat poorly and still loose weight doing that, as I have found. I eat chocolate every day. I have a treadmill at home and a friend I walk with at work. I generally do one or the other. If I am feeling particuarly energetic, I will walk about 2.5 miles at work on the trail and another mile at home on the treadmill.

[gapwedge]

I gained 9 pounds in 5 Weeks I don't know what the deal is? I don't think I eat anymore than before. Luckily the Grass is starting to grow and I will be Mowing my Lawn and my Aunt's lawn every week. I will load up on the fertilizer this year that way the grass will grow quicker and I will have to mow more often.

I have discovered a similiar problem. I have gained 11 pounds since January 2, 2009, when I began my first night on CPAP. I sleep really well at night and my numbers back that up with my AHI staying at 1.5 or less. I had read where some have lost weight because of this therapy. I have not been anymore inactive or active than normal. Has anyone else experienced a weight gain? Very disappointing to say the least.
Is it possible that the constant struggle during the pre-cpap nights to fight for air and frequent trips to the bathroom that my body was burning many more calories than it does now that I am sleeping like a baby? My metabolism had to be be more active then as compared to now. I have read else where that there are a lot of people that gain weight using CPAP. So, I guess I will really have to start watching how much I eat and increase my exercise intensity because I will not give up my CPAP therapy.

[Dpursi]

I gained 4 pounds in a month but I have not added any exercise to my average day either once I get my numbers down and my oxygen levels up at least at night. I am hopeful that I will feel more like using some of the exercise equipment for more than a coat rack.

[ZIFF]

below is a link to a story from '06 about the top ten NON exercise and nutrition causes of obesity. Number 1 was sleep deprivation. So there is an argument that if all other factors are constant, cpap should lead to weight loss.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/stor ... Id=5546074

[OutaSync]

I've gained 20 pounds since my first sleep study 18 months ago. So, apparently only effective therapy on CPAP helps reduce weight/ When I started this I certainly did not need to lose weight, but I didn't expect to gain it, either.

[DreamStalker]

Well, some of us are losing weight ... so I guess according to the First Law of Thermodynamics, some of y'all have to gain what we lose.

[Portageegal]

I'm one of the ones who has gained. Not happy about that at all.

[gapwedge]

below is a link to a story from '06 about the top ten NON exercise and nutrition causes of obesity. Number 1 was sleep deprivation. So there is an argument that if all other factors are constant, cpap should lead to weight loss.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/stor ... Id=5546074

That argument is not totally valid. You can say what you want, but I have gained 11 pounds in 3 1/2 months since being on CPAP. Do not attempt an argument with the non exercise and nutrition bit because I have been exercising as much or more since prior to CPAP. I know that burning more calories than you take in results in weight loss. You do not have to believe it, but I am proof. Now that it is happening I will need to adjust my eating habits and exercise programs to account for this nearly 1 pound per week gain.

[DreamStalker]

And don't forget to chew your gum ...

Gum Chewing May Cut Craving for Snacks
SUNDAY, April 19 (HealthDay News) -- You might be able to cut down on snacking by chewing more sugarless gum.


During an experiment, people were offered a variety of snacks three hours after a standard lunch and were told they could eat as much of the snacks as they desired. One afternoon the participants also chewed sugarless gum for 15 minutes each hour in the period between lunch and snack time. The other afternoon, gum-chewing was not allowed during that time.


The researchers found that people ate fewer snacks and shaved 40 calories off their in-between meal consumption when they chewed gum, compared with their snack consumption when they didn't chew gum.


The participants -- 115 men and women 18 to 54 years old, all regular gum-chewers -- said that they generally didn't feel as hungry or as desirous of a sweet treat after chewing the gum. They also reported having good energy throughout the afternoon and feeling less drowsy at mid-afternoon snack time than they did on an afternoon when they chewed no gum.


The results were to be presented April 19 in New Orleans at the Experimental Biology 2009 conference.


"Overall, this research demonstrates the potential role chewing gum can play in appetite control, reduction of snack cravings and weight management," researcher Paula J Geiselman, chief of women's health and eating behavior and smoking cessation at Pennington Biomedical Research Center, said in a news release from the conference sponsors. "Even small changes in calories can have an impact in the long term. And, this research supports the role of chewing gum as an easy, practical tool for managing snack, especially sweet snack, intake and cravings."


The study was sponsored by the Wrigley Science Institute, part of the company that makes chewing gum.


More information


The U.S. Department of Agriculture has more about healthy eating.

And before you hit the sack ... use it to seal those mask leaks ...

[ZIFF]

below is a link to a story from '06 about the top ten NON exercise and nutrition causes of obesity. Number 1 was sleep deprivation. So there is an argument that if all other factors are constant, cpap should lead to weight loss.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/stor ... Id=5546074

I was interrupted when I posted the above before finishing what I wanted to say.

Everybody's different. I didn't lose or gain weight when I started cpap. I did however put on about 40 lbs while on one of the many medications I have tried for the residual hypersomnia I have been stuck with for 16 years in spite of completely effective cpap treatment.

The most interesting thing that happened to me on this topic was when I got an apap machine in Sept 05. I lost 20 lbs in 2 months and had made no conscious changes to my exercise or nutrition. Fixed pressure machines were never that good for me, the pressure requirement on my back was excessive on my side. I would wake up on my side either because the air was blowing out of my mouth or because it had dried my mouth out to the point that my cheeks were glued solid to my teeth, both very unpleasant (but hey no apneas, so it was considered to be completely effective treatment). So when I got the auto I began to sleep straight through for 7 or 8 hours without waking, maybe the best sleep I had in my entire life, and lost 20 lbs in 2 months.

[wasColette]

I've resurrected this thread because I think it is something a few, if not a lot, of us deal with. I was really hoping that xpap would help me lose weight, but, alas, it has not. Since I started therapy mid January I have gained 15 pounds. I eat exactly the same way and exercise the same amount, if not more, then I did prior to xpap.

I've decided I must make a change in my diet & up my exercise even more to get this under control as I will not be giving up xpap. I wish there was an easier softer way. I'm going on vacation next week so starting June 1 I will be determined in my eating and exercise and will keep you apprised. It will be good for me to have a place to discuss this and be accountable.

[DreamStalker]

I've resurrected this thread because I think it is something a few, if not a lot, of us deal with. I was really hoping that xpap would help me lose weight, but, alas, it has not. Since I started therapy mid January I have gained 15 pounds. I eat exactly the same way and exercise the same amount, if not more, then I did prior to xpap.

I've decided I must make a change in my diet & up my exercise even more to get this under control as I will not be giving up xpap. I wish there was an easier softer way. I'm going on vacation next week so starting June 1 I will be determined in my eating and exercise and will keep you apprised. It will be good for me to have a place to discuss this and be accountable.

You should focus more on diet than exercise. I'm not discouraging exercise, but exercise contributes a whole lot less towards a caloric deficit than diet. You would have to walk ten miles just to burn off a single Big Mac when it would be much easier to just not eat it in the first place.

If you are significantly overweight/obese and have most of your excess fat around your belly area, you most likely have insulin resistance (metabolic syndrome) and would do well to go on a very low carb diet and limit your exercise to low-moderate walking or very low impact aerobics (at 50 to 60% Max HR) with strength training only once a week.

Alternatively, regardless of body type, you can do a protein sparing modified fast and just occasional walking. Fasting is safe if you maintain a minimum protein intake (about 800 Kcal for women and 1,000 Kcal for men ... think 3 to 4 chicken breasts per day with salads and no dressing and drink nothing but water + omega3 supplements). A PSMF diet does require discipline but works very well for pretty much anyone. It may make some feel very tired since it is ketogenic. You can further modify it however if you want to up the exercise intenisty and turbo-charge the weightloss by adding about 50 grams of medium glycemic carbs about 30 minutes before doing your high intensity exercise.

Being accountable is also a great idea and helps keep you on track. Good luck!

[BlackSpinner]

The weight gains make total sense. When you sleep your digestion is more efficient and is able to store more fat. That is why they say not to eat after 7pm. Change nothing but the sleep in the equation and you will get more fat stored.

On the other hand I found when I was waiting for my test that nibbling all day kept me from crashing onto my laptop which didn't do much for my weight. Since I got the CPAP I have been more active plus I am starting to cook again instead of buying fast food on the way home. Now when I come home I don't crash on the couch with chips but actual move around and do things. TV has lost its interest, it is suddenly boring. I haven't made it to the Gym yet but I am walking when I used to take the buss for a few stops. I am walking the dog farther and more often. I am looking forward to eventually loosing those 40lbs again.

[Tcamille]

Unfortunately, I gained weight when I started cpap therapy. I have more energy now, and am able to work in the yard a lot, so I'm hoping I lose it again. No- hoping is not an option- I HAVE to lose it.

[sleepyprm]

It seems to me like I have gained weight too, although I haven't weighed myself. My clothes are tight, and I'm wondering if it's weight gain or aerophagia and bloating. My face is puffier too. Someone on a plane told me that he looked 10 years younger after starting CPAP therapy. I haven't experience that yet, although how I look is not my highest priority compared to losing my life. I was diagnosed with sleep apnea 2 years ago and have fought the CPAP until about 8 months ago. I still can barely tolerate any mask and am still looking for a mask that works. There was a recent post mentioning the Liberty and the Mirage, I believe, both looked good as they cover the mouth and have a chin strap.

Looking forward to looking and feeling better.