No longer needing cpap

[araminta]

The more I talk about my sleep apnea to folks I socialize with, the more I discover all these people who are CPAP users -- but who never spoke of it. That doesn't surprise me. Many people don't want to talk about what might be perceived as a "weakness" or "limitation".

But what I am surprised with are the stories of friends who were using CPAP machines for many years, and then seemed to reach a point where they no longer needed to use the machine. I don't know if they somehow learned to sleep in a different position. Or tone up their muscles. Or perhaps loss of weight. Or perhaps a combination of several factors.

I was surprised to hear these stories, from friends who were using cpap each nite. And then at some point decided to test the waters and see what is was like to sleep without CPAP.

And it seems like it's not been a topic discussed here -- at least for the few months I've been hanging around this forum.

[Babette]

Those people are usually the ones who post with the subject line "Goodbye."

I've met some of those people - two of whom are back on cpap therapy after my coaching, and in one instance, my loaning them my Auto for a week to re-titrate.

People tend to put the best spin on something they can. Rather than tell you they "failed out" and quit, they tell you they don't need it anymore.

Cheers,
B.

[JeffH]

What Babette said. Type "cpap" into any Craigslist search in any city in the country and you will find someone trying to sell a cpap machine because "they don't need it anymore". BS. I've never heard of a cure for sleep apnea yet.


JeffH

[Silver Pelt]

There are certainly other treatments for OSA than xPAP. Like most things medical, different things work for different people. There are dental appliances, significant weight loss, stopping alcohol use, changing sleeping positions, sleeping in a chair, and no doubt many more. I don't call BS when I hear of someone who has stopped using their machine, although I do suspect that many if not most are due to their finding that the significant lifestyle changes and effort required for successful xPAP therapy are more than they care to take on. To each his own.

I'd love to get rid of my machine, but I won't do it until I'm thoroughly convinced that other lifestyle changes or treatments have truly controlled the apneas. For now and the foreseeable future, I'm a hosehead.

[georgepds]

There are certainly other treatments for OSA than xPAP....sleeping in a chair, ...

Funny you should mention that.. I seem to sleep great when sitting in a chair... Maybe a lazyboy is what I really need

[JeffH]

Been on the hose over 10 years and I tried several of the things you spoke of before getting on the hose. They didn't work and the hose did. Like we say in Okiehoma, 'nuff said.

JeffH

[JosephSchmoe]

There are certainly other treatments for OSA than xPAP. Like most things medical, different things work for different people. There are dental appliances, significant weight loss, stopping alcohol use, changing sleeping positions, sleeping in a chair, and no doubt many more.

Yeah, sleeping in a chair, thats the ticket. I sometimes get obstruction sitting in my recliner, only slightly reclined with feet up, fully awake. Not an option for me. My whole family has cpap, including my bony brother. I'm hoping weight loss will allow me to decrease the pressure.

[Silver Pelt]

There are certainly other treatments for OSA than xPAP....sleeping in a chair, ...

Funny you should mention that.. I seem to sleep great when sitting in a chair... Maybe a lazyboy is what I really need

My wife recently noted that when I fall asleep watching TV I never snore or stop breathing for hours. Probably gravity isn't pulling the tissues in the same way and narrowing the airway. I did a bit of searching and found several references to people who sleep in a chair. Without a partner or camera to monitor you, a data-reporting xPAP machine, or a recording oximeter I don't know how you would know how much reclining is OK. With chronic lack of sleep, I used to fall asleep on the couch sitting more or less upright and sleep for hours.

Like I said, few things medical work for everyone.

[kteague]

I have known 3 people personally who no longer needed cpap. All had a large weight loss, one included resolving severe edema from heart failure. Two were retested to confirm it. The other, I observed her sleeping and she no longer struggled as in the years before. I haven't known anyone whose situation didn't change that just stopped needing cpap. But then again, there's a whole world of people that I don't know. My personal opinion is that once diagnosed, treatment is needed until diagnosed otherwise. My concern would be that one regained enough strength while on cpap to tolerate the OSA a little longer, and had a false sense of being okay. If someone does find success with a dental device or weight loss or whatever - yippee for them. Just not big on assuming - more a facts kind of person.
Kathy

[Goofproof]

When I die I'm going to have put into my Obit, I don't need my XPAP anymore, I'm cured at last, of everything. Jim

[araminta]

One person who I know lost a fair amount of weight, so perhaps that's why he no longer needed cpap.

The other person I know who after 10 years on the hose stopped, and he is a highly functioning attorney in a position of major responsibility at the state capital. He reports to no longer feeling the overwhelming sense of being tired and of being unable to function as he once did.

Since sleep apnea is a fairly new area of research, I'm curious about the possibility that there might be an aspect to it that has not yet been understood.

[JeffH]

The only way to know if you have been "cured" of OSA is to take another sleep study. Everything else is wishful thinking.


JeffH

[taberge]

How would you even beging to convince the insurance company to pay for another sleep study in order to see if you no longer need CPAP?

I would be interested to know if there is actually a documented case of cured sleep apnea.

I myself have lost close to 50lbs but the machine is still showing apnea and hyponea events so I know I'm not cured. I think some of my problems are hereditary. My dad and aunts and uncles on his side of the family have had problems sleeping with my dad DX years before me with sleep apnea. He started having problems like constant fatigue and even passing out. He even found out he was a diabetic on his exam. I didn't get to that point of passing out thank God. I fell asleep in a chair and my cousin woke me up saying "You seriously need to go see a doctor, you just stopped breathing." I did and I'm on a machine and what do you know I'm a diabetic too.

[araminta]

The only way to know if you have been "cured" of OSA is to take another sleep study. Everything else is wishful thinking.


JeffH

This is completely true.
I'll have to ask them if they were tested.

[Ganesha]

Funny you should mention that.. I seem to sleep great when sitting in a chair... Maybe a lazyboy is what I really need

Do you think your doc will give you a Rx for furniture?