Lost 75 pounds- Apnea not better, Mask doesnt fit

[dizzy1]

I'm sure for most of you, a doctor has told you that if you lose weight it will help or even eliminate your OSA. And while I'm sure this is true in many cases, it sure isn't in my case. I recently lost 75 lbs (or just over 34kg for my Eurofriends) and my apnea is no better. In fact, it seems worse because my mask no longer fits my less bulky face. And since it didn't fit, I had to overtighten which never helps. So I got a smaller size of the same mask (Mirage Quattro full face) and it still doesn't seem to fit. It seemed too big, still. So I tried the Respironics Comfortgel which I was told molds to your face more effectively. No go. It leaks like crazy no matter how I adjust it or I have to overtighten. Is there a full face mask out there for skinny folks?

So losing weight won't neccessarily help your OSA as I can attest. And on top of that, losing so much weight and at a fairly quick pace has really messed my body up. All my hair is falling out, my skin is terrible, and I can't seem to stop losing weight no matter how much I eat. I'm being tested for thyroid and other problems but my doc just says it's something called telogen effluvium where a physical stress wreaks havoc on your hair. Still, this is causing me overwhelming anxiety and depression, which is probably another reason why I don't sleep well anymore.

So Is there a full face mask that's known to fit a skinnier, more narrow face or is it all just specific to each person? I guess I'm going to have to keep trying masks until I find a proper fit. It's costing me a fortune though. Also, is there a sleep medication that doesn't make my OSA worse? Ambien has not been kind to me.

I have to go for ANOTHER sleep study on the 4th of October. I'm already nervous. I hardly slept the last time and that's when I wasn't extremely anxious and stressed all the time.

I wish with all my heart that I could just give up this CPAP nonsense. I'm a twentysomething single male who's tired of mortifying sleep partners with snoring/apnea or having to explain to them why I'm hooked up to a friggin machine after sex. And tired of the hideous marks. These 3 years have just been an incredible pain with only occassional sleep improvement. But I know I can't stop.
Thank you very much for all who took the time to read my whiny rant. I needed to vent. If anyone can help with any of my various problems it would be much appreciated. God Bless....

[jdm2857]

Get to your sleep study early. The lab should have a selection of masks for you to try. Lie down with the mask and machine, adjust each one and see if you can find one that works for you.

[allen476]

Hi,

Welcome to the forum. If you could take a few moments and fill in your equipment in your profile (User Control Panel - Profile tab - Edit Equipment) to let us know what you have.

I would like to know what kind of diet you have been on. Accelerated hair loss and skin problems can be caused by crash dieting (also seen in bariatric patients after surgery). This is a signal that you are not getting enough vitamins. Have you tried a vitamin supplement? How much protein are taking in?

As far as masks go, I would say the same as the above post, get to your sleep study early and they should have an assortment of masks and sizes to try. Find one and then write down what you used. You might want to consider a sleeping aid for that night as well.


Allen

[Guest]

tired of mortifying sleep partners with snoring/apnea or having to explain to them why I'm hooked up to a friggin machine after sex

'

Then these aren't the people you want to be sleeping with, anyway.

[SleepingUgly]

I can't help with a FFM that doesn't leak, as I had the same problems.

You need to keep looking for an answer to why you're losing weight "no matter how much (you) eat". That doesn't happen unless something is out of wack, and that "something" may explain many of your problems--the hair, skin, weight, and mood.

As far as your sleep study, ask your doctor if there is a sleeping aid you can take that will get you through the study. Ambien CR was no good for me the next day, but I could take 10mg of the short-acting Ambien and got through a sleep study like that. Or perhaps there is another one you can take.

[jazzer4]

Welcome to the Forum dizzy1

Here you can rant all you want, as we feel your pain
Keep posting, the people here are very supportive.

Your just a young man and you have to know things "will get better"
You lost a lot of weight, so be proud of yourself.

I'm pretty small myself and I still can't find a mask that fits me great. I think when your face is thinner it's harder, at least it has been for me.
But, we have to keep trying.

Susan

[OutaSync]

I can't find a FF mask that fits, either. It's SoftGel and tape for me.

[Junebug999]

hi dizzy1 ....you have come to the right place to rant....you have a lot going on, but here you can get some very knowledgable people who FEEL your pain and will help you (I'm new so don't have advice other than support and encouragement for you to hang in there!!

[Julie]

You need to see a new MD, because what's happening to you is not normal and needs to be addressed right away.

[Slartybartfast]

DIz',

Wondering if you would mind letting us in on how you lost so much weight. From your description of the aftereffects/side effects, it sounds like maybe that's a method that others should be aware of.

[Palamedes]

Hey but on the plus side you lost 75 pounds.. that's great! (assuming it was there to lose and was lost in a healthy fashion I guess.. Pretty sure I'd have to amputate a couple legs to get results like that.. )

And I agree that weight can play a factor but not be the culprit.. In one of my sleep labs in the next room was a little 90lb woman in her 30's who snored like an asthmatic warthog.. She had horrible apnea according to the dr.. Weight certainly wasn't her issue.. She was in good shape!

As to your poor sleeping.. Yuck.. Have you thought about a nasal pillow or a total face mask?

[dizzy1]

Allen-
Thanks for the reply. I see you too are from upstate NY. I'm from Binghamton, went to school in Syracuse, and now live and work in Poughkeepsie. Anyway yes it was essentially a crash diet. I wasn't starving myself or taking diet pills or anything but I was only taking in about a quarter of the calories that I was accustomed too and a very minimal protein intake. I don't know what I was doing. I was just finally so fed up with being so overweight that I went nuts I guess. I saw the pounds coming off and just went with it. But I've been eating right and taking a mult-vitamin and some other supplements for about a month now. And I'm consuming about 90g of protein a day, which I'm told is more than enough. Things still aren't right. But I've been told that's what happens when you lose so much so quickly. I did lose about 75 pounds in 3 months or so, which even sounds insane to me typing it. Honestly all I did was like a half hour on the treadmill everyday.

Anyway I'm glad to hear that they'll have different mask at the study. Although I'm not so optimistic. I've tried 2 or 3 different masks on over the last couple months and they seem to fit fine. But when I get them home, strap them on and lie down they leak like crazy no matter how much I fiddle with it.

[dizzy1]

I can't help with a FFM that doesn't leak, as I had the same problems.

You need to keep looking for an answer to why you're losing weight "no matter how much (you) eat". That doesn't happen unless something is out of wack, and that "something" may explain many of your problems--the hair, skin, weight, and mood.

As far as your sleep study, ask your doctor if there is a sleeping aid you can take that will get you through the study. Ambien CR was no good for me the next day, but I could take 10mg of the short-acting Ambien and got through a sleep study like that. Or perhaps there is another one you can take.

As I poke around the forum, I see a lot of people with full face masks have leak problems. It's nice to see I'm not alone but it's frustrating. You'd think they would've figured out a design that wouldn't. But I guess people's faces are so different that it's tough.

But you are right about the weight. I got my bloodwork back today and my doc said I was "on the cusp" of being hyperthyroid and my symptoms seem to fit that. Plus I have a family history of thyroid disorders. So I'm going to an endocrinologist in a couple weeks. Hopefully he can get me straightened out. But from what I read, it's tough to treat. It's hard to find the right medicine and dosage that my body responds too. A lot of trial and error.

[dizzy1]

DIz',

Wondering if you would mind letting us in on how you lost so much weight. From your description of the aftereffects/side effects, it sounds like maybe that's a method that others should be aware of.

Yes I would like to caution anyone here who may be thinking of committing themselves to a diet and excercise plan. Let me tell you some things that most people know but apparently I was naive to. For starters, never lose more than 2-3 pounds per week. If you're losing more, eat more-exercise less. Make sure your diet isn't drastically different from what it normally is. And make sure your diet (and multi-vitamin) includes your essential vitamins like A,B,C,D,E, etc as well as iron, zinc, silica, and biotin if you'd like to keep your hair. Also, take it easy on the coffee and energy drinks. Losing weight is great. And for awhile I was on top of the world. Then my body finally went nuts from being deprived of it's vital nutrients. I encourage everyone to drop a few pounds if you need to. But do it the right way. Learn from my mistakes.

[dizzy1]

Hey but on the plus side you lost 75 pounds.. that's great! (assuming it was there to lose and was lost in a healthy fashion I guess.. Pretty sure I'd have to amputate a couple legs to get results like that.. )

And I agree that weight can play a factor but not be the culprit.. In one of my sleep labs in the next room was a little 90lb woman in her 30's who snored like an asthmatic warthog.. She had horrible apnea according to the dr.. Weight certainly wasn't her issue.. She was in good shape!

As to your poor sleeping.. Yuck.. Have you thought about a nasal pillow or a total face mask?

LOL asthmatic warthog. I like that. Yeah I don't know why I'm surprised my apnea isn't any better. But dad is smaller than I am and he's a sleep apnea patient himself. I've tried the nasal masks. I can't do it. I breathe almost exclusively through my mouth, even when I'm awake. I think that's partially because I have bad allergies pretty much year-round so my nose is always congested. Possibly if I got on an allergy medication I may be able to use that type of mask. But I doubt it. I'm pretty sure I've always been a mouthbreather haha.