Can the slightly overweight stop apnea with weight loss?

[library lady]

One month ago I was diagnosed with OSA. 35 years ago I had a deviated septum repaired for reasons unrelated to OSA or any other sleep disorder; ever since then I've had trouble breathing through my right nostril because the surgeon nicked a nerve. That's one of the reasons I've become a mouth breather and have to use a full face mask. I very briefly researched surgical options before agreeing to use cpap... told the dr I didn't want to use cpap. None of the surgical/oral options appealed to me in the slightest, and after several days I realized the best option was cpap, and that I should try that first since it is the gold standard for OSA treatment.

Another way to look at it is, if you do surgery first and it doesn't help the OSA, you can't undo whatever was done. If you try cpap first and can't make it work, there's nothing to undo physically. Please give cpap at least a 6-month trial before considering surgery or other options.

I haven't finished adjusting to cpap, but this week I came to conclusion that I can do it and will stick with it. I'm now keeping the mask on all night.

[VikingGnome]

Every person is different. I lost 50 lbs and my OSA got WORSE. I went from CPAP at 10 to BiPAP at 22/18. I think it has something to do with a person's age. I am 60 and my weight loss made my soft palate flabby and hanging down in my throat. My AHI is below 1.0 but data shows I am snoring loudly in FF mask. A younger person would have tissue that is more elastic and be less likely to have this problem.

Women are usually able to lose weight after giving birth without Permanent flabby skin (unless having sextuplets like Jon & Kate plus . Menopausal women that have bariatric surgery usually have plastic surgery to remove excess flabby skin, So whether losing weight will lessen your OSA depends on a lot of factors, age being one,

[SleepingUgly]

Menopause can worsen/create apnea. Woo hoo, yet another thing to look forward to.

[SleepyToo2]

My 2¢... I was 170 when diagnosed. My pressure was 8. Now, I weigh 156, needing a pressure of 11. My OAs are increasing. Could be stress, could be lack of real exercise, could be other factors that I haven't figured out yet. Whatever, in the absence of other serious complications, I would never have been a candidate for bariatric surgery. The "rules" have been relaxed recently, but I would still not have qualified at my "high" weight. Looks like I am going to be using my machine for a long time!