there is a way out!

I recently had a life changing event which required hospitalization. While I was in the hospital, having been on a breathing tube and IV for a week or so, I lost about 20 pounds. Even in my dazed condition, I realized an opportunity. I have a new life and a new attitude about eating. If you're not hungry, don't eat. When you do eat, eat less than you used to.

Before the event I had a sleep test and was using a dreaded CPAP machine for years. After the weight loss, I felt (and my wife confirmed) that my snoring & apnea were improved. I had a second sleep test and our impressions were correct - I went from severe apnea to mild. They told me I can get by with sleeping on my side and NO CPAP machine!

I can't guarantee this will work for you but there are SO many benefits to weight loss. Give it a try.

I am happy you were able to improve your apnea to the mild state; but the operative word here is improve, not cure. Even those with mild apnea could benefit from a low pressure to help open their airway. Your use of the word 'dreadful' speaks volumes of your view of this life saving therapy. I would caution you to the fact that weight loss is not a guarantee that this is gone. As you get older it may get worse again as your muscles lose more elasticity thus allowing your throat muscles to block your airway again. I know I've read of some instances of folks who have been able to go off cpap therapy after losing a lot of weight, but my sleep doctor told me he has yet to see a patient in whom this has worked for long. Weight definitely made your apnea worse, but the physical architecture of your mouth and throat is still intact and you should be aware of that fact. You might be a good candidate for a dental appliance at this point. Regardless, mild apnea means you are still having events during sleep... diminished O2 at any level is cumulative and damaging. Think on that for a bit....

And many of us cannot "lose weight" in an attempt to cure/modify our apnea because we're already at our correct weight: I'm 5'1'' and weigh all of 108 lbs. That's a BMI of 20.4 and means that my BMI is right at the border between "underweight" and "normal" for my age and sex. Losing weight won't do a dang thing about my apnea.

Right - for most people it is about throat structure - not obesity. In fact for many they are obese BECAUSE they have OSA not vice versa

The only way out of this right now is in a wooden box.

Many people have hung on to their denial until it killed them.
Please let us know where to send flowers.
I'm not trying to be harsh; but CPAP compliance is around 50% across the general population.
You can see them everywhere you look:
The morbidly obese person rolling around in a scooter(dozing in the store);
the athlete nodding off in class,
the truck driver who just jackknifed his rig--or killed a whole family.
We are everywhere.
We on this forum choose to live--whatever it takes.
Pleas join us.

Sounds like an infomercial to me.

mick m wrote:I recently had a life changing event which required hospitalization. While I was in the hospital, having been on a breathing tube and IV for a week or so, I lost about 20 pounds. Even in my dazed condition, I realized an opportunity. I have a new life and a new attitude about eating. If you're not hungry, don't eat. When you do eat, eat less than you used to.

Before the event I had a sleep test and was using a dreaded CPAP machine for years. After the weight loss, I felt (and my wife confirmed) that my snoring & apnea were improved. I had a second sleep test and our impressions were correct - I went from severe apnea to mild. They told me I can get by with sleeping on my side and NO CPAP machine!

I can't guarantee this will work for you but there are SO many benefits to weight loss. Give it a try.

How long ago did this happen?

You are absolutely right. I am losing weight too and my OSA is improving. Hopefully I won't need a CPAP machine in the near future.

We don't know how mild mild is.

My only advise is do what your sleep doc says. If he says you can get by with sleeping on your side, then I don't doubt it. Just keep an eye on your blood pressure. But congrats!