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I read something recently (can't remember where) that they're finding out that people who lose weight (especially a lot) sometimes either get OSA when they've never had it, or it gets worse if they already had it. I don't remember if there were any studies done on that or if they're just surmising, but they were saying that the muscles and tissue in the throat may be loosening up and sagging so much (just like the muscles and skin on the outside of the body can do), that it creates more of an obstruction than before. Wish I could remember where I saw that. Maybe I'll have time to research it later and provide a link.

Paul.Collingwood wrote:Tons and tons of water. Low calorie meals. Exercise. No alcohol, no sugar drinks.

I always had the best luck on low calorie low fat diets, it's easy to incorporate it into your daily lifestyle so that you do not do the yoyo thing.

Good luck!!!!!!

The problem with "diets" is that most of them are temporary.....you lose an amount of weight until you reach a goal.....mainly starvation or depriving yourself of things that you eventually crave......so, unless you make a lifestyle change to what works for you, you're going to be doing the "yoyo thing". I've found over the last year that cutting out most of the carbohydrates and starches works for me. There are actually "good" fats and to claim that a "low fat diet" works better is to ignore some of the benefits that those "good" fats provide.

Den

Yep Den is right.

People need to approach weight issues by changing their way of life. An unhealthy weight indicates and unhealthy life. A healthy weight is a way of life. Change your way of life to find your healthy weight.

Such a way of life consists of moving the organism (exercise), feeding it "real" food (whole, natural, and unrefined), and allowing it to rest (without apnea) so that it can use the food to recover and repair itself from daily exercise. Such is the way of a healthy life.

Hi again,

In response to 'wearyone', regarding slack throat muscles, especially after losing an amount of weight, I was interested to read an article in the "British Medial Journal" where a study has been conducted on participants who improved their OSA hugely by playing the didgeridoo - an Australian aboriginal wind instrument.

The technique is vastly different to playing a recorder or something similar as you blow through your mouth while breathing in through your nose and there's an element of vibration with your lips. They have found it to greatly strengthen the muscles within the throat.

I think I'll be following up on learning more about this. Has anyone here on the forum tried it and had some improvement?

You can google 'sleep apnea didgeridoo BMJ' to find out more.

Deb

debtheveg wrote:Hi again,

In response to 'wearyone', regarding slack throat muscles, especially after losing an amount of weight, I was interested to read an article in the "British Medial Journal" where a study has been conducted on participants who improved their OSA hugely by playing the didgeridoo - an Australian aboriginal wind instrument.

The technique is vastly different to playing a recorder or something similar as you blow through your mouth while breathing in through your nose and there's an element of vibration with your lips. They have found it to greatly strengthen the muscles within the throat.

I think I'll be following up on learning more about this. Has anyone here on the forum tried it and had some improvement?

You can google 'sleep apnea didgeridoo BMJ' to find out more.

Deb

The subject first hit this forum nearly three years ago (Dec. 2005).

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=6215&p=56504&hilit= ... doo#p56504

If you do a forum search, you'll find about 6 pages of posts about the subject. I have yet to hear of any of the ones who bought them coming back and claim that their apnea is "cured" (or even found improvement).

Den

... and the dig won't help you loose weight either ... the original thread topic.

If you want to tone your throat muscles, you can sing or hum or play any wind instrument or just simply blow balloons or anything else

Maybe, if anyone had success strengthening their throat muscles with playing the didgeridoo, and therefore improving their OSA (or even curing it) they no longer come onto the forum.

Well, let us know when your cured before you leave the forum.

Certainly will if it works!

Weight will make a big difference. There is a fat pad behind your throat. The fatter you get the more it closes off your throat. I just had all the surgeries and lost 22 pounds. I feel like a different person and have to say it even made me emotional feeling like a normal person again.

nate fry wrote:Weight will make a big difference. There is a fat pad behind your throat. The fatter you get the more it closes off your throat. I just had all the surgeries and lost 22 pounds. I feel like a different person and have to say it even made me emotional feeling like a normal person again.

Which surgeries did you have?

O.

Well done Nate. I'm doing everything possible to lose some weight and hope it will help (other than surgery).

Deb