Lost Weight But Can't Chuck the BiPAP

Hi All.
I've been using a BiPAP machine 24/18 for 4 years now. Feel great.
About 8 months ago ago I underwent LAP-Band surgery. Very successful. Went down 90 lbs from 285 to 195.
However, if I try to to sleep without my machine, I still have apneas, and am tired during the day, just as before I began its use.
How much does one have to lose to be able to chuck OSA?
Or is this impossible?

There is considerable discussion in the forum about which came first: (like the chicken or the egg.)
Apnea is more likely to cause obesity, or be aggravated by it, than to be caused by it.
My sleep doc says that most people keep using their machines after weight loss,
as it promotes better quality sleep. Apnea is rarely, if ever, cured.--some say 'never'.
Your weight loss may indeed change your pressure requirement--check with your doctor.
It's not so bad--I wonder how many people out there are undiagnosed, untreated, suffering, and dying.
We are the lucky ones. Someday there may be a cure. Who knows when?

Who told you or what made you think that losing weight would eliminate Obstructive Sleep Apnea?
This "chicken or egg" discussion has occurred many, many times over the years on this forum.
In reality, in the vast majority of cases, the Sleep Apnea caused the weight gain........not the other way around.
There are many people who are normal weight or slim who have OSA, too. And, there are a number of them on this forum to vouch for it.

Glad to hear you lost some weight. That never hurts.


Den

Thanx!
The technician at the sleep center told me that losing weight would help me get rid of it.
Although, the truth is, my doctor did tell me that there are many skinny people who have osa. It depends on the build of their throat, etc.
Oh well. I can, sadly, think of worse than using a bipap machine.

BTW does anyone know any links off-hand about where to read up on "what came first" discussion mentioned?

Go up to the Search line and put in "chicken or egg" and there will be about 19 pages of links. There are obviously other discussions within those pages, but many of them pertain to this subject.


Den

If you're interested in academic links, try searching in scholar.google.com, instead of the usual google.

My DME is a respiratory therapist and IIRC also a CPAP user. He is quite slender and fit. So, I myself am hoping it was my sleep apnea that made me gain weight.

galicianer wrote:BTW does anyone know any links off-hand about where to read up on "what came first" discussion mentioned?

I just posted this yesterday--it's basically some quotes from fairly recent studies and research.

viewtopic/t60762/A-few-newer-studies-on ... -LONG.html

Weezy

I was told by two sleep study doctors to lose weight to treat my apnea. So should I not trust that sleep center and decide their doctors are spreading incorrect information--or should I trust what the sleep doctors told me? I say listen to your doctor.

I do not expect my weight loss to 'cure' my apnea; My tongue is slightly scalloped along the sides--possibly a sign of apnean architecture.

Snore-question wrote:I was told by two sleep study doctors to lose weight to treat my apnea. So should I not trust that sleep center and decide their doctors are spreading incorrect information--or should I trust what the sleep doctors told me? I say listen to your doctor.

Yes, you should listen to your doctor if you trust him or her and know that they are up on the latest research (some sleep doctors are up to date, some are not). OSA and weight are very complex and researchers are just now beginning to explore and understand the connections. In the past, the assumption has primarily been that weight causes OSA; however, the more complex picture is beginning to emerge through studying the impact of sleep deprivation and its impact on the metabolic system.

It could be that you are one of the people whose OSA was caused by weight gain and if so, if you lose weight your OSA may go away. Many people have OSA because of anatomical issues and then gain weight because of metabolic dysfunction caused by the sleep deprivation from OSA--those people will not "cure" their OSA by losing weight (but they will gain the other benefits of losing weight).

Weezy