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does losing weight help with sleep apnoea?
is it true that losing weight can help you with sleep apnoea?,or will i have it for the rest of my life?,when i was first diagnosed with apnoea,i was 23 stone, i have always been a big bloke,last year i asked this question to the the nurse on my yearly hospital appointment,and she was not the sharpest shryinge in the medical cabinet if you know what i mean,since then i have lost 16 lbs and 2cms off my neck but i still fell the same,if i dont use my resmed machine at night ,then i have headaches all day,if anyone could help me with my queries,i would appreciate it,many thanks richard
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Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Kath Hope on
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It is true that losing weight can help with sleep apnoea Richard, but unfortunately most people aren't cured by weight loss alone. Some say that if you can lose 10% of your weight, then you'll lower your apnoeas by 25%, however, I'm not sure if that's been proved. You will always hear stories of people who have cured their OSA with weight loss, but for most people this isn't the case. Perhaps if liposuction for the fatty neck tissue was available it might be possible LOL.
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Permalink Reply by Mark Winmill on
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I was diagnosed with Sleep Apnoea approximately 18 months ago, I weighed 25 stone. If I went more than one night without using my CPAP machine I knew about it, all the old problems turned up again, mainly dropping off to sleep every five minutes. Over the last 12 months I've managed to get my weight down to 20 stone and the difference is amazing. I dont require the CPAP machine every night as previously and my partner tells me I dont snore as much or as loudly either. I would definitely recoomend losing weight its hard work but the results have personally been worth it. Hope I've helped. Good luck.
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Permalink Reply by RockRpsgt on
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I typically see a small loss in OSA severity with weight loss. Meaning that it is more likely to lower your AHI then to cure. To date I only know of 2 people to beat apnea. One was one of my pt's whom underwent beriatric surgery. This person lost 180ilbs and was able to get off of CPAP. The other is still an active member of the Sleepguide.com. This person went through numerous painful surgeries to correct the problem. I will also say that this last person's OSA was "different".
I have done almost 1k studies and have talked to many more that suffer from some sort of apnea. These are the only two that I know who have beaten it.
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That's great news Mark. Have you have a repeat sleep study to check how your doing?
Mark Winmill said:
I was diagnosed with Sleep Apnoea approximately 18 months ago, I weighed 25 stone. If I went more than one night without using my CPAP machine I knew about it, all the old problems turned up again, mainly dropping off to sleep every five minutes. Over the last 12 months I've managed to get my weight down to 20 stone and the difference is amazing. I dont require the CPAP machine every night as previously and my partner tells me I dont snore as much or as loudly either. I would definitely recoomend losing weight its hard work but the results have personally been worth it. Hope I've helped. Good luck.
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Permalink Reply by Tigers Fan on
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Absolutely no guarantee that weight loss will 'cure' OSA but it will improve your general health and joie de vivre.
I know two people had bariatric surgery and both came off CPAP. Does that amount to 'cured'? And I know one who was showing all the symptoms of OSA but one look at my CPAP kit sent her on a blood test diet, lost a lot of weight and no longer even snores, but annoyingly bounds around like a young Tigger.
Has three out of three inspired me to lose weight? Suffice it to say, my pressure is 16.5cm H2O.
TF
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When I was first diagnosed, although I wasn't obese or greatly overweight, I did have what folk call "middle age spread" and my own specialist told me that losing weight would no doubt help. Being a model patient ;) I joined Slimming World, and I have to say how easy I found it to lose the weight by following the diet, but probably also due to me by then getting quality sleep. I lost 2.5 stones, and had a repeat sleep study which I was sure would prove how much better I was doing. Unfortunately, there was no difference to my AHI of 30. I was pleased to have lost the weight though as that, and CPAP, gave me so much energy.
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Permalink Reply by symmit on
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Getting rid of excess weight isn't a bad thing, regardless of OSA status, however for many of us the OSA is probably not weight dependant.
One good effect of treating the OSA is you get more energy from having a good nights sleep so eat less and do more in the day, so weight loss is made a lot easier.
I snored and snorted when I was under 10 stones, now at about 20 I still do...
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.....which is why I'm convinced in a lot of cases the weight gain comes after the apnoea. Well why doesn't everyone pile it on then? Probably because some people are a lot more scared of putting on the weight so have managed to resist. Many apnoeics have also turned to nicotine + excessive caffeine use (maybe even other things) to 'fix' themselves with a much-needed lift.
symmit said:
......I snored and snorted when I was under 10 stones, now at about 20 I still do...
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In a lot of cases yes, but in the main, I'm convinced the apnoea comes after the McDonald's, KFC and other fast food, not to mention chocoholics such as myself. Let's face it - for the majority of sufferers, it's self-inflicted, self-kidology or not.
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Well, let's agree to 50-50 then? LOL. Do bear in mind though that mine's definitely not a weight issue, so am sticking up for all the others who've been told theirs is - even the chocoholics amongst you :)
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My apnea actually is a weight issue. Working nights makes keeping the weight down difficult. I fluctuate between 235 and 245. At the lower end of that my AHI is under 5. The other end puts me between 10 and 15. My OSA is also worse when I sleep during the day.
I would agree on a 50-50 ratio. I believe that anatomy, genetics, diet, and lifestyle play equal roles in our health.
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Permalink Reply by suzie Stiles on
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Since being diagnosed 4years ago and using my cpap machine I have lost 10 stone in weight! I was actually accepted for a gastric band because of various health issues aside from the sleep apnoea, but didn't go through with this in the end and joined Slimming World to lose the weight. The main difference I have found with regard to weight loss is since using my cpap machine is I am not so tired and lacking in energy therefore I am not forever eating (and drinking) high sugar, high calorie food & drinks! Before my cpap I would regularly get up in the night for both drink & food which I don't do now! I suppose we get stuck in a vicious circle - we are tired so we eat for energy but that doesn't last so we eat some more and the weight piles on!
I haven't been retested since my weight loss but I can go days and sometimes a week without using my cpap without any detriment. I am also not snoring etc anywhere as near as much.
Recently I was told by my local hospital that anyone being considered for any kind of bariatric surgery there now has to undergo a sleep study first and if found to have sleep apnoea they will be treated for that before undergoing weight loss surgery.
Suzie xxx
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