Questions about Sleep Apnea

[Froggie D 1]

I was wondering how many people with sleep apnea were able to stop using their C-pap after losing weight?

How much did you lose when you stopped needing your machine?

Do you have to have a new sleep study to stop using the machine?

I have lost 50 pounds and my mask doesn't seem to fit the same as it did. I would love to be able to stop using the C-pap completely. Looking forward to the day........

[adagray 1]

I had sleep apnea, but never got used to wearing the CPAP. I know, bad! But, my husband told me about two months ago (which was 4 months post-surgery) that I don't snore at all anymore. If you don't snore, you can't have sleep apnea. So, that is how I've confirmed that my sleep apnea is gone. My husband almost always goes to bed later than me so if I was still snoring, he would certainly hear it. But, you could always set up a tape recorder overnight to check it yourself.

Of course, if you are still snoring, then its more complicated because just because you're snoring, does not mean you still have sleep apnea. My surgeon recommends going in for a follow-up sleep study after you've lost 50+ pounds.

[agiudice 0]

well it's a bit more complicated than that!

background....I am the manager of the Cook County Hospital system of sleep labs, I have been working in the field of sleep science for over 13 years...

I realize the big push is to loose enough weight to get rid of cpap. However...think of your airway as an accordian. If that accordian has been signifcantly stretched with weight and severe sleep apnea (i.e. your airway pumping and stretching to breathe) you may never be able to successfully ween from the cpap. This is more often the case with men than women.

Additionally snoring is not a good indicator of hypoventilation. Many people no longer have their tonsils and won't make the loud snore sounds we associate with sleep apnea. It does indicate an obstruction, but either can exist without the other.

There are many types of sleep disordered breathing and because of that I have patients of all shapes and sizes walk out my door with cpap and bipap machines.

Good luck , it's a tough thing to deal with. And if I can answer anyone's questions just message me!

[Will_B_Healthy 0]

Thanks for your insight, agiudice! Spot on. :thumbup:

Seems in our rush to rid ourselves of all the trappings of our ugly past we are quick to make the same mistakes that led us to the dead ends of obesity. We need to take it slower and smarter; get your information from legitimate sources rather than anecdotal.

I was diagnosed with sleep apnea during my early consultation my physician said after about a 40 to 50 pound weight loss I would need to adjust my machine. If I didn't it would introduce too much air and I might spend most of my days expending it from either end (he was much more eloquent than that but the core idea was less gas when adjusting the device). He said it may seem like I no longer need the machine. He cautioned me not to stop until we had discussed the details. There was a possibility I might transition to a static device fitted to my mouth instead. He likened sleep apnea to alcoholism: you will always have it lingering in the background no matter how many days you have kicked the machine. I would have been happy knowing it was "chronic" a tad less pejorative. I got the point.

What I can state is I am sleeping sounder and getting the much needed rest. It may be due to a variety of factors but at this point I am not going to start cutting the cord on anything that has got me this far.

Keep us informed, agiudice.

Regards as always,

[adagray 1]

I did a little more research just to make sure. So, I was wrong to say you can't have sleep apnea without snoring, but it is REALLY REALLY rare to have sleep apnea without snoring. The statistic I found said that 95%+ people who have sleep apnea also snore. I have my tonsils and don't snore at all anymore (not even a light snore).

I guess I'm still taking a small chance by assuming I don't have sleep apnea anymore. There is a chance I could be part of that <5% group. But, seeing as I never could get used to wearing the CPAP, I don't see any sense in going back to the sleep lab for another $2k test to confirm it is gone.

So, for anyone reading this, of course don't take my advice as a medical recommendation. Its just my own personal experience and what I think is reasonable given my personal situation.

I have chosen not to be retested because the chance that I still having sleep apnea (without snoring) is very small and even if I was diagnosed as still having sleep apnea, it wouldn't change my behavior (not wearing CPAP).

[Froggie D 1]

well it's a bit more complicated than that!

background....I am the manager of the Cook County Hospital system of sleep labs, I have been working in the field of sleep science for over 13 years...

I realize the big push is to loose enough weight to get rid of cpap. However...think of your airway as an accordian. If that accordian has been signifcantly stretched with weight and severe sleep apnea (i.e. your airway pumping and stretching to breathe) you may never be able to successfully ween from the cpap. This is more often the case with men than women.

Additionally snoring is not a good indicator of hypoventilation. Many people no longer have their tonsils and won't make the loud snore sounds we associate with sleep apnea. It does indicate an obstruction, but either can exist without the other.

There are many types of sleep disordered breathing and because of that I have patients of all shapes and sizes walk out my door with cpap and bipap machines.

Good luck , it's a tough thing to deal with. And if I can answer anyone's questions just message me!

I have been using a c-pap for about 4 years and it has made a significant difference n my sleepiness, energy, and I have been very successful wearing it, even with naps.

I have lost 53 pounds now and my nasal pillows are somehow different. I have had to tighten up the fit to keep air from leaking out and it is making my nose sore. I keep my mouth closed but find air leaking into my mouth when I sleep and it is drying my mouth out. This never used to happen.

I wonder if the pressure is higher than it needs to be now? Would that make this happen? Do I need to do another sleep study to check this out? or can they adjust the machine without a new study?

What happens if you pressure is too high? Can it cause problems?

Since I have met my deductible and my out of pocket maximum now with having my surgery, I guess that this would be a good time to do something.

Thanks for your help with this.