A serious poll - treatment of potential sleep apnea

[OrdinaryAvgGuy]

For several years now my wife has told me that I stop breathing while I sleep. From time to time, I wake up short of breath with my heart beating fast trying to catch my breath. I spend many days tired and have difficulty focusing.

Yes, these are classic signs of sleep apnea and yes I have ignored it for a while now. Please don't whip me!

In the past month I have decided to take my health more seriously beginning by adopting healthier eating habits. 250lbs @ 6' places me in the "obese" category with around 34% body fat.

Don't get me wrong, I really don't mind being the jolly fat guy with a round face who eats whatever he wants. I am doing this strictly for health reasons only.

Within 30 days I dropped 12 lbs (pay myself on the back) by cutting out all fried foods, soda and some sugars while drinking lots of water. I'm not starving myself by any means - just eating a ton of green $hit that I never eaten before in my life.

Now... On to the question.

In many cases, sleep apnea (obstructive) is caused by tissue blockage from being overweight.

Should I:

1. Wait to lose the addition 50 lbs that I intend on losing?

or

2. Go to the doctor, have a sleep study done, get a breathing machine, etc?

Before you answer... take into consideration that my insurance sucks. I have a $5,000 deductible that must be paid out of pocket prior to my insurance paying for anything. I could easily see a Dr. visit followed by a specialist followed by a sleep study, followed by more studies, followed by an expensive ass machine easily adding up to $5,000.

If I go to the Dr. now, I will be cursed with a breathing machine for the rest of my life and have an empty hole in my pocket where money once was.

Lets say I lose 50 lbs in the next 5 months. Getting off a breathing machine would require that I go through the testing process all over again to ensue that I have not issues and you guessed it... another $5k.

I am fairly certain that this all started in recent years as I packed on an additional 60+ lbs.

Yes, I know this is a beer forum but I noticed another thread that where several people had apnea issues.

Anyone else have to make a similar decision? Anyone once diagnosed with OSA rid their self of it by losing weight? Don't forget to vote.

Thanks

 

[pcollins]

I vote for lose the weight.

It's hard but the benefits are so great and go beyond the OSA issues that you're currently experiencing.

I was pushing 220lbs on a 6'1" frame. Not bad but I was noticing it myself: The classic beer gut, out of breath at the top of stairs, snoring. I'm also a bass trombonist so the breathing thing was pretty important from a work stand point.

Almost exactly a year ago I started running with the "Couch to 5k" program and cut down amounts of food and changed my diet the same as you. I'm now down about 30lbs or so, not snoring, less of a beer gut, feeling better and getting ready to run a half marathon in a few weeks!

It also sounds like you've already made the decision or had the decision made for you. The cost sounds a bit prohibitive in your case, certainly vs the cost of eating better and exercising more. Just think of the benefits of the exercise/diet combo vs the exam, evaluation, breathing machine, etc.

Thoughts?

 

[OrdinaryAvgGuy]

I vote for lose the weight.

It's hard but the benefits are so great and go beyond the OSA issues that you're currently experiencing.

I was pushing 220lbs on a 6'1" frame. Not bad but I was noticing it myself: The classic beer gut, out of breath at the top of stairs, snoring. I'm also a bass trombonist so the breathing thing was pretty important from a work stand point.

Almost exactly a year ago I started running with the "Couch to 5k" program and cut down amounts of food and changed my diet the same as you. I'm now down about 30lbs or so, not snoring, less of a beer gut, feeling better and getting ready to run a half marathon in a few weeks!

It also sounds like you've already made the decision or had the decision made for you. The cost sounds a bit prohibitive in your case, certainly vs the cost of eating better and exercising more. Just think of the benefits of the exercise/diet combo vs the exam, evaluation, breathing machine, etc.

Thoughts?

The decision to adopt healthy eating habits has been made. I apologize if the wording of my question came off as "should I lose this weight or just say forget it and give me a breathing machine". I am 100% committed to a healthier lifestyle, no looking back.

I'm questioning whether I should go to a Dr now and not wait for the weight to come off or wait it out and see what happens after I drop some serious poundage.

Congrats on your lifestyle change BTW! Glad to hear you made this decision and stuck with it.

 

[Subsailor]

I agree with getting a healthier lifestyle and kudos for the good start! I have a C-Pap and it is a great benefit to my Wife's piece of mind and me obtaining actual rest. We have also eliminated all sodas, sugary snacks and large meals. Due to multiple spine surgeries for me and knee surgeries for her, we are a little bit limited on our ability to excercise. That will come with time.

In my case, the VA has supported my costs and we both have excellent private insurance also, mine is with the state and hers is with the hospital.

 

[Sammy86]

My Mom's companion (boyfriend) developed sleep apnea during his younger years before he gained weight, he has lost 50 LBS and still needs his machine. I would get it checked it...is 5k really that much to live?

 

[pcollins]

Sorry about that, OrdinaryAvgGuy, I misunderstood the wording of the question.

I would forge ahead with the exercise/diet and then see a doctor later. That's my preference but your wife may feel differently.

My thinking is that you didn't have it before, you gained weight, you have it now. The logical side of my brain says lose the weight and see what happens. But that is also based on my own experiences.

Keep going with the weight loss and healthy options! It's tough at times but worth it! Goooooooooo!!!!

 

[Beernik]

I just went through the study. I only went in for the study because of my sleep aggression. I was expecting a different diagnosis. I always resisted the notion that I had apnea because from my perspective, I slept great.

My snoring and sleep aggression got worse with weight. I'm trying to drop some weight by cycling. I'm 6'-1" and currently 257lbs. My big thing is my blood pressure appears to be way down now.

Unfortunately, apnea can also get worse with age. And, of course, I was always a loud snorer, from a long line of loud snorers. So losing the weight may help, but not cure.

My sleep doc seemed it indicate that I would be better off now if they had taken my tonsils as a kid when I was having chronic strep throat problems. I guess I have a big flapper valve back there that shuts when I lie down.

I understand the problems of a high deductible plan. My work keeps trying to tell us how wonderful it would be to have. They mandate we watch a video on it every year. Nobody has switched.

With my insurance, for the study and my machine, I'm out about $800 so far. $650 for the study and $150 for the machine. I'm about to be out a little more because I'm getting a new, heated tube to help my sinuses.

Digging out my bills... The machine without insurance was about $370. The study was about $3,400. So, plan on about $3,800 if/when you do it.

That also doesn't include 3 doctor appointments: 1) to get the recommend for the study, 2) pre-sleep study evaluation 3) post-sleep study / CPAP usage evaluation. I also have a 4 month follow-up in November.

If you want to give the weight loss a try first, give yourself a hard firm date that you will lose the weight by or you will schedule the appointment. Don't let it slide.

And remember, your wife is only noticing the big gasps. My wife had no idea I stopped breathing 55 times an hour when on my back. With the machine on, it's down to 4 - 5 a night when I'm wearing the mask. I'm still only wearing it 4.6 hours a night.

Good luck.

 

[adiochiro3]

In addition to your weight loss regimen, you might also consider a procedure called nasal specific. You can learn more about it here:

http://nasalspecific.com/nasalspecific_002.htm

I personally have this procedure regularly & do perform it for some of my patients -- often with remarkable results for various conditions, including sleep apnea.

 

[OrdinaryAvgGuy]

I would get it checked it...is 5k really that much to live?

Well when you put it that way the obvious answer is no, 5k is not a lot of money if it were a life or death situation.

Unfortunately, the issue runs a little deeper.

Lets say I went ahead and had everything checked out, It was determined that I have sleep apnea and I was given a CPAP. $5k is gone.

5-6 months from now I lose 50 lbs and tell the doc I wish to ditch the machine because I feel my weight was causing this issue and weight is no longer a factor. After all, do I really want to potentially unnecessarily tote around a machine for the rest of my life. Doc will tell me to do everything all over again to determine if my theory is correct. Another $5k down the drain.

Lets assume the problem is fixed at this point. This would be $10k that I could have saved by just waiting it out while I shed some lbs.

On the flip side, the weight loss idea may not work and I could look back and say WTF was I thinking, I should have done this months ago.

Damn health insurance. I suppose better coverage would make the decision much easier.

 

[cheezydemon3]

GET A SECOND OPINION FROM A SURGEON.

I got a Cpap and hated it. Went to get a 2nd opinion and BAM, fixed.

 

[OrdinaryAvgGuy]

Sorry about that, OrdinaryAvgGuy, I misunderstood the wording of the question.

I would forge ahead with the exercise/diet and then see a doctor later. That's my preference but your wife may feel differently.

My thinking is that you didn't have it before, you gained weight, you have it now. The logical side of my brain says lose the weight and see what happens. But that is also based on my own experiences.

Keep going with the weight loss and healthy options! It's tough at times but worth it! Goooooooooo!!!!

Thanks for the words of encouragement. I'm considering a hybrid solution of losing the weight and then seeing my Dr. 6 months from now just to make sure everything is okay.

In the meantime I'll be doing my homework, trying to come up a reasonably priced medical plan if there is such a thing.

 

[OrdinaryAvgGuy]

I just went through the study. I only went in for the study because of my sleep aggression. I was expecting a different diagnosis. I always resisted the notion that I had apnea because from my perspective, I slept great.

My snoring and sleep aggression got worse with weight. I'm trying to drop some weight by cycling. I'm 6'-1" and currently 257lbs. My big thing is my blood pressure appears to be way down now.

Unfortunately, apnea can also get worse with age. And, of course, I was always a loud snorer, from a long line of loud snorers. So losing the weight may help, but not cure.

My sleep doc seemed it indicate that I would be better off now if they had taken my tonsils as a kid when I was having chronic strep throat problems. I guess I have a big flapper valve back there that shuts when I lie down.

I understand the problems of a high deductible plan. My work keeps trying to tell us how wonderful it would be to have. They mandate we watch a video on it every year. Nobody has switched.

With my insurance, for the study and my machine, I'm out about $800 so far. $650 for the study and $150 for the machine. I'm about to be out a little more because I'm getting a new, heated tube to help my sinuses.

Digging out my bills... The machine without insurance was about $370. The study was about $3,400. So, plan on about $3,800 if/when you do it.

That also doesn't include 3 doctor appointments: 1) to get the recommend for the study, 2) pre-sleep study evaluation 3) post-sleep study / CPAP usage evaluation. I also have a 4 month follow-up in November.

If you want to give the weight loss a try first, give yourself a hard firm date that you will lose the weight by or you will schedule the appointment. Don't let it slide.

And remember, your wife is only noticing the big gasps. My wife had no idea I stopped breathing 55 times an hour when on my back. With the machine on, it's down to 4 - 5 a night when I'm wearing the mask. I'm still only wearing it 4.6 hours a night.

Good luck.

Thanks for sharing your numbers.. These numbers sound comparable to what I found while doing a bit of research online.

I have committed to a date and have all intentions to stick with it. Hopefully I notice a change in my nighttime breathing and overall tiredness during the day. I am leaning towards getting checked out after losing some weight just to ensure it is no longer an issue.

 

[OrdinaryAvgGuy]

In addition to your weight loss regimen, you might also consider a procedure called nasal specific. You can learn more about it here:

http://nasalspecific.com/nasalspecific_002.htm

I personally have this procedure regularly & do perform it for some of my patients -- often with remarkable results for various conditions, including sleep apnea.

Interesting procedure. Thanks for sharing. I will keep this in mind.

 

[OrdinaryAvgGuy]

GET A SECOND OPINION FROM ASURGEON.

I got a Cpap and hated it. Went to get a 2nd opinion and BAM, fixed.

Wait... So what you are telling me is that your first Dr was wrong? But they don't make mistakes?

 

[cheezydemon3]

Wait... So what you are telling me is that your first Dr was wrong? But they don't make mistakes?

Hmmm....first one was NOT a surgeon. He was right to prescribe cpap. Surgeon said that was fine....OR you can have surgery once (rhinoscopy in my case) and you are fixed.

No real decision there!

weight loss should still be a priority. Coffee helps me to eat less, lol. Probably not the best way.

 

[Beernik]

A couple other pitfalls to watch out for with the sleep study / CPAP:
1) my insurance decided this week that I haven't paid enough to meet my medical equipment deductible so $100 just got shifted from them to me.
2) apparently the number I gave you for the CPAP machine wasn't the full cost to purchase the CPAP machine. I have to pay a $20/month rental fee until the insurance company is satisfied that I will continue to wear it every night.
3) the medical supply place assumed they could charge to my card whenever they wanted to without sending me a bill. I had to call them up and tell them "I want to know what I'm being billed for before I agree to payment. If you don't send me a bill, I'm not paying."

 

[TobyG]

Well, I can only speak from my experience. I went to an ENT when my wife made the same observation. I had a sleep study, MRI, and allergy testing done (really good insurance, in my case though). Results were 1) yes I had sleep apnea, 2) primary cause was a combination of weight, a deviated septum, and a cyst on one of my sinus cavities, and 3) I had a laundry list of allergies. Losing the weight was a requirement (went from almost 300 then to around 200 now). Fixing the cyst and deviated septum was also needed, as well as allergy shots. I guess my point is that it might just be the weight, or there might be other medical issues.

 

[Tutsbrew]

I spent 18 years as a "homecare" type respiratory therapist (RRT), probably set up over 600 cpap's, bipap's both auto-titrating and standard. If my brewing opinion isn't worth much maybe I can help you here.

1) Move. Move every day. (exercise)
2) Veggies, lean meat, FF dairy, fruits, whole grains, healthy fats (omega-3, etc)
3) Get the sleep study done ASAP. You will likely then get a pressure therapy device (cpap, bipap, etc) and be fitted for a mask. This is likely to be set up at your home if your DME (durable medical equipment) provider is not completely dollar minded...
4) Over time if your weight comes down and your obstruction lessons and your pressure needs drop, your DME provider can lend you an "autotitrating" cpap/bipap that adusts its pressure according to your needs AND keeps an internal record of such. The DME provider can then retrieve the device after you use it (for only one night), download it, and send the report to your doc who can order the pressure change, if not the discontinue order!

Number one/two issue with pressure users would be the mask/pressure. Some hated it and refused to use it and others had such profound relief of OSA they fell in love with it.

Beware about surgery. Over the years I noted a very, very high majority (no, NOT all) of those receiving the "roto-rooter" fix went back on pressure therapy after a few years... Not to mention the risk of going under the knife, anesthesia, etc.

 

[Rhumbline]

Lose the weight. it is causing you a lot more problems than just the sleep apnea.

I had good luck with the South Beach diet, never felt hungry, had few cravings, lost 28lbs.

Look at it this way, the tests will run a few grand, then you'll be tied to that machine for the rest of your life. If I told you I'd pay you $3,000 to lose 50lbs would you take it?

 

[betarhoalphadelta]

I'm in the same boat... I snore, and my dentist suggested I get a baseline study (not the full one, just a finger meter measuring me overnight). According to this, I was having 8 sleep interruptions per hour, with <=5 being normal... they wanted me to come in for the full study, but the way they were pitching me (hard sell, calling me constantly, etc) made me think that if I ever do this, I'm going to go to my own primary care doctor for referral to someplace I can trust.

But at the same time, I knew weight was a factor too. As of April 29, I was 6'5" and 272 lbs. Today, I'm down to 237 and drooping more, all due to the Paleo diet (plus beer, obviously!)...my goal is to get down under 220.

Once I get there, I'll talk to my doctor. I'm on a similar high-deductible ($3750) plan, but my son is autistic and all his therapy blows through that deductible in about the first quarter of the fiscal year (which is about now, my company is on July-> June fiscal calendar), so as long as I do it before the end of June '14, the out-of-pocket won't be too bad.

 

[Beernik]

Last night I finally figured out my major block to wearing my mask more than 4.5 hours a night.

Thursday night I slept like crap, my back was killing me, and I had to move to the sofa after 2 hours. Friday night was worse, only 1.5 hours.

Saturday night, I decided to move my CPAP to the living room and just sleep on the sofa all night. Slept 7.5 hours with the mask on.

Work up and googled "nighttime back pain". I eventually found a website that said if you only have back pain when lying down, it's usually a bone spur or a herniated disc.

The more I thought about it Sunday, the more I realized it felt like when I herniated a disc 13 years ago. The only difference is it only hurts at night. So I asked my wife to work on my spine a little.

Sure enough, there it was bulging in the middle of my back. She pushed it back in and massaged out a couple knots around it. Last night, when I found myself lying on my back, it felt like having a bruise there instead of feeling like being stabbed. I wore the mask 6 hours last night. I could have worn it longer, but I had to get up for work.

Two nights of minimal back pain and wearing the mask a combined 13.5 hours... I feel awesome this morning.

I've been dealing with varying degrees of this back pain for three years. For a long time I thought it was my wife punching me in the back to stop my snoring. Then I thought maybe it was how weakness was manifesting itself in me from the apnea. Then I thought maybe it was chair at work.

I'm glad I finally figured it out.

 

[OrdinaryAvgGuy]

After listening to what everyone had to say and considering my out of pocket costs, I decided to continue with the weight loss and see what happens before seeking any treatment.

In the past 54 days I have avoided fried foods, continue to eat a fruit and veggie based diet and have been drinking lots of water.

I'm steadily weighing in at 234, a loss of 16 lbs. While I have noticed a difference in my physical appearance, my energy levels continue to remain low.

Well 16 lbs down, 34 to go. Will report back with later results.

 

[rustym]

You can have sleep apnea and not be overweight. I have always been 6'2" and about 210 lbs. Not overweight at all. My wife had constantly complained about me snoring and she said I stopped breathing and then would "snort" when I caught back up. I finally went and had a sleep test done about 2 1/2 years ago. I had two. The first one evaluated me and I quit breathing about 27 times an hour. The second one, they tested me with CPAP masks for pressure.

At first. I had a hard time keeping the mask on. I bet I only used it about 3-4 hours a night. I decided I would try and get used to it because when I had it on, I didn't snore and my wife slept.

I now have gotten used to it and I actually look forward to putting it on at night because it relaxes me and I know I'm going to sleep good with it. I have been working out as well and have dropped to about 200 and feel pretty good. I have a lot of energy and don't pass out in front of the TV every night like I used to. Even after a couple of beers!

As good as I've been sleeping now, I'll take the mask. I do travel some and usually don't take my mask. I sleep just fine. If I snore, nobody hears me!

 

[OrdinaryAvgGuy]

You can have sleep apnea and not be overweight. I have always been 6'2" and about 210 lbs. Not overweight at all. My wife had constantly complained about me snoring and she said I stopped breathing and then would "snort" when I caught back up. I finally went and had a sleep test done about 2 1/2 years ago. I had two. The first one evaluated me and I quit breathing about 27 times an hour. The second one, they tested me with CPAP masks for pressure.

At first. I had a hard time keeping the mask on. I bet I only used it about 3-4 hours a night. I decided I would try and get used to it because when I had it on, I didn't snore and my wife slept.

I now have gotten used to it and I actually look forward to putting it on at night because it relaxes me and I know I'm going to sleep good with it. I have been working out as well and have dropped to about 200 and feel pretty good. I have a lot of energy and don't pass out in front of the TV every night like I used to. Even after a couple of beers!

As good as I've been sleeping now, I'll take the mask. I do travel some and usually don't take my mask. I sleep just fine. If I snore, nobody hears me!

Yes, it's important to note that not all who have apnea are overweight. In my case I have noticed an increase in symptoms that were not present 60 lbs ago. I'm hoping that by reverting back to my former (much thinner) self I can cure myself and not have to spend thousands of dollars trying to solve a problem that I created by stuffing my pie hole.

Even if losing weight doesn't help, I'm hoping to at least reap the benefits of adopting healthier eating habits.

 

[Tippsy-Turvy]

This post is a bit old now but if I can add even 2 cents' worth then why not.

In the past whilst I was not overweight my fat content was high-ish and I did suffer from mild sleep apnea. In reality my sleep apnea was more a result of the way my air passageway is.

My first point is, based on the doc's recommendations, I bought a CPAP machine. I hated it and the discomfort from using the machine seemed to outweigh any benefits I felt the next day - even after prolonged use. I'd also found the mask left marks on my face for the entire morning every day. So I ditched it after close to a year.

Then, I also tried a custom-made mouth guard that pulled the jaw forward in my sleep to enlarge the air passageway. This was a much cheaper solution and worked pretty well for me. However, it was also mildly uncomfortable and I cracked it twice. I'm not sure if it was due to teeth clenching in my sleep or shoddy workmanship. After 2 years or so of using that I also ditched it.

The moral of my story is, since those days of trying to buy my way to better sleep, what has made an enormous difference to my sleep quality was a change of lifestyle. In short, do regular exercise, eat healthily and drink less. The exercise could be as simple as regular brisk walks, say after dinner, and that will cut fat and release those endorphins that get you chilled out and sleep like a baby. The healthy eating is obvious - you are what you eat and if you eat more than you need, it accumulates. As for drinking, it's a fact - alcohol relaxes the muscles around the air passageway and constricts the airflow in your sleep. When I drink, I snore like crazy. Nowadays I only drink during weekends (well, most weeks).

Don't get me wrong though. CPAP works miraculously for sufferers of serious apnea. But for people who suffer from mild sleep apnea, I would personally recommend the lifestyle change first before splashing out.

 

[loucurr]

Sleep Apnea is a serious problem and although weight can be a factor...in my case I was of average weight for my height and was diagnosed with severe sleep apnea. I too tried the CPAP machine and could not stand it. Opted for a procedure referred to as UPPP. Miraculously my apnea was fixed! Some 20 years later I find myself experiencing the sleep apnea again, UGH!!!

 

[BrewLocal365]

I never suffered from apnea but dropping 40 pounds got rid of my snoring. I vote for continuing on your current awesome path! There will be do many additional benefits, no machines, and no deductible. The hardest part for me is beer. That's always the variable that kicks the dial from "stable" to "weight loss". It sucks to restrict myself there more than anything, but the bang for the buck is pretty good. (I never drank soda so beer is my empty calories). Still, it's all worth it.

 

[wintermute2]

You can have sleep apnea and not be overweight. I have always been 6'2" and about 210 lbs.

Sorry for continuing this old thread, but this definitely is an important subject. I do a decent amount of exercise, and I'm 6'0" and edging near 185 lb when I let myself go.

That being said, I was diagnosed with severe sleep apnea this year - 58 "events" per hour, longest apnea well over 90 seconds, 30% of my sleeping time my O2 concentration was under 90%, bottoming out at 64%.

That's BAD.

My sleep doc explained to me it's more about breathing passage morphology than weight, although weight does contribute significantly to OBS (obstructive sleep apnea). Although not a positive indicator, he said my lack of chin and short neck are signs that I had a problem (prior to me going into my sleep study).

Without ranting to much further, my CPAP has made a significant positive change in my life. And don't feel like you'll be chained to the thing your whole life - it doesn't become a crutch and you don't become dependent on it. In fact I think it's helped "train" my body to breathe better when I sleep without it.

 

[crowconor]

In my opinion the biggest deciding factor is whether you are healthy otherwise the weight. Sleep apnea can put a lot pressure on your heart due to the waking up and periods of not breathing. As long as you have a pretty good heart I would think waiting to loose the weight would be a good idea. But, you could always consult a physician (because I'm not one) and ask about this, rather than going directly for a sleep study.

 

[OrdinaryAvgGuy]

I noticed a newer replies so I thought I would post an update on my efforts.

Its been just over 4 months since I made some changes. Slowly but surely the weight is beginning to drop off. I've eliminated nearly all processed foods and fried foods and have eaten more veggies than ever in the past 4 months. In addition, I've not had a single soda + increased my water consumption 10 fold. I've also started walking outdoors for 45 mins a day until recently when it started to get cold. From there I joined a 24 hr gym (which is awesome btw) and exercise 5 days a week.

Down 25 lbs so far, still have another 25 to go. My energy levels are up but still not where I believe they should be. Other symptoms of OSA seem to be somewhat reduced.

I'll keep you guys updated on my progress in the coming months.

 

[Tippsy-Turvy]

Down 25 lbs so far, still have another 25 to go. My energy levels are up but still not where I believe they should be. Other symptoms of OSA seem to be somewhat reduced.

25lbs!?!?! Wow, that's incredible progress, OrdinaryAvgGuy. Keep it up. You're making us proud! :rockin:

 

[OrdinaryAvgGuy]

25lbs!?!?! Wow, that's incredible progress, OrdinaryAvgGuy. Keep it up. You're making us proud! :rockin:

Thanks Tippsy.. Oh, and I forgot to mention that I refused to give up drinking flavorful craft beers.

Instead, I reduced the frequency and amount of beer that I am drinking. It's now 2-4 beers once or twice a week. I'm learning that living a healthy lifestyle is about eating and drinking the "not so good" stuff in moderation, not completely giving everything up.

 

[itsme_timd]

I've got a personal story of neglected sleep apnea to share.

Before I get into that, if you are one that can stick with losing the weight and keep it off then I say go out the 6 months and see if you can drop another 50 lbs. If you are just 'saying' you're going to do it but most likely won't, or you're likely to lose it and gain it back, then go get a sleep study. Not being a jerk here, just suggesting you make sure to be honest with yourself.

I have sleep apnea and I've struggled with weight all my life, I've been on CPAP for about a 1 1/2 years now and in that time I've lost over 100 lbs. It made a big difference for me. But my story is about my dad....

He's had sleep apnea for years, even when he was much thinner. He's 6'2" and around 280 now but used to be closer to 220, overweight but not horribly. He used to rattle the house when I was a kid but we didn't know at that time what sleep apnea was. A few years ago he got tested and got a CPAP but he didn't use it. To avoid the boring details, my dad had a stroke last week and is currently in a rehab hospital. He had other issues that helped lead to the stroke but one thing the docs were very concerned about was that he had extremely elevated CO2 levels in his blood and his brain was not getting enough oxygen carried to it. Since he wasn't breathing he didn't expel the CO2 from his lungs and it was absorbed into his bloodstream. My father's sleep apnea almost killed him, or at minimum was a large contributing factor to his stroke.

If you can be healthy and lose weight then rock on, brother. If not then get tested sooner than later, many people don't realize how serious sleep apnea can be.

 

[OrdinaryAvgGuy]

I've got a personal story of neglected sleep apnea to share.

Before I get into that, if you are one that can stick with losing the weight and keep it off then I say go out the 6 months and see if you can drop another 50 lbs. If you are just 'saying' you're going to do it but most likely won't, or you're likely to lose it and gain it back, then go get a sleep study. Not being a jerk here, just suggesting you make sure to be honest with yourself.

I have sleep apnea and I've struggled with weight all my life, I've been on CPAP for about a 1 1/2 years now and in that time I've lost over 100 lbs. It made a big difference for me. But my story is about my dad....

He's had sleep apnea for years, even when he was much thinner. He's 6'2" and around 280 now but used to be closer to 220, overweight but not horribly. He used to rattle the house when I was a kid but we didn't know at that time what sleep apnea was. A few years ago he got tested and got a CPAP but he didn't use it. To avoid the boring details, my dad had a stroke last week and is currently in a rehab hospital. He had other issues that helped lead to the stroke but one thing the docs were very concerned about was that he had extremely elevated CO2 levels in his blood and his brain was not getting enough oxygen carried to it. Since he wasn't breathing he didn't expel the CO2 from his lungs and it was absorbed into his bloodstream. My father's sleep apnea almost killed him, or at minimum was a large contributing factor to his stroke.

If you can be healthy and lose weight then rock on, brother. If not then get tested sooner than later, many people don't realize how serious sleep apnea can be.

Thanks for sharing your story. Sorry to hear about your father and I hope he's doing okay.

I tend to agree. If you are not serious about a permanent lifestyle change then its best to move forward with a diagnosis and treatment. As for myself I have committed to living a healthier lifestyle for a number of reasons including the concern of having sleep apnea brought on by gaining weight in recent years.

 

[Beernik]

I'm sorry about your father too.

Update on me: I've been on the CPAP for 5 or 6 months now. The weird thing I've discovered is that once I started sleeping better with the CPAP, I had a lot of back pain was waking me up too. It wasn't just my wife elbowing me in the back all night.

The back pain may have been causing the sleep aggression associated with my apnea. I got X-rayed and discovered my spine is 11 degrees out of alignment.

So I've been spending the last 2 months doing physical and massage therapies. I've gone from feeling like I've been stabbed in the back to feeling like I have a stiff back. I've also got my average night's sleep with the mask up from 2-3 hours to 5-6 hours. And if I can get 5.5 hours of sleep in a night with it on, that's basically all night on weekdays.

I get unbelievabley good sleep the nights I keep the mask on all night and don't have any back pain. But that's only once or twice a week.

 

[707]

Any of y'all try those 'breathe right' nose strips? I can't speak from personal experience, but they may help. There are also soft flexible nasal airways. They need to be lubed up real well and most people don't like the thought of sticking something big in their schnozzola, but they are effective, if you can get your hands on them.

Breathing assist devices are beneficial, but some people just can't get used to wearing them. And some spouses can't get used to the noise.

Surgery is probably the most effective option. But there are cases that after a FESS procedure or rhino / septoplasty the patient still has OSA. Best of luck to you guys. It's a tough disorder to deal with.

 

[Beernik]

Breath Right didn't do a damn thing for my snore, at least according to my wife.

The other new thing I've discovered is winter temperatures. During the summer, my house was mid-70s F and it was comfortable having the machine blow that temperature of air through my sinuses.

The last 10 nights have been in the single digits (3F - 5F). That means my house has been mid-60s F and the water in the CPAP sitting near the window in the low-60s F. That's enough to wake you up at 2:30am with brain freeze.

I've started putting the CPAP machine on a stool next to the base board heater so it stays at a comfortable temperature.

 

[itsme_timd]

Breath Right didn't do a damn thing for my snore, at least according to my wife.

The other new thing I've discovered is winter temperatures. During the summer, my house was mid-70s F and it was comfortable having the machine blow that temperature of air through my sinuses.

The last 10 nights have been in the single digits (3F - 5F). That means my house has been mid-60s F and the water in the CPAP sitting near the window in the low-60s F. That's enough to wake you up at 2:30am with brain freeze.

I've started putting the CPAP machine on a stool next to the base board heater so it stays at a comfortable temperature.

My CPAP has a heater for the humidifier and a heated hose. It's the ResMed S9, might be worth checking into.

 

[Beernik]

I tried getting a heater hose. It took Apria three months to fill my order. It finally came yesterday. The one they sent is incompatible with my machine.

So tomorrow, I'll be heading down to the local office to chew them out ... again.

I swear is soon as I get through the rent-to-own BS my insurance is forcing me to do, I'm kicking Apria to the curb and looking for another vendor.

Sorry for the rant. The health improvement aspect of this experience has been great. Dealing with the medical device vendor (Apria Healthcare) has been a PITA.

 

[wintermute2]

That rent-to-own B.S. Drove me nuts. I had to submit the SD card from my machine to prove that I was using it a minimum of 4 hours a night. Luckily the equipment provider gave me a heads up because it was difficult to wear for 4 hours the first couple of weeks because I was fighting the ramped-up pressure, not to mention tons of aerophagia. My doc submitted the data twice and the health insurance company never received it. Luckily we had the data backed up and third time was a charm.