Can Mild Sleep Apnea With AHI 14 Be Fatal ? Can A Sleep Apnea Sufferer Die In Sleep ?

[EastWeekender]

Hi,

I got my sleep study done and my AHI was 14 and it was very high in the supine position, but it was 2.5 in the left side position.

The doctor recommended CPAP therapy, and I have started that.

Yesterday was the first night and it was not very comfortable. 

I went to have a second opinion with another sleep specialist doctor, and he said that CPAP therapy is required but parallelly you can also try to lose weight. After losing 10 % of bodyweight, you can do a sleep study again.

My question is ... if I ignore the CPAP therapy and just focus on losing weight .... will there be a problem.

I don't suffer from classic symptoms of sleep apnea and without CPAP machine as well I feel fresh all day with no headaches.

So can I just focus on losing weight and not do any CPAP therapy.

I agree leaving sleep apnea might result in heart disease or diabetes or other problems but can sleep apnea be fatal where can any sleep apnea sufferer die in sleep? Has there been any case where a sleep apnea patient died of choking and not heart disease or diabetes.


Thanks,
East

[SarcasticDave94]

Do both. Get the CPAP, get started on getting used to it. AND form a plan to lose weight. However losing weight will not guarantee to eliminate Apnea or CPAP necessity.

In my past, I did what you're thinking. First I tried a basic CPAP in 2015. It was single pressure only, no auto adjusting. I had very high AHI of 74 or so, and I weighed 300 pounds.

I failed CPAP compliance and returned the CPAP. I had a long discussion with my wonderful primary care doctor. We researched CPAP and alternative ideas. We latched onto bariatric weight loss surgery, as I'm mobility disabled, can't work off the excess weight. Further I have heart and lung conditions of PVCs and COPD, and my Apnea is Complex, both Central and Obstructive.

I had a process of about 9 months to satisfy my health insurance to pay for me to get a bariatric sleeve surgery to lower my weight. The complex comorbidity helped them decide to OK it. And in September 2016, I had the sleeve performed, which is a laparoscopic style abdominal surgical procedure with several small cuts. They surgically remove the left 70% of my stomach, leaving a banana shaped stomach.

My diet was pretty drastically cut. If I ever overate, I'd get massive pain and vomit. However not so drastic as the bypass style.

I lost 102 pounds in about 1 year. Oh, and my Apnea were still there, to this day even while holding 225 lbs. Weight loss of my 100 or so pounds did cut AHI to roughly half at 37, but that's still severe.

Moral, weight loss helps almost always, but there's absolutely no guarantee to negate CPAP need or the Apnea.

PS, yes Apnea can kill. There's lots of variables involved, but it certainly does happen. Grab the treatment while you have it available.

[EastWeekender]

Thanks mate for such a detailed reply.

I wish you the best and all the health