Insane! 5lbs makes HUGE OSA difference???

[Lukie]

If what you are doing is working for you and your apneas are <5 who am I to give lectures.
All I know is the sleep study I had twenty years ago sent me home with no treatment because I failed to sleep enough to document apneas. Now at 72 they finally diagnosed me with MILD sleep apnea. Reason for being sent for a sleep study at 72? Sleep apnea related heart changes. TachyBrady syndrome. I can't to anything with out my heart racing and getting out of breath.

[eviltim]

edit: double post, sorry

[eviltim]

The thing is, we can't control the fat distribution in our bodies. Where we lose and gain fat depends entirely on genetics. And those of us on this board are probably predisposed to carrying a couple extra ounces in our neck which really impacts that airway. So it doesn't surprise me at all that losing a few pounds could really change things, if you're lucky enough that some of it is off your neck.

As for me, I've lost 40lbs since starting CPAP and the necessary pressure has gone down quite a bit, but I still have OSA (I am still about 20 lbs overweight though). I wish spot reduction of fat was possible -- I'd gladly trade ounces off my neck for pounds elsewhere if such a thing were possible.

[Don in Austin]

Stats and facts:

67 years old, 5' 8", waist 33", weigh somewhere in mid 170s. BMI says I am "overweight" but does not take into account a long trunk and relatively short legs. Perhaps I am overweight, but not by much. I have been exercising fanatically for the last five years -- gym 2x/week, 100 miles/week on a bicycle seeking out hills, and used to weigh 210 +. No statins, no blood pressure meds and good cardio-vascular bloodwork. Untreated OSA is high moderate/low severe. I do not use a CPAP and would appreciate this thread NOT turning into "What's wrong with you, why DON'T you use CPAP?" I will keep an open mind and if I become that desperate may try CPAP again.

I am under the care of a sleep specialist dentist, a conventional sleep specialist who normally turns to CPAP for her patients, and have seen an ENT. Several months ago, all three of these medical professionals and I were in agreement that the regimen I was on was working reasonably well if not perfect. This regimen is a custom-made TAP oral device in combination with a "bumper belt" to keep me off my back -- (more or less.) I have my own recording pulse/oximeter and bring a week's worth of readings into my doctor appointments. Last of all, the whole thing is complicated by PLMD syndrome, but I don't think that is my primary problem.

Coincidental with acquiring a little extra weight over the Christmas/New Year's holiday the oximeter readings went to crap and the poor readings were corroborated by the all too familiar waking up at 12:30. 2:00, 3:00 4:30, 6:00 and difficulty getting back to sleep. Everybody on this forum knows what I am talking about! Discouraging to say the least! Damn near like I was before any treatment at all. With the help of fasting 40 hours for a colonoscopy last week, a little vigilance re' gratuitous calories and better weather allowing more cycling miles, I have lost a few pounds. How much did I lose? Hard to say because the scale fluctuates + or - almost 4 pounds with hydration level, meals, exercise etc, but it isn't much more than 5 lbs. Yet there has been a huge encouraging improvement. This morning's pulse/oximeter graph was back to the ballpark of what we all agreed was liveable and I slept 7 hours straight through.

It seems a real stretch that something like a 3% weight loss could have such a dramatic effect, but if so, I will take it. Not only will I take it, but I will do what needs to be done to lose maybe 10 or so pounds more. I hadn't been motivated previously because, as I said earlier, my weight is not really that excessive -- confirmed by two different personal trainers -- and because of fanatic exercise I have had the luxury of eating as much as I want, (with strict avoidance of junk carbs and junk food in general,) and maintaining.

I will be consulting my sleep dentist next week and think I may also move up my checkup appointment with my general sleep specialist nurse practitioner -- excellent lady who listens and informs very patiently however long it takes. When I made the appointment with the sleep dentist, his nurse did say that they had one lady who put on just a few pounds over holidays and had a major setback.

Has anyone else here found a seemingly trivial weight change to have a major effect on their OSA?

Awaiting and very appreciate of reports from anyone else who may have experienced such a correlation. If its something else altogether than weight-related I have no clue what!

Don in Austin

Ok, so..........
I am now down to almost 170 lbs -- lots of range with hydration levels and etc., have weighed as little as 169 but usually weigh 171, 172 lbs. Last night the pulse oximeter said: 4.1 events/hr, time below 90% 02 =.7%, time below 88% O2 = 0%. I know this is not perfect and I know that a pulse oximeter is not a full blown sleep study, but its what I've got. (Remember, I use bumper belt and oral device.) The apparent improvement is corroborated in that I am waking up once or never on a typical night.

I want to keep going but I am starting to plateau out. Seems my body is getting stubborn about losing any more. The week of a colonoscopy with 40 hours fasting (only clear liquids allowed and I wasn't about to drink sugar water) pre-procedure was great for weight loss, but I can't really have colonoscopies on a regular basis!

Don in Austin

[Peter_C]

Try anemia - that's pretty good for weight loss too

[Moe]

My sleep physician once told me that my lower jaw is receded. Since the tongue and the jaw are one unit, that means even if I lost weight, my throat is still narrower due to how my jaw is receded. The more pounds I lose, the better obviously...gotta find out how to do that weight loss thing though....