Sleep apnea???

Hi all! Quick question.... If you have sleep apnea before surgery will it be gone after you lose weight? I'm just curious. I don't think I have it but ya never know. I don't go for my sleep study until May. Debi

The literature that I got said that up to 80% of sleep apnea suffers had no more symptoms after losing their extra weight. NoraLynn

Hi Deb, Don't worry about the sleep test. I've had a few of them. I was diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea over 10 years ago and I use a cpap machine. I admit its kind of strange trying to sleep with all those wires on you but you do. Also, wearing the mask takes some getting used to. I've also heard that most people no longer use the cpap after surgery. As you lose the weight, your throat, etc., also lose fatty tissue making it easier to breathe. Good luck, Don

I've also heard that about 10% of people will still have sleep apnea after. For me, I was diagnosed with mild apnea (although my husband thinks it was more than mild), and never had to use a cpap, but it's been so much better since my surgery. I will be one year out next Wed and I sleep like a baby now. Take care, Sue

I had Severe SLEEP APNEA..... I was sleeping 70% of my night in Stage 2 - which is outrageous!! I should have been getting about 40% in Stage 2 and significantly more in Stages 3 & 4. Thru the night I had "121 episodes"....all I heard about these are, that I would have to stop breathing for longer than 10 seconds to have it be considered an "episode." This adds up over one night...and causes me to keep coming out of my better stages of sleep, and keeps me from experiencing REM sleep...of which I am getting about 4%. Just thinking about it now that was a minimum of not breathing for 25min! WOW... All I can say....it was 8 wks...and 50#'s gone and I was not using my C-PAP machine anymore.... So...in my case! YES!! Good Luck to you.... Deborah~ LapRNY - 4/19/06 333/190/150

It totally depends on your level of apnea and whether it is compounded by other breathing issues you may or may not have. However, even if it is not totally gone, it will be greatly improved by a considerable amount of weight loss. Good luck to you.