Repost: Lost Over 100 lbs and Still Have Sleep Apnea

This is a repost from the main message board. Good morning all! I am really bombed out because I just got a call from my doctor's office stating that I still have sleep apnea after loosing over 100 lbs. I thought that the sleep apnea would be cured with weight loss. Can anyone give me any insight on your experiences with sleep apnea? Pam 343/320/216/135 highest/pre-op/current/goal

Sleep apnea can run in families. My father had it and so does my older sister. My sister never went to get tested but I know she has it. What's your weight now? If your still around 216lbs it might still go away once you drop more weight Donna 338/163

Hi Pam, I never knew I had sleep apnea until I was required to have the testing pre-op. As soon as I began wearing the c-pap I almost immediately realized there was a big connection between my sleep apnea and waking up with headaches either the middle of the night or on waking in the morning. When I was in the hospital for my surgery I did not use my c-pap but they put me on oxygen when I was sleeping because they said my O2 sat drops into the low 80's when sleeping. The thing is I apparently had this problem even when I was below 200 because I remember when I started having headaces in the night a lot and it was around the time I was weighing about 180 ( years ago!). so I expect to have to use the c-pap until I am pretty much near normal weight. Sorry to be so long winded but the c-pap changed my life even before the surgery! The low oxygen level set off migraine headaches for me and I was using imitrex almost daily! My pcp had tried me on all sorts of prophylactic meds but nothing worked and no wonder. I had no clue that I had that problem and my husband said I don't even snore. Who would have guessed?! I hardly ever have to used imitrex since I started on the c-pap and no longer wake with headaches. What a relief!

Stick with it, Pam. I have a feeling you'll be apnea free once you get to your goal weight. I'm in the same position as you. I weight 209 and I'm going to be tested again next week. I think I probably still have it too. Donna

Hi Pam, I was also diagnosed with Obstructive Sleep Apnea after losing 165 pounds. I always had the symptons but didn't know it. I also have sinusitis so they always blamed my headaches on that. I was diagnosed weighing 200 pounds. I was also diagnosed with Narcolepsy. Probably had most of my life too but who knew. The Dr. said my brain doesn't send messages to keep my throat from collapsing when I sleep. Also have a small pallette. So no matter what weight I will have the problem. Will get better with less weight. I just had a revision in October so I am back to 201 pounds. The CPAP did not work for me. I tried over a year with several masks. I have a dental device now which clamps over the teeth. I don't notice much of a difference but the last sleep study said I only had a few episodes where my first study I stopped breathing 191 times. So anything is better I guess. Less weight definately helps. Is your sleep apena obstructive or regular sleep apnea? Good luck with your treatment. Hope it gets better.

I'm sorry you are still experiencing problems with sleep apnea. 85% of patients post op no longer have it...but that leaves 15%. Maybe as you continue to lose it will resolve. I know a man who's sleep apnea did not resolve until 2 years post op-now it's completely gone! Mine was better 3 weeks post op. There are different causes of sleep apnea-not everyone has it because of obesity-it just makes it worse. I've had it since I was about 4 years old, so I will likely always have some issues-but I am grateful they are nothing like they were a few months ago. Samantha