Snoring??

[changing]

DH asked that I post this question to all of you.

My DH snores and snores and snores. His doctor has warned him about the dangers of sleep apnea and told him to lose weight. Well, DH is on Atkins with me, has lost 13 lbs, and is going strong. He wanted me to ask if anyone on this board has conquered their snoring or sleep apnea by losing weight.

He worries about his sleep apnea a lot.

[LC_Dave]

Re: Snoring??

This is a very pertinent and good question!
Hopefully some of the men on this forum (the odd dozen we have) we respond.

At my highest weight - I have severe sleep apnea. This thing is terrible. But I have refused to get the machine like my dad did.

My sleeping as improved dramatically from losing the weight and i'm still a big boy.

I have found that cheese has an impact as well in sleep apnea. I would 100% recommend your hubby giving up the cheese - it will help his quality of life.

I have gone from waking up every hour, to heavy sleeping all through the night. I say it will improve even more.

There are other factors other than weight. I don't think people look at the role of Dairy Products enough in this area!

[killerbombshell]

Re: Snoring??

Dave is such an anti-cheese pusher! LOL! Anyway, about apnea

It is more common amongst people who snore, who are obese, who consume alcohol, or who have anatomical abnormalities of the jaw or soft palate.

(from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sleep_apnea). Unless he has any jaw problems, by definition it should get better as he loses weight. Atkins helped my exes' quite a bit, even though he nearly ate his weight in cheese some days.

[allierw26]

Re: Snoring??

I strongly recommend you do some research on sleep apnea. It is not a disease that develops as you gain weight--thin people can have it, too. It can be milder as you lose weight, but it does NOT go away. Severe sleep apnea seriously deteriorates your quality of life. Machines help w/the quality of life, but do not correct the problem. But being in good health does help it. I would suggest that your husband see a sleep specialist. My husband did, and his life has improved by 500% as far as tiredness, concentration, insomnia, etc are concerned. He has lost 60 lbs and his is still as bad as it ever was (at 250 lbs 6'2" tall), and it will probably stay severe even at a lower weight. But just as a healthy person generally has a lower risk of stroke and heart disease, so will a healthy person with sleep apnea. It's a condition that should not be taken lightly! A sleep specialist can really help with advice and concerns.

[changing]

Re: Snoring??

Thank you guys!

As the person who listens to him sleep, I can tell his snoring is getting better already... his mood seems to have improved too, he's less tired, etc. I'm sure some of that has to do with stabilized blood sugar, but learning that sleep apnea can cause depression and irritability certainly explains a lot about him.

Allier, thank you for the sleep specialist suggestion. He's planning to go to his primary-care physician and see about a referral.

I really want for him to have the opportunity to improve the quality of his life and health.

[sombersusie]

Re: Snoring??

Well i can certainly relate to this thread!! A few years ago I wasn't getting any sleep at all because my DH had severe sleep apnea, i begged and begged him to go get a sleep study done. (All night long it was ragged breathing, snoring and gasping for breath...and not in a good way.....LOL) Finally he went in and had one done. They found out he stopped breathing over 970 times in that one night! No wonder he constantly felt tired. They gave him a breathing machine. Finally we both could sleep in peace.
The most excellent news of all is after losing 220 lbs, he doesn't even snore anymore and he no longer needs to use his machine. It's true he hasn't had another sleep study done but it would seem most if not all his symptoms are gone.

[MotherOfGizmo]

Re: Snoring??

Hmm, what does cheese have to do with it?

[theredhead]

Re: Snoring??

My DH lost about 75 pounds and completely stopped having sleep apnea. He rarely snores, either. He used to sound like a bandsaw all night, in between the silences of his not breathing. LOL! He only occasionally breathes a little loudly, but he's BREATHING all night. Thank goodness! He feels much better and no longer falls asleep every time he sits down in front of the TV. He's maintained his loss for a year and a half and I think this problem has been licked for good!

[Labarum]

Re: Snoring??

Don't sore too much after loosing weight and I sleep a lot more on my back. I thinks because my boney edges stick into me on my side now that I have so much less padding. The mattress is probably too firm for me now, bt I ain't changing it - cost a fortune!

I don't eat cheese. Never did.

[ttdriver]

Re: Snoring??

Brian, do you have an egg-crate mattress on top of your regular mattress? I have one and it really helps cushion the "bony" parts.


Betty

[Labarum]

Re: Snoring??

Thanks, Betty, but I am happy enough - big tough guy, you know! I sleep very well.

We bought an expensive 6ft wide bed a few years ago. It has two 3ft mattresses zipped together. My wife has a medium mattress, I have a firm. At my present weight I would have gone for medium, but it's OK.

Better for the back!

[rybread]

Re: Snoring??

At my heaviest, I snored. DH claims that I don't snore at all anymore, now that I've lost 43lbs.

[LC_Dave]

Re: Snoring??

Hmm, what does cheese have to do with it?

http://www.kuro5hin.org/story/2003/10/30/124053/69

[coitrina]

Re: Snoring??

MY DH had sleep Apnea and snored like a freight train. Alot of nights we couldn't even sleep together because I have to be able to hear the baby, and I seriously used to sleep with ear plugs with him. Well, since he has lost 27lbs, his snoring is getting ALOT better. No more freight train..just a subtle snore...and only on his back. He does great on his sides. Now, as far as a breathing machine, he has one. Unfortunately, he feels like an airplane pilot with a mask on. He has trouble sleeping with it because he can't turn on his sides without waking up. On the upside, I haven't heard him stop breathing lately..and most of the time he ISN'T snoring, and I have to reach over and make sure he is still alive LOL! I am so used to hearing him throughout the night, that when I don't hear him, I get worried. It's a nice change that I am getting used to