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Weight Loss and AHI change
#1
Weight Loss and AHI change
Hi all,

I've been losing some weight and at first I noticed that I was sleeping well and my average AHI was hovering at around the 6 range. I've continued to lose weight, but I have noticed I haven't been sleeping as well and sure enough my AHI is now at around 15.

I was just wondering if this is related to my weight loss and an indication that my pressure is too high or if it might be something else entirely?

Thanks!
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#2
RE: Weight Loss and AHI change
Depends on the amount of weight you lost and where you lost it from.

What kind of events are you having? How long are they lasting?
PaulaO

Take a deep breath and count to zen.




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#3
RE: Weight Loss and AHI change
Thanks for your reply!

Unfortunately, I don't know what specific events I am having - I have an ResMed S8 and there are a couple of other numbers (AI and HI I believe), but I'm not sure what they represent. My leak number seems to be as low as it has always been.

In terms of my intuitive feeling, I just noticed that I went from having decent sleep to feeling groggy and fogheaded in the last few days and led me to check my AHI number again. I have lost around 30 pounds over the last four months though.
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#4
RE: Weight Loss and AHI change
If anything there should be weight gain if your AHI numbers go up. I would check with your doc about this, as there can be many reasons for weight loss, but I do wonder how it could be coupled to a rise in your AHI - since neck size is an indicator of apnoea, the smaller the neck the more likely that your apnoea will ease - however, that said, it is possible that the weight loss would contribute to excess flabby tissue, thus contributing to a rise in events - that is a long shot though. If so, raising your pressure will bring your numbers back down.

One thing important in weight loss is to re-establish tone in all areas of your body. This true of the throat as well. The best method to date seems to be playing the digeridoo, although you need to be guided in the proper technique.

Either way, you need to see your sleep doc to see how these two factors may correlate.
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#5
RE: Weight Loss and AHI change
whats the leak? acceptable leak 0.4 L/s (24 L/m)

Whats AI and HI
AHI (Apnea Hypopnea Index) made up of AI (Apnea Index) plus HI (Hypopnea Index)

to see any detailed data you,ll need Resscan software (available from here)
first you,ll need the S8 special card reader which is not available at many places as the S8 is been discontinued
you might have luck obtaining the card reader on ebay from Israel

maybe its co-incidental, weight loss and not feeling well
maybe not getting enough nutrition/sleep or something else, checked out with your doctor








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#6
RE: Weight Loss and AHI change
I was a bit worried that I was suffering central sleep apnea, since I assume that weight loss would naturally mean I need less pressure?

Unfortunately I won't be able to see my sleep doctor (in Canada specialist appointments are different from family doctor appointments) any time soon and in the short term it was just a change that I wasn't expecting.

I didn't know about having to tone throat muscles though, but that definitely makes sense. I'm not sure how the neighbours would appreciate bad digeridoo playing. Haha.
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#7
RE: Weight Loss and AHI change
Hi firehawk12,
WELCOME! to the forum.!
CONGRATULATIONS! on your weight loss.
Best of luck to you.
trish6hundred
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#8
RE: Weight Loss and AHI change
In Canada you can just send the query to your specialist or via your GP (or both), who is the gateway for your specialist, in the form of an e-mail or letter. Best first though that you be able to provide sufficient data for them to see, so get the appropriate software (Rescan or Sleepyhead) and download the data from your card to either print out reports or graphs (preferably both) from both your early period of compliance and your current last few sessions and submit them with your query and suspicions - if there is something alarming in them, you will be bumped a head. If not, and it is clear that the one has nothing to do with the other, your GP will want to look at other factors. Either way, it gets around the waiting period, because they will examine data as submitted, rather than wait until your appointment. They may not respond before your appointment, but if there is some cause for concern, they will contact you far sooner.

Please not that they will want to see not only the AHI data, but leaks, snore and event data, and, if you are using an oxymeter as well, the sO2sats. While you are at it, since you ARE in Canada, you are entitled to update your machine regularly (in most, but not all Provinces), so make an appointment for that too.

As for the digeridoo playing, I am pretty sure that there are "playing groups" around, as they do here too, since most people are not in a position to disturb their neighbours. Either way, what you are learning is a form of circular breathing that helps tone the throat, and can be done with a muffled instrument.

BTW, in both Montreal and Toronto, there are several hospitals that will take your query quickly and examine the data to see if it is a compliance issue. I can't say for other cities and you didn't say where in Canada you lived. I can say that in most of Eastern Canada you are out of luck in terms of getting around the waiting cue, and if you are in Newfoundland, well, abandon ye all hope of a speedy treatment.
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#9
RE: Weight Loss and AHI change
(02-21-2013, 08:20 PM)firehawk12 Wrote: I was a bit worried that I was suffering central sleep apnea, since I assume that weight loss would naturally mean I need less pressure?

I was thinking the same thing. Follow zonk's directions and see if your CA index is the dominant part of your AHI. AHI equals sum of CA index, OA index, and hypopnea index. If the CA index is by far the biggest of the three that could indicate that your pressure is too high.

CA = clear-airway or central apnea
OA = obstructed-airway apnea
hypopnea = partially obstructed airway

The sum of these three indices equals the AHI (apnea-hypopnea index).
Sleepster

INFORMATION ON APNEA BOARD FORUMS OR ON APNEABOARD.COM SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED AS MEDICAL ADVICE. ALWAYS SEEK THE ADVICE OF A PHYSICIAN BEFORE SEEKING TREATMENT FOR MEDICAL CONDITIONS, INCLUDING SLEEP APNEA. INFORMATION POSTED ON THE APNEA BOARD WEB SITE AND FORUMS ARE PERSONAL OPINION ONLY AND NOT NECESSARILY A STATEMENT OF FACT.
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#10
RE: Weight Loss and AHI change
(02-21-2013, 06:20 PM)firehawk12 Wrote: Hi all,

I've been losing some weight and at first I noticed that I was sleeping well and my average AHI was hovering at around the 6 range. I've continued to lose weight, but I have noticed I haven't been sleeping as well and sure enough my AHI is now at around 15.

I was just wondering if this is related to my weight loss and an indication that my pressure is too high or if it might be something else entirely?

Well you just learned a dirty little secret.
Yes it's true. Despite the hoopla that they sometimes make about the "importance" of losing weight, sometimes it just doesn't matter. Nowadays we don't have a scale in the house. But at times when I did monitor my weight, it didn't seem to make any difference.
The theory as explained to me was excess "weight" around your neck and throat supposedly contribute to or are the cause of sleep apnea. That's not necessarily so, of course. If you're going to lose weight, do it for your own well being or self esteem or whatever, but don't expect an apnea cure. I guess it could happen. But don't count on it.
Unsure
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