Can someone need CPAP for a while, but not permanently?

[JerryL]

I have a general question about CPAP/APAP for obstructive sleep apnea.

If I start using an xPAP machine, and it turns out to be helpful (better sleep, more energy), should I anticipate using the machine for the rest of my life?

Or are there cases where someone truly does need an xPAP machine for a while -- months, years, decades -- but then doesn't need it anymore? For example, is it possible for someone's OSA to finally "get better" so that xPAP isn't needed? (And if that did happen, would it be because something major changed -- such as significant weight loss?) Or, at the other extreme, is it possible for someone to have OSA that is successfully treated with xPAP, but later in life the xPAP therapy stops being effective?

(To clarify: I'm not addressing the case of someone who has OSA that doesn't respond to xPAP therapy at all. I''m asking about someone who is successfully treated with xPAP -- at least for a while.)

Related question: If someone with OSA uses xPAP therapy, and it does help them, will they become dependent on it? Suppose identical twins Frank and Joe both have the same OSA. At age 40, Frank goes on CPAP and it helps him tremendously, while Joe gets no treatment at all. Then at age 45, Frank stops CPAP. Will Frank be more tired than Joe, because his body got accustomed to using CPAP and now is being deprived of it, while Joe has never used it at all?

[Snoregone Conclusion]

Interesting questions.

I’ll propose on the last one that the untreated twin, depending on severity and some amount of chance, may not make it to the point of seeing the other twin go off of it for comparison, because they don’t survive long enough.

Based on documented health issues from untreated OSA over a long enough period of time, and observing immediate family members, if the sleep study I did about 3 weeks ago comes back as expected, the choice is simple for me: become a hosehead. I’ve already felt what I believe are long-term effects that (hopefully will resolve with treatment) have me very concerned, never mind the observation when thinking upon it lately, I can’t even point to the last year I had a 6 hour uninterrupted sleep as as I am aware: I wish I could sleep well, sometimes, at all: things have been bad enough at times I have brief bits of sleep where I’m dreaming about sleeping.

I don’t want to dream about sleeping, I want to sleep and have decent dreams, then full energy the rest of the day, reliably.

[palerider]

I have a general question about CPAP/APAP for obstructive sleep apnea.

If I start using an xPAP machine, and it turns out to be helpful (better sleep, more energy), should I anticipate using the machine for the rest of my life?

Or are there cases where someone truly does need an xPAP machine for a while -- months, years, decades -- but then doesn't need it anymore? For example, is it possible for someone's OSA to finally "get better" so that xPAP isn't needed?

Think of cpap in terms of glasses... both compensate for a physical deformity.

In other words... don't get your hopes up.

[reecemj]

I know of 3 people who lost weight and got off of cpap. Am a so,so slim 57 year old guy and am still sucking air at night.Some have a operation and a few years later are back on cpap. So if one gets off of cpap what determines that who knows.

[Lucyhere]

If I start using an xPAP machine, and it turns out to be helpful (better sleep, more energy), should I anticipate using the machine for the rest of my life?

Or are there cases where someone truly does need an xPAP machine for a while -- months, years, decades -- but then doesn't need it anymore? For example, is it possible for someone's OSA to finally "get better" so that xPAP isn't needed? (And if that did happen, would it be because something major changed -- such as significant weight loss?) Or, at the other extreme, is it possible for someone to have OSA that is successfully treated with xPAP, but later in life the xPAP therapy stops being effective?


Related question: If someone with OSA uses xPAP therapy, and it does help them, will they become dependent on it? ile Joe has never used it at all?

Chances are that once diagnosed with sleep apnea you will have it the rest of your life. A few have said that their SA had completely resolved for one reason or another, only to find it had eventually returned. Some have had surgery and said it resolved, only to come back a few years later saying it had come back, sometimes worse than before. That said, it can get significantly better. I had severe sleep apnea when I had a sleep study over ten years ago (50 events per hour). Since then, I've lost 30 pounds and I'm no longer over weight. When I had another sleep study two years ago, I had moderate (17 events per hour) SA. So, yes, it can get better, but going completely away is not likely going to happen.

No, you can't get "dependent" on cpap therapy. You are only breathing in air, which you already do. It's like needing glasses; if you take them off you don't see well. Once you put them on, you see clearly. When you are using this therapy, hopefully you are sleeping better and feeling much better. If you stop using the therapy, chances are you will feel like you did before you ever started treatment. I suppose you can think of it as dependent, but you are only depending on air (which you are already breathing) to help you feel your best.

[D.H.]

For some who are severely obese, losing a large amount of weight - through surgery or any other means - could possibly do this. Also, some other surgeries might help (removal of excess throat tissue, for instance).

However, for most of us, we're "stuck." If it helps, I've traveled to twenty-four countries on four continents, taken three river cruises, two ocean liner cruises, and a yacht in the Galapagos all with my CPAP (and was always able to use it).

[SewTired]

If the conditions that created the need for cpap are resolved, then yes indeed you can quit CPAP. However, don't assume that will ever happen and feel fortunate if you are one of the few that it does happen to. The most common reason people are able to give up cpap is losing considerable weight. However, stats at a local hospital indicate that this is less likely the older you are. If you are under about 35, chances are weight loss will result in eliminating your need provided weight loss was the original cause.

[chunkyfrog]

Right now, xpap us the only game in town--that is PROVEN to work.
Until better treatments are made, we must use the one we have.
Many of us are so used to it, that sleeping without it feels WEIRD.

[Goofproof]

If you die, you will no longer need XPAP, it's that simple. Jim

[Wulfman...]

I have a general question about CPAP/APAP for obstructive sleep apnea.

If I start using an xPAP machine, and it turns out to be helpful (better sleep, more energy), should I anticipate using the machine for the rest of my life?

Or are there cases where someone truly does need an xPAP machine for a while -- months, years, decades -- but then doesn't need it anymore? For example, is it possible for someone's OSA to finally "get better" so that xPAP isn't needed? (And if that did happen, would it be because something major changed -- such as significant weight loss?) Or, at the other extreme, is it possible for someone to have OSA that is successfully treated with xPAP, but later in life the xPAP therapy stops being effective?

(To clarify: I'm not addressing the case of someone who has OSA that doesn't respond to xPAP therapy at all. I''m asking about someone who is successfully treated with xPAP -- at least for a while.)

Related question: If someone with OSA uses xPAP therapy, and it does help them, will they become dependent on it? Suppose identical twins Frank and Joe both have the same OSA. At age 40, Frank goes on CPAP and it helps him tremendously, while Joe gets no treatment at all. Then at age 45, Frank stops CPAP. Will Frank be more tired than Joe, because his body got accustomed to using CPAP and now is being deprived of it, while Joe has never used it at all?

Categorically.......
Yes.
Unlikely.

As was related as an example, XPAP therapy is like using glasses, hearing aids, crutches, walkers, prosthetics or other items that assist us in our daily lives. Just because we use them doesn't mean that they're going to "cure" our condition. It helps us live a more "normal" life. It helps our bodies get more oxygen to function properly.

Will you become more "dependent" on it?
Well, if you like to breathe when you sleep and consequently have better health, then what's wrong with being dependent on it?
After using this therapy for some period of time, many of us can't sleep without it. It just feels too good to stop.
And, to paraphrase BC......."It depends on what the meaning of 'dependent' is......."


Den

.

[JerryL]

Thanks to everyone who replied!

When I use the word "dependent" I didn't necessarily mean it in a pejorative sense. I take pills for high cholesterol and pills for acid reflux, and if my doctor tells me that I'll be taking them for the rest of my life, I wouldn't be dismayed. (I suppose that if civilization were to collapse, and we all had to live in the Arizona desert eating cactus and making our own bows and arrows to hunt wild rabbits, it would be inconvenient to be dependent on cholesterol-pills or CPAP. But there's a good chance that won't happen. )

The analogy to glasses was especially helpful. If my vision is bad, my "dependence" on glasses doesn't actually depend on whether I have glasses. If someone has 20-300 vision, and they wear glasses, they can see well. If they don't wear glasses, they see badly. And this doesn't change based on whether they wear glasses: wearing glasses for a year doesn't make their eyes any worse or any more dependent on glasses. Is that a good analogy?

[Goofproof]

Thanks to everyone who replied!

When I use the word "dependent" I didn't necessarily mean it in a pejorative sense. I take pills for high cholesterol and pills for acid reflux, and if my doctor tells me that I'll be taking them for the rest of my life, I wouldn't be dismayed. (I suppose that if civilization were to collapse, and we all had to live in the Arizona desert eating cactus and making our own bows and arrows to hunt wild rabbits, it would be inconvenient to be dependent on cholesterol-pills or CPAP. But there's a good chance that won't happen. )

The analogy to glasses was especially helpful. If my vision is bad, my "dependence" on glasses doesn't actually depend on whether I have glasses. If someone has 20-300 vision, and they wear glasses, they can see well. If they don't wear glasses, they see badly. And this doesn't change based on whether they wear glasses: wearing glasses for a year doesn't make their eyes any worse or any more dependent on glasses. Is that a good analogy?

Seeing the people is our country now days, I think they would be long dead before lack of those two pills killed them. Not much left in people today, too weak. Jim

[palerider]

wearing glasses for a year doesn't make their eyes any worse or any more dependent on glasses. Is that a good analogy?

Bingo!

[JerryL]

Chances are that once diagnosed with sleep apnea you will have it the rest of your life. A few have said that their SA had completely resolved for one reason or another, only to find it had eventually returned. Some have had surgery and said it resolved, only to come back a few years later saying it had come back, sometimes worse than before. That said, it can get significantly better. I had severe sleep apnea when I had a sleep study over ten years ago (50 events per hour). Since then, I've lost 30 pounds and I'm no longer over weight. When I had another sleep study two years ago, I had moderate (17 events per hour) SA. So, yes, it can get better, but going completely away is not likely going to happen.

Thanks!

For some who are severely obese, losing a large amount of weight - through surgery or any other means - could possibly do this. Also, some surgeries might help (removal of excess throat tissue, for instance).

Thanks!

My previous doctor told me "Sleep apnea is caused by being overweight, so you should exercise and lose weight instead of getting CPAP." But then I got another doctor, who said my earlier doctor was wrong. He said, "If you have apnea, you're tired all the time -- so you don't have the energy to exercise! You should do CPAP first, and then maybe you'll have energy to exercise."

Your replies made me think of another question. Suppose that I begin my xPAP therapy, and then subsequently I lose weight. Even if this doesn't end my apnea, might it change the pressure I need? If so, would that be a good reason to get an AutoPAP (APAP) machine instead of a CPAP machine?

[chunkyfrog]

It could change your pressure, which could go either down or up, depending on physiology.
In any case, losing excess weight is very rarely a bad idea.