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Effect of Weight Loss on Obstructive Sleep Apnea: The Importance of Tongue Fat

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Re: Effect of Weight Loss on Obstructive Sleep Apnea: The Importance of Tongue Fat

#11

I'm a dentist who regularly treats OSA with dental appliances; they work by posturing the mandible forward with a maxillary and mandibular (two-arch) device as a way to increase the cross sectional area of the posterior airway, reducing apneic events -- but it is important to know that the gold standard remains the positive airway pressure (CPAP) device. I would also like to point out that I see an incredible amount…

Nobody who fat shames has shown me research about the efficacy of fat shaming on weight reduction. That's not necessarily because the research doesn't exist, it's because they just don't care.

Nobody wants to be fat and most are already pretty ashamed about it. The big over-eaters (like myself) are sort of like addicts, but its a drug we really can't quit. It's like trying to manage your alcoholism by drinking 2 drinks a day instead of 10.

It's easy to think "why doesn't the pig just eat less." I used to think that way until my diagnosed thyroid conditions (which made me skinny by default) was treated. Karma.

Though some fat acceptance groups go too far when they criticize doctors for telling them to lose weight.

Re: Effect of Weight Loss on Obstructive Sleep Apnea: The Importance of Tongue Fat

#12
post #7
post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I understand what you are saying but, economically, treating the symptom rather than the cause is expensive; somehow there needs to be some way to create a cost high enough to encourage people to attack the cause of the problem; and shame can be a useful way to increase the cost. So "fat shaming", although politically incorrect these days, should not be thrown out as a way to encourage behavior that benefits society…

If literally not being able to breathe isn’t enough, people being dickheads probably isn’t going to do it. Please think harder.

Indeed. For some people it's easier to commit suicide than it is to lose weight. Shame is not an ethical treatment method.

Re: Effect of Weight Loss on Obstructive Sleep Apnea: The Importance of Tongue Fat

#13

I'm a dentist who regularly treats OSA with dental appliances; they work by posturing the mandible forward with a maxillary and mandibular (two-arch) device as a way to increase the cross sectional area of the posterior airway, reducing apneic events -- but it is important to know that the gold standard remains the positive airway pressure (CPAP) device. I would also like to point out that I see an incredible amount…

>In reaction to that, it is important to understand that for many people weight loss is neither practical nor maintainable and for that reason it is critical that we continue to advance our treatment of things like sleep apnea. Sorry, but I have to call BS on that. Having lost ~50 lbs last year (after my blood pressure started getting scary), I can tell you it's all about planning and self-discipline. You plan a diet…

> Having lost ~50 lbs last year

Trust me, it's too soon to say what you're saying. Source: lost >150lbs and kept it off for the past decade.

Re: Effect of Weight Loss on Obstructive Sleep Apnea: The Importance of Tongue Fat

#14
post #5

I'm a dentist who regularly treats OSA with dental appliances; they work by posturing the mandible forward with a maxillary and mandibular (two-arch) device as a way to increase the cross sectional area of the posterior airway, reducing apneic events -- but it is important to know that the gold standard remains the positive airway pressure (CPAP) device. I would also like to point out that I see an incredible amount…

I understand what you are saying but, economically, treating the symptom rather than the cause is expensive; somehow there needs to be some way to create a cost high enough to encourage people to attack the cause of the problem; and shame can be a useful way to increase the cost. So "fat shaming", although politically incorrect these days, should not be thrown out as a way to encourage behavior that benefits society…

[deleted]

Re: Effect of Weight Loss on Obstructive Sleep Apnea: The Importance of Tongue Fat

#15

I'm a dentist who regularly treats OSA with dental appliances; they work by posturing the mandible forward with a maxillary and mandibular (two-arch) device as a way to increase the cross sectional area of the posterior airway, reducing apneic events -- but it is important to know that the gold standard remains the positive airway pressure (CPAP) device. I would also like to point out that I see an incredible amount…

CPAP is 800CAD here (though only about 200 after insurance) and dental appliances are even more expensive and not covered by insurance. Anecdata: I know that going over a certain weight triggers apnea and snoring for me so I try to stay under it - less expensive, less intrusive, better for the health overall. Research like this is both interesting and important to me. It is not about fat-shaming, it is about knowing the options. I understand that there are people for whom weight loss mai not be attainable or maintainable but it certainly will help to a great number of people.

Re: Effect of Weight Loss on Obstructive Sleep Apnea: The Importance of Tongue Fat

#16

I'm a dentist who regularly treats OSA with dental appliances; they work by posturing the mandible forward with a maxillary and mandibular (two-arch) device as a way to increase the cross sectional area of the posterior airway, reducing apneic events -- but it is important to know that the gold standard remains the positive airway pressure (CPAP) device. I would also like to point out that I see an incredible amount…

>In reaction to that, it is important to understand that for many people weight loss is neither practical nor maintainable and for that reason it is critical that we continue to advance our treatment of things like sleep apnea. Sorry, but I have to call BS on that. Having lost ~50 lbs last year (after my blood pressure started getting scary), I can tell you it's all about planning and self-discipline. You plan a diet…

Did you accomplish your weight loss while working manual labor 64hrs per week?

Re: Effect of Weight Loss on Obstructive Sleep Apnea: The Importance of Tongue Fat

#17

I'm a dentist who regularly treats OSA with dental appliances; they work by posturing the mandible forward with a maxillary and mandibular (two-arch) device as a way to increase the cross sectional area of the posterior airway, reducing apneic events -- but it is important to know that the gold standard remains the positive airway pressure (CPAP) device. I would also like to point out that I see an incredible amount…

Nobody who fat shames has shown me research about the efficacy of fat shaming on weight reduction. That's not necessarily because the research doesn't exist, it's because they just don't care.

[deleted]

Re: Effect of Weight Loss on Obstructive Sleep Apnea: The Importance of Tongue Fat

#18

I'm a dentist who regularly treats OSA with dental appliances; they work by posturing the mandible forward with a maxillary and mandibular (two-arch) device as a way to increase the cross sectional area of the posterior airway, reducing apneic events -- but it is important to know that the gold standard remains the positive airway pressure (CPAP) device. I would also like to point out that I see an incredible amount…

>In reaction to that, it is important to understand that for many people weight loss is neither practical nor maintainable and for that reason it is critical that we continue to advance our treatment of things like sleep apnea. Sorry, but I have to call BS on that. Having lost ~50 lbs last year (after my blood pressure started getting scary), I can tell you it's all about planning and self-discipline. You plan a diet…

Sorry, but I think the approach of treating the apnea with or without weight loss is an obvious win. Trying to summon any type of willpower when you're constantly sleep-deprived is almost impossible, much less the amount of discipline that chronically obese people need to break that cycle.

Re: Effect of Weight Loss on Obstructive Sleep Apnea: The Importance of Tongue Fat

#19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>In reaction to that, it is important to understand that for many people weight loss is neither practical nor maintainable and for that reason it is critical that we continue to advance our treatment of things like sleep apnea. Sorry, but I have to call BS on that. Having lost ~50 lbs last year (after my blood pressure started getting scary), I can tell you it's all about planning and self-discipline. You plan a diet…

Did you accomplish your weight loss while working manual labor 64hrs per week?

No one doing manual labor for 60+ hours a week is morbidly obese.

Re: Effect of Weight Loss on Obstructive Sleep Apnea: The Importance of Tongue Fat

#20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>In reaction to that, it is important to understand that for many people weight loss is neither practical nor maintainable and for that reason it is critical that we continue to advance our treatment of things like sleep apnea. Sorry, but I have to call BS on that. Having lost ~50 lbs last year (after my blood pressure started getting scary), I can tell you it's all about planning and self-discipline. You plan a diet…

Did you accomplish your weight loss while working manual labor 64hrs per week?

And also did you have a working kitchen? Access to a decent grocery store? Were you free from constant stress about how you would pay rent?
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