CommunityConditions & Comorbidities

Anyone have remission of Obstructive Sleep Apnea with weight loss???

47 replies32 peopleApr 24, 2026☆ Follow
Summary

Can significant weight loss put obstructive sleep apnea into remission and let people stop using CPAP?

Many users report that losing 10-20% or more of body weight eliminated or greatly reduced their OSA, allowing them to ditch CPAP, with confirmation from watches, rings, or repeat sleep studies. Surgery history, anatomy, and body fat percentage also influence outcomes, and some still need devices even after loss. GLP-1 medications are credited by several for both the weight drop and possible direct airway benefits.

What this discussion establishesWhere people disagree

Whether OSA is mainly weight-driven or largely fixed by airway structure; some achieved full remission while others with similar loss still had residual issues.

Still open

How low untreated AHI actually falls for most people after major weight loss, and whether GLP-1 drugs add benefits beyond the pounds lost.

Nothing here is advice.

47 replies · 32 people
SlowBeacon94archiveopening postApr 24

I started this thread because my dream is to stop sounding like Darth Vader at night. I also want to travel without hauling the machine and debating flight staff about carry-ons. Camping without it would be great too but still feels far off. Those hopes are why I began the Tirz journey. My highest weight was 290 lbs with BMI 39.3 and AHI of 55.5; pressure needed was 17.2 cmH2O. When I began the medication in September at 260 lbs the pressure was around 12. Studies show 10-15% loss brings remission for roughly 40% of people. In the Surmount OSA trial 42-50% on Tirz reached remission or mild OSA after 18-20% average loss over a year. I am now at 222 lbs and CP

BlueKettle89archiveApr 24
↳ replying to @SlowBeacon94 (opening post)

I also deal with sleep apnea and use a cpap. Your progress looks strong. The treated AHI of 1.3 does not reveal your current untreated level. OSA is not only about weight. Airway shape, tongue position, and jaw matter as well. Some reach a point where more loss barely changes things. Others do manage to stop cpap after losing weight. If apnea remains there are still choices like dental devices once it is mild. Losing weight can also make you eligible for the inspire implant. Has anyone here repeated a sleep study after weight loss to see their AHI? By the way this is my favorite mask.

SlowBeacon94archiveApr 24
↳ replying to @BlueKettle89

I agree it is not only weight related. When first diagnosed I was overweight and 26. I figured it out myself and pushed for a study. Doctors initially doubted it because I was not heavy or old enough. The numbers are fuzzy now but it was severe enough that I saw an ENT. I had a badly deviated septum and oversized uvula. After surgery to fix both my AHI dropped a lot. Then poor weight control made it bad again. My current body fat estimate is 26% from BIA. I have never been thin but I hope another 30 lbs down to around 15% body fat will put the OSA into remission. I have considered the dental device before and might look at it again. Another surgery idea does not appeal.

BlueKettle89archiveApr 24
↳ replying to @SlowBeacon94

The prior UPPP and septum work explains why your pressure fell so much with the weight drop. My nose has problems but no deviated septum; scans showed only swelling from allergies. Nasal rinses, a steroid spray, and a strip let me use nasal masks. They started me on full face and I disliked it. Going from 26% to 15% body fat should help airway openness. A new sleep study once you level off would be useful. I have been considering one myself because my reports show treated AHI averaging 0.41 lately and 0.32 over the past three months. My weight has been steady in the 220-230 range at 15-18% body fat. I have not tried the mask you mention. The pillow style that sits in the nose did not work for me. The one I have now seals comfortably.

BlueSignal97archiveApr 24
↳ replying to @BlueKettle89

I have tried more than a dozen masks and agree this one works well. I swap the back strap for one from another line because it sits lower on the head.

BlueKettle89archiveApr 24
↳ replying to @BlueSignal97

Others have said they like that strap better too. The original one suits me. I tried this mask after seeing a TikTok user who reviews masks for sleep apnea; he rates this one highest and he was correct.

LevelMarble91archiveApr 25
↳ replying to @SlowBeacon94 (opening post)

I had sleep apnea and used cpap starting at 225 lbs. Now at 190 the apnea is gone though I still snore. No new formal study but my ring and watch show no major breathing issues. Dropping the cpap has been excellent. I still want to lose 15-20 more lbs hoping the snoring will stop too.

SlowBeacon94archiveApr 25
↳ replying to @BlueKettle89

An average treated AHI of 0.41 or 0.32 is far better than my 1.3. I wonder what your untreated number would be now. I use auto settings so my pressure stays low. The mask interests me because the hose exits at the top and the seal is around the nose. My hose gets in the way when I turn and my beard bothers the seal under the nose.

SlowBeacon94archiveApr 25
↳ replying to @LevelMarble91

That is great news. Congratulations on the remission.

LevelFenwick49archiveApr 25

I have OSA on cpap and have lost about 12% body weight on tirz. I still have it and pressure stays in the low teens though it has fallen several cmH2O and events are now 0.6 per hour. I snored even as a teen so anatomy likely plays a part. The ENT noted a large tongue and long uvula during a tonsil check.

BlueKettle89archiveApr 25
↳ replying to @SlowBeacon94

My diagnostic study showed 14 AHI, right at the mild-moderate border. Before weight loss and on auto with full face my treated AHI was about 1.25. I stopped seeing the sleep doctor and set the machine myself after reading up. I run 8-15 pressure with EPR at 3 and it works better than auto for me; average pressure is 9. This is not advice but it suits me. The mask is excellent. I route the hose through an arm above the bed so it stays clear when I move. The cradle sits at the nose base with no beard trouble and does not bother the mustache.

WarmMeadow92archiveApr 25

Diagnosed in 2017, lost 60 lbs in 2018, repeat study showed it was marginal so I stopped cpap. By fall 2024 I had regained the 60 plus another 30 and was diagnosed again. Restarted cpap and learned to read the data and tweak settings. My new doctor wants me to finish all planned weight loss before another study. I have dropped 118 lbs but probably need 20 more. I have lowered the pressure to minimum and likely do not need it anymore. My watch and ring show no breathing problems. I would prefer a nasal mask but I breathe through my mouth so that failed; taping caused a panic attack. After many masks the F40 works well for me.

PatientAlder89archiveApr 26

Has anyone also stopped snoring after being on the medication for a while or reaching goal?

CopperAlder51archiveApr 26
↳ replying to @PatientAlder89

I went from six hours a night down to about fifteen minutes. Some nights none at all. It started declining once I reached around 4 mg on Reta.

AmberAlder67archiveApr 26
↳ replying to @SlowBeacon94 (opening post)

By dropping pounds I managed to quit using that entirely. I started out weighing three hundred thirty and shed fifteen to twenty pounds so I had no further need for it. Wishing you well since freedom will come your way soon.

PatientSparrow67archiveApr 27
↳ replying to @AmberAlder67

Same here. My wife used to complain about snoring. No snoring for about three months now. Lost a lot on Reta plus a CJC-1295/Ipamorelin blend. Found out last year a slight deviated septum can cause apnea. ENT confirmed it plus nasal polyps and extra bone growth on one side from the body trying to fix it. Still need that fixed but weight loss got me off cpap and stopped the snoring.

CopperSignal27archiveApr 27

Never tested but probably should have been given the tiredness and loud snoring. Between 145 kg and 75 kg, now 65 kg, the snoring has vanished despite a badly deviated septum, likely from broken nose incidents as a kid.

CopperQuill49archiveApr 27
↳ replying to @PatientAlder89

I have completely stopped snoring and my partner says it is a big change. Another 30 lbs to goal but I have already dropped about 85 in the past 19 months.

PatientAlder89archiveApr 27

That is another nice improvement many have seen too.

BlueSignal97archiveApr 27

Big update. On cpap since Dec 2023 for severe OSA with AHI 49. Therapy has been consistent and treated AHI is 0.0-0.2. Last week had two wisdom teeth removed deep in the sinus. Surgeon said no cpap for two weeks to avoid dry socket. I worried about AFib but followed instructions. For the past two nights I tested with my oximeter ring the whole night. Untreated nights showed no oxygen drops below 92%. Surprised. I have lost 65 lbs since starting last June but still have 120 to go so it is not huge loss. Reading suggests GLP1s may help OSA beyond weight loss by lowering throat inflammation and fat, and possibly brain mechanisms too.

BrightWillow90archiveApr 28
↳ replying to @PatientAlder89

I had mild apnea when 150 lbs overweight. Lost 125 and it is gone. No snoring, no apnea, no cpap, sleep like a baby. Wife used to snore loudly too; now she almost never does after similar percentage loss.

QuietAlder20archiveApr 28

Lost 100 lbs on tirz and did a new sleep study. Zero apneas, zero snoring. OSA officially resolved. Old cpap can go. The latest study was four nights at home with chest and stomach sensors, finger oximeter, and nasal cannula.

SlowLedger42archiveApr 28
↳ replying to @BlueSignal97

This is the answer you are looking for. A sleep study only captures one night under specific conditions. It works for clear moderate-severe cases but is weaker for borderline ones where many variables affect airways and results can differ between lab, home, or travel. Your own ring lets you test side versus back sleeping and whether you can manage without the machine. If mild OSA remains a dental appliance could be enough. Minor jaw side effects are possible but it is portable for trips while keeping cpap at home. Some people have

BlueSignal97archiveApr 28
↳ replying to @QuietAlder20

That is wild after ten years you probably assumed it was permanent. Nice.

AmberMarble48archiveApr 28

Technically the medication cured my moderate OSA but the first half of the night I fell asleep without the mask and the second half I woke and put it on. Data from a Ringconn Gen2.

CopperSignal27archiveApr 28
↳ replying to @SlowLedger42

The sleeping position detail is interesting. I developed a face-down left-side slightly propped position with five pillows over years to avoid waking with a sore dry throat from snoring. The idea was to keep the jaw forward. It matches what you describe and I never thought to research if others do it. Makes it more likely I had apnea but now no snoring and watch shows none so probably no need to check unless weight returns. Still sleep that way mostly from habit.

SlowLedger42archiveApr 28
↳ replying to @CopperSignal27

That is exactly the idea. I could not locate the post I mentioned so I asked an AI to find it and it did. I did not test the position myself but your reasoning matches theirs. Apnea is relative. Just as a snorer learns a position from a partner a mild OSA person finds a position that helps and it becomes habit. I used to need side sleeping before cpap and was glad to return to back sleeping which feels better but can worsen airways. OSA is often overlooked in our group. We focus on calories but that is hard if severe untreated apnea keeps spiking cortisol every night.

PatientCompass47archiveJun 18

Never formally diagnosed but wife needed ear plugs and said I stopped breathing often. Watch also indicated apnea. Lost 75 lbs got fit and now might lightly snore five minutes a night per the watch. Wake rested now. The medication helped a lot along with changing many habits.

WarmAnchor59archiveJul 2

Chatgpt suspects OSA from my bloodwork. Family says I stop breathing 20-30 seconds sometimes. Clinically obese at 265, 6'2". Now 250 after 15 lbs in six weeks on Reta. Past weight loss stopped the snoring. Would Tesamorelin help? I wonder if it reduces small visceral fat deposits in the sinus area and eases apnea, maybe as an add-on to fat loss. Have an appointment next week to discuss tests and treatments.

WarmAnchor59archiveJul 2
↳ replying to @PatientCompass47

So many of us on this same path it is good to see. Cheers to health and progress.

WarmWillow50archiveJul 2

I had severe weight-related OSA and used cpap for years. Happy to say it has been unused since February. No longer needed. Now I have an expensive machine and extra supplies looking for a new owner.

SlowLedger42archiveJul 8
↳ replying to @WarmWillow50

This may not help now but cpap does not have to cost much if you research and learn yourself. Refurb units can be found for under 400 shipped. Headgear around 100-150. Programming takes some effort but is doable with online resources. Not as critical as a pacemaker so mistakes are usually not dangerous for typical cases. Parts do not always need quarterly replacement; cushions can last 2-3 years with cleaning. At 30-50 to replace it is cheaper to keep spares than swap often.

LevelTimber64archiveJul 9

I had severe apnea when heavy. Nose passages and throat are narrow. Did well on cpap. Lost the weight and no longer need it. Healthy weight brings amazing benefits.

PlainQuill85archiveJul 9

Wow I hope I will be free of cpap once the weight is gone.

WarmSparrow33archiveJul 9
↳ replying to @BlueKettle89

I use that one too but with the nose cushions.

SlowLedger31archiveJul 10

I had mild apnea when heavier, noticeable from snoring and dry mouth on waking. No episodes for months since dropping over 40 lbs.

ClearSignal10archiveJul 10
↳ replying to @SlowBeacon94 (opening post)

I have seen information that strengthening throat muscles can greatly affect sleep apnea.

BlueSignal97archiveJul 10

Some sleep apnea patients benefit most from Tirzepatide. The weight-loss drug is approved for OSA but certain patient types seem to gain the most.

KeenKettle50archiveJul 10
↳ replying to @SlowBeacon94 (opening post)

I do not snore nearly as much after losing 25 lbs or so. It was a tough cycle until I started retatrutide.

CopperBeacon24archiveJul 10
↳ replying to @WarmWillow50

My doctor would not assess until I lost weight. Now that I have, my girlfriend says I no longer stop breathing and snore less, so the doctor was probably right.

LevelTimber64archiveJul 10
↳ replying to @BlueSignal97

This makes me laugh. Weight loss by any method can lessen or remove OSA. It is not unique to any one medication. I do not want to argue with a journal but weight-loss surgery fixed my OSA long before any medication.

GreySignal89archiveJul 10

I had really bad apnea with 189 interruptions per hour at 260 lbs. As weight came down I started waking with stomach air and would burp or vomit on sitting up. Now at 195 I have not used cpap in the last four weeks.

QuietAlder32archiveJul 11

My apnea was so bad I was on BiPAP and hated it. Switched to a dental appliance which worked better for apnea and also helped my TMJ.

IronHarbour22archiveJul 12
↳ replying to @WarmAnchor59

Reta already targets visceral fat well. If your main goal is fat loss and you are already on it then adding Tesamorelin is like bringing a small tool when you already have a big one. For myself I had moderate OSA at 22 AHI when around 250 lbs, now down to 195 heading for 175-180. Planning a retest and feeling cautiously optimistic. The few times I fell asleep without the mask or it came off I did not wake feeling terrible like before.

PlainCompass11archiveJul 15
↳ replying to @SlowBeacon94 (opening post)

Shedding 84 pounds made my OSA disappear completely.

KeenKettle50archiveJul 16

Lost 24 lb net so far while on a prohormone cycle and I am not snoring as much. Relief.

BrightMeadow15archiveJul 20

Husband lost weight and can now sleep without cpap. I no longer hear him stop breathing. He still sleeps better with it so keeps using it. There is a gray market for machines and supplies are pricey from official sellers. We appreciated them for mask fitting and exchanges but prices are high. He replaced his through other channels after checking at the airport. My machine is 20 years old and I only recently noticed how yellow the plastic has become. We do not smoke and use filters so it is just age.

GreenHarbour22archiveJul 23
↳ replying to @SlowBeacon94 (opening post)

Yes after losing weight I do not even snore anymore.

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