Milwaukee woman finds sleep apnea caused unexplained 20kg weight gain

Lex Banach, a 29-year-old resident of Milwaukee, experienced unexplained weight gain of nearly 20 kilograms over six months despite maintaining a strict diet and exercise regimen. In addition to the weight increase, she suffered from extreme exhaustion, difficulty concentrating, memory issues, and personality changes.

Medical professionals eventually determined that the cause was sleep apnea, a disorder where breathing repeatedly stops and starts during sleep due to the relaxation of airway muscles. Banach experienced breathing pauses approximately every eight minutes. Following the diagnosis, she began CPAP therapy, which uses continuous positive airway pressure to keep the airways open, leading to significant improvements in her health and ability to exercise.