Gained 18 kg in six months despite diet: 'I thought I was going crazy, and the diagnosis shocked me'

Lex Banach, a 29-year-old content creator, felt she was losing her mind as she gained nearly 18 kilograms in just six months, despite no changes to her diet or exercise regimen. For years, she battled unexplained symptoms, feeling trapped in a body she no longer recognized.

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For years I felt crazy because I didn't know what was happening to my body.

"For years I felt crazy because I didn't know what was happening to my body," she shared, describing her frustrating experience. "I was completely confused; I followed the same eating plan and did the same workouts as before, but the pounds just kept piling on." Her confusion turned to despair as she sought answers, unaware that the true cause of her problems lay in something happening while she slept.

Banach had always been dedicated to fitness. After successfully losing nine kilograms in 2020, she maintained her target weight. However, by early 2021, her weight began to increase steadily. In 2022, she stopped taking birth control pills, suspecting hormones, but it made no difference. This failure deepened her sense of helplessness.

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I was completely confused; I followed the same eating plan and did the same workouts as before, but the pounds just kept piling on.

Soon after, her condition worsened. She suffered from severe brain fog and extreme fatigue, forcing her to nap daily. "I had to nap every day, I was just exhausted all the time," she said. She also struggled with impulse control, admitting, "I'd tell myself I'd only eat one cookie, and then I'd eat the whole box." Her cheerful personality vanished, replaced by irritability and frequent arguments with her partner.

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I had to nap every day, I was just exhausted all the time.

Feeling broken, Banach sought medical help, initially requesting a referral for psychotherapy. Her doctor suspected anxiety and depression but also considered sleep apnea, a disorder where breathing repeatedly stops and starts during sleep. Symptoms include mood changes, sleep difficulties, and fatigue. If left untreated, it can lead to serious health problems like heart disease and type two diabetes. The problem is far from rare, with an estimated 15 percent of people in industrialized countries affected.

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I'd tell myself I'd only eat one cookie, and then I'd eat the whole box.